Here's a great recycling tip from Betty Duff. Instead of throwing your newspapers away, save them and give them to the Humane Society. They can always use them for the animals. Just make sure that you don't include the glossy inserts or the comics. (I was told by the Humane Society that the cats and dogs really like my column). The Society's address is 845 W. Ridge Road in Gainesville. They're open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Also, consider donating cat food during the summer months. It's during the summer that the Hall County Humane Society will receive more than 600 kittens a month! Please spay or neuter your pet.

I've got another great use for your cell phone camera. When you take your kids to the mall or the fair, take a picture of them when you first arrive. If something should happen to one of them and you can't find the child, you'll have a current picture with the outfit that he or she is wearing that day. I'm tempted to use this tip on my wife. When she takes off in the mall, I can rarely find her!

Women, when you put your curling iron on your counter, you always have to be careful that you don't burn or melt anything. Kelly Gardner came up with an ingenious idea. She uses a silicone cooking mat to put her curling iron on. If you can't find them at your local home store, check out Amazon. Silicone potholders can also work for this application and come in a wide variety of colors so you can match your bathroom décor.

"Budget Travel" is a great magazine and has some really good tips. Here's one of them: Instead of buying a bookmark, make your own. Consider laminating a ticket to a special concert you went to. You could also laminate the receipt of a special purchase or even an airline ticket. Be creative!

Do you know someone who suffers from depression? My mother suffered from it for years alone and in silence. Medicines that work for most people with depression didn't work for her - which happens to a number of people. She then received electroconvulsive therapy treatments. These treatments saved her life. If someone close to you has depression, they need your help. Do your homework and get them the medical help they need!

Tim Thompson lives in Gainesville. E-mail Tim your ideas for tips, tools or tricks.