They sell new and used textbooks and offer incentives like deep discounts, free shipping, rental programs and searchable course lists for selected major colleges and universities.

CNN: Online booksellers go back to school

Adesa's Indianapolis site takes in hundreds of cars every week coming off lease or back from rental buyback programs.

FORBES: On the Block

But after you've set things up, the site will continuously fetch the latest points balances, expiration dates and reward opportunities from all your flight, hotel, car rental and credit-card programs.

BBC: Tracking travel rewards

In Europe, metropolitan hubs like Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and Barcelona tout expansive networks of bike lanes, bicycle theft prevention programs and even public rental services.

FORBES: The Greener, Cheaper Way To Commute

In New Jersey, for example, federal aid programs granted to FEMA include rental payments for temporary housing for those whose homes are unlivable.

FORBES: For Superstorm Sandy Victims, Can FEMA Pay The Rent?

Punch in your membership information just once for your various loyalty programs (airlines, hotel chains, car rental companies and credit cards), and AwardWallet will continuously fetch your latest points balances and expiration dates.

BBC: Five best air travel apps

The other thing we have to do is, yes, less income households probably should have help with their rent, and we have dramatically cut the programs that assist low-income households from getting access to affordable rental housing.

NPR: A Closer Look: Helping the Working Poor

Subsidized by HUD and other sources, programs such as the Generations Project in Hartford have made available to grandfamilies 24 rental units of affordable housing, said Jason Natelle, communications specialist for Community Renewal Team Inc.

CNN: Economy sends more kids to grandma's house