Take the time today to walk around the house and notice where the vents, registers and heaters are in your home. Over time, people may move furniture, rugs or other obstacles that can block your vents and heaters, preventing air from moving freely in rooms. Simply moving obstructions out of the way can help tremendously to improve the heating and cooling efficiency of your home. And as you locate your vents, give them a good cleaning to remove dust and debris, too.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Cooler temperatures are just around the corner, and now is a good time to take a simple step to help save money and improve the efficiency of your vehicle. So do just this one thing: Check the air pressure of your tires. As temperatures dip, so does the air pressure in your car’s tires. Lower pressure means a decrease in your car’s fuel efficiency. Regularly checking the pressure and adding air if needed can help you save fuel and money.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Do you have a drawer full of mustard, ketchup, lemon juice or mayo condiment packets and you’re not sure what to do with them? Toss a few into the freezer and let them get ice-cold. The next time you need a small cold compress to soothe an insect bite or bee sting, or just to de-puff the bags under your eyes, use one of the frozen packets. They can be used and frozen again and again as your quick homemade first-aid remedy.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION