9 Frugal Ways to Use Your Computer
Take advantage of your computer and the internet for all that it has to offer. Make that little machine work for you. Here are 9 easy ways that you can use your home computer to save money.
Pay bills online and save on postage and late fees. You Hp laptop battery
can even set up automatic reminders for when things are due.
Read books online. Try Project Gutenberg to read such classics as The Time Machine and Jane Eyre. There are more than 20,000 books to read for free!
Write letters on your computer and e-mail them to save on postage. Or send an e-card or electronic invitation. Check out Hallmark.com, apple.com and evite.com, three sites you can use for
free.
Sign up for freebies offers that come in the mail. For example, you can get a free full-sized hard cover baby book or free samples from Walmart. My favorite set of freebies are magazines. Some of
them now come in electronic form, too.
Find store coupons to shop online or off. The internet is full of printable F4486Bcoupons and
coupon codes. Check out the deals blog and deals forums to find out more.
Practice electronic scrapbooking, and you'll save on those expensive supplies. Or use your computer to create layouts and then print them for your book. Check out the Scrapbooking blog here at
Families.com for more information on using your computer for scrapbooking.
Get some great recipes for free, from fruit cobblers to flambe. There is no need to purchase a single cookbook! The Food blog has some fantastic recipes. You can also check out a site such as
allrecipes.com.
Play games online. Why buy expensive software when there are plenty of websites with playable web games. Playhouse Disney, for example, combines fun and education in a child-safe environment.
Get free coloring books and kids crafts. There are tons of websites where you can download and print coloring pages, mazes, paper crafts and other fun kids activities--all for free!
Why I Love My Laptop
Are laptops absolutely necessary? Probably not, unless you are me.
When I received a laptop a couple of years ago, my whole world changed. I became less stressed, grew Pavilion ZD7000three inches taller, lost 20 pounds and developed sparkling white teeth. Well, maybe not, but I did grow less stressed.
Getting a laptop is a definite choice to be made. Laptops are generally more expensive than desktops and may have some limitations in terms of power and capabilities. They also tend to become
appendages, never far from their owner. I know one full time employee of the corporate world who got reprimanded for bringing (and using) a personal laptop computer on company time.
I can understand that employee's position exactly. For me, the computer was already an appendage. I keep everything on it, from household appointments to work contacts, recipes, home design ideas
and article assignments. I work from home and am still responsible for child care and running the household during the day. I try to make it all work and the laptop is a big asset to me.
While writing a 1,000 word article about diapering a baby, while actually diapering a PP2182D baby hasn't gotten any easier, at least there are no cords to get in the way of the poo. And yes, I have been known (sorry honey) to lock myself in the bathroom with the laptop, five-and-a-half seconds after my husband gets home from work, when I am on deadline.
The biggest reason, and the inspiration for this article happens to be occurring right now as I type. It is six am. The rest of the household is still sound asleep, a prime time to get any work done. Instead of sequestering myself in the dark basement that is also known as Mommy's office, I am here sitting out on the back porch. The view before me, when I look338794-001 up from the screen, is an expanse of woods, where dark hawks are flying overhead and morning doves are cooing their songs. The sound of the creek in our backyard is soothing and peaceful.