photo by erix
DEAR SARA: I need a paper-towel intervention! I am trying to be more “green” in our home. Not only because it’s better for the earth but mainly because I can’t stand choking on chemical fumes when I’m cleaning and because it isn’t frugal to spend $10 a month on paper towels. I’ve done small things here and there. Switched to CFL bulbs, we use cloth shopping bags, and …

photo by miss rogue
DEAR SARA: How hard is it to color your own hair? Is it messy? I want to use a more low-impact/natural hair color. However, all the hair salons in this town that use these products are so expensive. I don’t want to pay $130 for a haircut and color. I’d like to try coloring my own hair. I have never attempted it. I can have my hair …

photo by koadmonkee
DEAR SARA: What do you do when dinner doesn’t go as planned? We stick to a strict meal plan. However, we’ve run into problems with it sometimes when something goes wrong and it can’t be fixed. For example, if the meat for the meatballs is bad and I don’t know it until an hour before dinner, then I don’t have a meal for that night. We’re stuck getting …

photo by valerie everett
DEAR SARA: Any ideas for odd game pieces? With three kids, I have a big plastic zipper bag of small game pieces. — Denise, Ohio
DEAR DENISE: You can glue them to frames; make ornaments, magnets and jewelry; use for decorating cakes or gifts; or let kids use them in craft projects.
DEAR SARA: We rarely drink hot chocolate, but I happen to have tons of mix. What …