If you want to support your local animal shelter, make sure you're donating items they actually need instead of creating a burden for them. Items like an open bags of dog food, old toys, human personal care products like shampoo, crates and carrying cases and even stacks of newspaper are not only unwanted, they can cost the shelter money. These items are not needed, and the shelters are forced to dispose of them. The time it takes to throw away these items costs money and manpower, which can be used to help animals. If you want to donate, visit your shelter and ask for a shopping list.

Feel like doing a little DIY at home? Instead of buying expensive and rarely used home improvement equipment, consider renting. Major home improvement chains not only sell products, they rent them, too. You can find things like tillers, trenchers, sod cutters, chainsaws and blowers that are the best of their kind and a fraction of the cost of buying. Renting also lets you try things before committing to a full purchase. Rent by the day or the week, and turn your basic lawn into a professional-looking showcase.

While placing heavy drapes over windows is a sure-fire way to keep your home cozy during the winter months, it also blocks sunlight from entering your home. An alternative idea that helps insulate and lets sunlight in is to use stick-on window film on top of your windows. This self-stick product goes directly onto your window, and it's absolutely clear. It provides an extra layer of insulation that reduces heat loss in the winter, blocks harmful UV rays and -- in the hot summer months -- blocks heat from coming in. It's inexpensive, easy to install and will pay for itself over time.