• 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

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Too Broke For Turkey? Top Tips For A Cheap Thanksgiving

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.

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10 Things Parents Should Teach Their Kids About Money

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

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13 Vampire Energy Sucking Devices In Your Home

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.

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10 Reasons You Should Cancel Your Cable TV Right Now

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.

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Broke College Student? 25 Ways To Save Money In College

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.

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Ten Cheap Ways to Update and Decorate Your Home

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. 

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The Broke Woman’s Guide To Fashion: Nine Smart Ways To Save

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. 

iTunes U

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).

Free-Ed.net

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.

Berkeley Courses

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.)

MIT Courses

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.

BBC Languages

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.

News University Courses

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.

Food Network Cooking Classes

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.

New York Times

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

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Smarter and Cheaper: Educate Yourself at Little Or No Cost

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

1.  To visit, just go to Mr. Cheap Stuff on Twitter
2.  To follow,  Visit Twitter.com, create a free account, and sign in
3.  Then visit Mr. Cheap Stuff on Twitter and click ‘follow’
4.  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!

1. 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.  
2. Sign into Yahoo!  If your browser asks whether it should remember your password, answer yes
3. Go to My Yahoo.com
4. 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.
5. Now go to Mr. Cheapstuff and click the RSS orange icon
6. You should see a box that asks you whether you want to add this feed to “My Yahoo” , click yes
7. 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.

1. Click the upper-left link that says “add content"
2. 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:

1. Go to Facebook.com and sign up for an account if you don’t already have one.  It’s free.
2. 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.
3. 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. 

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How To Get The Best Deals Faster, With Twitter, RSS, and Facebook

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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A Dozen Free and Cheap Ways to Get Fit

Well, so is some of the best software.  Here are eight great, legally free downloads for you.  These are popular, well-known programs which have received many excellent reviews and do as good a job as their expensive counterparts.  All (except where noted) are available both for Mac and Windows.  Download these and you can enjoy better web browsing, get work done, and use your files, photos and music collection more easily.

1. Firefox: Why are you still using Internet Explorer?  Mac’s Safari, while pretty nice, is also far behind Firefox in the range of features you can enjoy with this popular, free web browser.  With Firefox, you can customize its appearance and use add-ons for additional functions.  I like using Xmarks, an add-on which allows you to synchronize your bookmarks among all your computers.   And you can install toolbars to quickly access popular social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/upgrade.html

2. iTunes: No, you don’t need to own an iPod, or a Mac, to use iTunes.  That’s a misconception some people still have.  Yes, iTunes will sync up with your iPod or iPhone, if you have one.  But it’s also just a great program to organize your music and buy new music, using its two main functions, the iTunes Library and the iTunes Store.  You also can burn CD’s and print CD inserts with track names and cover art.  I also like the iTunes Radio feature, which allows you to listen to lots of great, free online radio stations.

http://www.apple.com/itunes

3.  Picasa: Windows computers don’t usually come with a good program to easily manage and edit your photos.  Macs come with iPhoto, which is good, but you still might like Picasa better.  Google’s Picasa software automatically indexes all the photos on your computer, no matter if they’re scattered all over the place.  You can edit and email photos, and upload from your digital camera.

http://picasa.google.com/

4.  Dropbox:  If you’re like me, you work on more than one computer and sometimes need to access files from various locations.  This cool program automatically synchronizes any file that you store in the Dropbox folder, so if you make changes from one computer, you’ll see the updated file from any other computer.  And you get 2GB of free online storage space.  This is really great if you need to update a work project when you’re out of the office.

http://getdropbox.com/

5.  Google Earth: Google Earth lets you fly anywhere on Earth to view satellite imagery, maps, terrain, and buildings from galaxies in outer space to the canyons of the ocean. You can save your toured places, and share with others.  Virtually "fly" down your local highways, too.  Check out a location before you travel there.  Or just travel from your armchair.

http://earth.google.com/index.html

6.  Adobe Reader:  If you ever visit a website and want to view a PDF file (Portable Document Format), you’ll need Adobe Reader.  Many computers already come with this program (and Macs have pdf capabilities built-in), but if you don’t already have it, Adobe Reader is indispensable.  If you hate the loading time of Adobe Reader when opening PDF files on the internet I highly recommend Foxit Reader.

http://get.adobe.com/reader/

7.  Open Office: Don’t want to spend hundreds on Microsoft Office but you need to view other people’s Office files (such as Word documents) or create your own Office-compatible files?  Open Office is your answer.  You get a full, free suite of software for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, and database management.

http://download.openoffice.org/

8.  Spybot Search & Destroy: This one is Windows-only, since Macs are not plagued much by spyware.  Spybot protects against trackerware, homepage hijackers, trojans, pop-ups, keyloggers, and more.  A spyware-fighting program is really necessary to protect any Windows computer.

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html

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Eight Great, Free Software Downloads

1.    Smoking -  Everyone knows that smoking is deadly, and expensive too.  It also aggravates allergies, and costs you more in cleaning bills to get the smoke smell out of your clothes.  Quitting smoking reduces your risk or cancer while helping improve your respiratory system and allergies. And think of all the money you’ll save on cigarettes.
 
2.    Drinking – Drinking takes a toll, not only on your budget but if you drink a lot, you could face a whole host of problems such as alcoholism, liver damage, chronic dehydration, a weak immune system, psychological problems and weight gain.
 
3.    Junk Food - An occasional treat is okay, but a regular diet of hamburgers, fries and milkshakes is a lot of empty calories.  You’ll eat healthier and cheaper if you make a sandwich at home.
 
4.    Unsafe sex – Don’t put yourself at risk for AIDS and other diseases.
 
5.    Tanning -  According to some reports, tanning can more than double your risk of getting skin cancer.  Stick with bronzers and fake tanners, both of which are cheaper than tanning salon visits.
 
6.    Drug abuse – Drugs are expensive and wreck your health.  Get help if you need to kick an addiction.  Visit a health clinic if you don’t have money to get treatment.
 
7.    Too much coffee – Excess caffeine affects your digestion, hurts your teeth, and ability to sleep.
 
8.    Take vitamins – Ward off anemia with iron supplements, and avoid osteoporosis by taking calcium.
 
9.    Drink (tap) water – Skip the sodas and other bottled drinks, and enjoy more glasses of water.  You’ll save money, your skin will glow, and you’ll feel more energetic.
 
10.  Get a good night’s sleep – Did you know that0Alack of sleep heightens the risk for a variety of major illnesses, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes and obesity?  And you need sufficient rest to recharge your immune system.
 
11.  Exercise – Strengthen your heart and live longer with simple walking or running; you don’t need an expensive gym.  If the weather’s bad, try one of the cable TV fitness shows or borrow workout videos for free from your local library.
 
12.  Avoid secondhand smoke – Avoid smoky bars and restaurants.  Encourage your family and friends to stop smoking; it’ll be healthier for both them and you.
 
13.  An apple a day…  We all know the old saying that "an apple a day keeps the doctor away."   There’s some truth to it: eating lots of fruits and vegetables boosts your immune system.&n bsp; Plus, apples are cheap and a great source of fiber.
 
14.  Wear sunscreen – Decrease your risk of skin cancer by taking an extra minute to use sunscreen on all areas of exposed skin.
 
15.  Wear comfortable shoes – Bad shoes can lead to chronic back and foot pain.  If you’re fashion conscious, then at least don’t wear heels all day and night; wear comfy shoes for walking and change into your heels at work or for going out.
 
16.  Stretch – Proper stretching reduces stress, improves posture and balance, and can lessen the risk of injuries.  Just make sure you’re warmed up before you do it.
 
17.  Floss – Flossing is a whole lot easier and cheaper than getting gum disease and cavities.
 
18.  Stress control – Find healthy ways to relieve stress, such as exercising or dancing.
 
19.  Adjust your posture – Avoid possible back pain and heed your mom’s advice to sit up straight.  If you work at a desk all day, get up and stretch your back, neck, and shoulders occasionally.
 
20.  Get some (healthy) sun – A little sunshine gives you vitamin D.  Just make sure to wear sunscreen.
 
21.  Meditate – No mantras needed – just close your eyes and breathe deeply in and out for a few minutes to relieve stress and help clear your mind.
 
22.  Eat slower – Help avoid tummy troubles by taking your time at meals.  Chew slowly and savor every bite; this will also help you avoid overeating.
 
