Have your children outgrown their love of building things out of Lego-brand building blocks? While the bricks are technically recyclable, it can be hard to find a recycler who will take them. But why recycle when you can make cash from them? The website Decluttr (decluttr.com) will purchase bags of Legos from you. Just fill a bag and weigh it, and Decluttr will automatically calculate the value of your bricks. The site also takes old CDs, DVDs, video games and even printed books for cash. Decluttr is a great site to use to get rid of clutter and make some cold, hard cash.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Many people keep sticks of butter at room temperature, so the butter is easily spreadable at a moment’s notice. But over time, the oils in butter can go rancid. If you keep butter refrigerated, it should last at least two weeks past the expiration date after you open it. And to extend the life of butter even longer, freeze it: It’ll last almost nine months. To soften butter to room temperature, microwave it for 15 seconds at 30 percent power. It’ll be soft and spreadable in seconds.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

One decorating trick designers love is to install dimmer switches in homes to create mood and atmosphere lighting. But dimmer switches do more than let you control how bright a room is: They can also save you money. A dimmer switch saves energy because it reduces the flow of electricity to a lightbulb, resulting in less light output. Halogen bulbs on a dimmer can actually use 20 percent less energy when dimmed. Energy-efficient LED bulbs can save even more energy when dimmed. And since there’s less stress on a bulb, the lightbulbs last longer, too.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION