Site, Product and Book Reviews

TOY SAFETY - Holiday giving

Toni B. — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:58:57 GMT

Happened to be surfing the web and saw a headline about the Top 10 Worst Toys for 2009. Wanted to remind people to make sure they look for these lists on before they spend money on something that is a bad idea.

Favorite Sites (Besides The Dollar Stretcher!)

Pat — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 20:57:29 GMT

I know we all like The Dollar Stretcher, but what are your other favorite sites that help you save money?

When we get rolling here, I'd like to do regular reviews - maybe once a week - of other frugal living, penny pinching, dollar stretching, cheapskate, money saving sites, large or small.

Post your favorites here and I'll take a look and put all of them on the list that I can. Tell a little bit about them if you like. Feel free to post your own if you run a site that would qualify. Also, feel free to comment on the sites any one else brings up. That will give me a good idea of the kind of sites everyone is interested in.

Remember, we're playing this by ear, so any and all suggestions about how to go about this are welcomed.

Got Blog?

mommatothree — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 15:01:56 GMT

Do you blog? I've just recently started and love reading the blogs of others. If you blog, post your blogspot here so we can share and I can have some new reading material! If you don't blog, feel free to share blogspots that you enjoy reading!

My blogspot: http://storingupmytreasures.blogspot.com/

Those I enjoy reading: http://simplemom.net/ , http://www.likemerchantships.org/ , http://nestingplacenc.blogspot.com/ , http://thespectacularvernacular.blogspot.com/

do it yourself on your computer!

littlepitcher — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:51:32 GMT

BeyourownIT.com has a set of basic free computer courses. In addition, they sponsor a set of paid video training courses on replacing parts and repairing your own machine. I dithered around, finally purchased the course, and it's excellent. Price for the full set is about the same as one service call. These are for desktop systems. The classes are simple enough for anyone to understand. I highly recommend them as a self-defense measure before something breaks down, or for any of you planning to upgrade your systems. This course also has a segment on how to build your own computer from scratch, which saves huge amounts of money over branded units and assures that you put something together that you can figure out if one of the parts dies.

What I didn't know at the time is that they planned a separate set for laptop repair, and I'm an old laptop gal. So I'll have to spend the extra bucks, but the desktop classes will be handy in the future.

In Cheap We Trust

MamaJ — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:10:32 GMT

Has anyone else read this book yet? I'm liking it. It doesn't give any hints or tips or ideas, really, but it's a very fascinating look at the history of thrift in the United States - from Ben Franklin up until today. Very interesting to see how attitudes have shifted from frugality to overconsumption and back again so many times. We've all heard the argument before that living beneath our means is going to cause the economy to tank, and that the entire economy is driven by increasing consumption. I think the author will address that later on, and I'm especially interested in reading that.

Favorite sites

amaboo9821 — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:08:15 GMT

I am new to this site but I have included a few of my favorite websites. Check em out!

To learn how to straighten hair the best way:

http://www.ehow.com/how_5573553_straighten-hair-frying.html

To make an easy appetizer for any occasion:

http://www.ehow.com/how_5477998_create-great-appetizers-family-friends.html

To awaken the poet in you:

http://www.ehow.com/how_5478073_become-poet-matter-minutes.html

A great article on how to make and keep your man happy and how to show him just how special he really is:

http://www.ehow.com/how_5478073_become-poet-matter-minutes.html

A great article on a yummy cheese dip

http://www.ehow.com/how_5482747_make-dip-less-ten-minutes.html

Learn how to customize your myspace layout:

http://www.ehow.com/how_5486710_customize-layout-express-unique-self.html

Check out these sites and let me know what you think!

Foods that will win the war and how to cook them (almost a century old!)

Eurostretcher — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:03:51 GMT

I just found the text of a book, published during the first world war, about how to save on food. Full of recipes and ideas. Perhaps sometimes a bit oldfashioned, but fun and worth looking through it!

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/15464/15464-h/15464-h.htm

365 Ways to Live Cheap, by Trent Hamm of THE SIMPLE DOLLAR.COM

Deborahmichelle — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 14:30:22 GMT

Dear All, Grab this book! It's onllly $7.95. It came out just a few months ago, so you may have trouble getting it through your Library (budgets being slashed due to the economy).

No book other than Amy Dacyczyn's TIGHTWAD GAZETTE has so many unusual/new tips. And that is high praise. Indeed, Mr Hamm has written a succinct volume that does arguably as helpful a book.

