Top tips for easier planting and decorating

• I was painting recently and had a half-can left over when I was done. To preserve the paint, I cut out a circle of wax paper and laid it directly on the surface of the paint, then sealed the can properly. This keeps a layer of scum from forming. Just remember to remove it before you shake or stir the paint when you need to touch up. – C.L. in Rhode Island

• Save the plastic lids from coffee cans to use as coasters for your plants. This is especially nice when they are all brought inside, out of the cold. This way they can be watered, and you don't have to worry about water spilling out on the floor or counter.

• Have you finished making your 2016 financial wish list? Saving for a rainy day should be on the list every year. Here's a great saving tip: Set aside a particular type of currency that fits in your savings budget. It may be $5 bills or quarters. Every time you get one of these in change, stuff it in a jar or otherwise sock away. Don't count until you get to a specific time period — a month or three months, say. You might surprise yourself with both how much you can save up, and how easy it is to do without.

• "Brown your pork or beef before putting it in the slow cooker. It leaves a nice finish on the meat, and flavor too. The extra pan to clean and the couple of minutes it takes are really worth it." – P.E. in Nebraska

• Trying to cut calories? Here's a flavorful and low-fat solution: sauté both meat and vegetables in broth. It will do the job of an oil in keeping the food from burning, but it will do so with no fat and add a rich flavor and dimension to your dinner.

• Take a bit of time to prep healthy snacks on a Sunday, and you'll be able to just grab them throughout the week. Some examples are baby carrots, mixed nuts, pretzels or cut-up fruit.

• Probiotics like those found in yogurt can help keep your digestive system in line when travelling. Have a yogurt a day to keep trouble away.

• If you have issues with seasonal allergies or dry skin, consider the humidity in your home. Run a dehumidifier to prevent dust mite allergies from flaring in winter, but use a humidifier if dry skin is your nemesis.

• Spilled water on your favorite book? Separate each page with wax paper to keep the pages from sticking while it dries out.

• I still have some gift cards left from the holidays. To keep track of the amount I've spent and what's left on the gift cards, I write the balance directly on the card with a permanent marker. Avoid the barcode area, and you can write whatever you like on the card without ruining it. – T.E. in Kansas

• Got greasy stains on your shirt? Rub in some baking soda before washing in the hottest water possible for the fabric. The baking soda draws the oil out and away from the fabric.

• Wondering what winter fruits and vegetables are in season? Here's a sampling: apples, dates and pears, as well as citrus, like grapefruit, oranges and tangerines. For vegetables, consider endive, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, kale, leeks, mushrooms, parsnips, radicchio, rutabagas, sweet potatoes, turnips, yams and winter squash.

• Don't store propane tanks in the garage or shed. Propane has a freezing point of -310 F, so tanks can stay outside year-round. Even a small leak can build up in an enclosed space, so be sure to keep those tanks outdoors!

• If you want to keep pots and pans looking great, spray off residue as soon as you can after cooking. Use the heat from recently turned-off ovens to loosen stuck-on bits. Get a plastic scrubbie, which will not damage the finish on your pots. For cast iron, scrub with salt for abrasiveness, but not soap. Coat with oil and wipe dry.

• Looking to cut calories? Add more vegetables to meals. Cook with steam, or stir-fry with very little oil — or better yet, use broth to stir-fry! Roast root vegetables to bring out the natural sweetness instead of frying.

• "This tip to remove antiperspirant stains has worked for me. Take two aspirin and crush them; mix with a half-cup of hot water. Pour directly on the stain, and allow it to sit for a couple of hours." – S.D. in Georgia

• Recipe substitutions: If you need 1 cup self-rising flour, use 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

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