23.  Take a break – Get up and stretch your legs or take a walk to the lobby to get away from your computer, relax your eyes and muscles and get some perspective.
 
24.  Wash your hands – Such an easy way to rid yourself of germs, especially during cold and flu season.  When you’re not near water, carry a portable size of anti-bacterial gel to rub on your hands.
 
25.  Get more fiber – Fiber’s benefits include lowering your cholesterol and helping your colon function properly.  Plus, you’ll feel fuller and will be less likely to overeat.
 
26.  Unworthy sponges – Sponges can harbor germs and bacteria if you don’t replace them.
 
27.  Get tested – Make sure you get a yearly checkup including cancer screenings; get STD tests if you’re sexually active.  Women, don’t forget mammograms.
 
28.  Visit the dentist – Regular teeth cleanings and periodic X-rays are much cheaper and less painful than neglecting your mouth and having to get root canal or dentures.
 
29.  Replace your cosmetics and skin creams – Sure, you don’t want use them up, but outdated products can cause acne or skin irritations.  Also avoid eye irritations by replacing your mascara.
 
30.  Buy generic – Unless your doctor says otherwise, avoid brand names and save money with generic medications.

31.  Get a flu shot – If you work in a crowded environment, are a senior citizen, or have certain health conditions, it’s important to protect yourself.  Check with your doctor, employer, or county health department to see if you’re eligible for a free shot.
 
32.  Never share toothbrushes, razors or other personal items – Don’t risk infections; keep your personal care items to yourself.
 
33.  Save for health care – Even saving just $25 per month will be enough to cover some co-pays and deductibles for your health coverage.
 
34.  Know your health history – Tell doctors and other health professionals about your health conditions, health history and genetic factors so they can treat you effectively and avoid unnecessary treatments.
 
35.  Learn to cook – Restaurant food is expensive, and usually not as healthy.  You don’t need to make anything fancy; salads and sandwiches are quick and easy choices.
 
36.  Get a partner – Find a friend to share your healthy eating or exercise goals; you’ll motivate each other to be more successful.

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36 Ways To Get Healthy & Fatten Your Wallet

2.  If you have to drive, see if you can combine trips, e.g. run your errands on the way home from work.  You can also time your trips during off-peak times to avoid traffic to help you save time and money.

3.  Get the junk from the trunk – your vehicle uses more gas with the extra weight.  Clean out the car and take out all the stuff you don’t need.

4.  Check and maintain proper tire inflation according to manufacturer specifications.  A tire pressure gauge only costs a few bucks but will save you a lot of money if you maintain the right tire pressure. 

5.  Plan your trip for best combination of: shortest distance and minimum traffic congestion.  It could be worth a slightly longer route, though, if the shortest route is heavily jammed.  Go to Google Maps, input your location and click the box for "Traffic" to see current traffic conditions.

6. Go with the flow – although you want to avoid traffic jams, a freely moving flow of traffic on a highway is better for you gas-wise than an empty road.  That’s because the traffic flow creates an aerodynamic wind current.

7. Choose the smoothest roads for the least rolling resistance and less gas usage.

8. Go with good weather, when you can.  Driving in rain and snow increases your vehicle’s aerodynamic resistance and lowers your mileage.

9. Close your sunroof at higher speeds.  Certain styles of sunroofs, when open, greatly increase drag.

10. Also, at higher speeds, keep your windows closed to reduce drag.  Even running your air conditioner (windows closed) may be more fuel-efficient than open windows at 55 mph.

11. Know fuel efficient braking techniques – coast in neutral when you can, to slow down before you brake.  But only do this when it’s safe, depending on traffic conditions.

12. When you can, avoid braking at all, by adjusting your speed to follow the traffic flow and take advantage of green lights.  Again, you’ll have to adapt to traffic conditions and safety.

13. Barefootin’ – believe it or not, you can save gas by removing your shoes and driving in socks or bare feet.  This increases your sensitivity to use the accelerator and brakes at maximum efficiency.

14.  Avoid parallel parking in tight spots – all the back-and-forth and maneuvering will use up extra gas.  Park a little farther away in an easier spot.

15. In a multi-vehicle household, choose the most fuel-efficient vehicle as often as you can.

16. With an automatic transmission, use "overdrive" or "economy" mode to save fuel; these settings shift the transmission into high gear sooner.

17.  In winter, clean snow and ice off your car to reduce wind resistance (as well as improving safety and visibility).

18. In summer, keep air-conditioning use to a minimum.  Parking in the shade will help reduce the need for a/c.  It also helps to tint your windows to keep your car interior cooler.

19.  Maintain appropriate following distance; if you follow too closely, you’ll have to hit the brakes hard to stop.  That’s less fuel-efficient and potentially unsafe.

20. Don’t speed.  Going fast uses more gas.

21.  Avoid roof racks, since they increase drag.  For bicycles, get a rear-mounted carrier.

22.  Save gas by minimizing use of accessories such as dvd players, interior lights, etc.

23. If you use toll roads and bridge, get EZ Pass, so you won’t burn up gas sitting in tollbooth traffic.

24.  Finally, if you own an old gas guzzler, see if you should trade it in for a more fuel efficient model.  Check if you qualify for the government’s new "Cash for Clunkers" program.  http://www.cars.gov/  This program has been extremely popular and may run out of funding, so act soon.

The amount of the credit is $3,500 or $4,500, and generally depends on the type of vehicle you purchase and the difference in fuel economy between the purchased vehicle and the trade-in vehicle.

Your trade-in vehicle must:

•     have been manufactured less than 25 years before the date you trade it in
•     have a "new" combined city/highway fuel economy of 18 miles per gallon or less
•     be in drivable condition
•     be continuously insured and registered to the same owner for the full year preceding the trade-in

Photo credit via Flickr

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Two Dozen Easy Ways To Save Money On Gas

Eating Healthy At Home

1.  Drink water instead of sugar-laden juice or soda.  And you don’t need expensive bottled water.  If your tap water isn’t tasty, get an inexpensive filtering pitcher.  Better yet buy a reusable water bottle to take with you on the go.

2.  Cut out the fast food.  Even dollar menu items add up.  And you can do without all that fat and salt.

3. Eliminate junk food snacks such as chips.  They are empty calories and they empty your wallet.  View our 10 top cheap and healthy foods.

4. Start a vegetable garden.  Recently backyard gardens have been gaining in popularity because it provides healthy and fresh vegetables at great prices.  Here is 10 tips on starting your own backyard garden.  You can also use frozen vegetables.  Fresh veggies can be pricey.  Frozen ones are just as nutritious, require less prep time, and are cheaper.

5. Buy at wholesale prices and cut your grocery bills.  How to do this?  Join a food cooperative.  Or order inexpensive, nutritious food from Angel Food Ministries.

6.  Downsize your portions.  Most people eat larger portions than they need to.  Eat a little less, lose weight, and save money.

Eating Healthy Away From Home

7.   When eating out at casual or fast food restaurants, try the kid’s meal.  It’s cheaper and often provides enough for an adult’s appetite. 

8.   Skip the beer and cocktails, it adds calories and drains your bank account.

9.   Share an entree with your dinner companion.  Many restaurant’s portions are big enough for two people.

10. Avoid appetizers and desserts.  You can have those at home.

11. Pack a lunch for work.  You’ll save money and eat healthier compared to eating lunches out.

12. Don’t get coffee to go.  The cost, and calories (if it’s sweetened) add up.  

Your Health

13.  Get enough sleep.  You’ll have better resistance to illness.  Create a sleep ritual.  Example read a book and drink a glass of milk.

14.  Check with your local health department and local pharmacies for free or low-cost health screenings and flu shots.

15. Go for a walk during your lunch hour; it’s a great way to squeeze in exercise and it’s free.

16. Can’t walk at lunch?  At least use the stairs in your office building.

17. Take up dancing to have fun, meet new friends, and get exercise.  Ballroom lessons can be expensive – so you might want to try soul or country line dancing, folk dancing or square dancing for beginner-friendly, low-cost events.

18. Use sunblock.  Yes, this costs money, but it’s cheaper than needing treatment for skin cancer.

19.  Don’t smoke.  We all know this by now…smoking is dangerous as well as expensive.  For more information, visit the American Cancer Society.

20. Cut your stress – it will improve your health and potentially save you medical bills.  Figure out what you have control over in your life, and make some positive changes.

21.  Watch less TV.  Chances are you are watching way too much TV when you could doing so much other fun and rewarding things.  Learn how to live without a TV and start living healthy.

