What $1,000 Can Still Do

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Fresh Ways to Spend a Grand

This year Kiplinger's annual feature showcases 37 fresh ways to invest a grand in stocks, funds, your home and yourself. After nearly 20 years, it finds $1,000 can still make an impact.

From the practical to the indulgent, we highlight some of our favorite ideas from Kiplinger's list.

First Up: Solar Savings

Solar Savings

For $1,000, you can buy this trio of gizmos:
Natural Light 20 Watt Solar Attic Fan ($430 with shipping), vents up to 1,800 sq.ft. and can be adapted to any roof type.

Lighthouse Stainless Steel Solar Path ($34 each) These solar-powered outdoor lights turn on automatically when it gets dark outside -- and stay on without tapping your electric bill.

Solar Glazed Green Four-Tier Cascade Fountain ($190 with shipping) This fountain from solorahome.org adds Zenlike ambience to your backyard. -- Jessica Anderson
Next: Walk in Tiger's Shoes

Walk in Tiger's Shoes

Tee off at a U.S. Open Course.
Escape to scenic Torrey Pines Golf Course, host of the 2008 U.S. Open. A two-night, three-day midweek trip will cost you a little less than a grand. Here's how: Weekday greens fees for the South Course are $217, $133 after 3:30 pm. Midweek rates for the North Course run $147. A round-trip flight from Washington D.C., to San Diego on Delta Air Lines was recently $300, and a single room in a two-star hotel a few miles from the course was $68 per night. You can rent a car car from U-Save for $31 a day. Where to Eat While You're There

Next: Cool Entertainment

Cool Entertainment

42-Inch Plasma TV, Vizio VP422
Upstart Vizio sells flat-panel high-definition TVs for hundreds less than the big boys. The picture on the VP422 is surprisingly bright and sharp and the set displays dark images well. The 1024-by-768-pixel resolution is good enough for today's high-def TV shows and sports, although it's not 1080p'full HD -- but then no 42-inch set could do justice to the splendor of full HD. -- Jeff Bertolucci

Next: Top Tech Recorder

Top Tech Recorder

High-Def Camcorder: Canon Vixia HF100
This camcorder ($900) delivers great images and ergonomics. Among its impressive features: 1080p resolution, 12x optical zoom and good video quality. Because the HF100 records on a tiny memory card, Canon engineers were able to shrink the camera so it fits in the palm of your hand. And at 15 ounces, it's light enough to shoot the school play without getting a cramp. -- Jeff Bertolucci

Next: Hottest Cooler

Hottest Cooler

Refrigerator: Kenmore 6737
You may be sentimentally attached to a 30-year-old, avocado-green Frigidaire. Get over it. New Energy Star'qualified models use 40% less electricity than refrigerators sold just seven years ago. The most efficient one we found for less than a grand is the Kenmore 6737 ($850 in white; $1,050 in stainless steel), which Energy Star estimates will cost $45 a year to run. -- Pat Mertz Esswein

Next: Smart Washer

Smart Washer

Dishwasher: Bosch 800 Series Evolution
Fire the scullery maid and use the money you save to buy a cutting-edge dishwasher. The most efficient model available for $1,000 is the Bosch 800 Series Evolution (model SHE68M02UC; list price, $1,099; $998 in white at Lowe's). Among its water-saving features: a sensor that adjusts water use depending on how dirty the dishes are. Plus, it boasts a "half-load" option. -- Pat Mertz Esswein

Next: Stellar Cellar

Stellar Cellar

60 Bottles of the World's Finest Wines.

Rupert & Rothschild Classique 2005 ($22)

Luigi Bosca Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2005 ($18)

Casa Lapostolle Cabernet Sauvignon Rapet Valley 2006 ($13)

Atteca Old Vines 2007 ($16)

Catena Chardonnay 2006 ($18)
More on These Wines

Next: Power Up

Power Up

A generator will keep you well lit. Next time the lights go out, turn them -- and the refrigerator -- back on with a Honda EU20001 portable power generator ($1,080 list; $879 at Wisesales.com and Mayberrys.com, with free shipping in the continental U.S.). At 46 pounds, it's truly portable. Plus, the quiet, highly efficient engine produces 2,000 watts and runs up to 15 hours on a gallon of fuel. -- Patricia Mertz Esswein

Next: College Made Easy

College Made Easy

Start saving early with a 529.
Your $1000 will grow tax-deferred, and distributions will be tax-free, if you use the money for college expenses. Start by looking at your home state's plan. If it offers a tax deduction for contributions,that break trumps lower fees in an out-of-state plan. The playing field is leveled if your state doesn't offer a tax break, or if you live in Arizona, Kansas, Maine, Missouri or Pennsylvania, which give a tax break no matter where you invest.
For Low Overall Costs, Kiplinger Likes ...

Next: Pump Up Your IRA

Pump Up Your IRA

You can add extra savings this year.
New, higher contribution limits mean almost anyone can add an extra $1,000 to an individual retirement account this year, for a total of $5,000 in 2008. And if you are 50 or older, you can kick in another $1,000 in "catch-up" contributions, for a grand total of $6,000. (To open an IRA, you or your spouse must have earned income and you can deduct all of your contributions as long as you income doesn't exceed $63,000 if you're single or $105,000 if you're married and file a joint return.)
Or You Could Contribute to ...
Next: Stocks for Less Than $4

Stocks for Less Than $4

They're down but not out and could roar back.

Don't Hang Up: Qwest Communications (Q) is the black sheep of the Bell family, the one AT&T spinoff that never bought a cellular provider or made a smart merger, and it's still thought of as a dial-tone provider.
Two More Stocks for Less Than $4

Next: Have a Heart

Have a Heart

Mercy kits let you bring relief to the poor in developing countries.
For $1,000 you can purchase a Well Kit, one of about 20 so-called Mercy Kits offered by Mercy Corps, an Oregon-based charity that operates in 35 countries. the Well Kit helps sponsors build wells and develop sources of clean water. Other choices include the Pig Kit ($190), the Children's Food Kit ($20) and the Children's Playground Kit ($400). -- Jane Bennett Clark
Full Story on Mercy Corps
See Complete Gallery at Kiplinger

More on AOL: Fabulous Freebies

More from Kiplinger.com:

Test Your Sales Pitch IQ
How to Find Extra Cash
Financial Security in Tough Times

More on AOL:
Fabulous Freebies

Kiplinger looked for primo goods and services, no useless junk allowed. In the next slides you'll find financial management and planning helps to entertainment and vacation freebies. Go ahead. Embrace your inner tightwad.

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