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Where to Save and Where to Spend for the Ultimate Everyday Wardrobe

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When we look into our wardrobes and moan that there’s nothing to wear, it’s all too easy to jump in the car and head to the shops for a bit of a spree to brighten up your wardrobe. Whilst sometimes you might have saved and budgeted for this, doing it on a whim can be damaging to your personal finances. Below, you’ll find some wardrobe items and ideas that will freshen up your look and provide you with a solid foundation on which to build on a budget. You’ll also find some items that we think it’s worth spending a little more on – both so they’ll last, and because they’re the thing a look is built around. So read on for six ways you can reimagine your wardrobe.

Jeans

This is one area where it’s good to budget for a slightly pricier pair. A good pair of jeans will last you for years – Levi’s are so committed to this that every pair of jeans they sell comes with a two-year warranty. Once you’ve found the perfect pair, you’ll find they’re worth every penny. Not only will they be the basis of many different outfits, but get them fitting right and they’ll make you feel fantastic as well.

Tops and Tees

An iconic t-shirt can make your outfit. Create the perfect casual outfit, whether you’re looking for raglan shirts or jersey long-sleeved tops. Wear them under cardigans and shirts and they’re perfect for using to layer up other items, so you can shop around for the best bargains on your tees.

 Bra

Similar to jeans, this is one item when a poor fit can really ruin your day. Bad bras can give you back problems, as well as not providing you with the support to comfortably go about your day. A well-fitting bra will give you the shape you’re looking for beneath any and all of your clothes so it’s worth buying the best quality you can afford.

Repurpose Old Clothes

Even if you’re not handy with a needle and thread, there are plenty of simple ways you can repurpose old clothes. Not just for things that have started to fall apart, if there’s something you aren’t wearing anymore, would you use it if it was something else? Repurposing can breathe new life into old items and make you feel as if you’ve got a whole new wardrobe.

Swap Shop

Organize a swap party with your friends. Everyone has items in their wardrobe that are gathering dust. Either you’ve kept it because it might one day fit again or somehow appeal to whatever side of you it was that bought it, or you’re keeping it for sentimental purposes. Well, try taking a picture of clothes you don’t want to forget because of the memories attached to them and get swapping.

Makeup

Not one to cut back on, cheap makeup can cause you skin problems and even allergic reactions. There are still plenty of ways to manage your makeup and skincare routine economically, but remember that good makeup will last (you don’t need much) and a fresh face is always a great look.

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9 Minimalist Christmas Gift Exchange Ideas

 

“When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things- not the great occasions- that give off the greatest glow of happiness.” –Bob Hope

 

I am often asked for advice on celebrating Christmas as a minimalist. And when I am, I always share that my minimalist holiday philosophy is simple, straight-forward, and easy to manage: Remember the true meaning of the season, always give more than you receive, look for ways to exchange talents and experiences first, and for everyone else, give holiday cheer.

But even with this in mind, I’m always mindful to respect gift-giving as a love language, in so much as that I do not want to rob my family members and friends of that simple, time-honored joy. While I prefer experiences over consumerism when it comes to holiday gift-giving, I still hold steadfast to the idea that even as minimalists, we own it to others to be a gracious, humble, appreciative person, who is full of good cheer, or at the very least, a person who can provide a gift wish-list suitable for the simpler palette.

Now when it comes to the kiddos and holiday gifts, I always revert back to my grandmother’s one-in-and-one-out rule, which stipulates that for every gift that comes into our home another you already own must be removed. I love this idea as it can help you to not only reevaluate your toy boxes and closet space in the months leading up the holiday season but to also help promote a seasonal mindset of giving. 

While I am not the first to write about enjoying a simpler Christmas. In fact, there are countless articles, posts, guides, and blogs that can help you enjoy a more simple, stress-free Christmas. But I still know there are still others who will want to exchange gifts this season, so in an effort to create a valuable resource for myself and others I’ve put together a list of 9 Minimalist Christmas Gift Exchange Ideas that can help you make the most of this current season of giving. 

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Pick a Secret Santa

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This game is a classic. I mean, who doesn’t love a Secret Santa? I know my husband looks forward to his Secret Santa week at school each year. So why not move this tradition from the corporate world to the comfort of your own home and institute a minimalist, budget-friendly family Secret Santa exchange. By only giving one gift to a family member, and stipulating an amount that can be spent on each person, you can focus more on the gift-giving experience rather than spend money on several gifts that may or may not hit the mark with your loved ones. 

Looking for an extra cool twist? Up the ante by asking family members to leave secret notes and treats for the person whose name they’ve drawn during the month of December!

Make a coupon book for family members

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I love this idea because it’s personalized and can be a lot of fun depending on how creative you get. Think digital and personalized. Go for coupons like “Making Your Bed for a Week,” “Doing the Dishes for 1 Week,” or “Letting You Pick the TV Show We Watch on Saturday afternoons for a month.” Choose simple things that can make other family member’s life a little easier or a little more fun in the new year!