Your Grooming

22.  Drugstore skin creams are just as effective – and a lot cheaper – than the department store products.  Check out our Drugstore.com coupons.

23.  Can you get your hair cut less often?  Space out your salon appointments to every eight weeks instead of every six.

24.  Ladies, do your own nails and skip the expensive manicures.  Learn more on how to look good on a budget.

25.  Unless you have very oily hair, you may not need to wash it daily.  Bathe the rest of yourself – but skip some shampoos to save money on hair care product consumption.

Photo credit via Flickr 

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25 Healthy Living Tips You Can Use Today

So, should you bother cluttering your wallet or keychain with these cards?  Here are some tips to maximize your savings with shopper cards:

1.  Obviously, you can score some good savings and rewards with shopper cards, that’s the main point.  But you really have to work it to get the maximum benefit.  For example: your supermarket might offer excellent prices on their "club card" items.  But they’re hoping you buy more quantities than you need, or, once you’re in the store, you could be tempted to buy other items at higher prices.  So, before you leave home, carefully peruse the store’s flyer, and make up a shopping list consisting only of the bargain items.  

2.  Do some comparisons: those special shopper card prices might actually be higher than the everyday low prices offer ed by discounters such as Target or Wal-Mart or various online merchants.  Discount club memberships such as Costco or Sam’s Club can offer great savings, too, but often you have to buy in quantity, not always a money-saving choice for a smaller household.

3.  If it’s a rewards program, such as cash back or gifts after a certain amount of purchases, think twice.  If you are absolutely sure you would normally spend the rewards-qualifying amounts, fine.  But don’t start inflating your buying just to get rewards; you won’t save money that way.

4.  Think about your privacy.  Shopper card programs collect your personal information, and when they are scanned each time you shop, the retailer is collecting information about your buying habits.  That’s not necessarily a bad thing.  It can allow the merchant to figure out what products people want the most, so they can carry those products in their inventory.  Also, the information allows them to tailor special coupons or sales that you might find especially useful.  Still, some consumers are uncomfortable with the idea, and choose to provide fake information to obtain a shopper card and preserve their privacy.

5. Declutter your wallet.  Consolidate up to 6 shopper club bar codes/store names onto one little wallet card, a t www.keyringthing.com.  Print a paper version of the consolidated wallet card for free, or pay $3.97and they’ll ship yiou a plastic version. Your local retailer’s card not listed? The website provides instructions on how to create a bar code to add to your card.

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Shopper Cards and Clubs: Are They Worth It?

2. Libraries are amazing treasure troves of books, CD’s DVD’s and magazines you can borrow, plus many libraries offer free events such as children’s story times, film nights, book clubs and more.  Find your library at: www.publiclibraries.com

3. Check out your community’s sports activities. Watch a Little League or youth soccer game, or join an adult league.

4.  Visit a museum for free.  Yes, many of them do offer free admission on certain days or times.  Find a complete list here:
www.heyitsfree.net

5. Invite your neighbors over.  They don’t have to become your best friends, but it’s good to know your neighbors and look out for each other.  Plus they may provide useful resources.  Perhaps one of your neighbors is a plumber, electrician or carpenter.  Maybe you can barter or trade for needed services.

6. Start a blog on a topic that interests you. You can get a free blog at many sites, such as Google’s Blogger.com site
Hone your writing skills, promote your career, or have fun – and maybe even earn a little revenue from online ads.

7.  Clean out your cluttered closets and have a yard sale.  Not only is it free, you can actually make money on this.  Advertise it for free with flyers you print yourself, plus a free Craigslist ad.

8. Bad weather?  Enjoy some puzzles.  USA Today offers nice free crosswords and sodoku puzzles.

9. Volunteer at a public radio station or public access TV station and see what really goes on behind the scenes.  Check with your cable company to find out more about their local access channels.  To find radio stations, here’s a directory to search by location:  www.radio-locator.com

10. Relive your childhood at a playground.  Take your own child, a family member, or friend’s child to a public playground, but don’t just stand there and watch.  Pick a time when the place is not too crowded and have fun!  Swing in the swings, or climb the monkey bars.

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10 Fun Free Things to Do This Weekend

No knock on Starbucks or Dunkin, but for a quick cup of coffee in the car or at work, it’s a lot cheaper to brew your own.  Get a coffee maker and buy some high-quality ground coffee, plus a couple of travel mugs from the dollar store.  After a few months, the setup will pay for itself and you’ll reap savings after that.  Learn more about the Latte Factor.

2.  ATM FEES

With a little advance planning, you can completely avoid these.  You can go to a bank-owned ATM and also, you can check your bank’s website to find out which other ATM’s won’t charge you fees.  Also investigate whether certain convenience stores or other retail outlets have fee-free ATM’s.  Also, you can use your check card for almost anything now, even dollar menu items at fast-food restaurants, so you probably don’t need to carry much cash anyway.

3.  BOTTLED WATER

Come on…do you really need this?  Much bottled water is only purified tap water to begin with.  And you’re already paying taxes for your own local water.  If you don’t like the taste of your tap water, buy a filter to attach to your kitchen and/or bathroom faucets – or get a water-filtering pitcher.  Get refillable plastic bottles and watch your savings pour in.  Learn more on why Aquafina is a rip off.

4.  CONVENIENCE FOODS

Yes, we know – you’re busy, oh so busy.  It’s tempting to grab already-assembled sandwiches and prepackaged cheese and crackers.  But those daily convenience store runs are costing you time and money.  Hit up your local supermarket once a week for quick, easy food items such as bread, cold cuts, cheese slices, apples, etc. and throw some plastic storage bags into your basket as well.  Packing your own lunches will be a snap.

5.  CAR MAINTENANCE

No, you don’t need to go to your dealer for most types of maintenance and repairs.  The exception would be covered warranty work and recalls – but for everything else, shop around.  Usually a reputable, independently owned garage will fix your car for less.

6.  BOOKS

Go to the library; it’s an amazing treasure trove not only for books, but also music and movies.  You can find your nearest branch at PublicLibraries.com or by Googling  the word "library" and your zip code to display the results on a map.  If you want to be nice and support your locally owned, independent bookstore, go there and buy the things you can’t find at the library, such as gift items or very specialized books and magazines.

7.  MUSIC

Are you still buying CD’s?  There’s not much reason to do that anymore, unless you really love cover art and lyric sheets (and yes, some folks do.)  Buy songs individually at 99 cents or so, from iTunes or Amazon.  For the iTunes store, you’ll need to download free software at Apple.com.  Amazon’s Music Store

8.  HOME PHONE

Even if you normally use your cell, a land line is a useful backup and also is a better choice for making 911 calls because emergency centers will get your location more easily.  Just don’t overpay for the land line.  Shop around, and ask your phone company for a package deal; you could pay as little as $10-15 per month for a land line with unlimited calling if you also get high-speed internet and/or cable TV with the same company.

9.  GAMBLING

The seductive clang-clang of the casinos draws you in, and you walk out poorer.  Remember, the house always wins in the end.  If you really enjoy gambling as entertainment, fine, but decide on your budget before you walk in – $25, $50, or whatever you really can afford to part with.  Las Vegas Entertainment book can also help you save money when going to Vegas.

10.  CLOTHING

It sure feels good to own the same brand of designer jeans Jennifer Aniston wears – but are you a multi-millionaire like she is? If not, skip the celebrity wear and go for some sharp designer knockoffs.  Try Target at www.target.com or H&M at www.hm.com.  Both stores carry lines from famous designers.  Look for a special line of Jimmy Choo shoes at H&M later this year. 

11.  NEW GADGETS

It’s fun to be the first person on your block with the latest, coolest cell phone or some other gadget.  But you pay dearly for the privilege.  Wait at least six months and you’ll likely see lower prices for the same products.

12.  NEW CARS

Do you absolutely, positively need a brand new car?  Consider the fact that new cars instantly lose a lot of value the moment you drive them off the dealer’s lot.   Nobody says you have to buy a junker – just consider opting for a slightly used set of wheels and you’ll save a lot.

13.  EXTENDED WARRANTIES

Service warranties are big profit items for retailers but do little for consumers.  Most electronic items can be replaced for not much more than the cost of repairs and warranties, and most likely you’ll be able to upgrade the technology too.

