Dear Heloise: Lipstick has gotten very expensive. And, when I’m through using my lipstick, there’s still an inch or so left at the bottom! So, I use a lipstick brush, and I’m able to continue with what’s left for another month or two. Waste not, want not, as they say. By the way, I always read your column in our Long Beach Press-Telegram ever day. Thank you for all your hints. — Sheila S., Long Beach, California

Sheila, thanks for your letter. It seems that every time I find the perfect shade of lipstick, it becomes obsolete in a short time, and I can’t find it anywhere. Your hint is a good one for people like me who need to go hunting for a similar shade — and until I find it, I need to use what’s left of the lipstick I liked! — Heloise

PARKING LOT THIEVES

Dear Heloise: I want to alert women to be on the lookout for parking lot thieves. As I put away my shopping cart and put my purse in my car behind the driver’s seat, a woman in the car next to mine asked me to help her find a freeway on her phone. While I leaned into her car to help her, someone came from the other side of my car and stole my wallet. I wasn’t aware of this until I reached home and received a message from my bank.

Because the woman was nicely dressed and in a newer looking car, I never guessed she was trying to rob me. — C.S., Riverside, California

C.S., I’m terribly sorry this happened to you. It just goes to show we never know what a thief might look like or what they might do. At least you weren’t physically hurt, and they didn’t get your car. Still, I know it’s a very jarring situation. Hope you’re feeling better now, but let this be a warning to all of us to be extra careful when we’re out shopping. — Heloise

HIDDEN SURPRISE

Dear Heloise: I grew up poor, but with an education and hard work, I’ve managed to acquire a very comfortable position in life. My wife and I have set up a scholarship fund to help students in college reach their dreams. However, I still like to do one other act of charity that, for some reason, thrills me.

While I’m at the library, I will usually leave money between the pages of a book. Sometimes it’s a $20 or a $10. At Christmas, it’s often $50. I know it’s not a fortune, but I remember the day I found $10 in a library book. That $10 kept me fed for one week when I first moved into my own apartment. I didn’t have two nickels to rub together back then, and I appreciated whoever left the money. Maybe someone else needs a little extra money, and this can help them. — Joseph, in Iowa