I found a lot of great articles this week to fill my time.  Below are some of the best articles I found.  Enjoy them!

• Always want to know some “best practices” that others have benefited from?  Look no further.  Google manages an awesome website where you can give a tip and take a tip.  There are tons of tips on here for almost anything and is a great place to look if you are looking to improve anything. (Which we all should…)
  

  Yes, this is an Abe Lincoln face made with Scrabble tiles and board

• The Simple Dollar highlights a few ways to grow a big, healthy emergency fund by doing a few things a bit different each day.  If you are interested in growing your savings/emergency fund, this would be a great place to get some more information.
• We all need a reminder from time to time of how we shouldmanage our money compared to how we actually do.  Take a look at Get Rich Slowly’s “25 Financial Rules of Thumb” if you are interested in getting things back on track financially.
• Going away for Spring Break this year?  Check out this list of Spring Break money savers from Money Smart Life.
• It always frustrates me to find that my favorite board games are not available online.  It’s a good thing that MakeUseOf is now going to save me some hassle in the future.  Check out their article detailing some locations for Monopoly, Scrabble, Risk, and much more!

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Since I blogged about to-do lists yesterday, I thought that I would review a website that I’ve used for quite a few months that has helped me keep my life organized.  SpringPad is an online to-do list website with tons of features and resources to choose from to make your life easier.  In the age of technology, SpringPad is a goldmine for people who are looking to become organized but they would like to do it in a trendy, easy to manage fashion.  Let’s take a look at what SpringPad has to offer…

Templates and Presets

I’m usually not a fan of templates or presets but in this case, I can assure you it’s a good thing.  SpringPad has taken all of the work of design and feature management off of the user and preloaded their site with various “springpads” for easy use.  There is a springpad for managing your budget, planning your next vacation, chores, recipes, and so on.  Literally, there is probably more available than you’ll end up using.  But hey, that is most certainly a good thing.  Of course, you don’t have to start with a template or preset springpad; you can start from scratch too and build your own management system. Read more…

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Everything seems to be tanking these days.  The stock market is in a downward shift, the housing market is severely struggling, auto makers are begging for help, and the American confidence level is at a depressingly low rate.  As the saying goes, desperate times call for desperate measures.  Since the beginning of this economic slump, I’ve been offering some tips on how to save money, find the best deals, and so forth.  But, times have gotten a little harder in the past few days and instead of making you do some work, I decided to do all of the work for you.  My series called “Recession Hot Spots” is going to give you descriptive and specific information as to what you can do to stay strong in this economic hiccup and successfully make it through to better days.

Hulu

• Summary: I have long been an advocate/fan for Hulu because it is just an amazing concept that is practically on steroids.  When I originally discovered Hulu, I expected there to be a limited amount of content that wasn’t really interesting in the first place.  My oh my, was I wrong!  Hulu has a great selection of TV shows to choose from and if they aren’t locally hosted, they are linked to the network provider’s website for streaming (such as ABC shows).  Plus, you can find a plethora of shows that are on Hulu that you can’t locate on cable, especially older TV shows.  Hulu also offers movies but I feel that their content is a bit lacking in this department.  I understand that it is much easier to nab a TV show and put it on a streaming site than a movie, so look for Hulu to make some improvements in this area (hopefully) sooner than later.
• Economic Benefit: Since Hulu is a free website, the economic benefits should be pretty clear.  In case they aren’t, let me do some math for you…Basic Cable bill/month – $65.00
  Hulu cost/month – $0.00
  Savings using Hulu instead of cable – $65.00   

• If you like Hulu, you’ll like…: FanCast, Joost, TopDocumentaryFilms

eBay

• Summary: I know that eBay is no big secret, mainly in part because it’s one of the most popular websites and marketplaces on the Internet.  But, just because you’ve use it once or twice in the span of a year doesn’t mean that you believe it really works.  Consider these two examples…I recently purchased a Garmin GPS system and wanted to buy the USB charger/data sync cable for the computer.  Instead of purchasing it from Garmin, I saved myself $20.00 and bought it from eBay.  Also, I needed to upgrade my iPod car tuner and decided to go with the Griffin iTrip.  Instead of buying it from Apple or Staples, I save $25 – $30 by using eBay.  Case in point, you can find some awesome deals on eBay and if you can suppress your human desire to be instantly satisfied, why not take advantage of what is out there.
• Economic Benefit:  If eBay was used to buy items that were normally bought in a store, a person could save thousands of dollars each year.  If you find something that you like, simply search for it and see what is available instead of spending too much in store or through other online marketplaces.  Plus, eBay is a great way to get rid of all your junk that you don’t use or doesn’t fit you anymore.  Try it out; make it a part of your shopping agenda.
• Optimize and Save:  There are thousands, if not millions, of listings on eBay that contain misspellings.  Well, take advantage of FatFingers and find those listings and save.

