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Too Broke For Turkey? Top Tips For A Cheap Thanksgiving
- One 12-pound Grade A turkey, 40 cents a pound at most Wal-Mart stores (Prices and availability may vary in AK, HI, OK, NM, WI)
- Three 11 to 15.5-ounce cans Green Giant vegetables
- Two 14-ounce cans Ocean Spray cranberry sauce
- Three 6-ounce boxes of Stove Top stuffing
- One 5-pound bag of red potatoes
- One 12-count package of Sara Lee dinner rolls
- One 22-ounce pumpkin roll cake
- Don’t do it all yourself! Make it a potluck and have each guest bring a different dish.
- Make a list and stick to it tightly. Supermarkets are hoping you’ll be tempted to buy lots of unnecessary items while you’re there for the turkey. Don’t succumb.
- Prune the menu. Do you really need that many side dishes?
- Check online for coupons for the items on your shopping list, such as cranberries, pumpkin, etc.
- Ask yourself: do you really need to generate a refrigerator’s worth of leftovers? Too often people throw out leftovers instead of finishing them. Make a realistic estimate and don’t buy more food than that
Photo courtesy of Flickr
10 Things Parents Should Teach Their Kids About Money
Yes, it doesn’t grow on trees…but there’s a lot more to tell kids about money. Get your children on the right foot early in life and establish thrifty habits that will always serve them well. Here are ten tips:
1. It’s never too early to start learning about money. Even a preschooler can be told there is such a thing as a job. I remember explaining to my young son about how Mommy and Daddy needed to go to their jobs, because we earned money to pay for food, clothes and toys for him.
2. Ben Franklin once said, "a penny saved is a penny earned." Start a savings habit early. A good old-fashioned piggy bank is a fun teaching tool. Give your child a goal – a special toy or treat to save up for, and help him or her track the savings.
3. Teach them how to curb spending. Take your kids grocery shopping and show them how you compare prices and use coupons. Bring a calculator so they can keep a running total and see if their numbers are accurate when you reach the cashier.
4. Tie allowances to chores, so your kids earn their money and get an understanding of the rewards of work.
5. Have family meetings to talk about family finances (e.g., paying for the house, food, gas, vacations, etc.).
6. There’s no such thing as a free lunch. Kids may not realize that pizza delivery and restaurant meals cost your hard earned cash. Point to the prices on the menu, show them the bill at the end of the meal, and explain how tips and taxes are added to it. They may be amazed at how much it costs to eat meals out.
7. Turn a bank trip into a learning experience. Teach the kids that money doesn’t just magically spit out of ATM’s for free, it comes from your paycheck and goes into the bank before it comes out of the machine. Inside a bank, explain what they do; show your safe deposit box too, if you have one.
8. By the time a kid is in high school, he or she should have, and know how to use, a savings account and be taught how to use checking accounts and ATM’s.
9. Ben Franklin also said there is nothing certain in life except death and taxes. When they’re teens, show your kids how to fill out a simple tax return such as the IRS EZ form.
10. Knowledge isn’t cheap, if you want college credit for it. Kids need to prepare for the cost of college; go on www.collegeboard.com or other sites with your kids to research and plan for the costs of the colleges they may want to attend.
Photo courtesy of Flickr
13 Vampire Energy Sucking Devices In Your Home
Did you know there are vampires in your home right now? This is not a Halloween story. It’s real. They are sucking the life out of your household energy budget. I’m talking about energy vampires, the gadgets and appliances that drain your electricity and your wallet even when you are not using them.
There are so many devices that have a standby mode, which means they use up energy even when turned off. Vampire power can cost you up to 10% of your electric bill. In fact, on a national basis, standby power accounts for more than 100 billion kilowatt hours of annual U.S. electricity consumption and more than $10 billion in annual energy costs.
The first challenge is to identify products that draw standby power. Here are clues to recognizing products that draw power continuously:
* Remote control
* External power supply
* Digital display, LED status light, or digital clock
* Contains a battery charger
* Has soft-touch key-pad
A product with one or more these features will have standby power use; however, other products won’t have any of these and may still have standby. The only way to be sure is to measure them with a meter.
Here are the 13 worst energy suckers, followed by ways to drive the proverbial stake through the heart of their vampire-like behavior:
1. Set-top box for TV (such as a DVR, VCR or cable box)
2. Television – rear projection and plasma TV’s are the worst offenders
3. Desktop and laptop computers
4. Audio systems – powered subwoofers are the biggest energy suckers
5. Printers and scanners
6. CD and DVD players
7. Cordless telephone
8. Fax machine
9. Wireless router
10. Microwave oven
11. External USB hard drive
12. DSL modem
13. Computer monitors
EASY WAYS TO SLAY THE ENERGY VAMPIRES
Use a power strip as a central "turn off" point when you are done using equipment, which completely disconnects the power supply. You can use one for your computer and all peripheral equipment, and another for your home electronics (TV, VCR, DVD, stereo, gaming). Keep in mind, however, that if you’ve set a timer to wake up a product, such as programming a DVR or VCR to record a program, then the product must remain plugged in (and able to draw standby power) to function as intended.
Unplug your chargers: cell phone chargers, camera chargers, battery chargers or power adapters, etc. These are drawing some amount of energy even when not in use (and even when not connected to an end-use product).
Buy low-standby products if you can find them. Look for products labeled Energy Star, which means they meet certain government guidelines for energy savings. Get more help from the U.S. Dept. of Energy at: www.energystar.gov
Photo courtesy of Flickr
10 Reasons You Should Cancel Your Cable TV Right Now
1. Cut bills - Depending on your options, cable TV can cost from about $30-90 per month, averaging about $60. That’s $720 a year that you could save up or spend on something else.
2. Save electricity – Not a large amount, but still, you could save $20-50 per year by turning off the TV.
3. Skip commercials – They pay the bills – for the sponsors, not for you. Don’t be tempted to buy more just because you see it advertised.
4. Get more free time - The average American spends more than five hours a day watching TV. Five hours! Imagine giving up some of that time and doing so many other things instead – spending time with family, getting exercise, reading a good book, pursuing hobbies or maybe earning extra dollars with a second job.
5. Cut stress - When you spend five hours a day watching TV, you have to squeeze the rest of your life into the remaining, limited time. With less time watching TV, you can accomplish other things at a more leisurely pace instead of feeling so frantic.
6. Eat better – Lots of TV watching leads to fast food, convenience food and fatty snacks in front of the tube. Skip a show and spend the hour cooking a healthy meal.
7. Improve your health and fitness - Obviously, watching TV is sedentary, plus it means you have less time available to exercise.
8. Communicate better – TV takes the place of conversation in too many households. Watch less, talk more, and feel closer to your family.
Hulu — Hulu is the big name in streaming video for a reason, carrying shows from Disney, Fox and NBC.
TVGuide.com — TV Guide offers lots of full-length TV episodes, clips and exclusive interviews on its website.
YouTube — Online video king YouTube now carries some full length TV shows, along with the usual viral videos of laughing babies and such.
SlashControl — AOL’s new SlashControl offers content from a lot of different sites including TV.com, Hulu and Fancast. The site also offers full-length movies.
Photo courtesy of Flickr
Broke College Student? 25 Ways To Save Money In College
College is expensive but hopefully with these tips you can get the most bang for your buck. Feel free to leave a comment on your own college money savings tips.
1. Get a free checking and savings account. Many banks offer “student” accounts that don’t charge the fees that some other accounts have. Look for free online banking and bill paying.
2. Always keep your check register with you, to track your balance and make sure to avoid overdraft fees, which happen when you don’t have enough in the account to cover your checks. A lot of banks also offer mobile phone websites or apps, so you can bank from anywhere.
3. Empty your pockets and save that spare change. Count it yourself…come on, you’re in college…not as if you need to pay for those coin-counting machines.
4. Don’t drink. That’s a surefire way to flush your money down the drain.
5. If you decide to drink anyway, buy the cheap brands.
6. Take advantage of specials at college bars and dance clubs. If you don’t have to get up early for class the next day, you can to go out on a weeknight and enjoy lower prices then, too.
7. Other people’s parties – be there.
8. When you go out, don’t bring your whole wallet or purse. Ration out a small amount of cash to limit your spending.
9. Why buy new? Before you shell out for a textbook, borrow one if possible.
10. If you can’t borrow, buy used college textbooks. Try Amazon or Barnes and Noble online.
11. Cheap college food in two words: ramen noodles. If you can afford it, thrown in some vegetables and/or meat, and you have a complete meal.
12. Take advantage of your campus meal plan – eat at the college cafeteria, or if you have a declining cash balance plan, make sure you use up those dollars at approved dining locations; some schools don’t allow you to carry over dining dollars to the next year.
13. Save $2,000 during your college career by brewing your own coffee. Buy a decent coffee maker or ask for one for as a gift.