14.  TRAFFIC TICKETS AND PARKING TICKETS

We all make the occasional mistakes.  But repeat violations add up to big bucks – and traffic violations could cost you more on your car insurance as well.  When you park, set a timer on your cell phone.  And don’t speed or drive recklessly.

15.  UNUSED GYM EQUIPMENT AND MEMBERSHIPS

So many people invest money to join a gym they never visit or workout equipment that gathers dust.  Don’t waste money on good intentions.  And if you really do decide to get fit, you can always start with something free, like walking or running.   Learn how to get a cheap P90x DVDs.

16.  FANCY HEALTH FOOD

Free-range chicken is nice, but not a necessity.  Ditto for a lot of food that is only sold in health food stores or labeled "all-natural".  Read labels and shop carefully; there are some plain old store brands that are just as healthy.  And buy produce in season at local farmer’s markets; you’ll find good prices.

17. GREETING CARDS

No need to pay $3-5 for a typical gift shop greeting card – design and print your own with your computer.  Or shop the dollar store.

18.  CREDIT CARD FEES

Consumers are getting some new protection from sneaky rate hikes and hidden fees, thanks to a bill signed into law by President Obama; details at WhiteHouse.gov

Still, you need to be responsible for your own finances.  Pay your bills on time.

19.  IMPULSE BUYING

We all fall victim to the desire for immediate gratification.  A carefully planned budget helps a lot.   Find out how to create a budget the painless way.  Allow yourself a set amount each week for minor impulse buys such as magazines or gum.

20.  FLORISTS

No knock on florists here, but for everyday flower purchases, try your local supermarket.  A dozen roses costs only $9.99 at my local supermarket (not on Valentine’s Day, of course.)  Also check out Proflowers.com coupons and promo codes.

21. SOFTWARE

Some of the free software out there is as good as any you would buy.  Check out Lifehacker’s  top free downloads for some great picks of free Windows and Mac software.

Photo Credit via Flickr

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21 Ways To Stop Wasting Money

1.  PLENTY OF FISH

The daddy of free dating sites is www.plentyoffish.com.  Plenty of fish in the sea, get it?  According to the site’s operator, Plenty of Fish actually is the top dating website in the world, racking up about 37 million visits; about 800,000 members log in each day.  They get as many people as eHarmony and Match combined, so you’re likely to find a good number of dates in your area. 

Plenty of Fish makes money by running ads on their site, rather than charging users.  That’s fine, but the look of the site is the main drawback.  In a word, it’s ugly.  Cluttered, clunky design, unattractive typefaces, and intrusive ads are the rule.  The site also doesn’t have some of the cute features of other sites, such as being able to "wink" to show interest, and there’s none of the high-tech personality matching that some other sites offer.  Basically it’s more of a simple search-and-browse experience.  And they do have a very active forum section where you can read and post opinions on many topics, both dating and non-dating related.  The forums also include "Plenty of Fish get together" listings where members plan nights out at local restaurants and clubs, so you can meet people in person.

Design gripes aside, Plenty of Fish does what it sets out to do – get you dates.  I’ve met many nice people and had good dating experiences with this site.  As with any site, your results may depend on your location, age, gender, appearance and interests.  See the end of this article for some general online dating tips.

2.  OK CUPID

Occupying a much lower rung on the traffic rankings, www.okcupid.com is nonetheless worth checking out.  Like Plenty of Fish, it’s totally free.  Unlike Plenty of Fish, it’s  attractively designed, clever and a fun site to use.  It has room for very detailed profiles and you’re asked to list favorite books, music, and food.  You also can upload many pictures.  So the profiles tend to be very clear, specific, and enjoyable to view, assuming the user bothers to fill them out.

The site also uses some interesting matching technology.  You answer questions about various topics such as relationships, politics, religion and sexual preferences.  You also choose how you would want your ideal match to answer.  You can answer as many questions as you want (the more, the better your matches) and you can skip questions you don’t like.  Then the site correlates with other people’s answers to find your matches.  You further refine the matches by choosing age range and location.  OK Cupid is also well known for its fun quizzes.  You can find out your personality type, dating style, IQ and more – and you can view others’ results.  Other cool features include winks, a star rating system for profiles you’ve viewed, and a button which shows you whether a user "replies often" or "replies selectively". 

Overall, OK Cupid is a very nice site.  Its main drawback is simply that it doesn’t get as much traffic as some other sites, so there are fewer potential dates to choose from.  Note: this is not much of a problem if you’re 20-something; the site tends to draw mainly younger users so you may have better luck if you’re in that age range. 

3.  OTHER SITES

There are numerous other free dating sites out there  – just do a search on "free dating" and you’ll find them – however, they’re a lot smaller than the ones mentioned above.  I checked out a couple of sites where I saw that most people hadn’t even logged on to their profiles in months.

There’s one new free site worth mentioning since it’s from Match.com.  Seems a little odd for Match to start a free site while running their paid site at the same time.  But anyway, it’s called www.downtoearth.com. ; Match describes it as " a clean dating site that attracts singles looking for relationships with down-to-earth people who have strong values… zero tolerance for lewd behavior and inappropriate photos to keep daters honest when creating profiles and posting pictures."  I don’t know how they’ll police it.  But it’s not a bad idea.  Women especially get concerned about the creepy or hookup factor on some of the dating sites.

4.  FACEBOOK and MYSPACE

Obviously www.facebook.com and www.myspace.com are overall social networking sites, not specifically dating websites.  However, many people can and do use them to find dates.  It makes sense…you can post personal information, marital status and photos, so there is just as much information about you as there would be on a dating site.  You can search for people in certain age groups and locations and "friend request" them.  However, the person who receives your friend request won’t know you’re interested specifically in dating, since many folks are on Facebook and Myspace just for networking and platonic friends.  So the next move is up to you.

The downside of social networking sites is the TMI factor.  Once someone is your "friend", they can see all your activity such as your friends’ comments to you and the events you’re attending.   Just imagine a potential date seeing your friend tell you "hey man, how’s the parole going?" or "boy, you sure were wasted last night!".   Even if those are just jokes, your potential date won’t know that.  However, you can cover yourself to a certain degree by editing the privacy settings on your profile.  This will allow you to control what other people see about you.

5.  MEETUP

Again, not specifically a dating site, but www.meetup.com is a great way to find people who share your interests, completely for free.  You enter your location and browse or search for groups on your favorite topics.  For example, there are meetup groups for music, movies, hiking, bicycling, politics, and almost anything else.  When you join a group you can view their calendar of events and see who else is attending each event.  You also get a personal profile so you can show your location, interests and photos.  And although this isn’t specifically a dating site, there are meetup groups for singles, so obviously if you join one of those, it should be clear you’re looking for dates.  The nice thing about Meetup is that whether or not you find dates, you’ll at least make new friends who share your hobbies.

ONLINE DATING TIPS

If you’re new to online dating, there are a few things you should know:

1.  Be safe.  Don’t post your address, phone number, or any other information that would allow someone to stalk you.  Also, if you have children, do not post photos with your kids in them.  Sorry, but there are some creeps out there.  First dates should be set up in a public place, and not too late at night.  Coffee dates are a popular, low-cost option.

2.  Market yourself.  You can’t expect someone to want to date you without providing them with an appealing photo and a good description.  Remember, they know nothing at all about you; all they have is your profile to judge you on, so make it good and make it accurate.  Please don’t say you like candlelight dinners, walks on the beach, or other personal ad cliches. Talk about what you do for fun, the sports you play, the books you’re reading, or the music you listen to.  Figure out what makes you interesting and write about it.  If you have a hard time with that, ask your friends for help.  For photos, a poorly lit camera-phone-in-the-bathroom-mirror shot DOES NOT count.  Neither does the ten-year-old blurry vacation snapshot of you in a hat and sunglasses.  Get a friend or relative to take a good photo that clearly shows your face…and don’t forget to smile!

3.  Be courteous and appropriate.  Initial emails and first dates should be simply a pleasant chance to get acquainted.  Ask the other person about their interests.  This is not the time to go on a rant about previous boyfriends or girlfriends or your ex-spouse.  Really, it’s never the time to go on a rant; if you feel that need, you may have too much baggage to be dating right now anyway.  And if you meet someone and decide it’s not a match, write a polite email saying thanks for the date, but you’ve realized you’re unfortunately not compatible and you wish them the best of luck in their search.

