Dull knives in the kitchen? A sharp knife is a must-have for a home cook, but what do you do if you don’t have a knife sharpener and don’t want the hassle of taking your knives to a store to get sharpened? Look for a terra cotta pot! Turn over a clean terra cotta pot and run the blade across it several times. A few swipes against the pot will sharpen a dull blade. Wipe the blade with a damp towel and test it by slicing an item like a tomato to make sure it’s perfectly sharp.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

If you’re sick and tired of junk mail, one of the easiest things to do is make sure your information is listed as private and not public. When you set up a home or work landline phone, be sure to have the number listed as “private” when setting up the account. You often have to request this from your service provider. Doing so means your phone number and address will not be accessible to the public. Junk mail companies buy lists and will inundate public listings with solicitations for new services, products and more, so make your listing private.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Here’s a fun lesson to teach your children energy efficiency and help them earn a little spending money. Take a look at your electric bill at the start of the month with your kids, then tell them this: Whatever savings is earned based on the difference between your home’s energy usage in the current month and the coming month, the money will be theirs to keep! One easy way to reduce electricity usage is to use lights sparingly. Lighting accounts for around 12 percent of the typical residential electric bill. Keeping lights off when not in use is an easy thing for kids to do.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION