A variety of ways. When we first moved in we realized the roof leaked. A lot. In about a dozen different places that we could see. We paid about 50% of the roof replacement in cash and then put the rest of it on a 0% interest credit card for 14 months, paid the minimum for 14 months then paid it off.

We got a mass save energy audit which allowed us to access a HEAT loan, which is a $25k loan, paid back over 7 years with 0% interest to upgrade our heating system.

Those are the only two things we've used to finance.

Big However. We also both got promotions with 10-12% salary increases shortly after we closed. Being double income, no kids, with only a $1700 payment allowed us to save a lot over about 2 years. It's only in the last 2 months that we upgraded the heating systems and added solar (used the heat loan and paid cash for everything else, but we'll get about $37k back from rebates and tax credits). There's been other things we've done that combined is $$$ but that's been spread out over the last two years so doesn't feel like $$$.