4.  Men and women usually have quite different experiences with online dating.  An attractive woman may be deluged with emails without having to do much.  Men, on the other hand, typically have to make a lot of contacts before finding a woman who’s interested.  So guys, don’t take rejection personally, just move on and make other contacts.  And ladies, it’s okay to make the first contact if you see someone you like, but if you feel uncomfortable doing that, you can ‘wink’ or ‘favorite’ a guy to show interest, and hope that he will take it further.

Photo Credit via Flickr

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Free Online Dating Sites – No Pricey Memberships Needed

1.   Recipes and Tips for Healthy, Thrifty Meals

This is an amazing freebie for anyone who wants to save money on the weekly food budget.  It’s so tempting to spend money to eat out when you’re busy and don’t have time to cook.  And a lot of budget and/or healthy recipes tend to require a long list of ingredients and complicated cooking.  Not these.  Each recipe is incredibly simple, usually just a few ingredients and easy directions all on one page for each dish – and it’s healthy but it’s not exotic ‘diet’ food, just normal American comfort food, so the whole family will enjoy it. 

For example, there’s Beef Pot Roast, 220 calories per 3 oz. serving; and Oven Crispy Chicken, 350 calories per 4 oz. serving.

Free Food Plan Recipe Book – PDF File
 
2.  Free Consumer Advice from the Federal Trade Commission

Planning to buy a car or a computer?  Are you applying for a loan?  Wondering how to choose a career?  Or are you planning to spend money on home improvements?  These and many other questions can be answered with free, down loadable and printable publications from the Federal Trade Commission.  Read them before you shop!

FTC Consumer Advice Website
 
3.  Check Your Credit With The Government’s Official Free Credit Reports

Be smart and don’t get ripped off with the websites that claim to offer free reports.  There is only one official government site where you can obtain your free reports – it’s www.annualcreditreport.com. You’re entitled to one free report per year from each of the three major credit reporting agencies – TransUnion, Experian and Equifax, so that’s a total of three per year.

AnnualCreditReport.com
 
4.    What Can Your Congressmember Do For You?

Check this link to find your local member of Congress and visit their office or website.  You’ll find they may offer a variety of free brochures and maps, plus they may arrange free tours of national buildings and monuments if you ask them.

Ask and you shall receive.

Congress Contact Information
 
5.  Greetings from the White House

The White House sends out cards celebrating new births and weddings. Simply send the full name of the honoree (including prefixes such as Mr., Mrs., etc…), address, date of event and the requester’s name and phone number to: The White0AHouse, Attn: Greetings Office, Washington, DC 20502-0039.

White House Greetings
 
6.  Stop Telemarketing Calls

The National Do Not Call Registry gives you a choice about whether to receive telemarketing calls at home. Most telemarketers should not call your number once it has been on the registry for 31 days. If they do, you can file a complaint at this website. You can register your home or mobile phone for free.

DoNotCall.gov
 
7.  Free Kids’ Fitness DVD

Get the kids away from the video games and have them do something more active in front of the TV screen with a free fitness DVD.  Max’s Magical Delivery: Fit for Kids is a fun, interactive DVD targeted to children ages 5-9 and their families.  Use the electronic order form to request your free copy of the DVD for children and their families. Call 1-800-358-9295 to order the DVD by phone.  Ask for Max’s Magical Delivery: Fit for Kids (Product No. 04-0088-DVD).

8.  See America’s Scenic Byways

Get a free map of America’s Scenic byways and start planning your vacation.  Scenic byways include: the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina, the Santa Fe Trail in Colorado, Historic Route 66, and many more.  You also can get more information online.

www.byways.org – Request a Map

9.  Free Business Help from the Small Business Administration

The Small Business Administration offers much more than just loans to start a business. Did you know that they also offer software, detailed market analysis, help in writing your business plan, a huge on-line business library, a business card listing service, and more?

www.sba.gov

10.  Search It Yourself

Check out the mother of all government money directories – the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance.  This is the U.S. Government’s official site that lists more than 1,800 programs administered by various agencies.  You can search by keyword, view by category, or print out the whole monstrous 2,205 page publication if you’re so inclined.  The site even offers a guide on how to write grant proposals.

www.cfda.gov

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Government Freebies: Where To Get Them

2.  PICK YOUR BUDGET FORM

If you have Microsoft Excel, then I highly recommend doing your budget that way.  Just open Excel, click "new", and look through the list of template styles.  You’ll see a heading for "budget".  Click that, and you’ll see a choice of pre-programmed and designed budget forms.  Just use the one that you find easiest to look at and understand.  All you need to do is enter data and it will do the calculations for you.  Or, you can find downloadable Excel budget forms online.  You’ll find Mac versions at:  http://www.microsoft.com/mac/templates.mspx?ttid=3 and Windows versions at: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/CT101172321033.aspx

If you prefer the pencil and paper method with a simple, printable form, try one of these:
http://www.betterbudgeting.com/budgetformsfree-basicbudgeting.htm or http://www.foxway.com/worksheet.html.

3.  FILL OUR YOUR BUDGET

Assemble the following: your cash spending records from step 1, your checkbook register or a recent bank statement, a current pay statement or other income records, and your current bill statements.  You’ll also need a pen or pencil, and a calculator.

Now, start entering figures in the appropriate boxes.  Some boxes will need to be subtotaled, i.e. if there’s an "entertainment" category, you’ll add up what you spent on movies, concerts, shows, etc.  If you only kept a week’s worth of cash expense records, you’ll need to multiply your numbers by 4.3 (number of weeks in a month), to obtain monthly figures.  And if any other income or expenses are not monthly, again, you’ll need to calculate a monthly figure.

One little trick: if you get paid every other week, then calculate your income as being two paychecks per month.  There are two months of the year when you will receive three paychecks – but those extra two pays will become an painless automatic savings and financial cushion for you.  Nice, huh?

4.  REVIEW YOUR BUDGET

Add up all expenses and subtract from your income, or if you’re using Excel, the program should do this automatically for you.  Now, what did you find?  Are your expenses exceeding your income?  Or are you cutting it too close for comfort?  If so, it’s time to make some changes.  Shop around for cheaper phone plans and car insurance.  Refinance your home loan if necessary.  Cut out the premium cable channels.  Eat out less.  Get a second job.  Get a roommate.  There are many, many ways to save money; check out the other useful articles on this site.

5.  CRACK DOWN ON CASH SPENDING

Once you’ve tweaked your budget and cut down your spending, figure out how much cash you need to carry around.  I’ve found the envelope system to be a foolproof easy method to keep cash spending in line.  Do this by reviewing your budget categories and seeing which categories are usually paid for in cash out of pocket.  Add up those numbers and determine a monthly cash amount, then divide by 4.3 for a weekly amount.  This is the amount you withdraw in cash each week.  Get a bunch of little envelopes and mark each envelope with the category and budgeted amount.  Apportion your weekly cash among those envelopes.  When you’ve spent all the money in the envelopes, that’s it, no more spending for the week.  If you carry a wallet and don’t have room for envelopes, you can use pieces of scrap paper as dividers; mark them with the categories and amounts, and put the paper dividers in your billfold.

Good luck – and remember to review and update your budget if you have changes to your expenses or income. 

Photo Credit via Flickr

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How To Create A Budget The Painless Way

Just one caveat: you’re unlikely to find the latest big-selling hit songs for free.  Most free music is from lesser-known artists.   There are occasional exceptions, such as the free albums that Radiohead and Coldplay have made available on their own websites recently.  But for the most part, free music is a process of discovery and you’ll find some amazing new sounds to enjoy.

1.  eMusic Daily Download

eMusic is a paid download site; however, each day they offer a different song as a free download, so check back every day.  Most of the artists are alternative rock.

2.  Apple iTunes Free Music

Apple’s iTunes store offers up a couple of free songs and free videos with the selection changing on Tuesday of each week.  Artists run in all different genres.  Usually there’s one Latin (Spanish language) song and one or two songs that are typically rock, pop, country or hip-hop.  You will need to download and install the free iTunes software to visit the iTunes store.  You don’t need an iPod, by the way.  iTunes simply downloads to your computer and you can do whatever you want with the songs.  You also can keep track of the weekly iTunes free songs at this blog: http://www.itsfreedownloads.com/

3.  Free Albums Galore

Free Albums Galore is a real treasure – entire free albums and completely legal.  The artists tend to be more obscure.  Many of the albums are classical, jazz or electronic music, though I did spot some free folk rock from Byrds member Roger McGuinn.  I’ve found some really nice stuff here.

