Some things are better left to the pros

photo by geishaboy500
DEAR SARA: I hope you can help me with this. I recently found some old photographs in the attic in old frames. I would like to change the frames because they are old and worn out. The pictures are great ones, and I want to remount them into new frames. The problem is, because they have been in the attic for so long, the pictures are stuck to the glass. If I try to separate them, I will tear them to pieces. Is there any way to separate them, or is my only option to buy new frames, take out the new nice glass, and put in the old dimmed glass with the picture stuck to it in the new frame? I’d rather use new glass, also. Help! — Linda M., e-mail

DEAR LINDA M.: I wouldn’t risk trying to separate the photograph from the glass. While I have heard some people have been able to separate photos from frames, I suggest you locate a photo-restoration company to see what a professional can do to help. Often, they can scan the photo through the glass and correct it through retouching, restoring or colorizing.

DEAR SARA: Where can I buy glycerin for bubbles? — Kay, Ohio

DEAR KAY: You can find it at a pharmacy, craft store or a discount department store. Visit bubbleblowers.com/homemade.html, a great Web site with homemade bubble recipes.

DEAR SARA: I don’t watch much television, but I enjoy an occasional movie. I’m wondering, what is the best way to rent DVDs? I don’t know if Netflix would work for me because I might want to watch a few movies one week, then none for a few months. Are there any mail-order clubs like Netflix that charge per movie without a monthly fee or minimum/maximum number of movies? — Marianne, Delaware

DEAR MARIANNE: I’m not aware of any companies like Netflix that charge per movie. Netflix does offer an option to pay $4.99 for two movies per month, one DVD out at a time. Netflix can stream movies to your computer, too. Check your local library to see if you can borrow DVDs for free, but movies won’t be mailed to you. Next, see if you have a Redbox nearby. Visit www.redbox.com to find out. Rentals are $1 plus tax, but you have to return them the following day or you’ll have to pay an additional $1 plus tax each day you keep it. If you sign up to receive text messages, they offer promo codes each week. Again, this is a cheap option, but it’s not mailed to you like Netflix. Blockbuster (www.blockbuster.com) also has subscription options that are comparable to Netflix and are fairly cheap even for unlimited movie options. They can be mailed to you, too. You can also return them in store, and under certain plans, you can get a free in-store rental. They offer a download service without a subscription plan, too. You can also try Hulu (www.hulu.com), which has online videos. Since your viewing habits change, I’d go with Hulu or your local public library. It’s free.

Posted by Sara Noel on March 4 2009. Filed under Question & Answer.
Sara Noel owns Frugal Village, LLC and is a nationally syndicated columnist with Universal Uclick. Bio, Follow me on Twitter, Join us on Facebook