Dear Heloise: Over the years, I have sent many wedding and graduation gifts in the form of cash tucked into cards. About 1 in 20 gifts resulted in a thank-you note. And I know why. The envelopes are opened, the cash is separated from the card, and no note is made as to who gave what and how much. Now some people simply don’t have the good manners to respond, and others don’t know to whom or how to respond.

I now give personal checks. My name and address are embossed on the checks. And, of course, the dollar amounts are readily apparent. Hence, there are no excuses for bad manners. Even so, the recipients’ check endorsement signatures are usually the only acknowledgements that I receive.

A true bonus is the occasional “thank you” scrawled beneath the check endorsement. — Charles Tibbals, via emails

CLEANING OUT JARS

Dear Heloise: It’s best to remove all the food remnants from jars and bottles before recycling, but getting jars of peanut butter clean can be especially challenging. I recently tried this:

Fill the container halfway with hot water, then pour in a “spritz” of liquid dishwashing detergent. Next, pour in a heaping teaspoon of uncooked rice (or any small, gritty particles). Replace the lid and shake vigorously. The combination of rice pieces, detergent and hot water should clean out the jar. — Jerry Laub, in Ohio

PLACE MAT HINT

Dear Heloise: Some time ago, I bought some place mats that l’ve never used. This morning, I used them to line the drawer where I keep my baking pans. Neat!

Also, in preparation for another snowy winter, I purchased a mat to go under my car in the garage, which will, in theory, catch the slush and salt from the roadways on my car. In order to line the car up properly, I use the camera on the dash to guide my entry into the garage. — Madeline C., in Rutland, Vermont