4.  Amazon Free Downloads

Now this is a true find.  Amazon launched its paid mp3 download store a while back.  But they also have a huge page of free downloads as well.    At last check, they were offering nearly 850 free songs!  And you’ll find some well-known names in there too.  Recent free songs included artists such as Ziggy Marley, Death Cab for Cutie, Tori Amos. and David Byrne.

Amazon Free Downloads

5.  Last.FM Free Downloads

Last.fm is really known as a streaming site where you just listen rather than download.  But they do have a pretty nice free download archive too.  Artists include Nine Inch Nails and Moby.

6.  Stereogum

Stereogum is an alternative music blog so you’ll learn some interesting things about the artists you’re downloading.  Also, because it’s a blog you won’t find the downloads all neatly collected on one page like some other sites; you’ll have to browse and scroll through older posts, or try searching for artists’ names.

7.  ISOUND.COM

iSOUND.COM was founded for musicians by musicians in Seattle.  It’s a place where unsigned artists can upload and share their music.  So you won’t find famous bands here.  You can preview the music, though, and some of it is pretty good.  It’s mostly alternative rock.

8.  WFMU Music Blog

WFMU is an independent, non-profit freeform radio station in the New York City area, broadcasting at 90.1 FM, and also online at www.wfmu.org.  Their music blog, called "WFMU’s Beware of the Blog" , offers up the oddest and quirkiest collection of downloads you’ll ever find, plus some truly listenable gems.  If you like novelty songs, older or obscure stuff you’ll love it here.  Recent examples: some excellent oldies by Elmore James, Roy Orbison and Bo Diddley; ten different versions of NPR’s "All Things Considered" music theme; mambo music from the ’50’s; comedy, spoken word, and interviews; and an album called "Bird Party" (yes, actual birds ala Hitchcock). 

Dean writes:  Here are a couple of my personal favorite music websites.

imeem.com

Imeem.com allows you listen to all the latest current top hits on demand.  What I also love about this site is you can create playlists of all your favorite songs and play them from any computer.  Again, the selection of songs in Imeem is huge and they have all the top artists and songs.  This is great if you use multiple computers because you can access your playlist from any computer.

Pandora.com

While Pandora.com doesn’t let you download music it is my favorite online radio website because it uses artificial intelligence to select the songs you like and songs you might like.  By listening to Pandora I have discovered many great songs and artists that were recommended by Pandora’s Recommendation Engine.  The more you use Pandora the smarter the recommendation engine is.  Check it out, I listen to Pandora daily.

Photo Credit via Flickr
 

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Legal Free Music: 8 Great Ways To Get It

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Summertime At The Movies For Free – Cheap Movies

1. Cooked Black Beans
Cost per serving 7 cents
Calories per serving 114
Actually, most kinds of beans – black, pinto, garbanzo, lentil— are low in fat, and provide you with important fiber, folic acid, calcium, zinc and potassium.  Dry beans take work to prepare; canned beans are a lot easier.  Just make sure to rinse the beans well before using.  Mix them in salads, soups or casseroles, or serve with rice. 

2.  Eggs
Cost per serving 9 cents
Calories per serving 78
Eggs provide plenty of protein for not much money.  Plus, there are so many ways to prepare them – scrambled, fried, sunny-side up, or hard-boiled for sandwiches and salads.

3.  Cooked noodles
Cost per serving 13 cents
Calories per serving 166
Noodles go with everything.  They’re a side dish, or good in a casserole or soup.  The whole wheat ones are even better for you, although they do cost a bit more.

4. Oats (Old-Fashioned or Quick)
Cost per serving: 19 cents
Calories per serving 140
An 18-ounce container or oats costs around $2.29 (on sale) and each container contains about 13 servings (if 1/2-cup of dry oats is a serving).  Oatmeal is filling, has plenty of fiber and you can also make your own granola and muffins with it.

5. Frozen Vegetables
Cost per serving: Around 25 cents
Calories per serving: 82 (for mixed vegetables)
Frozen vegetables come in 12-ounce to 24-ounce bags that cost anywhere from $1.75 to $2.25 and contain 6-8 cups, depending on the vegetable and the size of the bag.   I like them because they keep a long time, don’t need any chopping, and cook quickly in the microwave.

6. Potato (Russet)
Cost per serving: About 23 cents per potato
Calories per serving: 168 calories
Potatoes are great whether you have them mashed, boiled, or baked.  Just avoid the fattening toppings; stick to a little butter or margarine, or pile them with broccoli and melt some low-fat cheese on top.

7. Canned Tuna (solid white albacore or chunk light in water)
Cost per serving (3 oz): About 62 cents
Calories per serving: 70
Tuna is healthy for you, filled with protein, and it’s so quick and convenient, too.  Use it in salads, casseroles, or just plain.

8. Bananas
Cost per serving (1 banana): about 20 cents
Calories per serving: 100
Bananas are an easily portable source of fiber, potassium and vitamin B6.  Eat them plain, slice them into cereal, or blend them into healthy shakes.

9. Apples
Cost per serving (1 apple): about 60 cents
Calories per serving: 80
Apples are full of fiber and make a great snack anytime. 

10. Lowfat Milk
Cost per serving (8 oz.):  about 35 cents
Calories per serving: 100
Milk is rich in protein, vitamins A and D, potassium, and niacin, and is one of the easiest ways to get bone-strengthening calcium.

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Top 10 Healthy & Cheap Foods

1.  New home buyers in 2009 may qualify for a tax credit of $8,000, but in a special twist, they can speed the payoff by claiming the credit for this year’s purchase on 2008’s return – even if that means amending a 2008 return that has already been filed. The amended tax return will allow them to claim the homebuyer credit on the 2008 return without waiting until next year to claim it on the 2009 return.  Please note this credit only applies to homes bought in 2009.  There previously was a $7,500 tax credit offered for buying homes through last year, but that credit had to be eventually repaid; the new 2009 credit does not have to be repaid.

2.  Filers who live in states that have high sales taxes and no (or low) income taxes can choose to deduct their sales taxes instead of income taxes, if they itemize. This break was slated to expire, but was extended in a law which passed in October.

3.  If you own a home but don’t have enough deductions to itemize, there’s a new break for 2008.  You may now add up to $500 in property tax to your overall standard deduction; couples filing jointly can add $1,000.

4.  If you’re self-employed, you can contribute up to 20 percent of income from that job to a simplified employee pension (SEP) plan. You can even submit for an extension for filing and make the contribution for 2008 as late as Oct. 15.

5.  Start a traditional IRA by April 15 – up to $5,000 if you’re 49 or younger or up to $6,000 if you’re 50 or older as of Dec. 31 – and you can deduct the contribution from your 2008 income tax return.

6.  Deduct classroom supplies: Teachers in K-12 can deduct up to $250 in out-of-pocket spending for classroom supplies. This break had expired, but in a last-minute move, it was reinstated by Congress.

7.  Don’t forget you can deduct mileage allowances for driving your personal car for charitable work, moving or medical appointments.

8.  Check if you qualify to file for the recovery rebate credit.  The recovery rebate credit is a one-time benefit for people who didn’t receive the full economic stimulus payment last year and whose circumstances may have changed, making them eligible now for some or all of the unpaid portion.

You may be eligible if you are in one of the following categories:

-Individuals who did not receive an economic stimulus payment.
-Those who received less than the maximum economic stimulus payment in 2008 — $600 per taxpayer; $1,200 if married filing jointly — because their qualifying or gross income was either too high or too low.
-Families who gained an additional qualifying child in 2008.
-Individuals who could be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return in 2007, but who cannot be claimed as a dependent on another return in 2008.
- Individuals who did not have a valid Social Security number in 2007 but who did receive one in 2008.

You need to claim the recovery rebate credit on Form 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ. The instructions for these forms will show you which lines to use. Unlike the economic stimulus payment, the recovery rebate credit will be included in your tax refund for 2008 and will not be issued as a separate payment.

The Recovery Rebate Credit Calculator will help you figure the amount you should claim on your 2008 tax return.

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8 Great, Surprising Tax Deductions For Your 2008 Tax Return

1.  Elegant outfits and hats are a tradition at many churches for Easter.  But it’s hard to justify spending that much money for an outfit you’ll only wear once.  Consider your future needs.  If you attend church or other dressy occasions on a regular basis, then it might be worth buying a new suit or hat.  Otherwise, your local thrift shop, consignment store, Goodwill or Salvation Army will be an excellent source of cheap Easter fashion.  Just enter "thrift store" and your zip code into Google to get a list of local places.