Set gift expectations early

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It’s important to set gift expectations for kids early on. Let them know that even if they have a long wish list, only a few presents will show up under the tree. This can be made into a learning exercise by having your children prioritize which gifts they really want, even as part of a 4-Gift Christmas. Also, consider asking your kids to choose an equal amount of toys to donate as they are asking for during the holiday season. This will help instill a sense of charity in your kids and help keep clutter in their rooms and playrooms as bay.

Take a family trip

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 Instead of spending money on everyone’s presents, consider pooling your family resources and using the money to go on an outing, a staycation for the week before New Year’s Day, or even a small weekend trip away. Plus you’ll even be able to find some good deals during the week between Christmas and New Year’s while the kids are still on vacation from school. Even if you just travel to a nearby town or a local park, it’s the act of getting away as a family that matters.

Let your kids do the shopping

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If your kiddos are old enough to safely shop on their own, or in pairs, give your kids a set amount of cash, and allow them time to search for deals and coupons online, and then let them shop for their own family gifts. This will get your kids geared towards the not so distant days in the future when they will need to plan for their own holiday spending. It’s never too early to gear kids into utilizing the cash-only holiday mindset!

Give back as a family

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You can sponsor a family in need by making donation boxes as a family through your local Salvation Army, Families First, Operation Christmas Child, Operation Shoebox, or Soldiers’ Angels, It’s a wonderful way to feel the real meaning of the holidays while connecting as a family over universal, shared values. Is there anything better than that?

Trade favorite recipes

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For extended family, have everyone make their favorite dish or dessert and attach hand-written recipe cards, one for every member of the family, when they bring their dishes to your home as part of a family meal swap in the week’s leading up Christmas. This can help everyone in the family can build their own family recipe book and have a few fewer meals to prepare too! 

Share a family photo collage

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Photos are one of the least expensive and most treasured gifts you can give. So why not build a family photo album together? Have each member of your family print up to 10 of their favorite photos from that year for each person in your family. Then, share your memories while enjoying time together. You can also have each family member bring an empty photo album with them to fill with the photos they receive so they can look back on their wonderful holiday experience next year. Looking for a more

Looking for a more zero-waste collage tradition? Have your family members create free collages online through Canva or Pic Monkey, and send it to friends and family to give them an awesome digital photo keepsake or personalized holiday screen saver!

Create a family gratitude journal

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Grab a beautiful journal or inexpensive notebook and set it in a public place where every member of the family has access to it. Starting on December 1, each person will write one thing they’re thankful for in the journal each day. At the end of the following year, and during your next holiday season, you can all look back on your thankful messages together!

So, everyone, those are my 9 Minimalist Christmas Gift Exchange Ideas. I hope you will all find them helpful as you plan for your remaining holiday shopping trips in the weeks to come. Now I have to ask, do you have any special or memorable Christmas Gift Exchange Ideas you would like to share? I’d love to hear about them below! 

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Why You Should Shop at BestBeautyFinds.com

Please note, this post is sponsored by BestBeautyFinds.com. All opinions expressed are my own. Thank you.

 

Each of us is beautiful in our own way. But that doesn’t mean we still don’t desire to enhance the looks that nature gave us. From finding the perfect facial serum to balance your morning and evening skincare needs to find your new go-to shampoo and conditioner brands, there are infinite ways for us to look our best each day. But when you live in a super small town like myself, the selection of beauty, skin, and cosmetic products may not always be readily available to you, nor the most affordable. Which is why when it comes to buying beauty products, I shop at Best Beauty Finds.

Best Beauty Finds

What is BestBeautyFinds.com?

BestBeautyFinds.com is an online one-stop-shop for all your hair, skin, cosmetic, and holistic beauty needs. Featuring a carefully curated selection of thousands of the nets best products, there’s something available to every skin type and budget this season and beyond. With such a fast variety of products and excellent customer service team in place to help with any ordering issues that may arise, why sift through hundreds of products at a massive online retailer when someone has done the job and readily offers them? This site is already one of my favorite online sites for cosmetics, and will likely be yours as well.

Affordability

One of my favorite features of the site is how simple it is to navigate. With easy-to-use searchable filters, visitors to the site can readily narrow down the search to something they need and find it with ease. With easy-to-find search bar features that allow customers to quickly find products in their desired price points, shopping online for your favorite beauty finds has never been easier. Filters that allow you to also find new deals and products at specific pricing.

Including cruelty-free cosmetics and cosmetic brushes, ranging from finds under $20, $50, $100, and $200, depending on the size, exclusivity, functionality, and demand of seasonally featured products showcased online. Customers are also encouraged to check back on the site often as deals and promotions can often be found too!

Best Beauty Finds

Skin Care, Bath, And Body Products

When it comes to how we perceive our own sense of beauty, we all have problem areas we seek to better at home. Everything from finding the right products to moisturize dry, treat wrinkles, minimize the aging signs, dark circles, and even lessen the appearance of cellulite during the warmer months of the year. When it comes to bettering my complexion, by way of my daily skincare routine at home, acne-fighting products are a must. Best Beauty Finds carries a large variety of acne treatment facial products as well as the best serum for acne I’ve been able to find online to date. Knowing that products to help keep my hormone-induced adult acne in check is only a few clicks away, is a godsend to my personal beauty arsenal at home.

