Canning the clam: my hero!

Jeff Bezos is my new hero.

The CEO of Amazon has declared war on clam-shell packaging.

Those hard plastic cases have reduced more than one Christmas morning and birthday party to tears with their inclination to slice fingers. As have the plastic-coated steel wires that usually accompany whatever is inside them. By the time you untwist the wires, the kids are thinking Santa has control issues.

I've never understood why manufacturers adopted the packaging in the first place. To prevent shoplifting? I don't think this is what "frustrating thieves" is supposed to mean.

But back to Bezos. This week on Amazon's Web site, he announced an initiative to "alleviate wrap rage" with "Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging."

Apparently, Amazon's heft is now so great that Bezos can get some manufacturers to deliver products inside smaller, easy-to-open boxes. In recyclable cardboard boxes, no less.

So far, 19 companies have agreed to end wrap rage, including Fisher-Price, Mattel and Microsoft.

Among the first products Amazon is selling in the "new" cardboard box format is Fisher-Price's Imaginext Adventures Pirate Ship. According to the Web site, the new package eliminates the need for:

* 1,576.5 square inches of corrugated inserts,

* 175.25 square inches of PVC blisters,

* 36.1 square inches of folding carton materials,

* 36 inches of plastic-coated steel-wire ties,

* 3.5 square inches of ABS molded styrene, and

* two molded plastic fasteners.

Here's what I think: If all those companies can do it for Amazon, they can do it for Wal-Mart, Target, Belk and Penney's.

In fact, if every time we bought something we asked for frustration-free packaging, then, friends, as Arlo Guthrie might say, they may think it's a movement.

And we can thank Jeff Bezos, my new hero, for starting it.

Now for some "free advice":

If you've got questions about long-term-care insurance, you can get them answered from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13, and Friday, Nov. 21, by members of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance. Just call toll-free 877-547-8471.

The group has partnered with Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine to offer people a chance to call in to get expert advice.

Of course, the catch is that there really could be a cost: endless pitches by e-mail or snail mail. Still, if you have questions, it won't hurt to ask. Just don't agree to buy anything.

You can also go to Kiplinger's Web site at www.kiplinger.com/ yourretirement/longterm/ for information.

Really free advice: A colleague likes to talk about found money. Like when you put on last winter's coat and find a $5 bill. Well, another bit of found money could be your credit or debit card rewards.

He's thinking about redeeming his for a gift card that he can use to buy presents. I've cashed mine in for teachers' gifts.

You can also use them to pay on your mortgage or just get cash. If you plan to use them for giftgiving or gift buying, order soon.