If you love to clip coupons, you can use your clipping skills to help our troops overseas. Manufacturer coupons are collected here in the United States and shipped overseas and distributed to families on military bases. Even expired coupons work! Overseas families can use the coupons up to six months past the expiration date. The most-desired coupons are for food, baby supplies and common household goods. Obviously, coupons for local businesses should be avoided. To learn more, visit couponcabin.com.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

It can be hard to clean things like coffee grinders, small blenders and other kitchen tools that help puree and grind up things. Since soap and water can’t always be used, try the next-best thing: Throw in some dry white rice. The rice breaks down into a starchy powder that picks up leftover debris, and since the bran oil has been taken out of the rice, it won’t leave any residue. Just add a few tablespoons, blend away and voila! It’s all good.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

When it comes to kitchen countertops, laminate used to be the least-desirable choice. But it is a very eco-friendly option, and new designs mimic the look of pricey granite, stone and marble options. Laminate deserves a second look; new technologies use a special stamping process that gives laminate a soft, cool touch that mimics the feel of marble, and a white core means there’s no dark-brown edge, so it also looks just like marble. Unlike stone, marble and granite, which are mined deep out of the Earth, laminate is made with paper (often recycled).

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION