Now Here’s A Tip
By JOANN DERSON

• Sale items for January: Still on sale are overstock Christmas or holiday items, sports equipment, gym memberships, furniture, bed and bath linens and computers and electronics.

• “To keep light bulbs from sticking in the socket, apply petroleum jelly to the base of the bulb before screwing it into the fixture.” — B.D. in Virginia

• “After the rush of the holidays, our family has a little tradition of its own. We reserve one night to watch all our home movies from the season. We usually end up watching some of the other years’ too. And our son has become a whiz at putting together slideshows on DVD of digital pictures, so we look forward to the first of many photo slideshows to add to the night’s entertainment.” — Y.K. in Alabama

• To make your own special flavor of coffee creamer, use a pint of fat-free or low-fat half and half and add the extract or spices of your choice. Some ideas: peppermint extract, chocolate syrup, almond extract, cinnamon, nutmeg or vanilla extract.

• “A shirt that I love has sleeves with ribbon ties at the end. The ribbon is silky and invariably unties — even with a double knot. My mother came to visit and came up with a wonderful solution. She tied the ends in a nice, even bow and then put a stitch through the whole thing. It never comes untied now, and it looks great!” — A.L. in Colorado

• When taking down holiday lights outdoors, remember to use the buddy system for safety. No one should be up on a ladder without a second person watching out for him or her. Also, don’t overreach. The few minutes spent repositioning a ladder are better than the hours you might spend in an emergency room.

Send your tips to Now Here’s a Tip, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL32853- 6475 or e-mail JoAnn at letters. kfws@hearstsc.com.

(c) 2006 King Features Synd., Inc.