Dear Heloise: I read your hints about green grass and feel like I have to warn people about “regular watering.” I think most of the country is suffering from drought conditions. Water has become a precious commodity, and I’d prefer to have regular showers rather than green grass. Our grass goes dormant in the summer and becomes a beautiful green in the winter. Please don’t waste water! — Mary G., in Oregon

Mary, when all else fails, there are all kinds of ground cover these days. You can use gravel, rocks, cactus, fake grass and more to replace grass. — Heloise

SUNDAY DUE DAY

Dear Heloise: I had a card payment due on the 9th of the month; this was a Sunday. I assumed that I could make the payment on Monday. Wrong! I incurred a late fee.

I contacted the company on its website’s live chat and explained my situation. The representative could not have been nicer. He waived the fee (happy customer!) but let me know that the payment is required by midnight E.T. on the due date (regardless of the day of the week that it lands on) in order for it to be considered on time. — Julie W., in New Braunfels, Texas

Julie, companies may have different policies on Sunday payments, but I’m glad your situation worked out well! You can also set up automatic bill payments with the company or through your bank. — Heloise

BEST PHONE ACCESSORY

Dear Heloise: Possibly the greatest cellphone and tablet accessory ever is the gooseneck phone or tablet holder. This thing is incredible. It clamps onto a wooden armrest or bookshelf, and it has an adjustable, flexible gooseneck that grabs and holds on to your device.

You can sit on the couch or bed, adjust the holder to exactly where you want it to be, and watch a video or comfortably chat on the phone hands-free. I love it! And they are cheap (less than $20). No more cellphone elbow or text neck! — Johnny T., in Ohio

ELICIT VS. ILLICIT

Dear Heloise: What’s the difference between the words “elicit” and “illicit”? They sound similar. — James J., in Houston

James, good ear! These words are called homophones because they sound so similar but have different meanings. “Elicit” is a verb meaning to draw out. For example, the comedian is trying to elicit laughter from his audience.

“Illicit” is an adjective meaning illegal or forbidden. An example: She could be arrested for selling illicit copies of those books. — Heloise

DISHWASHER DISASTERS

Dear Heloise: When buying a dishwasher, there are some things to look for and a few to “look out for.” Be a little leery of machines that claim to have different zones and multiple sprayers because the more complex the dishwasher, the more likely it is that something will malfunction.

Check out the dishwasher’s warranty, especially on dish racks. You should get five years’ worth of coverage from your warranty. Be careful about off-brand items that you’ve never heard of before. — Harold P., in Omaha, Nebraska

Send a money-saving or time-saving hint to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.