Ah, January. It's still cold and it's still dark all the time, but now all the cheerful Christmas lights have come down so there's nothing to break up the monotony. What's there to do?

Well, while it's a little late now, you might want to go do some post-holiday holiday shopping. Yes, I know. That sounds insane. Everyone is thoroughly sick of holiday shopping. You've spent enough money already. I know.

But I was out wandering through the stores during the first week of January when I happened to pass by heavily discounted holiday products. And in that great wasteland of 50% off products and half-empty shelves, I found a vast collection of LED Christmas lights. We've talked about LED lights before, and they can save you a bit of energy, so I couldn't help but think, "Wouldn't it be an awesome time to pick some up on the cheap?"

So if you have some lights you know need replacing, it might not be a bad idea. You could save a ton right now, throw your shiny LED lights in a box, and surprise yourself with a gift of energy-efficient lights next year.

I mean, hey. I'm always pleasantly surprised to find that I had leftover Christmas cards left from last year. Lights would be way more exciting!

But as long as it's cold and dark out, and as long as the memory of the holiday season is lingering, you might as well head out and see if you can get anything you really need—and really want—for super cheap. There's no reason not to save money on things that'll save you money, right?