2.  Cheaper Easter baskets: Again, thrift stores, or dollar stores.  Dollar stores also have a wide variety of candy and the fake green grass to put inside the baskets.  You also can try shopping the sales at various drugstore chains.

3. Make your own: instead of storebought basket items, bake cookies or make fudge to put in the basket.  Wrap them in festively colored plastic wrap.

3.  Toys/Kid’s Gifts: Along with the previously mentioned thrift and dollar stores, try yard sales, garage sales, church rummage sales, and Craigslist.  There is one more Saturday before Easter and that could be a perfect time to snap up some cute and cheap stuffed animals and toys at a local yard sale.

4.  Read It:  Books are nice gifts any time of the year, but for Easter, check out your local library book sale, used book shops, or yard sales for themed books.  For an adult, a Bible or religious book about Easter might be nice, or a book about gardening or flowers.  For kids, maybe a children’s Easter book, or some books about baby animals would be good.

5.  Beach it: If you live in an area where it is getting warm enough
to go to the park or beach by Easter, then assorted sand toys and beach balls are always a fun gift and may be cheaper than fancy chocolates.
 
6.  Small favors: Check party stores for party favors and novelty items
you can buy on sale or in bulk. Some stores have big grab bags of marked down and discontinued toys and favors for a few dollars each.

7.  Eggs-tra savings:  Of course, your hardboiled, colored Easter eggs are perfectly edible once the shells come off.  So, keep them refrigerated as much as possible, and after you show them off in a basket, remove the eggs and make some egg salad.  It’s a nutritious and cheap dish.

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Saving Money on Easter: A Guide to Cheaper Clothes, Candy and Decorations

So it’s not surprising that one of the hottest new cell phone applications is one that makes comparison shopping a breeze.  It’s called ShopSavvy.  Here’s how it works:

When you’re out shopping, start up the ShopSavvy application on your phone.
The application activates your phone’s camera to read barcodes.
Take a picture of the barcode of the product you want to compare.
ShopSavvy automatically searches online stores and nearby bricks-and-mortar stores.
You pick the best deal.  If it’s physically nearby, ShopSavvy uses GPS to direct you to the store’s location.

Additional features include: Reviews, price alerts, wish lists, browsing history, and the ability to forward links to friends.

This is a fantastic idea for anyone who wants to save money easily and doesn’t do all their shopping online, like me.  Much as I love online shopping, sometimes it’s just more fun to head out to bricks-and-mortar shops, and you get the satisfaction of having the product in your hands right away instead of waiting for shipping. 

What I like about ShopSavvy is the ease and speed of use.  No endless button-pushing and navigating.  Just quick and easy.  On the downside, you can’t search by product name, only by barcode – and as of now, the ShopSavvy database is not 100% complete, so certain products might not show up in your search.  Also, the application does not list or suggest similar products.  That would be a nice feature to have – sometimes I see an interesting product but I think to myself, "hmmm…maybe another brand would be better or cheaper, or have more of the features I want."

Finally, the bad news…this cool new application is so far only available on one phone – the T-Mobile G1 (Google phone).   http://www.t-mobileg1.com The G1 phone uses a Google-developed operating system called Android.  ShopSavvy is built to use the Android operating system, and in fact it won Google’s Android Developer Challenge contest last fall.  The ShopSavvy application was developed by a Dallas-based company called Big in Japan which, despite the name, is a U.S. company.  I’d like to see the company adapt ShopSavvy as an application for other phones, too. 

Meantime, if you don’t have the G1 phone, you’ll have to content yourself with Frucall – http://www.frucall.com – where you can text the barcode number or product name to FRU11, or call 1-888-DO-FRUCALL. 

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Shop Savvy Review – Cell Phone Comparision Shopping

1. Check your weekly mailers and papers for coupons.

For the past year, they’ve been slipping in buy one get one free coupons or my favorite, just plain ol’ free coupons. My free coupons I’ve partaken on in 2009 alone, free bottles of Vitamin water (via Sunday paper coupon). Free packs of gum, Extra, Trident and Wrigley’s. My free Glade candle (via weekly mailer coupon) I’m burning right now as I write this! There is a pot of gold at the end of the coupon rainbow after all.

2. Online Surveys.

They’re tedious, they’re boring, they’re redundant, they pay off! Sometimes in a big way. Check your register receipt the next time you leave a store. 9 times out of 10 there’s an invitation for an on-line survey. For your time and feedback, they’ll either enter you in a monthly drawing to win a size able gift card or give you a dollar amount or percentage off on your next return purchase. My husband won a $100 Jack In The Box gift card which fed him many a lunch during his hectic electrician work schedule. My favorite discount offers are from Pets Mart and Bath & Body Works.

3. Join the club.

Different restaurants and eateries will give you a free meal or 2 for 1 just for signing up to receive their e-mail promotions. It’s also a great way to stay informed of weekly specials at your favorite places to dine. Anything to help me take the guess work out of what or where I’ll feed my family next is just a click of the mouse away.

4. Join a Marketing Research Company.

This is my absolute favorite and most profitable of all. Last year alone, between my husband and I, we’ve put over $2,500 tax free dollars in our pocket. Marketing research companies reward you generously for giving your opinion on various topics. It can be anywhere from bubble gum, razors, to breakfast food. Last month I sat on a discussion panel regarding family based reality TV shows featured on TLC. For 2 hours of my time, answers to specific questions and opinions I walked out with an envelope with $125 cash! The best way to find them is to Google, marketing research companies in a major metro near you.  They want information on not only you and your spouse but also your kids. One of the marketing research companies we belong to offers a referral program to have your friends sign up. Any age, income level, ethnic background, education level, etc. Giving my opinions and getting paid for it…all is right with the world!

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Four Easy Ways To Get Free Money Online

1.  Do your research for free
You can read back issues of Rodale’s Organic Gardening magazine from 2005 through this year and get lots of great tips to grow a healthy, organic garden.

2. Easy post-winter cleanup
You’ll need to wait until the snow is thawed and your garden is no longer muddy.  Rake your lawn to get rid of dead growth, stray leaves, twigs and winter debris.  This allows light and air to the soil level, encouraging your garden to grow.

3. Fix the bald spots
If your lawn is mostly okay but just has a few bare patches, rake the soil, then mix some soil with a couple of scoops of grass seed and spread in the patch you’re fixing. Rake again and keep well-watered until seeds germinate and the new grass grows.

4.  Lawn Mower Maintenance
Get your lawn mower checked and blades sharpened before you start using it for the season. Sharp blades cut better and leave your lawn grass healthier, and a well-maintained mower is less likely to break down and require expensive repairs or replacement.

5.  Forget the fancy pots
If you’re starting seeds indoors, you don’t need to drop a lot of cash on fancy pots or drip trays.  Hit your local thrift store and pick up plates to use as drip trays; they’ll likely cost you only 25 cents each.  You might find flowerpots there too.  For example, find your nearest Goodwill or Salvation Army Store.  Or you can use empty plastic containers, and just punch holes in the bottoms with a nail.

6.  Skip the seeds
True, starting plants from seeds is the cheapest option to obtain plants for your garden.  But it’s not quick.  If you really want to save time, you’ll want to buy plants that are already started for you.  When you’re ready to start planting, scour the sale prices at places such as Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Home Depot and your local garden stores.  I’ve found potted flowers for maybe a dollar or two per pot.  Be prepared to compromise on the kinds of flowers and plants you select.  In most locations, very exotic, unusual plants will cost more; stick with simple geraniums and pansies or whatever flowers are appropriate and cheap in your climate.  For maximum impact, choose an array of bright cheerful colors.

7.   Cheap tools
As always, your local dollar store is a treasure trove.  You’ll find garden tools, gloves and more.

8.  Make your mark
Use slats from broken mini-blinds to create easy-to-see, durable plant labels. Get a fine point marker to write with.

9.  Plant away
Okay, now your garden is ready for planting your flowers.  Use your dollar store tools to dig the holes.  If you are transferring potted plants, take them out of their containers and gently loosen up the roots so they aren’t all tightly compressed.  Just be careful not to rip the roots apart.  Then carefully place the plant in the hole you dug, and lightly pat the soil down around it.

10.  Water, water everywhere
Of course you’ll want to water your garden unless you live in a constantly rainy climate.  No need for costly watering cans.  An empty, clean plastic gallon milk jug will be just fine.  Once a week watering is enough, if you live in a moderate climate such as mine along the East Coast.

