Ideas worth noting

•According to researchers, you’ll burn more calories on the treadmill than on other cardio machines. Next in line, in order, are stair-climbing machines, elliptical trainers and stationary exercise bikes.

•”Reinforce reading by requiring a set amount of reading time before any other electronic media are used. Be sure to discuss what was read in order to bolster comprehension and speaking skills.” — A teacher, via e-mail

•”File it under gift ideas! To keep family members happy when occasions for gift-giving come along, whenever we see a picture or hear of a product that we would like to have, we clip the photo, note any additional information and stick it in the gift idea file we have set up for each family member. When birthdays, holidays and special occasions roll around, it’s easy to remember what types of things that person might want to have.” — L.H. in Florida

•”Be careful about signing up for automatic payment plans that deduct a regular amount from your checking account or credit card. Gym memberships that go unused, for example, could cost you hundreds of dollars a year before you cancel.” — K.W. in New Mexico