Redbox

• Summary:  Redbox has become popular over the past two years, bringing movies into the homes of millions of families.  The cheap prices and easy vending has been a great way to satisfy a movie fix.  Well, Redbox is also a great way to stay financially sound throughout the recession.  Since their movies are much cheaper than the likes of Hollywood Video or Blockbuster, you are able to save more money.  Also, when you become a Redbox member online, you are emailed a free one-night rental code every Monday.  Thus, you can essentially meet your movie needs without ever spending a dime.  That’s a pretty good deal to me.
• Economic Benefit:  With new releases, a few older titles, and cheap prices, Redbox makes the price right for people who don’t want to spend an arm and a leg on a movie they’re going to watch one time.  Make sure that you don’t lose track of how long you’ve had a movie because at that point, the price can become outrageous.  If you’re on top of things and return the DVD the next day, you’re in great shape.
• More than a casual movie watcher?:  If you’re more than just a casual movie watcher and you need to get more than one movie a week, try Blockbuster Online or Netflix.  They have varied plans for your movie needs and can keep the movies coming to your mailbox.  Also, Netflix currently has the ability to stream movies online, which would make it very convenient for techies who like their movies.  (This feature is currently in the works on the Blockbuster side of things.)

Stay tuned for future “Recession Hot Spots” posts!

How are you dealing with the recession?  What are you doing and where are you going to keep the money in your pocket?  Share via the comments section!

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I’ve had the pleasure of reading a lot of great articles over the past week.  Here are a few of the best…Enjoy!

• Leo Babauta of Zen Habits addresses the issue of “Can’t Get No Satisfaction” Syndrome and includes 10 ways to overcome it.  For those of you who are struggling with being content right now in your life, this is a great read.
• I think we all struggle with getting out of bed in the morning, even if you’re a morning person or just got  12 hours of sleep the night before.  Geekdad from Wired.com create a list of 10 things to help you get out of bed in the morning.  There are some great ideas on this list…I’ll just have to try them!
• My Two Dollars provides a list of tools and resources you can use online in order to save some dough!  The article covers ways to nab free shipping, how to find the lowest price online without having to search 40 different sites, and much more.
• J.D. from Get Rich Slowly outlines a few essential money-managing skills during the tough economy.  If you’re interested in managing your money better, especially now, this is a great place to start or to expand your knowledge a bit more.
• We all have a list, whether its hand written or mental, of things that we need to get done.  Well, here is a list a of 7 tricks that you can use to spice up your to-do list.

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As a college student, I know what it’s like to scour the Internet for information.  Sometimes it can be pretty easy but most of the time it is quite time consuming and can only add to the already huge workload that I’m required to juggle.  Here are a few links that I’ve stumbled upon over the past few weeks that should prove useful to students at any level (especially college).

• Cramberry- Directly from their website: “Say hello to Cramberry, a new web application that uses flashcards to help people study for exams, learn a new language, remember important things like birthdays or names, and much more. Getting started with Cramberry is simple, and usually takes less than a minute.”
• Pick-A-Prof- Directly from their website: “Pick-A-Prof is a socio-academic utility that helps college students make educated decisions about professors and classes.  By combining an extensive amount of academic information directly from university records along with social networking data, Pick-A-Prof gives you virtual snapshots of classes from how professors teach to which sections friends are going to take.”
• The 10 Best Websites to Swap Books, CDs, DVDs & Games- MakeUseOf has compiled a list of the best websites that can be used to swap anything ranging from books to video games.  Students will be able to take advantage of this list in order to find new textbooks and to locate bartering items that they want to receive.
• Free Software For Your Flash Drive- Software can be expensive but thanks for this list of free software, students of all ages can save some money when upgrading or maintaining their computer.  There is a wide variety of software included in this list, including OpenOffice which can be used instead of Microsoft Office.
• 69 Free or Open Source Tools for Students – Online College lists a plethora of resources that students can use to accomplish a variety of things, ranging from social networking to research.  There area ton of great applications and websites on this list that will definitely have an impact on the life of a student.
• 10 Online Learning Tools for Students- MakeUseOf generated this list of essential resources for students.  It is broken down by subject and has a lot of good information to offer.  A majority of the links on this page would be very useful to college students.

What are some websites that you visit that help you succeed at your studies?  Let everyone know by commenting on this post!

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I’ve changed the name of my weekly post detailing about cool articles and stories that I have stumbled upon in the week from Wednesday Hot List to Wednesday Weekly to avoid any confusion with the Friday Hot Deals post.  I’m not sure how I feel about the name “Wednesday Weekly” so if anyone has any ideas in regards to the name for the Wednesday post, please comment or email me.  Also, due to the fact that I didn’t post a Friday Hot Deals post last week, I’m going to include the deals I found last week in this post.  Anyway, I digress to what you’re really here to read…Enjoy!