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10 Quick, Easy and Cheap Gardening Ideas

1.  $39 DOLLAR GLASSES

Check out our own Mr. Cheap Stuff deals and coupons for this popular and well-reviewed online retailer.  As you can figure by the name, prices start at $39 for a pair of metal or plastic single-vision eyeglasses in a variety of styles for men and women.  Note we said "start at"; you’ll pay extra for things like bifocal or progressive lenses, anti-reflective coatings, tints and certain styles of frames.   But if you just need a simple pair of glasses for work, reading or driving, this is a great site.  I like the fact that you can print out an actual-size photo of your chosen frame, and also view the frame on men and women with different face shapes.  And they give you a 100% quality guarantee.  This company is based in New York and the glasses are U.S. made.

$39 Dollar Glasses

2.  ORDER AS PRESCRIBED

To order glasses online, you’ll need a copy of your prescription.  Did you know that in the U.S., there is a federal law that your prescription must be given to you at the end of your eye exam?  If you lost it, you can always call your eye doc for a copy.  And by the way, a contact lens prescription is NOT the same thing.  You’ll need a specific glasses prescription.

Now, how do you read the prescription to enter it correctly online?

The top row (O.D.) is the information for your right eye.
The second row (O.S.) is the information for your left eye.
Fill in each number as it appears in your written prescription.  You’ll see numbers labeled spherical, cylindrical and axis. 

If you wear bifocals or reading glasses, your doctor will also write in an "ADD" power either to the right of, or below, your prescription for each eye.  For example, your ADD power might be +1.  When you enter your order online, just enter each number in the appropriate dropdown boxes provided on the order page.

3.  KNOW HOW TO MEASURE YOURSELF

To order glasses online, you’ll need to provide not only your prescription but also your pupillary distance (the distance between the centers of your eyes).
To measure your Pupillary Distance (PD):
Place a millimeter ruler on the bridge of your nose.  The ruler must be metric, not inches, in order to measure millimeters.  Have a friend face you about arms length away.  Have your friend measure the distance between the center of your pupils (the black dots in the middl e of your eyes).  Or you can do it yourself simply by looking in the mirror. If you need your glasses on to do this, you can draw dots on the lenses where your pupils are (using a magic marker or highlighter); then take the glasses off and measure the distance between them.

4.  GET CHEAPER CONTACTS ONLINE

Once again, Mr. Cheap Stuff comes through with some great discounts for you on contact lenses.

Vision Direct is a division of well-known retailer,  Drugstore.com.   Orders over $99 get free shipping, and they guarantee they will beat any competitor’s price by 105%.  They are based in Washington state.

1-800-Get-Lens guarantees you will receive the exact type and brand of contact lenses specified in your order, sealed in the manufacturers’ sterile packaging at 50% lower than your local opticians and 15% lower than the other reputable online vendors.

To order contact=2 0lenses online, you’ll need a current contact lens (not glasses) prescription, the box from your current contact lenses, and the name of your eye doctor.  Do not attempt to order contact lenses if you have not been already properly fitted for them.

Vision Direct Coupons
1800GetLens.com Coupons
Lens.com Coupons
AC Lens Coupons

5.  COMPARISON SHOP FOR LENSES

If you want to quickly compare prices for the same contact lenses, try Lens Pundit.  They display comparative prices from several companies including Lens.com and ACLens.com.  So you can find your price, then use the Mr. Cheap Stuff coupon links to save even more.

6.  CAN’T ORDER ONLINE?  GET LOCAL.

There may be some reasons that a few folks can’t order glasses online.  If you are very hard to fit for frames, or have a very unusual or strong prescription, or certain eye conditions, you may need to order glasses locally.  But before you head off to one of the major chains, try your local optician and ask if they offer any sorts of discounts.  Some of them will have a price matching policy or may discount your glasses if you also order contact lenses from them.  It never hurts to ask. 

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6 Ways To Get Cheap Glasses & Contacts

The beauty industry won’t tell you this little secret: with the higher-priced creams and cosmetics, you are often paying for pretty packaging, fancy ads, and eye-catching counter displays…but not a better quality product.  I used to spend a lot more on beauty until I realized this.  Now, I pay a fraction of the cost and l look just as good.  Here are some fantastic tips to get gorgeous for less.

1.  FORGET PRICEY SKIN CREAMS – This is probably the single biggest beauty budget-buster for many women.  Department store skin creams can cost $50 and up, and they promise you eternal youth.   Sorry, but no cream will accomplish the same as surgery.  They all serve the same purpose – helping your outer layer of skin retain moisture.  So take a trip to your local drugstore, Target, Wal-Mart or other inexpensive store.  For example, I found a fantastic new and well-reviewed product called Clean And Clear Soft at my local Target.  Or you can get it at Drugstore.com.  Don’t forget our $10 Drugstore.com Coupon.

The oil-free Night moisturizer costs $7-8, has glycolic acid to exfoliate the skin, and it works better than the pricey brand I bought at Sephora.

2.  FAKE BAKE ON A BUDGET – Tanning salon spray tans are around $25 a pop.  Unless you’re a celebrity, you don’t need this, do you?    But the cheapest option – old fashioned sun tanning – is just inviting skin cancer.  So I spread on the glow with a $3.99 bottle of Wet N Wild Megapump Bronzzer.  Silly name, but it’s a great product, a convenient pump bottle of gel bronzer to use on face or body.  It stays on well, yet washes off easily.  If you’ll be out in the sun, blend the bronzer with your sunscreen.  You’ll look fab and be protected from SPF’s at the same time.

Tan in a bottle

3.  BARGAIN BASEMENT MAKEUP – You probably can’t get cheaper than this – E.L.F. brand (short for Eyes, Lips, Face) makes amazing products at only 1 measly dollar apiece.  I bought Natural Radiance Blusher in Glow (a peachy color) and it’s a beautiful, flattering shade.  True, the product sizes are kind of small, but that’s just as well, since you should really replace your makeup every so often for sanitary reasons.  E.L.F. is available at K-mart or you can shop online.

4.  BUDGET BATH AND BODY – If there’s one beauty indulgence that suckers me in, it’s bath and body products.  I adore scented bubble baths and lotions, and I used to drop a lot of cash at those enticing mall stores.  Now, I make a trip to my local dollar store and shop to my heart’s content without going broke.  Dollar Tree stores have their own line called April Bath and Body, with an amazing array of scents in your choice of lotions, bath salts, body butter, and more, all just a dollar each.  Find your nearest store here:
Dollar Tree Store

5.  SILKY HAIR FOR LESS – "Salon brand" shampoos and conditioners can really set you back – or you can pay just a couple bucks each for a cheap-but-good mass market brand like Suave.  Their "Professionals" line is excellent; I’ve found their Daily Moisture shampoo and conditioner quite similar to the much more costly Nexxus products.

6.  GOING, GOING, GONE – Still can’t shake the upscale makeup habit?  I found a site that sells discontinued products from the more expensive brands, at considerable savings.  For example, I saw a complete Stila beauty kit with tinted moisturizer, two foundations, mascara and lip glaze, just $15, reduced from $35.  Downside?  With discontinued items, it’s strictly while supplies last, and you won’t be able to restock your favorites.
http://www.beautycrunch.com/

7.  DOUBLE DUTY PRODUCTS – Sometimes you don’t even need to buy a specialized beauty product at all.  Petroleum jelly does a nice job as a lip moisturizer; use olive oil for a luxurious skin-smoothing bath; dip a Q-tip in baby oil for an easy and cheap eye makeup remover.

8.  MIX IT UP AND SAVE – I do like to splurge on a a good foundation.  It’s worth the money for a foundation that matches your skin tone really well.  But I mix it with an inexpensive facial moisturizer.  This stretches my beauty budget and gives a more sheer and natural look, too.

9.  CONCEALER? YOU CAN DO WITHOUT IT – Sure, after a late night, you want to cover those dark circles under your eyes.  But you don’t really need a separate product.  Just dab on a little of your foundation and blend well with a sponge or brush.
image:

10.  SHAVING CREAM? SURELY NOT – I don’t know about the guys, but for us ladies, we don’t need a separate shaving cream.  A nice, moisturizing soap or body wash is fine.  Again, check out your local dollar store.

What money saving beauty tips to you have?

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Beauty On A Budget: Looking Gorgeous For Less