14. Skip the fast food and late night take-out. Keep healthy, affordable snacks in your dorm room or apartment – cheese, whole wheat bread, instant oatmeal, peanut butter and fruit are all good choices.
15. Avoid high-end gourmet markets; find out where the poor people shop, such as discount groceries. Don’t forget to clip coupons, too.??
16. For a date, kick your roommates out for the evening, and prepare a simple candlelight meal.
17. If you’re buying a computer, save by shopping the student specials; discounts, rebates and back to school specials. Apple Computer offers student discounts and rebates to students and teachers. And many schools negotiate special deals with manufacturers; check with your college store or the college IT department.
18. Forget about the TV; just watch cable television through your computer. Make sure your desktop or laptop has a DVD/CD player and you can also watch your favorite movies.
19. You also don’t need a stereo. Get a good set of computer speakers, preferably with a separate woofer to boost the bass. Then play away from your iTunes music library.
20. Why pay high movie ticket prices? Take advantage of your flexible schedule and hit the weekday matinee showings, which are cheaper. Also look for free movies on campus.
21. Offer your services as a tutor. Pick your best one or two subjects. Try posting your services on Craigslist.
22. It costs little or nothing to enjoy a picnic, a long walk, flying a kite, a pick up game of basketball, soccer or football, a card game or reading a good book which you can find in your college library.
23. Check your college paper and local websites for free upcoming events such as concerts, arts and crafts fairs, theater, festivals, art galleries, and museums.
24. Living on an upper floor will typically keep you warmer in the winter, but it’ll get hotter in the summer. If you go to school in a region where winters are longer then upper floors are smart, otherwise live low.
25. When it’s time to head home, check Amtrak or Greyhound for student discounts.
Dean writes:
Being broke in college brings back fond memories. It also makes me realize I’m getting older. Here are some of my personal favorite money saving tips from college
- I never did this but I have heard of people scanning text books so they don’t have to buy them.
- Always try to carry with you a nice reusable water bottle so you don’t get tempted to buy soft drinks or bottled water.
- House or dorm parties are a lot cheaper than going to the club.
- Try going to discounted college theater play or sports game for a cheap date.
- Sport drinks are nice after working out but so is water. Buy a water filter and use it.
- Your college ID probably gets your deals at restaurants so use them to cheap meals.
Photo Credit via Flickr
Ten Cheap Ways to Update and Decorate Your Home
I love to look at decorating magazines – until I see the price tag of all those decorator items! Custom-made furniture? Hand-woven oriental rugs? Marble countertops? Not on my budget. Here are ten cheap ways to make your home look great.
1. Paint: A new color on the walls can give you a dramatic new look, or a subtle change. Most rooms will only need one or two gallons, and at about $20 per gallon for affordable paint, that’s a real decorating bargain.
2. Art: Of course, real art costs real money. But you can save by scouring garage sales and flea markets. Or buy some budget frames and use them with an interesting poster or photograph. Or make a fabric wall hanging: buy four ’stretcher bars’ (wood frame pieces), assemble them into a frame, then staple-gun the fabric onto it.
3. Accents: Small accents in lively colors will add a whole new look to your room. Try new pillows, vases or candles.
4. Lighting: Some lighting can be costly, but not all. Ikea is one good source of interesting and affordable lamps and fixtures. Try your local shops, too. I picked up some really cool looking lamps for only $10 each from a store in my town.
5. Refinish: Strip and refinish wood pieces in a different stain. Or paint them a new color.
6. Replace hardware: I added brass handles to my previously handle-less oak kitchen cabinets for about $30 and the kitchen looks way more elegant and expensive.
7. Rugs: Find an interesting, small accent rug. Ikea and West Elm are two good sources for these, but there are many others.
8. Curtains and blinds: Who needs pricey drapes? Get a great look with curtains or blinds in interesting colors and textures. Try Linens ‘n Things or Bed Bath & Beyond for some good selections.
9. Furniture clearance centers: If you do plan to buy furniture, stretch your dollars with a clearance center. Most large furniture stores and chains have a clearance center or possibly a clearance room where you can buy floor samples and discontinued items. If you don’t mind a few scratches you can score some amazing deals.
10. De-clutter: This tip costs zero dollars but the results are priceless! Go through your rooms and really clear out the stuff you don’t need – the ugly knick knacks, piles of papers and random junk. Throw things out ruthlessly. If you have anything a little more valuable, sell it or donate to a thrift shop and take a tax deduction – so you’ll actually make money by following this tip! Your clean, uncluttered house will look dramatically better too.