They also carry a wide selection of facial masks, pedicure treatments, essential oils, bath bombs, hair accessories, and at-home spa tools. Perfect to include in my weekend self-care beauty routine at home. Products that would also make great gifts and stocking stuffers, not to mention digital gift cards, perfect for the upcoming holiday season too!

Hair Care Essentials

Don’t forget your mane, as the site offers a wide variety of products for every hair type. Including sulfate-free products for curly girls and volumizing blends for thinner hair texture types at home. The site also carries a variety of hair care tools from stylers to diffusers, there’s something for every style imaginable. As a curly girl myself, I love that the site hosts a variety of hair wraps, wands, plopping towels, and leave-in treatments.

Friends, if you are looking for your next one-stop-shop for you and your family’s skincare, haircare, and body product needs, be sure to check out Best beauty Finds. And if you’re already a shopper to the site, please be sure to leave a comment below and let me know what your typical order from the site consists of. I’m always on the lookout for my next favorite beauty find!

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How to Make More Money From Your Online Store this Holiday Season

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The festive season is approaching fast, which means that the busiest shopping time of the year is almost here. As every e-commerce business owner knows, the approach to Christmas can mean a significant increase in sales. The holiday season is the perfect time to take some action to maximize your sales opportunities. Putting in a little extra work now can help you make the most of the present buying market. 

The holidays are a time when retailers focus on attracting shoppers in search of gifts, so your efforts mustn’t get lost in the crowd. A great starting point is to assess what worked well for your store last year, and where you felt you missed chances for further success. Setting yourself targets against the previous year can be helpful. Try to learn everything you can from the past year’s experience so that you can drive your festive efforts even further this year.

Increase Your Website Visitors

Attracting the largest number of visitors possible to your website is a goal to aim for throughout the year. However, once the holiday season is here, it becomes all the more important. To stand out from other e-retailers, you will need to focus your efforts. Search engine optimization is a vital piece in your festive toolkit. Your SEO is now more important than ever to get your e-commerce site noticed in a hugely competitive area. Of course, SEO takes time, and getting it right can be incredibly tricky. Therefore, it is useful to enlist the help of the professionals to handle this for you. Using a company such as Ignite Digital means you can leave your SEO to the experts while you focus your efforts on getting the rest of the business holiday-ready.

Create a Gift Guide

Buying gifts can be a tricky business, not having a clue what to buy for someone can be pretty stressful. Luckily, this is where you can step in and solve your customer’s gift-giving dilemmas. Try creating gift guides and suggesting products from your range to inspire your customers to make gift purchases from your site. Sometimes, people get all shopped out, so a bit of inspiration can be very welcome.

To help solve all of your customer’s present buying problems, you could group your products and create special gift bundles. Pop these gift bundles in lovely packaging and make them available in a range of prices to suit all budgets, and you could have a winner on your hands.

Up Your Social Media Activity

October, November, and December are busy months, but you must take the time to pay special attention to your social media pages. If you know you are going to be rushed off your feet, make sure that you schedule in your posts in advance so that you don’t miss out on doing them. Use your posts to shout about your festive offerings and drive more traffic to your website. Don’t miss your chance to make this holiday your business’ most successful one yet.

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The 30 Best Places To Find Free Audiobooks Online

Since childhood, I’ve loved being read to. From my earliest memories of my Uncle Danny reading to me each night to me learning to read to him to help him fall asleep, to quicken my unsupervised nightly prowling sessions around his home office and computer builds, to listen to comedy cassette tapes, I have fond memories of them all. But ass it turns out, listening to the written word provided my life with numerous benefits far into adulthood. 

This is why, despite being a bit of a book snob, I love audiobooks. As they help me bring some of the favorite books of my childhood to life by way of amazing actors, voice-over artists, and often the authors themselves. Listening enjoyment that can be enjoyed on long commutes or doing household chores like nightly dish duty. There’s also the added benefits of listening to audiobooks while multi-tasking at home, listening to audiobooks helps make performing chores more fun, they also turn hours of my day into fun that would otherwise be rather unenjoyable. As scrubbing the bathroom, putting laundry away or dusting is always easier when my audiobooks are on the play. 

Did I also mention how perfect audiobooks help me get to sleep, calm anxiety? There’s that too. This is why I have come to think of audiobooks as vital parts of my self-care routine at home. Especially during the cold weather months each year.  The only drawback? It can sometimes be difficult to enjoy the benefits of audiobooks if they don’t fit into your book budget. Which is why I’m sharing today some of my favorite ways to enjoy free audiobook titles.

