My cyber mailbag is like the proverbial box of chocolates. I never know what I'm about to get. And I love that. Take today's offering for example 00 questions that run the gamut all the way from the dilemma of repaying huge student loans to the heartbreak of dried up mascara.

Dear Mary: Fifteen years ago my husband finished medical school with $170,000 in school loans. While in forbearance, when we couldn't afford the payments, it grew to $185,000.

We are back on track now and have paid the debt down to $160,000. That's progress, but we have so far to go.

We have $90,000 equity in our home. Should we use that to pay down the student debt faster? We have no other debts. —Denise

Dear Denise: I see no good reason to transfer $90,000 of the student debt to your home.

If you were to do this, you would lose the death benefit that comes with federally guaranteed student loans on that $90,000 you borrower against the house. Not to get morbid, but if your husband were to die before the student loan is repaid, the balance is forgiven. If you were to use your equity to pay it down and he were to die, you would have to carry that debt.

You wouldn't get any tax benefit by transferring the debt to your home. Student debt interest is already tax deductible within certain limitations.

Mortgage lenders do not hesitate to foreclose when borrowers fall behind. The way it is now, if you fall behind on your student loan payments, the lender will hassle you and make your life miserable, but cannot take your home.

Forget that you have $90,000 equity. It's not like you have cash sitting in a vault somewhere with your name on it. It's only a number — an estimate of how much you would have left if you were to sell your home and pay off the mortgage. But it is also a safety net.

If you were to borrow against the house by way of a home equity loan, use that money to pay down the student debt and then the housing market were to suffer a downturn, you could end up owing far more on your home than its market value. Then you'd really be stuck underwater with your mortgage and home equity loan and the remaining student debt as well. As it is now, your equity offers more than just a nice number — it's a safety net.

Dear Mary: How do you deal with mascara that has dried up before its time? —Rhea

Dear Rhea: If your mascara seems to be dried out, but you need to get just a few more uses out of it, trickle just a drop or two of baby oil on the wand and then mix it well. It should yield a few more coats of eyelash enhancement. Tip: If you don't want your mascara to expire faster than its fresh date, don't pump the wand in and out. That needlessly exposes the product to drying air. Extra tip: If the mascara is more than 3 months old, throw it out. A mascara tube is a dark, wet environment — the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Preservatives in a mascara only work for so long.

Would you like more information? Log on to EverydayCheapskate.com, where this column is archived complete with links and resources for all recommended products and services. Mary invites questions, comments and tips at [email protected], or c/o Everyday Cheapskate, 12340 Seal Beach Blvd., Suite B-416, Seal Beach, CA 90740. This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com, a personal finance member website and the author of "Debt-Proof Living," released in 2014. To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.