Photo courtesy of Flickr
The Broke Woman’s Guide To Fashion: Nine Smart Ways To Save
SET UP SHOPPING STRATEGIES
When you’re on a tight budget, you can’t just buy random items on impulse. Here’s the plan I usually follow: twice a year (spring and fall), I read fashion magazines and browse in stores (without buying yet) to get an idea of what is in fashion, and how much it costs. Then I check my closet at home to see what I already have, and identify a few key pieces that would update my wardrobe for the season, and also decide what colors I need. I set a budget for these items. Then I wait…until the season is underway and there are some clearance sales. That’s when I hit the shops or go online and search for what I need.
SALE, SALE, SALE
Okay, we all like sales. But wait for the best ones. 20% off is not
enough. Look for 50% off sales, and scour clearance racks which are
sometimes as much as 80% off regular price. But don’t waste your
money on something that doesn’t suit you, no matter how little it
costs. And by the way, pay cash. Credit cards will tempt you to
overspend.
SMART AND SMARTER BARGAINS
Check out the Mr. Cheap Stuff coupons to save extra at Smart Bargains
and at Overstock.com. Both sites are excellent places to find name
brand and designer clothes at low prices. Remember to check these
sites fairly often because the product offerings and available sizes
always change.
Get Smart Bargains Coupons
Get Overstock.com Coupons
SAVE MORE WITH COUPON CODES
Before you buy online, see Mr. Cheap Stuff’s long list of coupon codes
to enter at checkout, and save.
Save With Mr. Cheap Stuff Coupons
SWAP MEET
Invite your friends to bring all the clothes they don’t want anymore.
Then have fun swapping clothes and accessories. Whatever is left
over, donate to a thrift store and get a receipt to use for tax
deductions.
SECONDHAND
Thrift and consignment shops can yield amazing treasures. Sometimes
you can find clothes that were never even worn, with the tags still
on! Even if you cannot find clothes in your size, there are always
accessories. A scarf or pair of earrings will cost only a couple of
bucks at a thrift shop, and will give your outfit a new look.
SEW OR MAKE IT YOURSELF
Sewing your own clothes is not much of a bargain anymore, thanks to
the proliferation of cheap imported clothing. But you can still
employ your skill with a needle or sewing machine to liven up your
wardrobe. You can shorten or narrow skirts and pants, or add
decorative buttons, ribbons or bows.
BRAND NAME OUTLETS
Many brand name designers have retail outlets that sell their products at fraction of the cost it would sell for in their regular stores. Just don’t get carried away when shopping at outlet stores because everything is so cheap it’s easy to buy items that you will rarely ever use.
BUY OUT OF SEASON
Retailers often greatly reduce the prices at the end of a buying season to make room for new merchandise. To take advantage of these price reductions try to look for summer clothing in August, spring sportswear in June, and winter clothing in March, etc.
Photo courtesy of Flickr
Smarter and Cheaper: Educate Yourself at Little Or No Cost
It’s back-to-school time, and while the kids are boarding those big yellow buses, we adults also can learn new things from the comfort of our own computers. Maybe you need to upgrade your business skills or learn new software. Maybe you never graduated high school and need a diploma. Or maybe you’re planning a trip and want to learn a new language. Whether you have a goal, or just want to learn something new for fun, there are are online courses for you, and most of them are free. Here is a list of 10 places to get a top quality online education at little or no cost.
1. iTUNES U
The most well-known functions of iTunes are its music and video store and organizing features. But did you know it’s also a pretty amazing resource for free education? Simply access the iTunes Store and click the link for ITunes U. There are lectures from the world’s top universities. I found an anthropology lecture from England’s Oxford University, engineering and computer courses from Yale, and more, all of them 100% free.
2. Free-Ed.net
Free-ed.net offers online courses on just about any subject but especially focuses on career-oriented courses such as computers, hotel management, and building trades. You also can study here for your GED (high school diploma equivalent).
3. Berkeley.edu
University of California Berkeley is a great school, and very tough to get into for a degree program. However, dozens of courses (not for credit) are available online each semester, all free, and no application required.
4. University of Washington
UW’s educational outreach program offers lots of interesting, free online courses ranging from American History to computer science and many others.
University of Washington Courses
5. MIT
I think MIT only admits 5 or 10 percent of its degree applicants. But if you want to challenge your brain and don’t need course credits, just check out their online courses, which are open to everyone. Lectures, notes and exams for more than 1800 courses are all offered for free, so you can learn to be a rocket scientist in your spare time. (They also have an online business management school.)
