You are reading Week 41 of 52 Weeks to Eliminate Debt & Curb Spending. Please read the overview here to learn more about the series & get your FREE financial planner. If you just joined us, please start with week 1.

Frugal masters world wide will agree with the statement: don’t pay for something you can get for free. This is ultimately the truth for everyone, but is most useful in regards to getting rid of debt.

There are really on two ways you can rid yourself of debt. You can either bring in more income or you can reduce your expenses. Finding things for free is one way to reduce your expenses.   Below are some simple tips and ideas of things you can easily get for free.

1. Educational resources. Whether it is for homeschooling, school projects or study prep there is never a reason to pay for educational resources. Search online and you are likely to find thousands of results for quality free information at your fingertips. Your local library is another great source for everything from encyclopedias to text books that are there to teach you about how to take a test or what will be on a test.

2. Childcare on date night.  Babysitters are expensive to hire. If you are lucky enough to live near family, you are likely to have childcare for free on many occasions. This, however is not an option for daily use when you have to put your child somewhere while you go to work. Don’t take advantage constantly, but never hesitate to ask grandparents, aunts or uncles to hang out with your kids for a few hours so you can get a break.

Also see what low cost childcare is available at your local YMCA or Rec Center.  You can also trade childcare services with other parents.  Maybe you take the kids on Mondays for 3 hours, Sally takes the kids on Tuesday and Molly takes the kids on Friday.  This gives each parent time to themselves without someone feeling like they are running a free daycare center.

3. Entertainment. Why pay to go to a movie when you can take advantage of free local events like museums, galleries, kids museums or local small fairs?  Watch your local community calendar as well as the local library calendar for great fun options for entertainment at no charge.

Every Friday, I share free weekend kids events for my area.  Do a quick google search and see what’s available in your neck of the woods.

4. Music.  Watch for specials on sites such as Amazon to get FREE music downloads.  Keep an eye out for promotions to get hit songs for free as well.  Amazon Prime members get access to Music Prime which provides access to a million songs for free with the app.

Pandora Internet Radio and the playlists offered through your iPhone music app are also great ways to listen for free.

5. Books.  In addition to your local library, you can get ebooks for free around the web.  Download FREE ebooks on Amazon or join Amazon Prime for even more benefits.  Members can take advantage of Kindle Owners’ Lending Library and Kindle First.

NOOK users can get free books from Barnes and Noble and free books are also available directly through your Apple or Android device.  Other sites include Free ebooks, Book Bub, Open Library, and Many Books.  My Mom uses Book Bub all the time.

6. Shipping.  If you’re shopping online, always do a search for free shipping codes before completing the purchase.  Also, sign up for the email newsletter of your favorite stores.  You’ll be notified of free shipping offers and coupon codes to help maximize your purchase.

These are just a very few of the things you can find for free on a regular basis. When you are working to get rid of debt, think outside the box. This isn’t to encourage you to take advantage in a negative way. This is a reminder that there are tons of free community opportunities, free cycle groups and even family offers that can help you stretch your already thin budget.

Make sure to take a look at my extensive list of birthday freebies for goodies on your special day.

Week 41 Challenge:

Start using at least one of these ideas to save money.  Every penny saved adds up.

Resources:

• 69 things to get for free on MSN.
• Guide to freebies from All You.

Disclosure: I am not a financial adviser nor do I have formal financial training. All articles are for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial advice or consultation. Please consult your account and/or financial adviser before making changes to your finances. All situations are different, so please consult a professional to determine your individual needs.

You are reading Week 39 of 52 Weeks to Eliminate Debt & Curb Spending. Please read the overview here to learn more about the series & get your FREE financial planner. If you just joined us, please start with week 1.

Do you enjoy singing, knitting, painting or even creating fun smart phone apps for fun? Getting rid of debt isn’t always about checks and balances, long hours at work and sacrifices. It can also be about you being able to Use Your Talents To Pay Off Debt.

