Many people see huge dollar signs flash like neon lights whenever they hear the words "home improvement," but there are many things you can do to spiff up the old place without spending a fortune.

Upgrades Here are 10 low-cost ideas that can pay high dividends to get you started:

10 cheap ways to upgrade your home 1. Make your kitchen cook. 2. Give appliances a face-lift. 3. Buff up the bath. 4. Paint works wonders. 5. Step up storage. 6. Mind the mechanics. 7. Look under foot. 8. Let there be light. 9. Reframe your entry. 10. Consider curb appeal.

1. Make your kitchen really cook.
The kitchen is still considered the heart of the home. For a few hundred dollars, you can replace the kitchen faucet set, add new cabinet door handles and update old lighting fixtures with brighter, more energy-efficient ones. If you've got a slightly larger budget, you can give the cabinets themselves a makeover. Rather than spring for a whole new cabinet system, which can be expensive, look into refacing the ones you have. Many companies will remove cabinet doors and drawers, refinish the cabinet boxes and then add brand-new doors and drawers at price considerably less than new cabinets.  Unless the cabinets are mica, a fresh coat of paint can also do the trick.

2. Give appliances a face-lift.
If your kitchen appliances don't match, try ordering new doors or face panels from the manufacturer. Many dishwasher panels are white on one side and black on the other. It can be as simple as removing a couple of screws, sliding the panel out and flipping it over.

3. Buff up the bath.
Next to the kitchen, bathrooms are often the most important rooms to update. They, too, can be improved without a lot of cash. Simple things like a new toilet seat and a pedestal sink are pretty easy for homeowners to install, and they make a big difference. You can replace an old, discolored bathroom floor with easy-to-apply vinyl tiles or a small piece of sheet vinyl -- often applied right over the old floor. If your tub and shower look dingy, consider regrouting the tile and replacing any chipped tiles. A more complete cover-up is a prefabricated tub and shower surround. These one-piece units may require professional installation but still can be cheaper than paying to retile walls and refinish a worn tub.

4. Paint.
New paint makes everything look clean and bright again. And don't forget the ceiling. Paint the trim a contrasting color. Another option: Paint a wall three different shades of the same color. Measure equal sections and use painter's masking tape to mark off each area. Do the bottom of the wall first with the darkest shade. Once it dries, do the middle section with the next lightest shade and so on.