Opening presents is great, cleaning up after Christmas isn't so great. It seems foolish to spend all that money preparing for one day a year then just stuff the remnants into a trash bag. (Hopefully, we're not talking about this year's gifts.)

A little planning can help keep your post-Christmas garbage-bag count down and put some cash back into your pocket. These 20 tips will help you repurpose everything from Christmas lights and wrapping supplies to cards and candy.

• Get cash back: Don't just shove those non-LED or worn-out light strings into a box to deal with next year. Pack them up and send them off to a Christmas light recycling program. They'll shred your old strands and send you a 15-percent off coupon in return.

• Repurpose: If you don't want to bother mailing your old lights in, consider cutting up the wire into various lengths for use in the kitchen as twisty-ties or in the garden as plant ties.

• Pot drainage: This is especially useful when you're using large pots. Pour the peanuts in the bottom of your pot, filling it a quarter to half full, then pile on the soil.

• Stuffing: Not stuffing for the turkey, stuffing for decorative pillows, pet beds, etc.

• Sell them: Packing peanuts are expensive, so stockpile bags until you have enough to sell on eBay or Craigslist.com.

• Place mats: This is a good way to keep children busy when they tire of Christmas toys. Take two Plexiglas sheets, glue cards onto one sheet and secure the second sheet on top. Seal edges with colorful plastic tape or a glue gun.

• Garlands: Decorate next year's tree, a staircase rail or curtain rods by cutting Christmas cards into various shapes, such as stars, hearts, circles, half moons, etc. Punch a hole in the middle of each shape and string them together on a fishing line.

• Napkin rings: Make napkin rings by cutting one-inch rings from a paper-towel or toilet-paper tube and gluing card cut-outs onto each ring. Color coordinate or mix and match.

• Gift boxes: This one takes a bit of work. Make little custom gift boxes for small presents. Follow the Paper and More template. Be sure to make the lid a tiny bit larger than the bottom so the lid will fit over the outside of the main part of the box. Cut the lid piece from the pretty front of the card, centering it on whatever part of the design you want to feature. Cut the bottom piece from the inside of the card. Use glue or tape to assemble the boxes.

• Send to St. Jude's Ranch: Residents of this home for abused, neglected and abandoned children recycle old greeting cards to make new custom cards, which they sell for pocket money. Cards are accepted this year through Feb. 28.

• Gift tags: Cut cards down to size with pinking sheers and use next year.

• Post cards: Not many people write on the reverse side of a greeting card's front, so cut the picture down to postcard size to send out next year. Postcards have the added advantage of requiring less postage. Maximum size is 6 inches long and 4½ inches high. Minimum size is 5 inches long and 3½ inches high.

• Children's word book: Glue cutouts onto cardstock or construction paper and make a little word book for young children.

• Tree ornaments: Some cards are so ornamental they practically jump onto the Christmas tree. To turn your card into a tree ornament, cut out a figure on the card, glue or decoupage it onto heavy cardboard or balsa wood, cut to shape, punch a hole in the top, thread ribbon through the hole and tie it into a bow to hang on next year's tree.

• Drawer sachets: Wrap three to five cinnamon sticks together with a strip cut from a gold or silver Christmas card and bond with a dab of glue. These both look pretty and smell delicious.

• Window cleaner: You might have used newspapers to clean windows because they leave no streaks, but crumpled-up wrapping paper is even better. No streaks and no black hands.

• Packing confetti: Remove tape and run wrapping paper through a shredder to repurpose as packing material for next year's gifts.

• Drawer liner: Iron paper that is still in decent shape and cut to fit your children's drawers.

• Boot shapers: Crumble up used paper and stuff into tall boots to help keep their shape when not in use.

• Coffee flavoring: Grind candy canes in a coffee-been grinder to make instant peppermint-powdered sugar.

For more savings tips, check out FreeShippping.org's "Go Frugal" blog at www.freeshipping.org/blog/.