Please note: The following resources are all free, legally-obtained audiobook sources. TheLadyPrefers2Save.com does not advise the illegal download of audiobook files. The theft of intellectual property is not only criminal, but it is also immoral. As it takes advantage of the authors, publishers, marketing teams, influencer reviewers, booksellers, distributors, shippers, and agents that work untold hours to bring your favorite stories to life. So when it comes to downloading free audiobooks, download legally. Authors deserve to be compensated for all the good they give to this world. And, of course, enjoy the following sources. Then, when you find a gem, share it online via GoodReads or your favorite review site. Pass your finds forward. And as always, enjoy the freedom and privileges of literacy and education. By way of the history of the spoken word.

Websites To Find Free, Reduced, or Inexpensive Audiobooks Online

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Librivox

Librivox is a non-profit, online initiative that records and provides public domain books, released as free audiobooks. The site boasts over 10,000 projects, with a diverse set of titles ranging from War and Peace to Leaves of Grass to The Dream of the Red Chamber to Anne of Green Gables. You can find a free audiobook by searching by title, author, genre/subject, or language. You can also browse all the titles in the catalog, view only the most recent audiobooks, and subscribe to new releases as podcasts. Once you reach a book’s description page, you can read more about it and even listen to the chapters individually without having to download each of them. You can even volunteer to read sections for books-in-progress! Find out more about them, here.

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Lit2Go

Lit2Go offers audiobooks, plays, short stories, and poems that have been tailored for use in classrooms. Along with each free audiobook, you’ll get citation information, playtime, and word count.  accompanying PDF that can be used to read-along with text. Available as well on Android and ios. Find out more about this service, here.

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Loyal Books

Loyal Books shares free audiobooks from titles in the public domain. You’ll find options like John Milton’s Paradise Lost and Sir Author Conan Doyle’s The Return of Sherlock Holmes, among others. Users can also submit reviews and read what others have had to say about each of the titles. Find out more about this service, here. 

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Mind Webs

Mind Webs is a hauntingly-good old-time radio dramatization of over 150 of the most classic science fiction short stories. You’ll find free science fiction stories from Ursula K. Le Guin, Kurt Vonnegut, and H.G. Wells, among others. Find out more about his service, here. 

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Open Culture

Open Culture’s site brings together high-quality cultural along with educational media to provide kids of all ages with a comprehensive lifelong learning community. With hosts of intelligent audio and video content to choose from, this site’s free choices make it fun to use as it is enriching for listeners of all walks of life. You can gain access to this high-quality content by clicking here. 

OverDrive

OverDrive provides access to the most ebook and audiobook content you’ll find on this list, by pairing with local libraries. With over two million books and videos, and partner with more than 30,000 libraries nationally,  you’ll find the newest audiobook releases through OverDrive. All free of charge through your local library’s Overdrive access for 7, 14, 0r 21-day loans. Books can also be downloaded by specific chapters alone, too. The app can also be linked to Android, desktop, and iOS services. To find out about this service, click here. 

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Scribl

Scribl provides users with a great option for newer releases, with many of the books read by the authors themselves. These free audiobooks are provided in a serialized form, so you can listen to small chunks that fit into your commute. My favorite site feature? Podiobooks encourages listeners to donate money directly to the authors of the books, with authors receiving 75% of donations. Including indie authors and artists. To find out about this site, click here.

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Project Gutenberg

Project Gutenberg is the Cadillac of sites for free books that are in the public domain. Since they use books no longer under copyright, most of the books on the sites were written before 1923. So keep that in mind when searching for something to listen to. Including their section on human-read free audiobooks offers an even wider collection of books. Stand-outs include Marion Zimmer Bradley’s The Colors of Space and Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre. Project Gutenberg also offers computer-read audiobooks too. To find out more about this site, click here.

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Spotify

No one loves Spotify more than me. So if you too are a playlist junkie, be sure to check out Spotify’s audiobooks playlist for a list of audiobooks that are always being added to by the service. Spotify is free to listen, or you can go premium if you don’t want the ads. Spotify’s list currently features The Great Gatsby audiobook, as well as 1984 and Pride and Prejudice. To find out more about the service, and its apps, click here.

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Storynory

Storynory offers free audiobooks for kids, with a mix of classics, fairy tales, and original stories for kids. But for the kid at heart, you’ll also love classic titles like Brothers Grimm folk tales, Aesop’s fables, or stories from 1,001 Nights again. To find out more about this site, click here. 

Sync

Every summer, readers looking for YA audiobooks can head over to SYNC, a free summer audiobook program for teens, sponsored by AudioFile Magazine and delivered by OverDrive. Also worth noting, each summer the site gives away two free audiobooks every week in the summer. Users can also sign up for alerts to know when new audiobooks are available.  To find out more about his site, click here. 

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Bound

The Bound app, which downloads your audiobooks directly from a DropBox account, or other cloud-based services, onto your Bound app, for both iOS and Android, allows users to use bookmarks and can remember where you paused your book. And it’s simply prettier and easier to use. To find out more about this app, click here. 

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Google Play Books

Google Play Books allows you to listen to your purchased audiobooks across platforms and devices. That enables listeners to pick up where they left off on their Android device, iPhone, or desktop PCs. Audiobook controls allow you to skip ahead or scroll along the timeline, jump to chapters, and configure playback speed and a snooze timer. Unlike other audiobook services, Google Play Books doesn’t run on a monthly subscription, instead of allowing users to preview audiobooks and then buy what they want over the Google Play Books marketplace. However, you just pay monthly after the trial to keep downloading each of your enjoyed audiobooks. To find out about this app, and service, click here.

