Get Yer Nerd On for Free

For the rest of January and February, you can browse the content of Edinburgh University Press's journals to your nerd heart's content. [via About.com's Medieval History guide -- I'm a huge nerd too, obviously.]

Photo by Kevin Rosseel via morguefile

Cross Country Drivin'

Now that Obama is officially president and is going to start cleaning up the place, maybe you will want to take a road trip across this great land of ours. Use rental car comparison site Vroom Vroom Vroom to get the best price on your rental. And they even pony up the money for carbon offsets for your rental. [via Thrilllist]

Don't forget to properly inflate your tires for the best gas mileage!

If you need to fly, check out this previous travel post. For other tips on saving on flights or rideshares, check out this previous travel post.

Photo by Clarita via Morguefile.

Denim Deals

Last year I discovered Uniqlo's great and reasonable jeans -- and I've been spreading the word. Though normally some of the cheapest jeans around at about $40, now most of their styles are on sale -- starting at $19. Their fantastic skinny jeans (I couldn't believe they fit so well) are $29! Get to Soho, ladies! And gents! (The men's jeans are winners too. And they even have men's skinny jeans... is that a good thing?)

Free Suze Orman book

We could all use some advice from an expert financial counselor and who better that Suze Orman to tell you how best to manage your money in these recession times? I've always been a fan of Orman's since reading 9 Steps To Financial Freedom way back when. I could barely pay my then-Astoria, Queen's rent, which is why I picked up her book in the first place. Now, Oprah has Suze's new book on her website which you can download for free for one week which started January 8th. So, get crackin' and get to feeling better about our economy -- or at least your place in it.

Fill Your Fridge To Save Money

Save energy -- and thereby money on your utility bill -- by filling up your fridge and freezer as much as possible. They are more efficient when they are filled (keep things loose in the fridge so air can circulate, pack 'em tight in the freezer). [via Ideal Bite]

If you don't have that much food, you can fill up old bottles or covered pitchers with water (I use a 1 liter tonic water bottle leftover from a party).

Once you fill it up, set the fridge to 40 degrees and the freezer to zero. Vacuuming the coils also helps efficiency which saves money.

It's a little thing, but along with other energy-saving habits, you may be surprised at the savings on your energy bill!

(PS: In a power outage, a full fridge will stay cold twice as long as an empty one, so you don't have to spend money replacing your food)
Photo by Noel Clark

Thriving On Less: free e-book

Looking for an all-in-one spiritual guide to trimming the fat from your spending and living frugally in the New Year?

Follow this link to download the free e-book Thriving on Less—Simplifying in a Tough Economy by Leo Babauta.

While it may seem like a compilation of many of the tips that you've found on this blog over the past several months, reminders are always good.


[via Lifehacker]

Free Shipping Today

Today is the first annual Free Shipping Day for many online merchants -- some who even promise to get it here by Christmas (too late for some merchants). [via Lifehacker]

Of course, we have other suggestions for holiday gifts on the cheap (used books, outside the box merchants, and homemade gift ideas) but if you want to buy something mainstream, today is the day to do it.

Photo by jeltovski

Reward Cards Get You Money Back

At the risk of sounding like a corporate shill: If you are one of those people who can't be bothered to carry reward/customer loyalty cards, these are the times to change your ways.

One example is Duane Reade. The DR offers a $5 coupon for every 100 points you earn. Although prescriptions and beer* purchases do not count, enough shampoo, toothpaste and chewing gum at 1 point per dollar and you have $5 off your next purchase before you know it. You gotta buy that stuff somewhere, so why not utilize their customer-retention program to save you $5 now and then? Register for their e-newsletters and get chances to earn double points and reach your $5 coupon that much sooner.

It's not just drug stores, of course. Many stores offer coupons and specials if you join their rewards programs and sign up for the e-mails (Borders is constantly sending me e-mails with coupons for 20%, 30% or more off.) Again, if you're going to be shopping there anyway, may as well save some green.

You can avoid making your wallet burst with all these cards by simply taping the keychain versions together into one card (I get weird looks from the cashiers here in NYC, but they still work). Or you can use the site Just One Club Card to consolidate all of your rewards cards onto one. [via The Finance Journey via Lifehacker]

*which is just a different kind of Rx.

Photo by Jane M Sawyer / cohdra Morguefile.com

Holiday Gift Ideas: Homemade

This is a great time to exercise your creative side. Instead of spending loads of dough on gifts that might never get looked at after 12/25, give something meaningful to those you love. Oprah's Favorite Things this year included "Gratitude Boxes", which are easy to make, personal, and don't have to cost a dime.

One thing I do with my family is bake desserts. My sisters and I each bring a recipe -- cookies, cakes, puddings -- and spend a day baking in my mother's kitchen. We then box up the goodies as gifts for extended family members. The baked goods are a big hit. Plus, getting to spend the day baking with my mom and sisters is better than anything I could ever open under the tree.

I've already sung the praises of Kodak Gallery, but printing out pictures for loved ones is a great gift, especially in this age of digital photography. Pictures stay in our cameras or iPhoto and never see the side of a piece of photo paper. Transfer those photos to a cd, take it over to the 24 hour photo place, and print to your heart's content. Cheap, easy, and something anyone will appreciate.

Got a friend or loved one who is too busy to take their clothes to the dry cleaner / organize their desk / repair broken appliances? Surprise them by taking care of some of the things they can't take care of themselves! One of the best gifts I ever received was when a friend surprised me by having my broken camera repaired. And, I know I'd love it if someone offered to organize my desk at home!

There are countless things you can make or do for the people on your holiday shopping list. So, get creative and save yourself some money at the same time.

Holiday Gift Ideas: Outside the Box

Here are some great websites to check out if you want more creative gift ideas that won't necessarily break the bank.

Uncommon Goods has some expensive items...but some really fun, cheap items. And, there are great things for the babies in your life, too. Check it out for artwork, jewelry, and gifts made out of recycled materials. This is a fun website to explore for all the off-center people you love.

Mod Cloth is my latest discovery, per my mother of all people! Know someone who loves all things vintage? Mod Cloth is for them. And, it might be for you, too. Lots of clothing for cheap, especially the super cute shoes. And, the website is structured so you can shop by interest, which eliminates the possibility of getting distracted by the 200 items you don't need.

Mischief Maker makes an amazing chai. Sadly, it looks like you can only get it online unless you live in Minneapolis. At $7.50 a bag, plus shipping, it makes 8 cups of the most delicious chai I've ever had at home (sorry Trader Joe's, but I don't like the chai mix you offer). Considering a cup of chai at just about any cafe will run you at least $3.00 this is a great deal. The best part is you can store it in your refridgerator and reheat a cup when you're ready. Makes a great gift for the tea lovers.

And, for the hip pre-teen or the adult who just doesn't want to grow up, check out Fred Flare for cool gifts like an iPod boom box or "risky business" sunglasses. I have to admit, I'm kind of in love with the Shinetastic Clasp Purse and the Petit Four Lip Balm Set. Gifts from Fred Flare are sure to earn you serious cool points with those hard to please 13 year olds on your list.

Time's running out for online shopping, so get movin'! A lot of online sites are offering free shipping so take advantage now and save your energy for the treadmill instead of walking the mall.