Furniture on a Budget

We found a wonderfully convenient and inexpensive place to get furniture!  So far, we've gotten:

• FREE brand new bed frame
• FREE brand new carpet remnant (8"x10" rug size)
• sturdy 5-foot kitchen rack for $20
• computer chair for $10
  
• four-piece Crate & Barrel cream-colored sectional sofa w/ slipcover for $50

What amazing place would we find all these great deals, you ask?  CRAIGSLIST!

Go to www.craigslist.org/.  Find your city, then have a look around.  It's free online classified ads.  (I have a toolbar folder where I bookmark my favorite searches:  free stuff in my neighborhood, furniture in the city, etc.  Saves time when doing frequent checks!)

In addition to buying great stuff, we've sold stuff - old sofas, a toaster oven, and a stack of rubbermaid containers.  I'd rather give our unused items to folks who need it than toss it out in the trash.  I've used craigslist probably a dozen times and have always had positive experiences with my neighbors.

Caution:  Your safety is worth infinitely more than your money -- please be smart when dealing with strangers online.   Don't share your full name or address, or your home address.  Listen to your instincts - if something feels strange, walk away.  Bring a friend with you when visiting or purchasing an item, make sure someone knows where you are, and be aware of your surroundings.  Never do something or go somewhere that makes you feel uncomfortable. 

So not only can using craigslist save money AND make money, you'll also be reducing, reusing and recycling.  It's a perfect storm of environmental stewardship and frugal living.

File federal taxes online for free this year

Last week, the IRS announced that for the 2009 tax-filing season, regardless of your income, you can file for free electronically by going to http://www.irs.gov. Even if you earn too much to qualify for Free File, you can still use that program's e-file forms to complete your taxes..

"We think this product is best for folks who are comfortable with the tax code, know what forms they will use and who don't need assistance completing their returns," said Jim Dupree, IRS spokesman for Maryland, Virginia and the District...

If you need help preparing your tax return, hire someone or get some software. Better to spend the money for professional help now than to make an expensive tax mistake. The tax software checks for errors during the return preparation and again during the e-filing process. The error rate for e-filed returns is about 1 percent, compared with 20 percent for paper returns...

One of the benefits of filing electronically is that your refund gets to you faster. Taxpayers who choose the direct-deposit option can get refunds in as little as eight to 10 days, as opposed to the four to six weeks if your return is sent by regular mail.

(via Washington Post)

FDA warns consumers to avoid peanut butter products

From Consumerist and the FDA:

Until the FDA salmonella hunters can determine who got which tanker
of what, they don't want anyone eating manufactured products with
peanut butter. Sorry!

Because identification of products subject to recall is continuing, the FDA urges consumers to postpone eating commercially-prepared or manufactured peanut butter-containing products and institutionally-served peanut butter until further information becomes available about which products may be affected. Efforts to specifically identify those products are ongoing.

Movie to see: Maxed Out

This New Years, I woke up early to enjoy some online movies from Netflix.

Next up on my queue was Maxed out: Hard times, Easy credit, and the Era of Predatory Lenders.



It is the best movie I've seen in a long time. Incredibly informative without being dry, it easily kept my often-wandering interest throughout. It really drove home how far into a 'fake-money economy' the U.S. has descended.

This might be a good video to even share with friends and family - I think it'd be a great one to watch with one or two people close to you and hit the pause button often to discuss. (That's what the boy and I did!)

Watch the trailer on YouTube
Washington Post Review of Maxed Out
Find it at your local library (via worldcat.org or publiclibraries.com)
Buy Maxed Out at Amazon.com

Recycle your Christmas Cards

Wondering what to do with all those Christmas cards now that the holidays are over?

Consider donating them to St. Jude's Ranch for Children Recycled Card Program.

Just cut off the fronts and mail them to St Jude's, and the kids will recycled, remake, and get paid for the cards.

Thanks to Think Lynsen for the great tip! :)

75 Free Photo Prints from Kodak

Need to develop some great holiday photos?

Check out this post at Freebies 4 Mom for instructions on how to get 75 free 4x6 prints.

You pay S&H - less than $5 - or pick them up at a local store.

Don't sacrifice safety for frugality

From Consumer Reports: Money-saving moves that might jeopardize your safety

Tough economic times call for tough consumer decisions. Where to tighten an already tight belt? What to put off or cut completely? Where to compromise? But some spending compromises can end up costing you big—your home, health, or even a life. Here are eight safety trade-offs you shouldn't make... [read the whole story]

The entire list is right on the money, and surprising - potential savings is certainly not worth potential harm.