Archive for February, 2009

Here is a running list of products I love. I welcome your comments and additions. We still have to buy stuff. However I don’t want to waste money and I no longer can afford to make mistakes. For me this is primarily applicable to cosmetic products, household items and grocery shopping. Alice.com - online non-perishable...

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Here is a site to check out for part-time work quickly. Care.com  matches providers with people looking for child care, special needs care, tutoring & lessons, senior care, pet care & housekeeping. In our area, there are plenty of people hiring right now. You post your experience,  and post a picture. You can also submit...

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When a friend is battling a crisis or a serious illness, we always ask, “what can I do to help?”.  A free website called Lotsa Helping Hands,  helps to organize a team effort. One person fills out a page on the website and then emails invitations to join the group to sign up for...

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Studies are telling us to avoid phthalates in our fragrances, deodorants and lotions. Manufacturers only have to list the word “fragrance” on their products because the formulas are considered “trade secrets”. A group called Health Care Without Harm has put out a free “Shopper’s Guide to Safe Cosmetics” at www.ewg.org/skindeep/cr.  They also maintain a...

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Handmedowns.com  is a destination for buying, selling or donating gently used items – everything from strollers, books and toys. The site features its own listings and some handpicked listings from other Web classifieds. The service is free.  From Real Simple Magazine, March 2009. More With Less Today is a database of everyone’s favorite money-saving...

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There is a great site here in California called WeConnect . It was put together by our first lady, Maria Shriver. The site lists government agencies offering assistance in an easy to navigate format. There are great tips that anyone can use, no matter where you live. Solutions for saving money, that’s what  More With Less Today is...

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Here are a few ideas for finding part-time or temp jobs: FLEXIBLE EXECUTIVES helps executives in fields such as accounting, business development and marketing to find contract positions from one-time projects to long-term relationships. Many jobs pay more than $100 per hour however it costs $300 to join the service so make sure it...

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Books are cheapest at Amazon.com according to a Consumer Reports study. They compared 23 titles at major booksellers including  Barnes & Noble, to see which one delivered the biggest discounts. The big discounter had the best price on 21 of 23 titles and was the cheapest store, even after shipping fees . If spend more than $25,...

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Do you have unused gift cards, you can trade them for other gift cards that you want to use at these two sites: Swapagift  charges a flat fee of $3.99 to list your card and Certificateswap charges 7.5% of the value of the card. Turn your unused gift cards into other gift cards to use...

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Directory assistance calls from cell phones cost about $1.50 and calls from a home phone can be even more. Try dialing 800-FREE-411. You’ll have to listen to a quick ad, but those fees can add up. If you ever shop at Amazon.com, I would be grateful if you would use the search box to...

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Our electric bill has dropped since I began washing and drying clothes in the off-peak hours. Here are a few more tips from Consumer Reports, Shopsmart Winter 2007. About 90% of the energy used toward washing a load of clothes goes toward heating the water. Cut your heating costs by using your washer’s cold...

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It’s expensive to eat healthy foods! You can eat healthy for less! Here are plenty of sites to help you with coupons, special offers and recipes. Enjoy! and if you know of other sites, please contact me. So many readers value this information. Blue Diamond – not just nuts, there are coupons for Almond Breeze...

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To save money on food, bring your lunch from home. Here is an easy and delicious tip for a week’s worth of lunches. Cook a pound of pasta on Sunday night, any short variety like penne, fusilli or farfalle. Rinse with cold water after cooking and toss with a little olive oil then refrigerate...

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If you are looking for cheap, last-minute deals on flights, check out these three websites: I have been tracking flights using Yapta . It is easy to use, free and they send  an e-mail when the price of the flight you are tracking drops. The site searches all of the major airlines for you....

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Have you tried Hulu ? You can watch some great TV shows and movies on your computer. If you are thinking about getting rid of your cable package, Hulu might fill in the gap for you. My husband and I had fun watching some of our old favorite TV shows on our laptop. The ads were...

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