After you unpack your belongings in your new home, bundle up all of your packing supplies, like cardboard boxes, leftover tape and bubble wrap. Then ask a local real estate agent if they have any clients who are about to move. They can offer your items for free to their clients, who will then reuse them for their move. It’s a simple way to help another family and to make sure your packing supplies stay out of the landfill.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Moving into a new home is a good opportunity to remove clutter and purge items you no longer need. But before you drop off anything and everything at your local charity shop like Goodwill, do one more thing: Ask them what they need and don’t need. A visit to your local store will result in specific requests and inside information on items they won’t take. Remember, when the store gets trash, they have to dispose of it, which means valuable labor hours and cash are wasted sending your unwanted items to the landfill. A little homework goes a long way.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Another reason why investing in a hybrid car is a smart choice: It gives you more free time. A recent study by the Ford Motor Company showed that investing in a fuel-efficient hybrid car significantly reduces the number of trips you need to make to the gas station to refuel. Over the course of just one year, the average hybrid car owner saved about 10 hours of time from refueling. Which begs the question: What would you do with 10 hours of extra time per year?

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION