Next time you fry up a batch of donuts or have some used cooking oil that can't be reused, don't toss it into the trash. Vegetable-based cooking oil is biodegradable and can be used in the backyard to help control pesky weeds. When the used oil is cooked down, pour it on top of especially tough weeds that are hard to pull. The oil will not only kill them, the oil also will keep new weeds from coming back, all while giving you a natural way to dispose of used vegetable-based cooking oil.

There are more than $50 billion in loyalty points from airlines, hotel chains and retailers given to customers every year. Yet 30 percent of those points go unredeemed. PointWorthy.com connects people with points with nonprofit and charitable causes to donate unredeemed or unwanted loyalty points. Just search for your favorite charity, find out what loyalty points it accepts, click and give! It's that easy.

Many people know that the color of the exterior paint of your home can impact indoor cooling costs in hot climates. A dark color absorbs heat, which makes the inside of your home warmer. Lighter colors reflect the sun's heat, so it's easier to keep it cooler inside. But did you know that the choice of paint can have an even bigger impact? New exterior paints use thermally reflective technology that blocks heat radiation over a broad spectrum. Using specialty paint and choosing a light color can reduce cooling costs by around 20 percent.