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Digitalbook.io

Digitalbook.io is a free audiobook directory that makes it easy to find public domain audiobook downloads. Browse titles by the most popular or recently added audiobooks to find one you might like to listen to or look through the list of genres or authors. and even by specific quotes or chapters, too. You can also see trending audiobooks at Digitalbook.io’s homepage. There are currently over 100,000 items at Digitalbook.io, and while some are audiobooks, others are regular eBooks. To find out more about this site, click here.

Audio Stories for Kids | Free Coloring Pages | Colouring Printables

Light Up Your Brain

Light Up Your Brain’s audiobook site is geared towards tech-savvy kids aged 5-15 and a free text version is available with each audiobook. Most audiobooks are under 10 minutes and most titles will provide PDF transcripts of the audiobooks as well. Including classic audiobooks, ready-to-be-steamed directly from the website. Keep in mind, all titles must be downloaded individually, as there is currently no group downloader available and all audiobooks must be downloaded by right-clicking on each title to be saved as Mp3 files. As the site does not host stylized download or hover buttons. To find out more about this site, click here. 

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ThoughtAudio

Thought Audio is another classic-minded audiobook site featuring classic works of literature and philosophy books available for download as free audiobooks. You can browse the whole list or search for books, as well as see them in order of those that were most recently added to the collection. To get these audiobooks you have to either listen to them on the ThoughtAudio website or download them in installments by right-clicking each part that you want to save. PDF transcripts for these audiobooks are also available for download. Some audiobooks are available in multiple audio formats. The perfect place for classic audiobooks for writers, college students, and seminary students alike. To find out more about this site, click here. 

Welcome to LearnOutLoud.com, Your Audio Learning Resource on the Internet.

Learn Out Loud

LearnOutLoud’s self-development focused free audiobooks allow users to find practical information by way of thousands of free audiobooks, categorized by genre,  including documentaries, courses, speeches, and more. Keeping in mind, a free user account is needed for some audiobooks and other titles may be subject to trial offers. Most titles can be sorted by recently added, random, most popular, or alphabetically. There are also specific categories that you can choose to find only those types of free audiobook downloads, such as Science, Technology, Self Development, Languages, Business, and Travel. To find out more about this site, click here. 

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Hoopla

Hoopla, much like OverDrive, provides users with various digital media services offered by local public libraries. Allowing users to borrow movies, music, audiobooks, ebooks, comics, and TV shows to enjoy on your device of choice. Including various computers, tablets, e-readers, or smartphones. Even on your TV or smart tv and other iOS and Android devices as well as Roku, Chromecast, Fire TVs. With Hoopla, there’s no waiting for titles. As selections can be streamed immediately or downloaded to phones or tablets for offline enjoyment later. Featuring hundreds of thousands of titles to choose from, with more being added daily, this site brings the best of your local library into your home. With tons of titles at your fingertips, anytime and anywhere. As with the OverDrive app, users need a valid library card, and your local library must be signed up to use the service in order for users to get started renting titles from home.  To find out more about the site, click here. 

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NewFixtion

NewFixtion is in a category all to itself. It doesn’t have many titles, but what it does have are original stories delivered in daily episodes, much like daily radio shows of the 1940s. With each episode is voiced by trained actors, which gives it a more rounded feeling. It’s really more like listening to an old-time radio drama than simply having a book read to you. You can’t download titles from NewFixtion, though. Titles are listed through your desktop or mobile browser. To find out more about the site, click here. 

ejunto

Fans of American history will love ejunto’s library of historic media. Users can access, download, and listen on iTunes or download as an MP3 through a podcast library of resourcing links. While titles cannot be downloaded in bulk, rather on a chapter-by-chapter downloading basis, the site is still a great resource for history lovers of all ages. at a time. To find out more about the site, click here. 

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YouTube

Similar to Spotify, YouTube is not primarily a good source for audiobooks because most of the content is music and videos. However, you might have luck finding some really great free audiobooks on YouTube if you know how to search for them. Such as searching for a title name followed by “audiobook.” Users can also try Reddit. Which hosts genre-specific directories for finding YouTube-centric audiobook files. Specifically for sharing which videos on YouTube are actually audiobooks. Once you find an audiobook you like, and so long as you know it’s public domain or is legal to download, you can download just the audio from the video with a YouTube to MP3 converter.  Browse YouTube audiobooks, here. 

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DigitalBook, formerly Librophile, lets you search through a database of public domain books from places like Librivox, Gutenberg, Open Library, and also includes books from Amazon and Audible. Although not all books are free, a large number of them are, and they boast a catalog of over 100,000 free audiobooks and eBooks. If you sign up for a free membership, you can save books on a personal bookshelf to read later without having to download. Click here to find out more about this site. 