6. Princeton
Do you dream of having an Ivy League education? Get one with online archived lectures at Princeton University.
Princeton Lectures
7. BBC Languages
The BBC (British Broadcasting Company) provides news from around the world – so it makes sense for them to teach you new languages. Learn French, Spanish, Italian, German, Portuguese, Chinese, Gaelic, Urdu, you name it. The more popular languages have a conveniently organized 12-week course.
8. News University
Check out more than 85 online courses to help you learn reporting and writing skills, and there are also courses for software such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. This site is supported by many respected organizations such as the Society of Professional Journalists. Some courses are free and some are not.
9. Cooking Classes
So, your cooking knowledge is limited to making peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches? Or maybe you need to figure out what you can make for dinner with leftover chicken, in 15 minutes or less. It’s all here at the Food Network, with free recipes and videos to show you how.
10. NY Times
It makes sense that one of the world’s most well-known newspapers is reaching out to teachers and students. They have a nice educational section on their website. Learn the word of the day, explore current events and various topics in depth, and enjoy their famous crossword puzzles.
Dean writes:
Recently I have been learning how to play the guitar. I found that Youtube.com is one of the best resources in learning songs and getting free lessons. I know there is a bunch of time wasting Youtube videos but at the same time I’m sure you can useful Youtube videos in just about niche you would like to learn.
I have used Youtube to learn the following:
- Recipes of my favorite dishes
- Japanese language
- Before traveling I like to check out videos of the locations I will visit
- How save on gas and drive efficiently
- How to cool my home efficiently
- Tips on how to improve my golf swing
- How to whiten my teeth effectively and safely
Again, be careful Youtube is a dangerous time waster if not used properly.
Currently I’m trying to learn how to play this song:
With Or Without You – Acoustic Guitar
Please note: these courses are not applicable to degree programs. If you want a degree for little or nothing, that’s another story; you’ll need to apply (and qualify for) financial aid and scholarships, as well as meeting testing and admission requirements for your chosen college.
For general college information and testing requirements, start here: College Board
To apply for federal student aid: FASFA Student Aid
Photo Courtesy of Flickr
How To Get The Best Deals Faster, With Twitter, RSS, and Facebook
FIND GREAT BARGAINS WITH TWITTER
Basically Twitter is a site where you and others can provide quick, short (less than 140 characters) descriptions of what you are doing, or share interesting informational tidbits and links. It’s a lot like text messages, except that Twitter is more public and you can access it on the Web; you don’t need the other person’s phone number and they don’t need yours. You can simply visit someone else’s Twitter page to see their messages, or, if you sign up for a Twitter account, you can ‘follow’ someone else’s Twitter. If you follow someone, then every time you visit your Twitter homepage and sign in, you’ll see the mess ages (known as Tweets) from the people you are following.
TO VISIT OR FOLLOW MR. CHEAP STUFF ON TWITTER
- To visit, just go to Mr. Cheap Stuff on Twitter
- To follow, Visit Twitter.com, create a free account, and sign in
- Then visit Mr. Cheap Stuff on Twitter and click ‘follow’
- To receive Twitter messages on your cell phone: go to Twitter Account Settings, click the “devices” tab and follow the instructions to set up. Keep in mind that Twitter messages will cost you just like any other text messages.
USE RSS FEEDS TO SCORE CHEAP DEALS
Subscribe to Mr. Cheap Stuff
If you’re a fan of Mr. Cheap Stuff, then maybe you are in the habit of visiting this site on a regular basis to see all the best deals and bargains. If you don’t visit this site, you’ll miss out. But what if you’re a busy person or have many websites you like to visit, and it’s hard to remember or find the time to do it?
RSS is your answer. RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. You don’t need to know what that means, technically. The important thing is that it is a type of programming which allows you to ‘subscribe’ to automatically receive headlines, links and updates from your favorite websites and blogs. You will know, without even visiting a site directly, that the site has posted new articles, so you will know whether there is something of interest to you. The little orange symbol on a site provide you the link to that site’s RSS ‘feed’. But how do you set up your computer to use this feed?
There are several ways but my favorite is My Yahoo. Basically this is a free service from Yahoo! which allows you to create a customized news page containing the content that you want.
HOW TO SET UP MR. CHEAP STUFF RSS ON MY YAHOO!
- If you don’t already have a Yahoo! Account, sign up at Yahoo.com to get a username and password. You’ll also be provided a Yahoo! Email address but you need not use it if you already have another email provider.
