Did you know that for every four hours of TV you watch, you and your family are exposed to an estimated 100 advertisements? And that the average cable bill for one year is about $500? One way to cut back on overexposure to "stuff" is to limit the amount of television you and your family watch. Try this: Designate a set number of "screen time" hours for your kids every week. This includes watching programs on computers, tablet devices and regular televisions, too. When their screen time hours are up, they are done for the week. Use free time for other activities and make TV a treat, not a norm.

One way to extend the life of your home appliances is to regularly inspect them for broken seals, food particle buildup and hard water scale. But did you know that not regularly using your appliances can also decrease their lifespan? It sounds odd, but appliances are designed to be used on a regular basis. If you have something that isn't used (especially one with a sealed system like a dishwasher or washing machine), it can deactivate and dry out over time. Appliance repair technicians recommend you use all appliances at least once a week. An inactive appliance that hasn't been used for months can actually fall apart when you do get around to using it.

Sure, we know that smoking cigarettes is bad for our health, harmful for the environment and a public nuisance. But did you know that the average smoker also spends about $1,825 a year on cigarettes? According to Smoke Free Oregon, that's the cost of one pack a day. If you smoke more, you know what that means: more money going up in flames. For your health, your family's health and for your wallet, maybe today's the day to give up smoking and use the savings for something better: A vacation to celebrate life.