9 Frugal Ways to Use Your Computer

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

16 Apr 2007 04:44 AM

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.

1. Pay bills online and save on postage and late fees. You can even set up automatic reminders for when things are due.
2. 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!
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Find store coupons to shop online or off. The internet is full of printable coupons and coupon codes. Check out the deals blog and deals forums to find out more.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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!

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Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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