- Sign into Yahoo! If your browser asks whether it should remember your password, answer yes
- Go to My Yahoo.com
- Make this your homepage; there’s a link at the upper left, or go to your browser’s internet options and choose “set current page as homepage”. This way, whenever you open your browser or go “home”, you’ll see your customized page.
- Now go to Mr. Cheapstuff and click the RSS orange icon
- You should see a box that asks you whether you want to add this feed to “My Yahoo” , click yes
- That’s it – now, Mr. Cheap Stuff’s headlines will be automatically displayed and updated on your new homepage. You can click links to go directly to any article that interests you.
But the fun doesn’t stop there. You can add other information to your new My Yahoo homepage, too.
- Click the upper-left link that says “add content"
- There are many pre-programmed choices to add, such as weather, horoscopes, top stories, etc.
Now you have a great new homepage that displays exactly the information that interests you the most.
FIND FABULOUS DEALS ON FACEBOOK
Facebook is mostly for keeping in touch with, and seeing pictures of, your friends and acquaintances. But did you know you can also find great deals on it? Many companies have a Facebook site where they share special offers that you might not find elsewhere. Starbucks is one of the biggest examples – they’re the number one most popular brand on Facebook, with over 3.8 million Facebook fans as of now, and counting. Recent offers included a free pastry with beverage purchase. To score these deals you need to join Facebook and become a “fan”. Here’s how:
- Go to Facebook.com and sign up for an account if you don’t already have one. It’s free.
- Sign in to your account and answer ‘yes’ if your browser asks whether to remember the password. If you plan on using Facebook for social purposes as well, then take some time to fill out your profile and upload pictures. By the way, you can adjust the privacy settings to restrict access to your profile.
- Go to: www.facebook.com/starbucks and click ‘become a fan’. Then, whenever you sign in to Facebook, you’ll automatically be informed of any news and deals from Starbucks. You can do this for other companies’ Facebook pages as well. For example, I became a Facebook fan of iTunes and scored a really nice alternative music compilation with some great songs.
A Dozen Free and Cheap Ways to Get Fit
GET FIT FOR FREE
1. Walking and running – As long as you have a decent pair of shoes, you’re ready to go. Walking is especially suitable for just about anyone of any age. You can always start with a short distance and work your way up to longer treks and faster strides.
2. Library – Try your local library for an amazing selection of fitness DVD’s, tapes and books to keep your workouts varied.
3. Online – You can find some excellent, free and full-length streaming workout videos online at the Exercise TV site.
Try everything from boot camp to dance to Pilates, with the same well-known instructors who appear on for-sale DVD’s.
4. Podcasts – First make sure you have iTunes. Install iTunes and then enjoy their numerous free podcasts. You can search on keywords such as “fitness” or “workout”. I found a nice workout podcast from Prevention Magazine. The beauty of podcasts is that you can subscribe to them, which means they’ll get automatically downloaded whenever there is a new episode.
5. Playground – Who says the monkey bars are just for kids? Go back to your childhood and enjoy some fun with your workout.
6. Park – Enjoy the green grass, the trees and the scenery while you walk, run or hike. Depending where you live, there might be some added attractions, such as a lake, woods or mountains in some local parks. Or maybe even learn some history, as I do when I go for walks at Valley Forge National Historical Park.
7. Stairs – Skip the elevator and get a workout at your office building, or at home if you live on more than one level.
8. Dancing – It doesn’t cost a thing to throw on some music, dance around your house, and burn some calories. You might also be able to find local dance clubs that don’t charge a cover (but of course you’ll have to pay for drinks if you buy any).
9. Meetup groups – Check out Meetup.com and search for fitness/sports/workout interest groups to join. You’ll make new friends while getting fit.
10. On TV – Fit TV is a channel devoted to fitness and workout programs, everything from toning to dance to kickboxin g and a lot more. Check your local schedules here: Discovery.com You’re already paying for cable, so you might as well get the most use out of it. Also check your cable provider’s free, on-demand videos for any fitness-related ones.
GET FIT FOR CHEAP
11. Garage sales – Think of all those people who bought treadmills and never used them. And there are many others who need to sell weight sets, videos and other things that are gathering dust in their homes. Check your local newspaper classifies for garage sale listings, and also just cruise around your neighborhood looking for garage sale signs.
12. Craigslist – Craigslist is a great marketplace and it’s also another way to find those garage sales. Simply search the “for sale” category by keyword. Just like a garage sale, bring your cash and be prepared to haul it away. You’ll save on everything from home gyms to yoga mats. Craigslist.org
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