3/10/10

Many of us belong to different airlines' frequent flyer mileage programs. If you don't have enough miles to trade in for a free ticket, why not donate them to a nonprofit organization instead? Most airlines have a "donate" option on their Web sites, allowing you to give instantly. Some airlines let you choose a charity, while others have designated specific programs that will benefit. In either case, put those unneeded miles to good use.

3/9/10

Do you have a whole collection of unwanted CDs or DVDs gathering dust around the house? Recycle a big collection into a functional dumbbell. Buy a 12-inch threaded rod from the hardware store and four nuts that will fit snug on the rod. Attach two nuts on each end of the rod and twist until they are about 3 inches in. Thread 25 CDs on each side of the rod and then secure with another nut. Use the 5-pound dumbbell when doing crunches -- it's soft enough to rest on your stomach during a sit-up to add just enough resistance to your workout routine.

3/8/10

Remove the screen saver off your computer. When those flying toasters are activated on your screen, the computer is still running on full power. Instead, put your computer in "sleep" or "standby" mode, so the stroke of a key will wake up your PC right away. P.S. -- Make sure your co-workers aren't leaving their computers on all night. Ask that your company change its policy and have all computers shut down at the end of the workday.