Mr Hamm includes advice like "Never be an early adopter [of new technology]." "Realllize money doesn't heal a marital problem." "Pay for car repairs with a credit card [to have protection if you need to get your money back for a bad job done]." 365 VERY helpful tips.

I cannot endorse this book more highly. Yours in Hiim, Deb

PS He's haaving an even more helpful book comoing out on 4/22. It's called "1001 WAYS TO MAKE MONEY IF YOU DARE." It costs $10.36 at Amazon right now, but if you order it & hte price comes down before 4/22, Amazon will give you a refund.

What's YOUR Favorite Site?

Pat — Thu, 10 May 2007 00:18:46 GMT

Would you like to review it? Feel free to do so right here. Just put the name of the site in the Subject line so we'll know what it's about. If you have a site, feel free to review it here, too.

Here are some quick guidelines:

The site needs to have something to do with saving money, getting out of debt, etc. In other words, it needs to be in line with the frugal lifestyle
Personal sites are fine, but they need to have more content than just frugal Aunt Jo's birthday pictures. Only review sites that would be of interest to people who don't know you (or your frugal Aunt Jo)
Most large sites are well known by the frugal community, so avoid them and show us something we don't know about.
You can review a blog or a web site.
We reserve the right to delete inappropriate reviews or edit content to keep within our community guidelines, found here:http://community.stretcher.com/forums/11/ShowThread.aspx#11

Fair enough? If you don't think so or you have an idea you're not sure about, let me know at pat@stretcher.com

The Rules of Wealth ... Have you read it?

timzagain — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 02:20:36 GMT

I skimmed through the book, "The Rules of Wealth" by Richard Templar. It looked interesting and easy to read. I was contemplating buying for my college-bound soon-to-be !8 year old daughter.

If you've read it, please let me know what you think. If there's another book you'd recommend in its place, please feel free to share.

Thanks in advance for your input.

DIY Sustainable living

Life in Earth — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 05:12:08 GMT

Hello, we are life in earth. We have started putting together a sustainable living resources website geared towards the do it yourselfer . We invite everyone to please visit the site but please bear with us as it is in it's beginning stage. We encourage feedback as well as any topics you feel would be advantageous. We plan on adding a lot for how to videos more how to videos, a number of subjects, weekly articles, monthly newsletter, and much much more. Hope you enjoy it and we look forward to contributing to this forum on a regular basis.

Thank you

www.lifeinearth.com

Planning to buy a car?

littlepitcher — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:05:21 GMT

If you are, check out Edmunds.com and "Confessions of an Undercover Car Salesman". This guy worked on two different new car lots and his revelations are appalling.

1001 Ways to Make Money, If You Dare

Deborahmichelle — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:16:02 GMT

Dear All, Trent Hamm has another winner!

He makes it cleaer that you have to check local laws & check your own conscience before engaging in any of the 1001 activities. Here are the ideas on the cover alone:

Collect scrap metal

Sell your eggs

Go gambling

Selll coffee to picketers

Become a porn star

Enter a beauty pageant

Enter a sleep study

Read palms

Be a phone *** operator

Tune up someone's computer

Bottle your own wine

Rent your car

Teach yoga

Sell your body to science

Teach martial arts

Walk dogs

Become a surrogate mother

Become a valet driver

Collect roadkill

Enter a rap battle

Be a nude model for an art class

Even if you don't get a single idea for how to make real cash, this book is worth the $10.36 at Amazon ($12.95 list price), as a VERY fun read. Since I am sure that it willll be a best seller, the ideas are going to be taken advantage of very shortly, & you need to get a head start. For that reason, I recommend that you buy this book instead of trying to get it out of the Library, if you need cash -- & who doesn't want cash iiin the current climate?

Yours in Him, Deb

New Blog Site

MoBear — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 23:51:11 GMT

Hi everyone- just an invite to come on over to see my new blog site and to get to know me and my family:

www.oneincomedollar.com

Monique

the pioneerwoman cooks...has a cookbook out!

MarthaMFI — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 04:16:10 GMT

I love her site and every recipe I tried as been a hit. and since dh is the meat type of guy...

Her cookbook is out in oct and I preordered it on amazon, gift wrapped. can be dh gift to me! first time I have ordered from amazon. ordered him a book too for xmas.

ordered a couple of other books too and the dvd up for the kids for xmas.

Sleep on It By Carol Gordon

Virginia Needlewoman — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 17:14:18 GMT

Sleep on It
Author: Carol Gordon
Hyperion Books
ISBN : 1-4013-0816-3
U.S. $13.95
Canada $18.95
Copyright 2006

This is a wonderful cookbook written by someone who runs a bed and breakfast inn. There are all sorts of recipes for doing foods ahead of time. The foods include appetizers, vegetables, main dishes, breads, and desserts.

