Dear Heloise: In order to attend college, I had to take out loans. I graduated this year, and I’m currently about to start my master’s program. In my chosen field of work, my career will be very interesting and exciting, but it won’t make me rich.

Since I have to repay my loans, I’m worried that I won’t ever get ahead in life while I’m strapped to a huge debt. Is there any kind of relief for student loan debt? — Chad R., Berkley, California

Chad, I recommend you go to StudentAid.gov and see what can be done. You might be eligible for an income-driven repayment (IDR) loan, but check there first. Your monthly repayment might depend on your discretionary income. Not all loans can be switched to an IDR loan, but you won’t know until you investigate all the possibilities of debt assistance. — Heloise

LOST LUGGAGE

Dear Heloise: With so many people traveling this year, I’m sure that there will be some lost luggage. Instead of putting your name and address on the luggage tag, put your name and business address on there. If your company allows it, it is a much safer way to have your luggage returned to you.

I put my business address on my luggage because I have a babysitter at home who looks after my twin boys. I just feel that it’s safer for my family this way. — Courtney W., Hammond, Louisiana

Courtney, this is a good hint. Here is another: Put your identification into your digital camera if you have one. Take a picture of your business card, or write your name and phone number on a piece of paper and take a photo of it. I offer a reward, too. This makes it a lot easier to get my digital camera returned if it gets lost. — Heloise

VACUUM-SEALED DOCUMENTS

Dear Heloise: I have an automatic vacuum sealer for storing food, but I found another great use for it. I’ve sealed inside of it all of my important documents, such as birth certificates, my marriage license, etc. These are stored in a locked filing cabinet.

About five years ago, I started to do this in case of flooding or a fire. At the time, my brother and his family lost all their documents in a flood. — Tiffany P., Harrison, Tennessee

Tiffany, if fires, flooding or tornadoes are a serious threat in your area, then a bank safety deposit box might be the safest place for your documents and other valuables. — Heloise

FREEZING FRESH CORN

Dear Heloise: Can I freeze fresh corn? — Dawn D., Falmouth, Maine

Dawn, yes. The next time you cook corn on the cob, cook an extra dozen ears. It doesn’t take too much time to cut the kernels off the cob. Before you know it, you’ll have a bag of cooked corn in the freezer that only needs to be reheated and served. — Heloise

MOLDY CHEESE

Dear Heloise: How can I keep cheese from growing moldy while it’s being stored in the refrigerator? — Linda Z., El Paso, Texas

Linda, you need to double wrap the cheese, especially hard cheese. Lay out a piece of tin foil, then a piece of cling wrap on top of the foil. Place the cheese in the center and wrap it up tightly. This way, you’ve double-wrapped the cheese, and it will last for weeks. — Heloise

REDUCE TRASH BAG USE

Dear Heloise: Many people have two cans in their kitchens, one for trash and one for recycling. Some neighborhoods require that you place your recyclables unbagged into the street bin. When I empty my recyclables from the kitchen can to the street bin, I place the used “recycle” bag in my kitchen trash can. This way, it gets used a second time and goes out as the next bag of trash.

If the recycled bags are too dirty to use again for the trash, this means the recyclables are not being properly prepared for the bin.

Love reading you right here in San Antonio. — Gayle Kinnally, via email

CARROT JUICING

Dear Heloise: I juice carrots for their nutritional value at least five days a week. Since carrots taper from a thick top down to a pointed end, I’ve found that if I put the carrot’s thick top into the juicer first, the machine actually seems to grow relieved as it grinds down the increasingly thinner carrot material. This is more efficient and provides more juice from each carrot. — Jim R., in Houston

DRY HANDS

Dear Heloise: If you have difficulty when hand-sewing or opening a new stack of thin plastic bags because of dry hands, apply a touch of hand lotion to your fingertips. These tasks will become surprisingly easy. — Margaret, La Mirada, California