Free Video Games

It's difficult to satisfy your child's growing video game requirements.  In my house, it seems to be a daily request to buy the latest game, or download another app, or check out the newest game console.  Both the sheer volume of what's available and the expense of it all is enough to make your head spin.  I found two of the greatest games to play on your PC and the best part about them is that they are free!!

If your children haven't discovered the world of Minecraft yet, i promise you, it is only a matter of time before they join the 7 million other registered players out there. Minecraft is this amazing sandbox game which allows players to build constructions, anything you can imagine, out of textured cubes in a 3D world.  These building blocks range from sand, stone, and diamonds, to lava, wood, and water, and can be used to build anything in your created world.  You can even spawn animals, craft swords and armor, and fight creepers! Once you have mastered your new world and experimented with texture packs and mods, go to the Official Minecraft Site and download the updated and complete version of the game.

Mario has been a favorite of the ages and now you can play it on your computer for free. This game is a beautiful recreation of Super Mario Bros. imitating the usability of the retro 1985 Mario games, and it has an added feature of a portal gun!

Both games are easy to download to your computer, and there's no pop up ads, making the games even more child-friendly. These games may not turn your child into a "PC Only Gamer", but it may give you a few hours of peace before they ask you for the next thing...or maybe not. Good luck!

Timothy Ferriss

Timothy Ferriss has an exceptional understanding of the human condition and is nothing shy of an expert in the world of business and social networking. A serial entrepreneur and adventurer, Timothy has an impressive list of accomplishments and world records, has written three books (both of which have been number one on the NY Times Best Sellers List) and is an Angel Investor. I don't think anyone's description of him quite does him justice; I have been in awe of him since I first read his blog a few months ago and have quickly become one of his biggest fans, reading both of his books countless times.

His first book, The 4 Hour Work Week, is an informative, step by step, “How To” guide showing you how to escape the 9 to 5, live anywhere, and join the “New Rich”. From starting your own business, to outsourcing your work, to traveling the world, he has something for everyone here! 

The 4 Hour Body was his second success, condensing 10 years of research and countless experiments into this 572 page “bible” for those of us wanting to be thinner, bigger, faster, or stronger...it's all here! His acclaimed blog and websites have additional bonus material not included in the books and well worth the time it takes to read through them.

Most appealing about his character is his down to earth kindness and sincerity that seems to speak to you through his written word, filling you with inspiration and encouragement, daring you to break the rules and follow your dreams.

Dress For Less

I love thrift shops, so much so, that they have become my main place for buying clothes. I became an official “Thrift Shop Shopper” shortly after my son was born; I just could not understand or justify spending $20-$30 on a baby's outfit only to have it destroyed by getting pooped or puked on. I wasn't keen on spending huge prices on a new wardrobe for myself either as I was no longer able to fit into my pre-pregnancy clothes.

After years of thrift shopping, my favorite has to be the Goodwill Stores in America. The ones around Boston are as big as department stores, clean, very well organized, and their clothing items are sorted by size and color. The surprise for most first timers is the remarkable quality of the clothes, many items being brand names and some even with the original sales tag still on them.

I make my yearly pilgrimage to the Goodwill Store on Providence Highway in Norwood, Massachusetts, with a list of my clothing NEEDS for the coming year and a budget of approximately $200. I give myself a few hours to browse the racks, select items that match my list of requirements, and then try on each item. Fear not, there is a Dunkin Donuts next door should you require a jolt of coffee to get you through this adventure!

The fitting rooms are large enough to accommodate my mountain of clothes on wheels and provide me with the comfort and privacy to try on each outfit. My only rule in the dressing room is IF I DON'T LOVE HOW IT LOOKS AND FEELS ON ME, I DO NOT BUY IT! This rule easily reduces my mountain of clothes to a more reasonable amount. In spite of my shopping binge, the most I have ever spent on one of these trips is $240 which included winter coats.

If you're still trying to understand the method to my madness, I can mix and match each of these pieces to create an entire outfit for ANY occasion for less than $20!!! How's that for frugal?!

