Everyday Cheapskate: Is it OK to take hotel amenities home?
Dear Mary: When staying overnight at a hotel, is it stealing to take unused shampoo and conditioner? — W.R., e-mail Dear W.R.: No. Single-use items like shampoo, lotion and conditioner are amenities you purchase when you rent a room in some hotels. Whether you use them on the premises or not, they are yours. I once asked a hotel maid about this. She said her team is instructed to throw away all unused products from a previous guest, even if they appear to have not been opened. That cinched it for me. When I stay at hotels, I take the soap, shampoo and sewing kits, and even those black sponges meant to spruce up your shoes. Dear Mary: I hate to admit this because I live in the Deep South, but I don’t make very good iced tea. I love it unsweetened (unlike my Southern friends and family), but the tea I make is just not the good tea I drink in restaurants. Can you help me? — Sammie B., Alabama Dear Sammie: There are many ways to make iced tea, and I’m sure I’ve tried them all. I used to ma
