DEAR HARRIETTE: I desperately need to make a few dollars. I have been out of work for several months now, and I can’t pay my bills.

I have tons of stuff that I could possibly sell, but I’ve never had a yard sale before. Is this something that people still do? How can I price items if I stage a sale? Should I also put stuff online? I have old camera equipment, some good pots and pans, a ton of women’s clothes and some other odds and ends. Is it worth it to try? -- Yard Sale, Memphis, Tennessee

DEAR YARD SALE: The traditional yard sale is still alive and well, especially in the summer. To attract customers, you will need to post signs on major streets leading to your home. You can also promote using a neighborhood newspaper or website, and you can sell online.

Do your research to see which websites sell the types of items you have to offer. Craigslist is still popular, as is eBay. You may want to consider having someone with a good following on one of those sites sell for you. In that case, the person gets a commission. What’s good about that is you sell through a known seller who already has a track record.

In terms of pricing, go low. In order to move the “stuff” you have to sell, make it super affordable. Consider 70 percent discounts on items so that customers can understand what value they are getting for their dollar. Price items to move!

DEAR HARRIETTE: I want to get graduation gifts for a few of my friends. I am not sure what to get them or how much to spend. I don’t want to spend a lot of money, but I do want it to be meaningful. Do you have any suggestions on where to start? -- Grad Gifts, Brooklyn, New York

DEAR GRAD GIFTS: Create a budget based on what you can afford for graduation gifts. Make a list of the people you want to give something. Divide that number of people by the amount in your budget. This will tell you how much money you have to spend on each gift. Do not feel pressured to spend more than you have. Instead, get creative.

Think about your friends and their interests. What would make them happy at this turning point in their lives, and what would help them remember you? A framed photo of you, the graduate and any other key friends could be a thoughtful gift. Similarly, a small photo album of memories of you and your friends over the years could be a prized gift.

More traditional gifts that grads might like include a pen monogrammed with the person’s initials, a monogrammed iPad case or a personalized tote bag.

My preference, however, is for the captured memories gifts.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: My husband wants to go skydiving. I told him he could go by himself, because I have no interest in going. He wants me to do it with him and won’t stop bugging me about it. He won’t do it alone. Should I do it? I am so nervous, and I have a little fear of heights. -- Skydiving, Seattle

DEAR SKYDIVING: There is a way for you to be comfortable and for your husband to be fulfilled. You can go to the site to observe him skydiving without going up in the air. Inexperienced skydivers do not go unaccompanied. Your husband will be attached to another human being -- a skydiving expert, in fact. He can fully experience his bucket-list dream to fly in the sky with you present. The best news is that you can stand on the ground and record him in action to share with him later.

If he balks at this idea, let him know that this is the compromise that you can offer, that it will take a lot even for you to be present and watching him in flight. Ask him to have compassion for you and give you the space to support him and maintain your presence of self. If you don’t want to do it, don’t do it.

DEAR HARRIETTE: My girlfriend is a terrible cook. She wants to make dinner for me almost every night of the week, but her food is almost inedible. I don’t know what to do; I keep making excuses as to why I’m not coming home, and I think she is nervous that I have another agenda. How can I tell her that I hate her cooking in a nice way so that she won’t be too offended? -- Bad Cook, Chicago

DEAR BAD COOK: It’s time to roll up your sleeves and start helping out in the kitchen. If you have a specialty you have learned to make, tell her you want to cook for her one night. Ask for her help as you prepare your special meal. From there, ask her if you can share space in the kitchen and plan and cook meals together. She may not agree to it every day, but push for it on a regular basis.

Next, you can enroll the two of you in cooking classes. This is a way to promote togetherness and improve her cooking skills. As long as you are up for the challenge, you do not have to say anything to her about her culinary abilities. Instead, foster learning and growing together as a couple in the kitchen. Using recipes helps tremendously in improving people’s cooking abilities. Buy cookbooks for your girlfriend in cuisine categories that you and she enjoy. You can creatively support her and your meals together without making her feel bad about her culinary repertoire.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have to get braces, and I am upset about it. The orthodontist says I am going to have them for four years. I am nervous because I am going to have them for the majority of high school. I am scared I am going to look so bad with them. I don’t want braces. How should I prepare myself? -- Braces for Life, Detroit

DEAR BRACES FOR LIFE: First, take a deep breath and look around. If you look carefully, I bet you will see a lot of students wearing braces. It is virtually a rite of passage between middle school and high school. Even some adults get them in later years. This is because it is healthier for your teeth to be in alignment. Many people’s teeth grow in incorrectly, which can cause a host of dental issues.

Rather than obsessing over how you will look, talk to your orthodontist about options. There are clear braces that are virtually imperceptible. Find out if you are a candidate for those. You can likely work with your orthodontist to select braces that best fit your personality and your dental profile.

Beyond that, do your best to think about the big picture. Braces now means straight teeth later. If you get teased about them, ignore the irritants, or respond with how happy you will be with straight teeth in a few years.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am going camping in a few weeks with a couple of friends. I have never been camping or been in the middle of nowhere before. My friend sent me a packing list, and it had minimal things on it. I was told to bring a sleeping bag, food that will stay fresh, a toothbrush and clothes. This freaked me out because I feel like I have to bring everything in my house. I am so nervous. How should I prepare myself? Should I even go? -- Headed to Wyoming, Chicago

DEAR HEADED TO WYOMING: Contact your friends, and find out specifically what they are packing in their bags. What clothes? What shoes? What outerwear? What type of sleeping bag?

Next, go to the website for the campgrounds you will be visiting. Learn as much as you can about the terrain there and the predicted weather conditions. By doing research, you can ease your own tensions. You can also prepare by building up your endurance. Start walking more so that you will be more accustomed to hiking. Invest in a good pair of hiking boots. Bring sunscreen and sunglasses with UV protection.

Talk to your friends openly. Let them know you are excited to join them on this adventure, but you are also nervous because you have never camped before. Ask them to support you by telling you as much as they can before you go so that you can be ready to hang with them in relative comfort.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)