Hedgehogs

Whether you are accommodating a fussy eater, planning a children’s party, or just want to prepare something different for the lunch boxes, you could try baking (bread) hedgehogs!
Just use your existing bread recipe, one from a cookbook, or my personal favorite, out of the box mix! The only extra ingredients needed is a handful of raisins. Once the dough has been prepared, take a small amount and roll it into a ball and place it on your baking sheet. Carefully mold the dough ball into more of an egg shape, and then place 2 raisins on the smaller part of the hedgehog body to form the eyes. Now with a scissors, make small, randomly positioned cuts on the larger part of the hedgehog's body which will form the spikes.

Place your hedgehogs in the oven and bake per your recipe’s instruction. Once baked, remove from the oven and place on a cooling tray and Ta Daa...your child's new favorite food!

Happy Motoring!

We may not know a whole lot about cars, but we all need one. From school runs to running errands, to commuting to work, we spend hours every day in our cars. Car manufactures have even come up with some lovely examples of “Mommy mobiles” such as the mini van and the SUV, which are great for larger families or those of you who actually do bring the entire soccer team to the game. If, however, you do not fall into either one of these categories and are looking at getting a new vehicle this year, why not think outside the box and try something different. Before you start shopping around, consider what you need your car for. Where will you drive it, how many miles will you be driving each day, how many people will be in the car, what or who will you be transporting, what kind of roads will you be driving on?

A little over a year ago I started to have massive problems with my car which required constant trips to the garage and excessive bills which I hadn't budgeted for. It became obvious that it would be cheaper to get a new car than fix the one I had and I decided that the best options would be to either buy a brand new car with a full warranty or an old car I could work on myself. As I didn't have the means to buy a brand new anything at the time, I opted for a vintage car. I'm not a mechanic, but with basic tools, a little bit of common sense and a repair manual, you have the ability to fix anything or diagnose the problem at the very least. I shopped around and found the one that spoke to me on donedeal.ie. I fell in love with and bought a beautiful 1970 Wolseley. How is this the frugal option you may ask...well, here's the money I spent:

Car price €1,900

Import Tax/Duty €50

Vintage Car Tax per year €48

NCT (Emissions Test) N/A

Owner's Repair Manual €20

My insurance was also reduced by more than €200 per year and the parts are easy enough to get and can be purchased on the internet. Impressing your mechanic and strangers alike with your “I can do it” attitude and new found automotive knowledge is absolutely priceless!!! The coolest thing about driving around in a vintage car is the amount of people waving and smiling at me and my passengers as I tend to my daily affairs. It's just one of those cars that I can't help but smile and feel instantly happy when I sit into the driver's seat; she's comfortable, easy to drive, an all around unique car to motor around in.

This may not be the practical option for everyone, but it should prove to you that you don't need to spend a fortune on your next car.

Happy Motoring!

Throw out your television and your phone!

Like most people nowadays, I use my computer for everything; shopping, news & weather updates, banking, research, downloading films & music, watching my favourite television shows, making appointments, running my business, and staying in touch with family and friends on the other side of the world using Skype. So why are you still wasting money on a television, cable or sky, television license, or phone line?

Take a fresh look at how much you're spending on your phone and television and consider if you can get rid of one or both of these items from your house. I have gone more than 5 years without a land-line (I use my mobile phone for quick calls and texts and use Skype for everything else) and 4 years without a television (I can watch films and TV shows online or use my computer to watch DVDs) so it can be done! Give it a shot; plug out your TV and phone for a week and see what happens!

A $300 House?

I picked up the recent edition of “The Economist” as one of the cover stories caught y attention; The $300 House. The article outlined the concept of the project and suggested that this $300 house be multi purpose house; from providing alternative safe housing to the world's poorest population living in haphazard shelters to providing effective emergency housing to disaster victims. As I read the article, I was under the impression that the project was already well under way. I pulled up their blog and website only to find that after almost a year, this amazingly brilliant $300 house conceptional project is just that...still a concept.

They are however, looking for idea submissions and are holding an Open Design challenge (closing date: 31 May 2011) with prizes for the winning designs. There is a massive buzz surrounding this story at the moment so you will have no shortage of blogs and forums to browse through!

So what do you think? Do you have any ideas on how to functionally house a family in a small space? If you were in need of emergency housing after a disaster, what do yo think you would need to survive? Check it out, give it some thought and submit your idea on www.300house.com.

who knows, yours may be THE IDEA that improves the very way of life for an impoverished family on the other side of the world!