I thought I’d start out my first post with things I’ve found Free. I really want to help people to save more money – become good stewards of what the Lord has given us. It drives me nuts to see people wasting money or even just using money in ways that aren’t as efficient as other ways! We all do it, my husband and I do it all the time also. It’s hard, especially when you JUST DON’T KNOW HOW to save on costs. So as I explore and find more ways to save, I will post them under this category – FREE.
First up, Things to get free or EXTREME savings online:
http://www.Craigslist.com (did you know there is a Free section on there)
http://www.ilovefreethings.com
http://www.wisebread.com/bestdeals/today (everyday they have a new upload of free deals, this would be great to add to your RSS or as an email subscription)
http://ebates.com (this has a program where you can save, get things cheaper and get bonuses that lead to getting things practically free!)
Search online for the item you’d like to purchase, you’ll almost always find it cheap and with http://freeshipping.org and http://www.retailmenot.com it’ll be worth the wait of getting it mailed to you.
Check out http://www.heyitsfree.net and bookmark it. They have just started so it’ll be a while before there’s a lot on there, but keep it in mind.
Things to get free or EXTREME savings offline:
Borrow! Never be afraid to ask if you can borrow an item, as long as you take care of it and don’t ask regularly of the same person (least they get sick of you – Proverbs 25:16-17) A great place to borrow from is the library!
The Library – is a great source. If there is some book that I cannot find in my local branch, I can make a request online for it to be brought in from one of the other branches to mine which is very convenient. Not only can you borrow books (see above), but you can use the internet for free. If you have net at home this won’t be as big as an impact financially. But it can still save you electricity and if you are printing – paper and ink! Rent Movies for FREE (put movies on hold when they come out and you can watch them when they are still New Releases). Usually the library also gives you free shows, classes, or other activities to entertain you and your kids.
Join customer rewards programs – almost all retailers (a drugstore, grocery store, clothing store, etc.) has some type of saving money program. Join these! They are free to join and you will always save something on top of the sale item you are purchasing. If you run into a program that costs money to join, consider if you shop there enough to get a return on your payment and if the initial payment is outrageous amount.
Redbox – rent movies for $1, visit: http://www.redbox.com/ There is also a way to get a FREE movie each Monday
Watch for Free or Cheap Offers – Occasionally stores or your favorite restaurant, airliner, or car care place will have offers that make sense. Be careful though, that you aren’t actually spending more just to get a deal. But for instance, every Tuesday nights Kids eat free at Denny’s. AppleBees was having a good cheap deal on appetizers but only 3pm until 5pm.
Reuse/Recycle – We all have items that we don’t use very often but can be used for other uses. I’ll all for going Green but this isn’t about Green, unless you mean green as in cabbage, bucks, dough, cash. For example, lining your trash cans with those left over grocery bags. Also
Exercise – Walking, Jogging, Squats, Jumping jacks, Sit-ups and pushups are all free. Even simple weightlifting is really inexpensive – buy some hand weights and that’s it. Regular exercise reduces medical costs (saving you money) and improves your day-to-day energy level.
Check out the community calendar – your town/city/region probably has lots of fun, free things happening. Visit your town’s website and those of surrounding communities. Read your township newsletter, if you receive one. Many communities offer free summer concerts, for example. Other ways to get free entertainment, search Google for Fun things to do in ____ and fill in the blank with your city.
Check out this list of 100 things to do for Free … some are simple and not worth mentioning, but there are some cool ideas on there too.
So that’s what I have to start with. Let me know if there are other sites/ideas that should be added.
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