Dear Heloise: For the Devoted Reader, from Salem, Ohio:

A circulating pump can be put on a water heater so that you have instant hot water at all faucets in the house.

Also, if you tell the pharmacist that you don’t need a childproof cap, they will use one that’s easier to remove. — A Devoted Reader, in Texas

CHECKING CAR LIGHTS

Dear Heloise: I just read a reader’s concern about unaware drivers whose car lights are not functioning. You can easily check all these lights if you park your car in a garage.

In the evening, put your car in the garage and close the overhead door. Stay in the driver’s seat. Turn on the headlights and check both the left and right lights as they shine on the wall in front of your car.

Next, step on the brake and check both the left and right brake lights in the rearview mirror as they shine on the closed garage door. Finally, rotate through the left and right turn indicators for both the front and rear of your vehicle.

You don’t need a partner for this procedure, and you can do it as often as you want! — E.R., Bryan, Texas

THE LAST OF

THE LOTION

Dear Heloise: This is a helpful hint for those of you who get frustrated when your bottle of lotion won’t pump out any more lotion, but you know that there is plenty more left at the bottom of the bottle.

Unscrew the top, swish around the stem in the bottom, and you will get more lotion out. Sometimes you will need to bang the bottom of the bottle on each side to get more lotion toward the center.

This has helped me for around a month to still get lotion on the stem for my hands. Great saver on lotion! — Karen, from California

Karen, I know it’s a little frustrating when there is more lotion, hand soap, or a product of any kind left in the bottle, but it just won’t come out. In the past, I ran the bottom of the bottle under hot water from the faucet, and this seemed to help. But I’ll try your method next time to see how it works. — Heloise

BALLOON DANGERS

Dear Heloise: This is not a hint; I just wanted to sound off about releasing balloons. Some people release balloons and don’t realize that they could kill someone. I wish people wouldn’t do it. What goes up must come down, and it could land in a pasture where livestock can get to it and accidentally eat it. Why not get butterflies and release them instead?

Thanks for letting me get this off my chest. — K., in Arkansas

Send a money-saving or time-saving hint to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.