Resources for Getting By

The internet is packed with resources but sometimes searching for them can sometimes take up a lot of time. A great one for a household that’s really in a tight spot financially might be The Hillbilly Housewife http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/ Although there’s a bit of advertising, they offer a couple of things we can all use. First, there are recipes. They’re really simple, down home things that might just rattle your brain into thinking of something you already know how to make or might lead you to learn some new things. Second, there are meal plans. A sample week might include some things you don’t want but you can certainly swap for things your family likes. Finally, if you’re getting downright scared about the state of the budget, there’s one menu that shows how you might feed a family of 4-6 on $70 for a week and even an emergency menu that shows how to do it for $45. It’s a great site that has worthwhile stuff even if things aren’t quite that tight.

Do you know about FreeCycle? It’s a site where you can give away, or get, stuff that’s no longer wanted but is too good to go to the landfill. Once you sign up, you either view the list of recent postings or have them sent directly into your email. People who are trying to pare down and clean house often post stuff there that you can speak for and then go pick up. There are definitely rules and etiquette to follow but the big rule is that things posted have to be FOR FREE. It’s a Yahoo group so you’ll need a Yahoo log-on. It’s free and very quick to get. Then go to www.freecycle.org From there you’ll choose your nearest city and after that, it’s a breeze.

How about making some money? Some people are super talented crafters. If that’s you, take a look at http://www.etsy.com/ You might be able sell some of your creations and pick up a little extra money. Even if you’re not one of those talented folks, ETSY has some very nice things for sale. You might find a very cool gift for the holidays at a great price. Just remember, sellers set their own prices so items range from “excellent deal” to “whoa!”

If you’ve got a favorite site or two that can light the way to cheap stuff, please share!