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Audio Archive

Internet Archive is a non-profit archive of internet sites and other cultural artifacts, made available to users in digital form. It’s one of the larger and more well-known sites out there for access pretty much anything in the public domain. Providing free access to an archive of over 4 million audio recordings, 11 million books and texts, and 3 million videos. To find out more about this site, click here.

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RBDigital

RBDigital offers an extensive collection of audiobooks, magazines, and eBooks, with the largest independent collection of unabridged audiobooks. To find out more about this site, click here. 

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Your Cloud Library

YourCloudLibrary is an application for Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android that offers access to millions of ebooks and audio to download.  cloudLibrary by bibliotheca works with a huge range of eReading devices, and we’re adding support all the time. Right now, you are able to view and download content on iOS and Android recognized devices. To find out more about this service, click here.

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Amazon Audiobooks

If You’re an Amazon Prime Subscriber, you can get free audiobooks there, too! If you’re an Amazon Prime member you can get unlimited access to a selection of free audiobooks each month in addition to Prime eligible Kindle ebooks. Keep in mind, Amazon doesn’t make it particularly clear where to find the list of audiobooks currently free to borrow for Prime members. This means you’ll need to download the ebook before you can get the audiobook from separate lists of available audiobooks, downloading each individually. 

To get started, here’s the list of Books with Audible Narration free for Prime members in 2019.  Prime eligible ebooks show a Prime logo in the buy box that says, Included with your membership. Books that also have a matching Prime-eligible audiobook will show a box that says, Read and Listen for Free. If the audiobook isn’t part of Prime it will just say, Read for Free.

When searching for free Amazon audiobook titles, be sure to search and select Prime-eligible books. Including titles with matching audiobooks available with Prime, as it will automatically be available once you borrow the ebook. Fire tablet users you can easily find Prime audiobook content from the menu of the Audible section where it lists Prime Benefits.

Audible Channels are another way to get free audio content with Prime. Audible Channels include original short-form audio content (podcasts), along with playlists, and a selection of audiobooks to stream anytime. All options to help you find free audiobooks from Amazon.

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Kobo

Kobo, known for its e-reader services and devices, is also home to 5 million ebooks and audiobooks with an ever-growing catalog. Kobo might be one of the biggest competitors battling Amazon’s Kindle line. Free 30-day trial, cancel anytime. $12.99/month for an audiobook subscription after that point. Kobo’s audiobook player covers your basics, with a timeline scrubber bar, time skip buttons, chapter navigation, playback speed configuration, and a snooze timer. The app provides cross-platform syncing,  a customizable ebook reader, and a dedicated audiobook player. New users can sign up for a $5.00 additional discount on their first ebook purchase. The site also offers many new, free selections, too. To find out this site, click here. 

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Bookmobile

Bookmobile is a service, for both Android and iOS that specializes in DRM-free audiobooks and DRM-locked content from iTunes and Audible, as well as DRM-free content,  ripped from CDs or downloaded, including M4B and MP3 audiobooks. This app features a control panel designed to keep you from easily losing your place and includes drive and sleep modes, as well as supporting background playback. Extra features include a custom bookmarking feature that can automatically remember where you last stopped, playback speed controls, and AirPlay support. The free trial lasts for 60 days and allows you to import three audiobooks; iOS users will be charged $3.99 after free trial if not canceled. Users can even weekly free audiobooks for users who utilize their sign-up newsletter service. To find out about this app, click here. 

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Public Libraries

No longer do you need to leave the house in order to borrow a book from the library, as you can now even borrow public library books from your kindle, but you may still want to. As going to your local library can still gain you access to varied titles as well as the opportunity to request new releases by way of interlibrary loans from other branches. Local libraries also host a litany of other free services open to the general public, too! To find a library near you, click here.

Audiobooks, no matter if you’re listening to them on your commutes, while we’re cleaning the house, running, or, even while cooking, it’s always worth your listening time. Thankfully, these 30 websites, apps, directories, and sources can help offer thousands and thousands of free audiobooks for you online this season. That’s a lot of books. Get to listening!

Finally, be sure to share your favorite places to get audiobooks in the comments below. Or just say hi. That’s fun, too! 

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Quicken Your Debt-Free Journey with Derby Advisors

 This post is sponsored by Diamond Bloggers. All opinions expressed are my own. Thank you.

 

When you start a family, you’ll be given different pieces of advice and indeed warnings. You’ll be told that kids keep you up all night which they do. That your personal time is seriously cut down which it is. How incredible it is to have children and to love someone more than you ever thought possible. What people won’t talk to you about is the cost of having a family. That information they’ll let you figure that one out all by yourself.

Have you seen people driving around in expensive sports cars and planning luxury vacations? You can feel fairly certain those people don’t have kids. Or, if they do they have discovered the best ways to make your finances work for you when you have a family. That’s what we’re going to explore today, and we’ll start by looking at the right way to manage your budget.

Setting Up Your Big Monthly Budget

Everyone should have some sort of budget that they stick to each month or year. It will help ensure that you don’t spend more than you should and that you are able to keep those costs under complete control.