This book is worth checking out if you would like to feed your family well, but you don't want to have to cook at the last minute (except for heating something up).

I am fairly sure that libraries would have copies of this book or that used book stores would have it.

Cities on the Cheap

lisamann — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 19:54:06 GMT

The main site (http://www.citiesonthecheap.com/) has nation-wide deals, but even better, if you click on Find Your City in the upper right, you can search to see if your community has a cities on the cheap site (there are a bunch of them: Manhattan, Albuquerque, Disney, Florida, Montreal, Honolulu, Big Island, LA, San Diego, Kansas City, Sonoma County, Des Moines, Charlotte, Gold Country, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Seattle,Chicago, Houston,. new Orleans etc. etc.)

Each of the individual cities sites lists deals freebies, free events, etc. in their own area. It's also a great resource if you're going on vacation to find free or cheap things to do in your vacation spot.

I am wondering if anyone has experience with SuperPERX.com

Jessica — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 19:55:49 GMT

It seems to be a relatively new site since there are no published comments on it. It offers to pay shopping dollars when I shop at Amazon (other sites too) and then I can spend the dollars at the superperx.com site. It looks good, really good. But I have recently been burned by a loyalty program called Rewards Center that offered me free products for shopping at BCO Outlet. Rewards Center then charged me $207.74 for shipping on "free items". I thought I was paying $42.00. Ouch. Anyway, I am skeptical and wanted to check other folks experience on this superperx web site.

free Living the Country Life Magazine subscription

MarthaMFI — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 03:15:51 GMT

https://secure.livingthecountrylife.com/bhg/store/checkout/partner/?promoCode=I7095LD02&_requestid=112422

I was at the new blog of the lady who writes the lessons from butterberryfarm. She decided to have a new blog based on homesteading since that is what they are interested in doing. anywoo. She posted the free offer for the magazine. sounds interesting but I can't get it, just for US households. enjoy for me :)

http://newlifeonahomestead.com is her new blog

Food Storage Made Easy

Brandy — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:34:14 GMT

A friend gave me the url to a fantastic site this morning. I have spent the morning going over the information and printing.

If you are interested in food storage and especially if you are just starting out, this site is a MUST! It's a blog with a very impressive lay out. The information is clear and is set up in a step by step process to prevent being overwhelmed or over spending to get started.

The lists include emergency information, an easy to put otgether 72 hour emergency pack and lists for stocking foods. The tips are great and help in determining how to store foods and where to find the space.

Food Storage Made Easy

Short Lived CFL bulb

Edey — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 16:53:37 GMT

In Jan. 2008 I had written a post that we had replaced most of our lights with the daylight type CFL bulb. Now 15 months later one has already burned out. This bulb is on most often, in a lamp that I use with all my sewing, reading, etc. It hasn't come close to the 5 year life expectancy that I think was an advertising point on the label.

Edey

Hamburger and Hot Dog Bread Loaf Pans

Karen K — Mon, 04 May 2009 20:05:39 GMT

I have been searching on line for loaf pans to make hamburger and hot dog buns. I can't find what I want within the price range I want... would love to find something at the dollar stores or Sal.Army, but no luck. Anyone have websites I can search? I am looking for loaf pans that make 6 or less buns at a time and no more than $10-$15.

Great recipe site

donna england — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:49:36 GMT

I ran across this site the other day----www.budget101.com. It has a lot of copy cat recipes, make your own mixes, and jar gifts.There is a hamburger helper base type mix and several recipes to use with it that I want to try.I want to do some of the jar gifts such as brownie,cookie or muffin mixes.

Donna

PhoneHog!

Multimastery — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:53:42 GMT

Hi here's service that enables you to get free calling minutes legally. The program is called PhoneHog - it's only good for U.S. citizens tho, but I must say it is a great concept. I'm not really a phonehog but my sister is so I'lll tell her about too lol..

The Best 50 Quiches

Virginia Needlewoman — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 04:36:30 GMT

THE BEST 50 QUICHES
Bristol Publishing Enterprises, Inc.
ISBN: 1-55867-203-6

I found this book online. It is chock full of ways to make quiche. It retails for $5.95 !!!!

It is part of a series of books featuring the Best 50 recipes for many things including quiche, crepes, cobblers, and cookies. I LOVE the price.....$5.95 each.