The holidays mean your family room temporarily gets turned into an FAO Schwarz, so why not cut back on the clutter and simultaneously contribute to a creative cause for cash? Los Angeles designer Greg Lynn is hosting a toy drive in order to enter the Venice Architecture Biennale, and GL craftsmen are hoping to turn your used plastic playthings into blobular furniture.

A trip to the theater is always a treat, but doing it too often will leave your wallet so empty that you’ll be guaranteed to cry at the movies. In these difficult financial times (and this season of blustery winter weather), put your DVD player to some decent use instead and simply plan a themed movie night with your fam this Friday.

Interested in visiting the Museum of Surgical Science in Chicago? How about listening to The Magic Flute performed by the Los Angeles Opera? Ah, we’d all love to absorb a little culture this Saturday, but at what cost? The answer is “a reduced one” if you take advantage of myriad local discounts, courtesy of the New York Times Arts and Leisure Weekend.

Looking to cut down on your credit card bills at the toy store? Well, get busy – not too busy, of course – by crafting a homemade geoboard for your preschooler. Simply check out the Web site below and snag a square of wood, a few nails and a handful of multicolored rubber bands.