• The Money Smart Life blog details why having your personal brand makes job hunting a lot easier.  If you’ve been thinking about creating your own personal brand or want to find out more, this is a great place to start.
• Mara Rogers from Secrets For Money details the best dollar store deals.  I thought everything at the dollar store was a deal but Mara highlights the deals with the most value.
• Want to know some cheap and healthy foods to make during these hard times?  Secrets For Money lists 10 cheap and healthy creations for those trying to make a lot out of a little.
• Applebee’s is the latest restaurant to design a menu offering more bang for your buck.  Check out their “2 for $20″ menu here.
• Restaurant.com has hit the lowest I’ve seen on their gift certificates.  Until the end of this month, all $25 gift certificates are only $2!
• Want a few more blogs to read?  Good.  Here is a list of 25 blogs that have ranked as the “most valuable” blogs.  Yes, we’re talking about money.  Not only can you find out some interesting stats about the blogs listed but you can also find some good reading material!

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Sorry for the late update.  School and work have been hectic the past few days so I’m just now getting around to posting.  Enjoy the finds!

• Like going to concerts?  Check out these 5 websites for finding and attending concerts/other events that are happening near you.
• If you need inspiration for anything, check out this massive list of inspirational blog posts.  The list is broken down by category and really could be used by anyone if they are looking for inspiration in a particular area.
• I’m enrolled in a creative writing class this semester and ironically stumbled upon this post about why a person should read poetry.  There are some pretty good reasons in the list and even if you don’t like poetry, you should still read the poem at the end of the article (mainly because it’s pretty hilarious).
• Mara Rogers from Secrets for Money gives a few household tips to save time and money.  The tips range from putting plastic wrap in the freezer to cleaning up a carpet stain.
• Have a Mac?  TechRadar gives a slew of tips for saving time and energy when using OS X.  (As a Mac user myself, there are some gems in here!)
• There are plenty of websites out there that will tell you how to do something.  The hard part is finding the best one for what you’re looking for.  Mashable has created a list of more than 60 “how to” resources, all broken down by category.  If you need to know how to do something or just want to learn something new, check it out!

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We have a lot of information to cover today that I’ve found useful over the past week or so.  Look forward to a special Valentine’s Day edition of Hot Deals tomorrow with a lot of good information to assist you in making this Valentine’s Day better than ever before (without breaking the bank, of course).

• A lot of money can be spent on household supplies such as detergent, soap, and other needs.  Take some tips from Mara Rogers at Secrets for Money and make your own household cleaning supplies.  You’ll save a lot of money in the long run and it’s better for the environment!
• Interested in financial blogs?  Check out this list of 35 financial blogs that could really help you out.
• Healthy food is all the rage these days and in this struggling economy, it’s getting tougher and tougher to eat healthy for less.  Check out this list of websites that will help you make something interesting with your leftovers.
• If you use a computer (which you’re doing right now, obviously), you’ve probably had some difficulty with space on your computer.  This free program analyzes all of the large files on your computer in order to find out what can stay and what can go.
• With the struggling economy, it seems like we are all looking for ways to slash a few dollars here and there.  Well, this list details some ways that could allow you to save $12,410 this year!  It’s definitely worth checking out!
• Interested in productivity and self improvement?  Want to expand your blog readings?  Check out this compilation of 100 blogs that offer valuable information for anyone looking to improve their life.
• If you need to get more work done when you are at the office, check out this list of six tips to help you be more productive while you are working.  They may be difficult at first, but they will pay off in the end.

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I found a lot of interesting articles this week and have listed a few of the best below…Enjoy!

• MakeUseOf.com posted an article on 5 video how-to websites that don’t confuse you even more.  If you’re interested in learning more about any topic, check out their post and the sites they’ve reviewed.
• Bonanzle is one of the hottest online marketplaces now, combining eBay with social networking.  Bonanzle’s mission is to be “the simplest marketplace online, with an upbeat community that makes buying and selling fun again.”
• Like to read magazines?  Save some dough and read them online using Google Books.  Simply type in the magazine you wish to take a look at and you’ll be able to see the current issue and past issues.  The selection isn’t astounding quite yet but it will only get better over time.
• Blogger Chris Brogan came up with a list of 57 websites and tools to take a look at while you’re surfing the Internet.  The topics range from learning to finance.  There are some great resources here.
• Tired of getting horrible customer service?  Read this article about Twitter and the business world to find out how you may be able to improve a majority of your customer service experiences.

If you’re interested in receiving articles such as those highlighted above on a day-to-day basis, subscribe to the RSS feeds of MakeUseOf.com and Mashable.com.  If you need an RSS reader, try Google Reader for free.

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So, I’m a day behind on the Wednesday Hot List, but I was having some issues with site redesign and finally got everything straightened out this morning.  I may be a little late, but at least I’m posting and giving you the information I’ve found useful in the past week.

ProFootballTalk.com - ProFootballTalk (PFT) is a great website for individuals interested in the NFL.  Run by Sporting News writer Mike Florio, PFT is constantly updated throughout the day to give football fans the latest news and analysis.  Since the playoffs have come down to the conference championship matchups, PFT is heating up and has become a great resource to stay in the loop about the NFL.  A reader can also check just the news of his or her favorite team, which is a good way to sort through information you may not be interested.  If you’re a football fan in any way, I would recommend stopping by PFT. Read more…

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