Dear Heloise: In the name of safety, today's baby pull toys most often have a string but do not have a sort of handle attached for the baby to hold. My hint is to use a baby's teething ring. Tie the string to the ring to give the baby a handle that can be grabbed by chubby fingers and that is safe for the baby to chew on.

— Katrina, San Antonio

Dear Heloise: When taking photographs of valuable items, record serial numbers so they can be put into the National Crime Information Center database. If an officer comes across your stolen item, he or she will run the number and can return the item to you.

— Carol, Crescent, Iowa

Dear Heloise: Since we've been opening our windows, just a quick reminder not to have loose papers, towels or napkins on the counter by the stove (especially gas with pilot lights). The breeze might blow paper onto the stove — a potential fire hazard.

— Karen Eriksen, Bloomfield, N.J.

Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to 1-210-HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can't answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.

© King Features Syndicate Inc.