With a budget, it’s also possible to make sure that you have money in savings and that’s important. Most young couples don’t even have a thousand in savings, and that means they have no money at all for unexpected costs such as the potential bills they might have to pay. So, how do you set up your family budget the right way?

Well, you need to think about all the money you make. Include everything in this sum such as side hustles and investments. We’re going to look at both these options a little further down. Now that you have your total you need to look at your outgoings.

If you’re not sure of this, take a peek at your monthly statements. Look for patterns to give you an idea of what typically leaves your account each month. This will include food bills, energy bills, gas for the car and the list goes on.

Once you have a substantial list subtract them all. Now, take a third of the total and mark that as savings. What you have left is roughly the amount you have to spend on luxuries, unexpected costs and little things for your kids. It should be a fairly substantial amount, and that probably makes you wonder where your money goes. You definitely don’t have that much left at the end of the month do you?

Stop Overspending

It’s so easy to overspend and let’s look at the food shop as an example. By looking at your statements, you should be able to see how much on average you spend on your food each month. You want to work to cut this down as much as possible, and it’s easy to do.

One of the best ways to reduce your monthly food shop is to not be a slave for brands. We all have our favorites brands, but when you take a good hard look, you’ll see they aren’t really special at all. Offering more or less the same and when you realize that you’ll be able to look for the cheapest one every time you shop. Then, you can think about looking at vouchers and coupons online.

There are plenty of sites online like Coupons.com that provide great deals for parents looking for cheap deals on products that they buy regularly or even every time they head to the superstore.

Of course, food shopping is just one of the areas that you might be overspending where costs can be easily adjustable. Another example would be your energy bills. If you have a home full of kids then you might find it’s difficult to keep the energy bills under control.

That’s particularly true when you think about the amount of technology that you are probably using on a regular basis in your home. If you have teenagers, it’s possible that there’s a TV in each room along with a games console or computer. How do you keep the electric costs down when we’re all this tech orientated?

Well, you should be checking out the tech you purchase carefully. All tech on the market today has energy ratings. If you want to keep your energy bills low, you just need to make sure you’re buying tech with the best ratings on the market. In no time at all, you’ll find your bills are reduced down to size.

You might also want to think about getting a smart meter. With a smart meter, you’ll be able to find out exactly what is costing you the most money. That way you can replace it or take more control over how much that device is being used. But be careful of false economy saves.

For instance, if the dryer is costing you more money, don’t stuff it with clothes for fewer cycles. Ultimately, this will just lead to you needing to put it on, again and again, to get clothes dry anyway.

Kill Fixed Costs

What about the costs in your budget that are fixed? Are there ways to reduce these such as car insurance or even medical plans? Both will be essential for a family to guarantee that you have the resources needed to protect and take care of your children. The answer is that you can reduce these costs.

All you need to do is use price comparison sites. This will help you find the best deal each time you get the chance to renew these plans. For instance, you can use Gomedigap for more info on the best Medicare insurance companies to guarantee that you do get the greatest deal for your money every time. It’s important that you look at this coverage carefully to get the best savings and everything you need for your family.

Boost Your Budget

If when you look at your total that you have to spend at the end of the month, it’s less than you’d like there are ways to boost your earnings. Investments are a smart choice here, and the basic option would be a savers account that provides a high level of interest. That way a little money will be added without you even needing to try. You can look at the best savings accounts on NerdWallet.com.

Or, how about a side hustle. There are lots of choices here including working at home. When you look into these, you’ll find that the market is wide open and there are lots of available opportunities to help you make more money.

Debt Consolidation services with Derby Advisors

Sometimes the best way to better your family finances at home can be with debt consolidation services. Financial services strategies to help families with their finances by paying off one or more lines of credit in exchange for a loan that’s better suited to complement your financial goals.

Reasons to consolidate debt include allowing families to be able to more easily pay off your credit card balances with a personal loan that could help you save on interest, increase your credit score and change your debt from revolving to installment debt, among other benefits. As revolving debt in the form of debt that many credit card use. Most consumer credit cards are categorized as revolving credit, and the amount you use has a considerable effect on your utilization ratio and credit score. Using consolidation services, families can more quickly pay off these sums in order to better their financial situations at home.

Debt consolidation services, such as with Second City Advisors, can also help borrowers to more quickly be moving towards paying down installment debt, such as a mortgage, auto loan or student loan. By paying off your debt with a personal loan and moving your balance to a consolidated payment, families could see an increase in your score and the payment plan could help you get out of debt for good. Consolidation services can also help consumers to lower monthly payments and shorten payment terms as well. By moving all of your unsecured debt onto a personal loan, you’ll only have a single payment to make each month.

Although consolidating debt isn’t the right option for everyone and all situations, it could significantly improve your finances when it does make sense. Get started by doing your research. find out with consolidation services you may qualify for.

In order to see if your family qualifies for consolidation services, be sure to have information on-hand including the balances and rates on your credit cards so you can compare your current rates to your new options. You should also check your current debt interest rates and decide how much you want to consolidate. You don’t have to consolidate all of your cards for the convenience of a single payment. However, if all of your cards have a higher rate than your new offers, you may be able to save by combining them all. When choosing your amount, remember to check the origination fee on your loan.

