Not too long ago, I had to deal with a very emotional tragedy. My computer crashed! My first thought was, OMG my itunes library!! I know, I should of backed it up.
So recently I have been rebuilding my library, but it definitely gets expensive. Most itunes cost $1.29 now. They are “higher quality” but I’m already hard of hearing so I can’t tell. So what’s my point and why should you care? I just found some free music for anyone that is interested. Amazon is having some kind of holiday special. I didn’t even know that they sold music because, I admit it, I’m an itunes snob. But, free is free.
They are offering free Christmas music from Frank Sinatra to Lady Gaga to Jars of Clay, and they also have lots of songs for the kids. They also have a daily special and $5 CD’s. I’m not sure if this is something Amazon does regularly or if it’s just for Christmas but I believe I saw somewhere that some of the downloads won’t be free after Dec. 17. All I know is that there are a lot of free songs. Go check it out, especially for those of you that are completely broke. Make someone a Christmas CD or buy them one of the $5 downloads. There’s a crazy Christmas download of 99 songs for 5 bucks. Oh, and I’m sure some of you are wondering the same thing I was when I heard free, yes the songs are ipod compatible.
The positive responses we got from the Smarter Shopper articles has encouraged us to develop a new section called Smarter Wallet.
We will let you know of any online resources for great deals as soon as we hear about them. Once in a while we find steals that are too good not to share, and when we do, you will find them in the Smarter Wallet.
Leave me a message or email if you find any great deals. FYI don’t forget most websites end their free shipping offers within the next couple of days. Shop smarter.
Here are the direct links for the different offers.
Amazon Consistently low prices. Most items ship free with $25 purchase, tax free in many states, and great return policy.
Mejier From groceries to gadgets, it’s a one stop shop with competitive prices.
Save big at Drugstore.comand Beauty.com. No sales tax except for NJ, NY or WA. Free shipping w/ min. purchase. Plus a 5% credit to use for your next purchase. Stock up on toiletries when they are on sale.
Have any sites you would like to recommend? Share in the comments below.
Make a budget…blah, blah, blah. First and foremost, this is your most valuable tool. Sounds so boring and insignificant, but I promise you it is not. Do you want to know how to save more money than you thought possible? Take a look at your spending habits. Not only will it show you the cold, hard facts, it will heighten your awareness of saving in general. It can truly be a motivating factor. There are some amazing websites that help you to manage, budget, save, and even motivate. Some offer syncing with your credit cards and bank accounts. If you are vary of sharing such info, I would suggest BudgetTracker. It allows you to enter your info manually and also has an option to sync your accounts in the future. It is important to find the right budgeting tool for you. There is no ”best” when it comes to this category. It really must fit you personally and meet your individual needs. Just a few off the top of my head. A more comprehensive list will be added later. Have you found a great budgeting tool or tip? Share in the comments.
AceMoney Lite - Free finance manager. Full version is for businesses.
Buddi - Simple to use finance manager and budgeting program
BudgetTracker - Allows you to enter your banking info manually, but syncing is also available.
Buxfer - Money management linked to checking and credit card account.
Geezeo - User friendly financial tracker and budgeting.
GnuCash.org - Checkbook register style format. Simple but lots of additional options.
mint.com - A money manager that is synced to your accounts
MicrosoftOffice templates - Free downloads of their popular templates.
Wesabe - Another money management program that is synced to your checking and credit card accounts
Yodlee - Beyond budgeting. Offers integrated bill pay options.
