Dear Heloise: In your column, I quite often see complaints from people who do not receive a thank-you note when they send someone a gift. According to the dictionary, a gift is “something that is given voluntarily without expecting anything in return.”

While it is nice to receive a thank-you note, this should not be our reason for sending a gift. We give a gift to acknowledge a person’s achievement, wedding, graduation, birthday, etc. The important thing we need to remember is not to cut these people off because they did not send a thank-you. We hurt both people when we do this. — Bobbie Prentice, in Santa Ana, California

CLEANING JARS

Dear Heloise: A simple method for cleaning out peanut butter jars and similar items is using the spray nozzle on your sink if you have this attachment. I use hot water and angle the nozzle toward all sides of the jar, and then it’s quickly ready to recycle. — Pam S., in St. Louis

FURRY ANIMAL CARE

Dear Heloise: Please alert pet owners, especially those who have pets with long hair, to remove hair buildup behind the pet’s ears on a daily basis. Our daughter’s Himalayan cat almost died after being misdiagnosed with an ear infection that she did not have. The subsequent steroid shot put her in congestive heart failure with fluid in her lungs.

Groomers, vets, owners and other caregivers should watch out for a pet using their paw to frequently rub behind their ears, which is a possible sign that there is a buildup of fur that needs to be removed. Thanks for your advice column, which is both educational and entertaining. — Tony, in Mission Viejo, California

LEFTOVER FABRIC SCRAPS

Dear Heloise: My friend is a quilter and gives me long leftover strips of fabric. I used them this past Christmas as ribbons to tie the packages and make bows. Waste not. — Corrinne Berkland, in Universal City, Texas

REMOVING COFFEE STAINS

Dear Heloise: Here’s a sure-fire coffee cup stain removal method: Make a thick paste of baking soda (that is almost dry) in the mug and wipe it around on the stain with your fingertips. Then rinse. It only takes 2 minutes to clean a cup. — Phil Flach, via email

IS ANYONE OUT THERE?

Dear Heloise: If life is intelligent enough on another planet to visit Earth, they would be aware of our use of radiowaves and electrical lights. Being intelligent, they would be far more interested in visiting a place where both radiowaves and light were emitted.

Nebraska, where the person who saw the UFO said they lived, is the 43rd least-dense state in the United States. Extraterrestrials would learn far more by doing a fly-by of a high-density place like New Jersey, which has the highest population density in the U.S. Perhaps they would find China far more appealing.

Secondly, if life exists on other planets and is intelligent enough to travel in space, wouldn’t it make more sense for them to send a radio signal to us before doing a fly-by? — Michael I., in Hillsborough, New Jersey

Michael, if there is intelligent life out there, and if they are visiting this planet, I have just one question: “Can I test-drive their spaceship?” — Heloise

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.