If your kids (or you) tried a new sport or you’re no longer using fitness equipment you invested in, don’t let the gear gather dust when you can make some money from it. The retail chain Play It Again Sports actively buys lightly used sports and fitness equipment, which they resell in their stores. Each store’s wish list varies but often includes baseball, golf, hockey, football, soccer and fitness products. These stores are also a great place to buy lightly used items at a discount, if you’re taking up a new athletic activity.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American family spends about $2,000 a year combined on household heating, cooling and electricity costs. One way to help reduce those costs is to think about how to save money when nobody is in the house. If you turn back your thermostat by seven to 10 degrees for at least eight hours a day, it’s estimated you can reduce your costs by as much as 10 percent. You can save even more if your home is empty for longer periods of time. Over a year, you can reap a few hundred dollars in savings with this one simple switch.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

A staggering amount of marine life like sea turtles, dolphins and even seabirds are often caught in fishing nets and lines. This is known as “bycatch” in the industry, and these animals often die as a result of companies harvesting fish such as tuna. When buying canned seafood, look for brands that use pole-and-line fishing and not nets. Not only does this type of fishing reduce bycatch to nearly zero, it also guarantees juvenile fish and other fish species aren’t also harvested. Nonprofits like Greenpeace list approved seafood brands on their websites.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION