Free At Your Library (Carole)

If Ben Franklin did indeed invent the idea of a free public library, then I LOVE him!!   But libraries have come a long way since his day.  Today, most libraries offer much much more than books and the local newspaper.  Here's a list of the possible freebies you could be taking advantage of in your very own neighborhood.

Books (fiction, non-fiction, how-to, cookbooks, travel guides. . . )
Books on cassette and CD
Movies
How-to DVDs
Exercise DVDs
Music CDs
Online services
Download music and books directly to your iPod (often from home)
Toys
Puzzles
Board games
Video games
Wii games
Book Club back packs (a backpack containing multiple copies of the same book with discussion questions)
Specialty cake pans -- I love this one!!
Reading time for newborns, toddlers and young children
Summer reading programs for youth and adults
Movie Nights
Free WiFi
GED, SAT and other standardized tests
Youth and Adult book clubs
Cultural passes for local museums
Lectures
Author visits  and book signings
Bilingual reading time for children
Homework help
Genealogical research areas with specialists to assist you
Book sales
Seminars
Writing groups
Foreign films
Concerts
Magicians
Poetry readings
Computer classes
Themed help bags for parents (such as how to potty train a child)
Magazines
Local, national and international newspapers
A place for you to donate books you no longer need or want

The list is as creative as your branch librarian. . .

Heck, even with the occasional library fine, it's still a great deal!  If you've run across an unusual kind of service or check out that your library offers, we'd love to hear it!

Budgeting Software Giveaway (Carole)

With the holidays just around the corner, we thought it would be fun to have a week full of giveaways!

Today's giveaway is Dave Ramsey's Personal Finance Software, version 5.4.1  -- It appears to work exclusively on a PC, so if you win our random drawing and own a Mac, we'll choose something else for your prize.

On to the topic for the day. . .

Did you know that the average American family spends $935 on Christmas gifts each year?  Considering most families have no savings and live on the very edge of their monthly incomes, this amount typically gets charged to a credit card.  Of course, we frugal folks hate even the idea of putting nearly $1000 on a credit card at the end of each year.  What a terrible way to ring in the new year!


To help us all escape this terrible fate, please take a moment to share with everyone how you and yours keep to your budget through the highly commercialized holiday season.   Even though many of us are frugal, frugal, frugal, we are more than happy to learn a new trick or two.  In fact, it's the reason we love this blog!!

Free on Your Birthday (Janssen)

Last week was my birthday. And so, in honor of my big day, we did what I like most - got things for free.

I was inspired by my friend Erin's post about the free birthday food tour of Ann Arbor. The fact that I do not live anywhere near Ann Arbor did not deter me - I would find free food in my city.

And oh, did I ever.

On my birthday, I stopped at Schlotzsky's for my free small sandwich, then drove through Sonic for my free creamslush (delicious). I picked up Bart from work and we went to Firehouse Subs where you can get a free medium sandwich on your birthday if you have ID that verifies that it is indeed your birthday. We split the two sandwiches and the slush and went on our merry, none-the-poorer way. Happy birthday indeed (also, neither of us had ever been to Firehouse before and WOW, it was delicious).

After Bart was done at work, we went to Benihana for dinner because they send a free entree/$30 gift certificate for your birthday. We got the largest sushi combo on the menu that was under $30 and it fed us both - no cost except a nice tip.

I still have my coupons (that are good for another week or so) for a free cone at Maggie Moo's, a free Blizzard at Dairy Queen, free ice cream from Baskin Robbins, a free entree at Kona Grill, a free burger at Fuddruckers, and a free burger at Red Robin.

I also got a coupon for a free ice cream at Cold Stone but tragically all the Cold Stones in the Austin area have closed. The nearest one is some 80 miles away and even I am not dumb enough to drive that far for a free ice cream cone.

If that isn't ENOUGH free stuff for you, here's even more comprehensive lists of places that offer a birthday treat of some sort: Birthday Freebies, Hey It's Free!, and Happy Birthday Deals.

I can't wait for Bart's birthday in the spring. . .