The funny thing about the recession is that every magazine on the shelves is talking about how to do everything for less. I mean everything. I will spare you some of them, but one caught my eye and I thought that it would be worth posting. The November 2009 issue of Men’s Health magazine, the one with Jason Bateman on the cover, has a full section on how to save money during the recession and various statistics about how spending habits are changing. One section was titled “12 things that don’t cost a cent.” For your pleasure, here they are…
Music – listen to full-length albums at lala.com and spinner.com.
Directory assistance – Dial (800) FREE-411 for phone numbers
Television – Hulu Desktop (hulu.com/labs/huludesktop) streams shows – 30 Rock, Lost and more – from a computer’s HDMI out port to a connected HDTV.
Brains – MIT’s OpenCourseWare portal (ocw.mit.edu) provides lecture notes, project examples, homework, and tests from real classes in 35 fields, from biology to architecture to economics.
Software – Open Office (openoffice.org) has word processing, spreadsheet and presentation programs that are nearly identical in look, feel and features to Microsoft Office.
Wi-Fi – know before you go with wififreespot.com, which catalogs hotels, cafes, and shops with free web surfing in your hometown or travel destination.
Grub Reviews – your paper’s bloated dining critic is limited to one meal a night, typically at an over-hyped joint. But chowhound.com‘s user reviews help you find authentic and downright delicious spots from diners who share your tastes and budget.
News – The Wall Street Journal charges for its online content, but if you have an iPhone, you can download its free app and enjoy the same stories at no charge.
Books – Pull up public-domain books, from Twain to Dickens to Poe, on your cellphone with Project Gutenberg’s nearly 30,000 digitized, downloadable books.
Shipping – before you check out at your favorite online store, visit freeshipping.org for coupon codes that can cover the expense of shipping.
Languages – Learn to say “Where’s the bathroom?” in 36 different languages with the BBC’s online guides.
City tours – Learn from the locals with free city tours through the Global Greeter Network (globalgreeternetwork.info), which pairs groups of visitors with knowledgeable volunteers.