With this information in mind, you can apply for Derby Advisors consolidation services and options you like, finishing the last steps of your process is simple: after you’ve applied for the loan you desire, just verify your info and sign your loan! Once your loan is signed, you can receive your money sometimes as soon as the same day.

If you think you meet the minimum qualifications and want to pay off your credit cards or other high-interest debt, you can get started and see your options, such as Interstate Associates consolidation services.

Friends, while family finances generally no picnic, utilizing the tips listed above can help make your finances easier to manage this season at home. And if you have any tips for bettering family finances yourself, feel free to leave those suggestions in the comments below.

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7 Ways to Prepare Your Home for Guests this Fall

This is a sponsored post in Diamond Bloggers. All opinions are mine.

It’s almost that time of year again. Time to open our homes to entertaining and hosting family and friends this upcoming holiday season. While it can seem daunting to be able to accommodate guests in our homes, it can be done easily and on a budget. Check out these 7 tips for preparing your home for houseguests this fall.

7 ways to prepare your home for houseguests this fall:

1) Declutter and clean. First things first: give your home a good clean before your guests arrive. This includes clearing away as many of your personal belongings as possible from the areas your guests will be using, such as the bedrooms and bathrooms. Empty a drawer in the bedroom, make space in the guest closet, and leave space for your guest’s coats in a front closet. Make sure there’s space in a wardrobe or under the bed for guests to store their empty suitcases. This step is crucial before guests arrive but can be done days or weeks in advance of their arrival!

2) Always be prepared. When it comes to hosting guests in your home, being prepared is key. You’ll want to be as much done before your guests arrive to allow yourself time for doing what matters most when it comes to houseguests, the hosting! Preparing a shopping list, taking an inventory of guest essentials (towels, linens, and a laundry basket for dirty clothing), and planning your tablescapes and decor can be planned out weeks in advance. 

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3) Stock your home. Before your guests arrive, take the time to see if your guests will require any special foods or require specific foods to cater to food allergies while in your home. Then stock up on anything they might need – even if it’s something you don’t like. I like to go the extra mile and stock my home with holiday-themed teas, coffee, snacks, sodas, and breakfast items, including fresh fruit, they might enjoy. I then add them to my kitchen’s coffee bar, along with a framed printable letting them know they can help themselves to anything they might want. And for nightcaps, I like to add an assortment of beers, ails, sparkling waters, and ciders to my office mini-fridge. Some of my favorite brews include seasonal varieties from Melvin Brewing. This gives my guests a space to use nightly as a business hub, correspondence center, and place to unwind together. 

4) Give your guests plenty of information. One of the best ways you can prepare your home for guests is to give your guests the skinny on home your home works. Provide your guests with a bedside binder containing laminated sheets on all the information they might require during their stay is key. You’ll want to provide information on local pharmacies, doctors, vet clinics, local leash laws (should they be bringing their fuzzy family with them), and dry cleaners in your area.

Guests may also enjoy the information on local attractions, self-guided tours, coffee shops, and restaurants your guests want to visit or utilize during their trip. If your guests don’t have their own transportation while staying with you, provide them a $20.00 reloadable transit card, transit map, and number to your local taxi cab company.

Last but not least, share with your guests your personal schedule. Note your shower times, kid’s school schedules, policy for wearing shoes in your home, meal routines and, if you are working, what time you leave and expect you home each day. Don’t forget to let guests know what day a cleaner, pool service, or gardener comes to your home either. The last thing you want is a guest to be caught off-guard while alone in your home!

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5) Make them feel at home. For guests in your home longer than a few days, give your guests their own set of keys so they can come and go as they please. They’ll feel more at home if they don’t have to ring the doorbell every time they come in. Don’t forget to give them the code for any alarms you might have, show them how to work them, and mention where you hide spare keys in case of an emergency. You’ll also want to provide your guests with electricians, plumbers, security, your full mailing address (in case they need to quickly purchase something on Amazon), and other functionary information such as wi-fi passwords and codes for central air systems, as needed.

6) Give your guests a personal space. Giving your guests a small sitting room, use of an office during their stay, or an enclosed porch will give them a better sense of autonomy while in your home. 

7) Take a walkthrough. As a concierge is a key to a hotel, as are you to your guests while they are staying in your home. To ensure your guests have the best stay possible, you’ll need to perform a walkthrough of your home. Pretend you’re a visitor in your own home and spend a night in the guest room. Note your surroundings. Is the room too hot, too cold, how many beds or cots will your guests and their children need, and most importantly, are those beds comfortable?

That’s it, folks! Preparedness is key. Especially when it comes to hosting friends and family this coming fall. Friends, I hope these 7 tips will better help you prepare for guests in your own home this fall. Your house guests will appreciate you taking the time to make them comfortable in your home. Now I have to ask, do you have tips for preparing for houseguests each holiday season? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!

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