We have mentioned 8 Ideas for Finding Alternative Sources of Income and making money from yard sales, but maybe it is time in your journey to be debt free to think outside the box even more.  Or you may have just forgotten some of the ideas since it was 30 weeks ago 🙂

Some of the ideas below aren’t exactly an “at home” job, but you can pick your hours and clients.  You’re setting up a side business that you manage from home.

Work at Home Ideas:

1. Teach others something you are knowledgeable about. Do you play the piano, guitar or other instrument? Can you sing?  Do you speak a foreign language? Are you awesome at math? You can easily make a lot of extra income by giving lessons or tutoring two or three students per week. This is a great fun for you income that can easily be devoted to your debt payoff.
2. Create apps or programs that provide a service. If you are tech savvy this can be a great way to make some extra money on the side. A weekend of having fun creating an app can resort in making thousands of dollars from simple $0.99 downloads. Go the extra mile if you are good with programming, HTML and coding in general and offer your talents on sites like Fiverr, Odesk or Elance.
3. Use your crafting talents for side income. Knitting, crocheting, jewelry making, wreath making, photography and more have become excellent popular ways to make extra side income on sites like eBay, Etsy and even simply in your local community. People are turning more and more to hand made gift items. Showcase your talents and earn money in the process to put toward your debt.
4. Enter contests that pay for your talents. Did you know that competitions for things like singing, dancing and even body building can be excellent sources of extra income? Check out what areas of talent you have that offer contests or competitions you can enter for a potential price.
5. Substitute Teaching.  Do you have a college degree?  Do you have extra time during the day to stand-in for teachers when they are absent?  Research the requirements in your state to see if you qualify.  Here you are working for the school system instead of for yourself, but you can take as many or little jobs as you wish.  Substitute teaching jobs can be available for as little as 1 hour during the day to long-term sub jobs.
6. Become a Virtual Assistant.  Do you love to cook and create your own recipes?  Can you craft?  Do you have good photography skills?  Do you like to write?  Websites are always looking for fresh content.  If you can create articles with great images, you could make money just by doing a craft with your child or photographing and writing up the recipe from dinner. VA’s can make a good deal of money every month by selling their content.
7. Editor.  If you have excellent spelling and grammar skills with an eye for detail, you can fine tune articles for writers.
8.  Tour Guide.  Do you know your city well?  Can you provide visitors with interesting history, recommendations and tips?
9. Mystery Shopper.  If you love to shop, sign up to become a Mystery Shopper.  You can visit and rate local businesses and restaurants for cash.
10. Face Painter.  It might seem silly, but parents and organizations are always looking for someone to help entertain kids at events.  If you are artsy, like kids and have a steady hand, grab a face painting kit and get started advertising.

In addition to the work from home jobs mentioned above, you can put previous (or current) career skills to use.  Accountants can manage taxes from home.  Chefs might enjoy baking and selling goods.  Hairdressers can see clients at home.  You will need to check state regulations and possibly obtain a business license, but these are just a few ways to put your skills to work for you.

When you are serious about getting rid of debt, you can quickly turn your talents into payment toward your debt. Focus on things that come naturally and you know you are good at. Look at all options out there for making those things become a great new source of income.

Week 39 Challenge:

What skills can you monetize to make extra money?  Start a list of potential ways to earn extra money. Pick one to focus your energy.  Spend this week putting your plan into action.

Week 39 Resources:

• The 4-Hour Workweek, Expanded and Updated: Expanded and Updated, With Over 100 New Pages of Cutting-Edge Content.
• The Suitcase Entrepreneur: Create freedom in business and adventure in life.
• Get training to become a Virtual Assistant.
• A simple google search for “work at home jobs” or “make money at home” will lead to more ideas.

Disclosure: I am not a financial adviser nor do I have formal financial training. All articles are for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial advice or consultation. Please consult your account and/or financial adviser before making changes to your finances. All situations are different, so please consult a professional to determine your individual needs.