Since bursting onto the market in 2007, digital reading devices have become incredibly popular. The first version of the Amazon Kindle sold out in just over five hours, and late last year, Amazon announced that, for the first time ever, ebook sales surpassed that of paperback books.With the advent of the new Amazon Kindle book reader, now is a great time for authors to capitalize on ebook sales. Benefits of eBooks eBooks come with many benefits when compared to traditional printed books. Publishing costs are significantly reduced, revenue-splitting is minimal, and there are no shipping … [Read more...]
Online Dating Pros and Cons – 5 Best Sites & Tips
Eight months after going through a divorce and becoming a single father, I recently decided to get back into the dating game. My free time, however, is at a premium, considering that I work a full-time day job and run two side businesses from home. I've never been one to hang out at bars, so I decided to give online dating a whirl. Let me tell you, it has been an interesting ride to say the least.Online dating is no longer viewed as taboo. Consider these statistics: In 2010, 17% of people who got married met on an online dating site. One in five singles have dated someone who they met on a … [Read more...]
How to Negotiate & Lower Your Apartment Rent Payments (Without Moving)
For most home renters, rent checks are the biggest expense of a monthly budget, and you probably think of it as a fixed cost - a set rate that doesn't seem at all flexible. Sure, you might have had a chance to get a discount before you signed the lease, but once you're there, you simply write the check out each month and forget about it.For household costs like groceries and utilities, if you're frugal, you'll keep looking for ways to cut back. For rent, however, most people assume that the only way to lower the cost is to move to a cheaper place.Don't fall into that trap. Believe it … [Read more...]
How to Buy a Car – 15 Essential Tips to Get the Best Deal
I loathe the process of having to buy a new car. Dealing with pushy, overbearing car salesmen can be extremely frustrating. As a result, I do whatever I can to avoid buying a car. I perform all recommended DIY car maintenance checks, I keep my vehicle for as long as I can, and I consolidate my trips both to save on gas and decrease wear and tear on my car.However, buying a car at some point in time is a reality that we all have to face. I've compiled a list of several important car buying steps that you should follow. Heeding the advice in this article will help you save money, get the … [Read more...]
VIPRE Antivirus & Anti-Spyware Software Review
There are plenty of free antivirus software programs available, but they won't provide your computer with comprehensive protection. And unfortunately, many paid software programs will decrease the performance of your personal computer. Purchasing the more popular brand name antivirus programs can cause issues, too. VIPRE Antivirus software is a comprehensive antivirus solution that's well worth a look.VIPRE (Virus Intrusion Protection Remediation Engine) is designed to optimize the overall performance of your home computer by combining antivirus and anti-spyware together into one powerful … [Read more...]
Top 5 Companies with the Worst Customer Service
In this day and age, where competition seems to be fierce in just about all of the retail service-oriented industries, it is beyond me how so many companies just fail to get things right. I can only guess that they either think they are too big to make customer service a priority, or that they just don't realize that customer service is at the top of consumers' list of needs when making purchasing choices.You may have noticed poor service from your cell phone and cable TV companies, or even in the treatment you get at the checkout line of your preferred brick-and-mortar retail … [Read more...]
8 DIY Car Maintenance Tips You Can Handle – Checklist
In trying to live a more frugal life, I'm getting better at handling projects that I used to pay professionals to do. In addition to home improvement projects, I've learned that I can save plenty by taking on some auto repairs and maintenance jobs myself.Trust me, I'm not an auto expert. I'm not even very mechanically inclined. But I've found the kinds of repairs that just about anyone can handle quickly and easily, with minimal expenses.I've decided to hold on to my car rather than sell it, so by taking care of these repairs, I've saved quite a bit of dough over the past several … [Read more...]
Flat World Knowledge Review – Open Source College Textbooks Online
This post brought to you by Flat World Knowledge. All opinions are 100% mine.It wasn't too long ago that I was purchasing textbooks for my wife to complete her college education. The prices of those textbooks were appalling, to say the least. I remembered them being expensive back when I attended school, but the prices for college textbooks have recently gone completely through the roof!Thankfully, I recently discovered a new cutting-edge website called Flat World Knowledge that may change all of this. They offer a ton of college textbooks in an online format that is completely free. … [Read more...]
5 Alternative Uses for Dryer Sheets to Save Money
Dryer sheets make your clothes smell nice, and come out of the dryer all warm, fluffy, and static-free. But did you know they have many more uses than just for laundry?For as little as $2 for a box of dryer sheets, you can clean, store, and refresh so many different items in your house.Ready to save money and be wowed? Check out this list of five alternative uses for dryer sheets. Other Dryer Sheet Uses 1. Pack Shoes in Your SuitcaseWhen you're packing for vacation, and you put your shoes right next to your clothing, everything comes out smelling like your shoes (yuck!). To … [Read more...]
Who You Gonna Call: 6 Phone Calls to Lower Your Monthly Bills & Expenses
I don't like calling companies that supply my home services. Nor do I like pressing ten buttons just to get to the right machine and ten more to get to the right person. I don't like getting put on hold, and I certainly don't like being treated rudely by strangers when I'm the customer.However, I do like saving money and lowering my bills. And when I can make a significant cut, it's worth the irritating, time-consuming pain of dealing with phone systems and disgruntled service representatives.Use this six-part phone call checklist to make sure you're not paying too much on your … [Read more...]
Kohl’s Charge Card Review – Get Coupons & Discounts
When the first Kohl's department store opened in my city, it failed to capture my attention. They have very few signs outside, and it was years before I even knew what kind of store it was. Finally, curiosity got the best of me and I eventually decided to see what they had to offer.At first glance, Kohl's seems like your typical department store. But once I poked around a bit, I realized that this is a department store with fantastically low prices. I quickly became a regular customer.Recently, I found out that I could increase my savings even more by applying for a Kohl's charge … [Read more...]
