Dear Heloise: Recently, I was approached to invest in something that has me puzzled. It was a program that offered what was called a community service block grant.

It supposedly helps communities raise their standard of living through various grants that are given to people and small businesses.

But there is one very troubling thing that makes me wonder whether this is a solid investment. In order to get this “grant,” they want me to send money — in fact, a lot of money.

For example, I’d pay $1,000 to receive $60,000. Since when do we have to pay in order to get a grant? I was under the impression that a grant had to be given out for a specific reason, rather than just given out because someone applied for the funds for no reason at all.

My husband is dead, and my one and only child is just a teenager who knows nothing about this sort of thing. What should I do? — A Reader, in Small-Town Michigan

Dear Reader, first go online and type in the name of the grant. Read as much as you can about it. Afterward, research the name of the grant and add one word: “scam.” See what results pop up. I would also encourage you to consult with a financial planner.

You can contact the Office of the Inspector General at OIG.FTC.gov or call 1-800-447-8477 to see what they have to say on the matter.

To be honest, I have never heard of paying money to get money, except from a slot machine, and even then, you usually lose your money with nothing to show for it. — Heloise

NONPROFIT SOLICITATIONS

Dear Heloise: People have made suggestions on how to deal with mail solicitations. However, if you make a donation to an organization, and the envelope says that no stamp is required, this postage is then paid for by the organization.

It sometimes also says that your stamp will help them because your stamp can save them the cost of postage. They have to pay a fee for each envelope that comes without your stamp. Since they are paying both the postage plus a fee, this reduces your donation and adds up for the organization. — Lilith, Ventura, California

Lilith, thank you for pointing this out. Most charities have to scramble for enough funds to keep their organization afloat. Every little bit helps so that many charities can continue their work. — Heloise

CLOGGED LINT TRAP

Dear Heloise: Please warn your readers to keep a fire extinguisher or one of those blankets that put out flames near their dryers and stoves. We recently had our dryer catch fire, but I managed to put it out before calling the fire department. The firemen pulled the dryer outside on the front lawn and checked the lint trap. The lint trap was clogged with a thick layer of lint.

Our out-of-town guests used my washer and dryer and never had the courtesy to clean the lint trap after they used my dryer. I was told that about 90% of dryer fires are caused by overheated lint, either in the lint trap or the exhaust system. — Lynn S., Scranton, Pennsylvania

UNSTICKING DISHWASHER PODS

Dear Heloise: My dishwasher detergent pods sometimes stick together, so I put them in a large bowl, sprinkle about a tablespoon of cornstarch, and gently stir them with my hands. I then return them back to the container, and there are no more stuck pods.

I enjoy your hints. — C., via email

CLOSET ORGANIZATION

Dear Heloise: Here’s an idea that helps me with organizing my clothes. Sometimes I wear an outfit once, and it’s ready to be laundered.

Other times, I wear something several times, and I would put the “partially worn” items in a different spot inside of my closet. I could never remember when to wash them. I solved this by slipping a colored rubber band over the hook of the hanger.

Each time I wear it, another rubber band gets added. And each garment goes into its home in my closet, not a different spot. It works for me. — Nancy P., in The Villages, Florida

KEEPING SKUNKS AWAY

Dear Heloise: We live in the country and have a nice variety of wildlife. On cool spring or fall evenings, we enjoy leaving our windows open to take in the fresh air and listen to the nighttime critters. But inevitably, skunks come around, and we have to close up everything because we can’t endure the odor.

Putting on all the inside and outside lights and leaving them on all night has proven helpful in keeping them at bay. But we have figured out another simple solution: We found that cut-up lemon rinds with pulp are an excellent skunk deterrent.

We usually take a 2-pound bag of lemons, squeeze out the juice for fresh lemonade, then cut up the rinds into small pieces, which we scatter close to the foundation all around the perimeter of the house. We also throw some under the back porch and under the steps at the front. We repeat this every four or five days, and it keeps the skunks away. It’s nice to have a natural, safe deterrent, so we can enjoy the other animals in the neighborhood. — Janet G., via email