Apps and Sites that Let You Shop Without Money

By Lyn Brooks, Contributor

If you are short on cash, you might want to consider using sites and apps that make it easy to share, lend and barter to help you save money on everyday activities. 

Sites My Family Uses to Get What We Need and Want While Spending Little to Nothing in Money

The age old system of bartering to exchange resources is alive and well in America, and several apps and sites make it easy for my family to get what we need or want while paying little, if any, money.

I live in a family of book lovers, and we use to spend $50 to $100 a month on books, but not anymore. We've been able to exchange books for free with other members on BookMooch and Swap.com. Swap also allows you to swap video games, and DVDs, and you just pay for shipping. Both sites have really helped us to lower our cost for entertainment.

When my son moved 500 miles away to attend college in the city, he used Zipcar to rent a car for next to nothing when he needed one for special trips a couple of times each semester.

My oldest daughter saves money on name brand or designer clothing by using Swapstyle to swap clothes with others around the world.

We also use our regional Craigslist to find used items at a low cost. When I was unemployed and our refrigerator, stove and dryer all died within 17 days of one another, we were able to find replacements for $50, $25 and $20 through this site. The appliances look and work great and we are still using them today. Most Craigslist groups also have a Free section -- which is where we scored a free upright piano that was in pristine condition when our youngest daughter wanted to learn to play.

A site that we turn to frequently to find the items that we want and need for free is Freecycle, and the most interesting item that I have ever received also came from this site. This site has literally come to my family's rescue countless times.

Most of the items that I've receive through Freecycle have been fairly straight forward exchanges, but the very first time that I participated really stands out in my mind. One poster listed several bags full of boys clothing to give away, as long as you agreed to take away a "couple of leftover moving sale items as well," as the poster was leaving that afternoon to move to a new state.

I readily agreed and drove into the nearby city to collect the items. I arrived literally as they were closing the doors to their moving van and getting ready to drive off. A very nice lady loaded 3 large trash bags into the trunk of my car and said, "Whatever you can't use, please pass on to someone who can, just don't let it end up in a landfill." She then drove away in the moving van, and I drove home.

Once I got home, I started to go through the bags. In the first bag, there were several pairs of brand name jeans, that were barely worn and fit my son perfectly, as well as several pullovers and hoodies. My son basically had a new wardrobe.

In the second bag there was a really nice, lined khaki jacket with multiple pockets that is perfect for my husband's hiking trips. We looked it up and found that this particular brand costs several hundreds of dollars new, and it was in pristine condition.

In the third bag we found the most surprising and unexpected item -- mixed in with the lady's unwanted plastic storage containers and kitchen gadgets was an object that I didn't recognize. I speculated that it was perhaps some sort of musical instrument -- which made my husband laugh when he corrected me -- it was a pot bong! Of course, we didn't keep that item since its illegal, but it made the experience memorable!

All of these sites have helped us to drastically reduce the amount of money that we spend.

I love receiving feedback from my readers! Have you ever used one of these sites to get a low cost or free deal on something that you wanted or needed? Why not share your favorite sites and apps with your fellow readers so that they, too, can start saving money and begin to get out of debt?

Photo Credit: fontplaydotcom

How I Learned to Cope with Unemployment

Bread Line During the Great Depression 

While the economy has improved since the "Great Recession" began in 2008, millions of Americans are still unemployed or underemployed. Continue reading to learn more about how one contributor learned to cope with unemployment.

By Lyn Brooks, Contributor

In July of this year, the official unemployment rate hovered around 6.2%, but a new study conducted at Princeton University and released this August indicates that the true unemployment rate has been vastly understated by at least 1 1/2 to 2 full percentage points. Regardless of the actual unemployment rate, millions of Americans want to work but still can't find a job. Millions more are only working part time, or at a reduced rate of pay, so most folks are still facing challenging financial circumstances and learning how to cope with unemployment.

On "April Fool's Day" of 2011, I joined the millions of Americans who were fired in "The Great Recession." For the next two years, I submitted resumes, posted on job search sites, and notified every friend, acquaintance and family member that I was searching for a job, and received no job offers. It was hard to not become discouraged with results like that.

To me, the biggest challenge that I faced during that time was how to cope with unemployment. Suddenly, I had all of this unstructured time on my hands. It was so easy to fall into the trap of obsessing about being unemployed and turning to self-destructive behaviors such as over-eating and social withdrawal. The following are some activities that helped me to cope while I was unemployed, and I continue many of these practices today whenever I feel a bit stressed or pressured as a small business owner.

Walking

When I started to feel stressed out, I went for long walks. It's an activity that is free, burns calories, and can be done virtually anywhere. I live in a scenic town with walking trails; there are many parks and shopping malls nearby. When I can, I invite a friend to go with me, so I can combine socializing and walking. This is my number one activity to cope with the stress and anxiety that I felt about being unemployed.

Complete the "Honey-Do" List

Remember all of those household tasks that we all put off when employed because we don't feel we have "time" to do them? When I started to stress I looked around the house and completed one of those tasks. After becoming unemployed I now had time to clean out the garage and attic, and repaint the windows. Completing these long neglected tasks helped renew my sense of self-worth. I also earned some much needed cash and reclaimed space from selling the unused items that I "found" when I cleaned.

Volunteer

Soon after becoming unemployed, I began volunteering at my local nursing home. I helped the staff with sorting items that are used as prizes for Bingo night, and I spent time sitting with various residents and listening to them. There are so many people in assisted living that are cheered up by having the presence of someone that listens. This activity didn't cost me anything and I learned so much from listening to them.

Whenever I feel depressed about my circumstances, I just think about some of the stories I have heard from people who have actually lived through the Great Depression and World War II, and I feel both encouraged and thankful. Working with the elderly is not for everyone, but there are food banks, homeless shelters, local schools, libraries and many other organizations that need volunteers. If you find that you have too much time on your hands, consider volunteering for a local organization. You will diversify your resume, gain valuable insight, and enjoy yourself in the process.

Hobbies

Have a secret passion or talent that you've never had time to fully express when you were employed? Why not spend your time doing something you enjoy? Brush up on your artistic endeavors, complete some craft projects, and finish that novel you always wanted to write. You will not only get a sense of accomplishment and joy; you may find a way to turn a profit by turning your hobby into self-employment.

I have always enjoyed writing, so when I couldn't find a new employer, I began earning money on the side as a part-time Internet blogger. Over time, I was able to grow this hobby into a successful small business providing editing and copywriting services to B2B clients.

Some friends of mine pick up cash by selling hand-made jewelry and giving music lessons. One friend of mine has turned his passion for fitness into a business. For two hours each night he hosts a "Body Boot Camp" in our local park. People actually pay him to show them how to exercise. He now earns more money each month as a personal trainer than he did as a business executive.

The important thing to remember is that the ending of your job is not the end of your life. As the old saying goes, there is "opportunity in crisis" and we can all get through difficult times when we find positive ways to cope with the stress and anxiety in our lives. 

By finding ways to cope with stress and keep a positive attitude, losing my job ended up being one of the best experiences of my life, because it forced me to take a chance on my talents and work for myself by starting my own small business. Now, I actually make more money than I ever did working for someone else, and I am doing work that I am passionate about and that is meaningful to me. 

Photo Credit: buckle1535