When it comes to giving gifts, whether it's for a birthday or a housewarming, finding just the right thing can be a very daunting process. And with up to 1 in every 3 gifts being returned or, worse, thrown away by the recipient, gift-giving can be a waste-generating process as well. Rather than giving a physical gift, consider giving an experience instead. A dinner for two, tickets to a movie, a massage or a personal training session are all things people can do and enjoy instead of having to figure out what to do with another object.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Leaving your home for several weeks or even months means you should take steps to reduce waste while you're away. This is a good time to unplug energy hogs like refrigerators and freezers; just be sure they are empty and leave the doors open so they dry out completely. Turn off the main water supply; it may not save you money, but it'll give you peace of mind that there won't be a plumbing break. Turn off the electric water heater at the main breaker switch; there's no point in keeping water hot for weeks at a time if it's not being used. And switch off modems, cable boxes and small kitchen appliances by unplugging them.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

If it seems like your inkjet printer cartridges need to be replaced constantly, there are a few things you can do to extend their lives. First, check your printer settings to make sure you're not on the "best" setting. If quality doesn't matter for your printout, go for draft or "grayscale" mode; these settings use way less ink. Also, ignore your printer's "low ink" warning; only replace cartridges when you see a big difference in quality. And finally, use the preview function to look at what you're printing before you hit "print." This one thing can help you avoid printing something that's formatted incorrectly.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION