Never under estimate the power of preparation!! In this current economy jobs are scarce and when you have the opportunity to interview with a company you need to be prepared to nail the interview… because let’s face it, who knows when the next opportunity will present itself.

Below are even more practice interview questions that I gathered from my brilliant friends and colleagues working for Fortune 500 Companies, top national advertising agencies and some of the hottest internet start-ups around the country. Whether you’re a college student just entering the job market and or a seasoned veteran, these interview questions, and more importantly your answers, are critical to shine.

Go get ‘em!!

Social Awareness/Empathy:

• What do you think we expect most from someone in your job? How do you do on those things?

Relationship Management:

• Describe your basic leadership style with examples of how you practice it?

• How do you approach setting direction for your team?

• What’s your favorite activity for team building?

Conflict Management:

• Tell me about a time you disagreed with someone?

• What do you do when people are at each others throats?

• Tell me about a time when you had to work with someone that you didn’t like particularly and how did you handle it?

Character Assessment/Leadership:

• Looking for patterns – where they involved, did they lead something? Leaders can be trained, but instinct, drive and initiative are instilled early on.

• What were your favorite things to do as a kid?

• How did you spend your summers?

• How would you describe your college years?

• What do you do outside of work?

• Where do you see yourself in five years?

• What motivates you?

Character Assessment/Interests and Passions:

• Looking for patterns – do they like to pursue new things, do they have a curious nature, are they passionate and enthusiastic.

• Last non business book you read (and last you would recommend – they may not be the same)?

• What’s the craziest or most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done?

• In your ‘out of the office’ time, what are three things you’re really passionate about?

• What do you do outside of work?

• What are your hobbies?

• What have you done recently for fun?

• What do you enjoy doing?

• What are you now interested in pursuing?

Personality Type/Skills:

• Tell me about the process you go through to buy a car? (Gives insight into personality/skills – analytical junkie who does tons of online research and then test drives, etc. versus more impulsive walks in and buys that day, etc.)

Pursuit of Goals – Dreamer versus Doer

Look for patterns – are they taking steps to fulfill their dreams, have they done things in life or only talk about doing them one day.

• If you could work for one company in the world who would it be and why?

• If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be? Why?
• What do you want to be when you grow up?
• Where is your dream vacation?

Commitment Level:

• Are you willing to work overtime? (Just watching body language can provide some insight)
• If you were to get a position, what kind of commitment to the company can you make? Short term? Long term?

Unique Insights:

• If you could choose one super hero power, what would it be and why?
• If you were a fruit, which would you be and why? If you were an animal, which would you be and why?
• Would you rather go to the opera or a baseball game, and why?

General:

• What is it about your background that I may not be knowledgeable enough to ask you about?
• Why did you gravitate towards this Industry?
• Is there anything else I should know?
• Who is the single most influential person in your life and why? (non-traditional answers vs. ‘mom’)
• What work have you enjoyed most, what work are you most proud of?

For More Interview Questions and Help Finding a Job — Keep Reading:

Seal the Deal with Interview Questions from Top Companies

7  Ways to Get the Scoop on Companies

7 Ways to Kick-Start your Job Search

7 Ways to Improve Your Job Security

If you’re like me, you’ve tried to lose weight at some point in your life – whether it’s for health reasons, an upcoming big event, or simply to minimize the “fright-factor” of getting back into your bikini after a long, cold winter.

We’ll do whatever it talks to shed the unwanted pounds and admittedly, we’ve all been lured in by the crazy fad diets — The Cabbage Soup Diet, The Grapefruit Diet, Low Fat, Low Carb, The Zone, Slim Fast, South Beach, the rumored Hollywood Tapeworm diet and Atkins (where we send our bodies into Ketosis for gosh sakes)! They promise miracles over night – lose 10 pounds in 10 days, eat whatever you what and still lose weight, easy, effortless and guaranteed.

The net effect – they don’t work. You’ve heard the saying … “If it’s too good to be true it probably is.” So what can dieting teach us about saving money …?

What Doesn’t Work:

• Diet fact: Fad diets don’t work because they tend to focus on eating a single food item and no long-term behaviors are put in place. You need a well balanced diet to succeed.

• Saving money fact: The same is true. Get rich quick schemes don’t work. You need to review all facets of your life to find ways to save and make long-term attitude and behavior changes to make saving money a regular part of your daily life.

• Diet fact: Starvation diets don’t work. You force yourself to go without and then as the desires for food intensify you often binge – eating more than you would have if you would have just allowed yourself some small indulgences. When you binge you then feel guilty and could then slip into the dreaded binge and purge syndrome. Bad.

• Saving money fact: Total deprivation does not work when trying to save money or reduce spending because the same binge tendencies will arise. The result will be “binge shopping” in the form of a shopping spree. The same guilty feelings quickly arise and then you’re left with lots of stuff that sits around collecting dust until we purge our possessions at a yard sale or the nearest Salvation Army drop off.

• Diet fact: The closest eater who secretly stashes food and eats when no one’s watching … has a problem.

• Saving money fact: Secretly buying stuff and stashing it in the back closet or under the bed and not admitting to our shopping “indisgressions” is equally harmful.

What Does Work:

• Diet fact: Everything in moderation is the way to go. Eat what you want but be sensible. There’s nothing you can’t eat, it’s just about how much of everything you eat.

• Saving money fact: Apply the same principle. Buy what you need but be “centsible”.

• Diet fact: Many mini meals are beneficial as you are consistently feeding your system to minimize the highs and lows and mentally you don’t feel deprived because you are always eating.

• Saving money fact: Many mini savings add up. Tuck away a little at a time and be consistent in terms of feeding the savings account. A little cut here and savings there becomes effortless and you don’t miss the money that was frivolously wasted.

• Diet fact: Tracking what you eat on a daily basis helps you see where you veered off course and what you can cut out to improve your weight loss.

• Saving money fact: Track your spending on a daily, weekly or monthly basis and you can see where you can cut spending and save more.

• Diet fact: It’s easier to be successful when you have a “buddy” who’s trying to lose weight with you or a support system to keep you motivated and in check.

• Saving money fact: Support systems are equally as powerful here. Make saving money a family thing.

There are a lot of parallels between dieting and saving money. In short, it’s about keeping your eye on the prize and saving becomes a snap! Have you heard the diet saying “Thin feels better than fat tastes”? It’s the same basic principle. Focus on the desired savings goal and end benefit (being a stay-at-home mom, early retirement, buying a home, etc.) which so outweighs the impulse purchases and makes saving money something that happens almost without thought when you are focused on the prize!

Here’s to many mini meals on the savings front!

Believe it or not Spring Break vacation season is officially in full swing. It’s hard to believe given the cold temperatures everywhere. Regardless of the weather it seemed fitting to talk about planning a “vacation” and the latest trend is actually a “staycation”. We are actually planning a staycation ourselves for next month and are super excited about it. They are very on trend now given the current hard economic times and a number of different trend reports that I subscribe to are all talking about it with the upcoming Spring Break vacations and then peak Summer vacation time quickly approaching.

For those not in the loop, a staycation is basically a vacation where you stay at home and relax or take day trips from your home to area attractions. Common activities of a staycation include use backyard activities, neighboring parks, beaches, museums, festivals and the like. There are all sorts of benefits and great ideas about how to vacation at home so I thought that I’d share just a few:

Benefits of a Staycation

• Less expensive than a travel vacation — no lodging and minimal travel, dining and attraction prices. “The American Automobile Association said the average North American vacation will cost $244 per day for two people for lodging and meals… add some kids and airfare, and a 10-day vacation could top $10,000″.

• Less stressful — preparing to get away for a vacation can be stressful, so can traveling with young children, packing, and airport delays.

• Better nights sleep — you can sleep in your own bed versus a hotel bed if you take day trips.

• Decompression is possible — You can truly decompress with less stress and a good night sleep for 7 days. This is wonderful, as we’ve all had the vacations where we feel like we need another vacation just to rest after we return.

• Boosts your local economy — by staying close to home and spending money on attraction, dining and shopping, you benefit your local area.

Planning the Best Staycation Ever

• Schedule a beginning and end date. Make it feel like a real vacation with departing and arrival dates.

• Declare a “choratorium.” I love this idea. No chores. You’re on vacation. (I’ll have to see if I can talk my husband into this one).

• Unplug. Try going the week without the cellphone, texting, emailing and all the other forms of hyper-connection.

• Shake it up and live “freestyle” for the week. Get rid of the schedule. During a typical week we are so structured and our lives are so scheduled to get it all done, but on vacation we let go of that (a little or a lot depending on the person) and do different things. Sleep in late if you’re normally up at the crack of dawn, eat brunch instead breakfast, tick of an item on your bucket list.

• Create an at home/hotel experience. Do all those little things you do in a hotel — have breakfast in bed, take a hot bath, turn down your bed and set chocolates on the pillow for your spouse or kids, curl up in a cozy rob, set little luxurious lotions on the bathroom counter, watch TV in bed … I think you get the point. This is very important to set the mood and atmosphere and capture the true vacation feeling.

• Set aside souvenir money. We are talking a modest amount here of course, but set aside some fun-money for staycation souvenirs or little day excursions. Remember, this site is about living (not deprivation).

• Plan things to do. Make a list of activities and plan something fun daily to get you out of the house. Check out 50 Frugal Fun Ideas for a Bored-Silly Saturday to get the fun-juices flowing. Or 14 Ways to Pass the Day Trapped Inside for even more stay-at-home fun ideas.

• Capture your experiences. Take videos and pictures just like you would do if you were on vacation somewhere far away. Then, post them on Facebook for all to see. Or keep a vacation journal of everything you did through the week.

In this hurried, crazed world that we live in, vacations are critically important times for us to decompress, get back in touch with ourselves and our friends and family, and recharge our physical and emotional batteries that keep us going. Embrace the time because it flies right by, and make the most of every minute. Remember that it’s not where you are … it’s what you are doing.

Live your life. It’s invigorating!

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Priscilla Solomon, a finance blogger with Oak View Law Group. Priscilla, in her personal life, tried to overcome debt by consolidating it but failed. She was on the verge of filing bankruptcy when she finally took charge of her finances and came back on track. In the process she has learned how to manage money and now she helps people to walk out of debt.

Money can’t buy love as the Beatles would say. We can’t put a price on love because it is not for sale. Yet we all tend to spend a lot of money when it comes to finding love or dating. In reality, most people who are waiting for true love prefer gestures of affection rather than lavish gifts. Here are some inexpensive and memorable activities you and your beloved can share together to have a memorable date on a frugal budget.

Share your thoughts over a cup of coffee

Come out of the conventional dinner on a date routine. Dating in a coffee house is a lovely idea as the atmosphere there is very relaxed and you can sit for hours without interruption. This will give you more time to focus on a conversation rather than getting busy with food. Continue sharing your thoughts while sipping a cup of coffee or sharing a dessert, thus making your date very warm and casual.

Enjoy the view from an open-top bus.

Spending some time traveling on an open-top bus could be very enjoyable, especially if the weather is bright. Take your camera and make a day of taking photos together. Click photos with different views in the background, or request someone to take your couple picture during the ride. At the end of the splendid day, get the photos processed and create a memory album for both of you for the day that will live on forever.

Go for an evening walk.

A casual stroll is a great way to get to know someone, so suggest heading out into the hills and warming up with a beer at a country pub. The beauty of nature is all around us and it doesn’t cost a penny. So, hold hands and set out on a lazy walk savoring the warmth of nature around you. A long road with beautiful views on both sides can refresh your minds and help you open up sooner. Be candid and disclose everything about your life, including your finances. If you had any past relationships or even debt problems, let your love know about it. Talking is very essential to the beginning of a good relationship as it makes your lives transparent to each other. If the other person likes you the way you are, you can be assured that you have sowed the seed of a compassionate and lifelong relationship. A bond based on false impressions and promises can never last for long.

Enjoy a picnic day.

Picnic on a date can be a great idea because it can be a lot of fun and cost you a fraction of going out for a meal. Spending a day together in a park underneath a shade tree, you can gauge your chemistry together. Find out if you two can hold a conversation. Feel if your silences are comfortable, or whether you steal glances at each other with a smile. Make your picnic casual or as romantic as you want. Take a casual picnic meal, add on some cheese and wine, along with a flower and the picnic instantly takes on a romantic demeanor.

Cook a delicious meal for your date.

Prepare a yummy meal at home. Try some easy cooking with the help of cookbooks or your known recipes. It adds a personal touch to your togetherness and at the same time shows that you’re prepared to make an effort. Light a few candles, adorn your table with some red roses and home brewed wine. A romantic dinner is ready for you. After dinner, you can even cuddle up for a movie together and make your love feel comfortable with you. You can also sit on your house roof, on in the backyard and watch the stars, talk about your wishes and aspirations. This can turn out to be a very romantic and fervent date.

Virtually every simple moment of your life can be turned into an inexpensive but enjoyable date. All it takes is a bit of imagination and affection, because love is all that you need to give, in order to get back true love. So, do not let the credit crunch hinder your search for a perfect partner. Just step out with a jovial smile and give your love a splendid date.

Always make it memorable!

We’ve all done it — you’re feeling sad, depressed or bored and you go shopping for a “pick me up” or to pass the day and end up buying a new outfit or two, even though your really didn’t need more clothes.  The momentary rush of good feeling that comes from the impulse purchase is just that … momentary and it is quickly replaced with regret when you realize that you still feel the same way inside and now you also spent money you shouldn’t have on something you really didn’t need.

As I’ve said, we’ve all been there before, but for some this truly becomes an addictive behavior of compulsive shopping. There is actually a medical term for the compulsive desire to shop – Oniomania. For most, this is the result of a need to fill a void and is often associated with low levels of self-esteem. It’s a vicious cycle: You’re feeling down, you compulsively go shopping and buy something, you have an emotional life of momentary euphoria, and then become regretful or depressed and the whole process starts all over.

I am not a psychiatrist or medical expert and if you feel this problem is out of control you should seek help from a medical professional or contact Debtors Anonymous. With that said, there are practical ways to try and gain control over the problem, and then there are more emotional efforts you can put in place.

Practical Ways to Gain Control of Compulsive Shopping

• Avoid going to stores.
• If you must shop for something bring a friend or family member who will keep you in check.
• Shop in person at a store and stop the internet, mail order or late night TV purchases.
• Cancel all your catalogs. Stop the temptation.
• Make a list and buy only what’s on the list.
• Don’t use credit cards (leave them at home or cut them up).
• Only buy what you can afford to pay cash for.
• For bigger items that you “must have”, write it down and revisit the list in 30 days to see if you still must have it or if the “need” was just a whim to fill a void.

Dealing With the Bigger Emotional Void

Let’s face it, if we are compulsively shopping to fill a void because we are sad, lonely or depressed … or to deal with anger or stress … then we need to deal with the bigger problems causing those feelings in our life.

• Start a journal and write down when you have the urge to shop and also write down how you are feeling and what happened in your day that may have led to that feeling. Over time see if you can find the triggers that cause the urge to shop.

• Start a gratitude journal and jot down what you are grateful for in your life. When we are sad or depressed we lose sight of all the good in our life. So, write it down and then when you are having a bad day go back and read all that you wrote.

• Exercise. The power of endorphins released from exercise is an amazing and powerful natural pick me up that can help make the “blues” go away.

• Have fun with friends or family members. Get out and play.

• Surround yourself with happy people that make you feel good! For example, if you’ve got a nagging mom that’s always critical … she’s probably not the person to be around when your are feeling down and may actually be the cause of self-esteem issues.

• Laugh. Watch a funny movie. The natural emotional powers of laughter are huge.

• Do something new and different. New experiences can cause excitement in your life.

• Volunteer. Doing good, feels good!

Please share with me any other suggestions to gain control over compulsive shopping. As with anything that is an addiction, the power and support of others is critical to succeed.

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Cole Sileven, Author of Low Insurance and Security, an online resource for comparing insurance quotes online as well as an insurance blog with tips to help shoppers learn more about insurance.

Have you shopped for auto insurance in the last 12 to 24 months? Rating structures are consistently changing which is why comparison shopping is so beneficial if done periodically. Now you’ve probably already heard of all the discounts offered through TV Commercials and radio. I’ve found that some of these discounts can be very helpful while others are not as great as they appear to be. I will expand a bit on these discounts below. I also hope to bring some fresh discount tips which I have found that most Drivers do not know about.

Common Auto Insurance Discounts Reviewed

How about that Multi-Policy Discount?

By combining your home with your auto insurance carrier, Companies may offer up to 15% off your auto insurance premium. If your annual auto insurance premium is several thousand, this could really pay off. However, it’s not uncommon for an auto policy with Company “A” and a homeowner’s policy with company “B” be less expensive than a package policy with Company “C”. For the best bottom line, It helps to ask for three quotes, one package policy, one stand-alone homeowner’s policy and one stand-alone auto policy. If you ask for an Independent Agent to do this you may end up with a package policy with Metlife, a stand-alone homeowner’s policy with Travelers and a stand-alone auto quote with Progressive. Shopping this way can take some time but you may save a couple hundred a year.

Will Multiple Car Discounts Save You Money?

The multi-car discount is given when you insure two or more cars with the same Insurance Company. Now when I started out as an Agent I thought this was always the cheapest way to go with auto insurance, but it isn’t. If you have multiple Drivers this definitely isn’t going to be the best way to go. Once again, Company ‘A’ may have their rating structure set up well for younger drivers while Company ‘B’ may work well with Drivers in their late 60s early 70s. Now if one driver is 20 while the other driver is 80, putting both drivers and both vehicles on the same policy could possibly be much more costly than that of two separate stand-alone auto policies.

Smart Shopping Discounts

Did you know higher limits of liability can increase your “insurance score”? Like a credit score, an insurance score is used by insurance companies to help determine your rate. Liability coverage covers the other Driver in the event you are negligent in an auto accident. While some Drivers opt for the state minimum requirement, others are more concerned about protecting themselves from the loss of assets. These Drivers often opt for much more coverage. A few examples of higher limits of coverage include limits of 100/300/100 or 250/500/100. The first set 250 represents $250,000 of (BI) or bodily injury coverage for each person you may injure in an auto accident. 500 represents $500,000 of total (BI) Bodily Injury coverage for all injuries caused in an auto accident. The last digits represent s coverage for property damage (in thousands).

Now that you know more about this coverage this is how it will affect your quote. During the quote process the company will ask how much prior coverage you have. You will find that all Drivers currently insured will see a lower rate quote compared to those without prior coverage. Also, a Driver who currently has higher limits of coverage will see a lower rate quote while shopping, compared to if he or she had the state minimum liability or lower limits of coverage. In short, the higher your current limits, the better insurance score you will have which will result in a better rate quote.

Make Insurance Shopping an Early Priority

So let’s say it’s early January and your policy expires in early February. You’re tired of the problematic company you’re currently insured with. When is the best time to start shopping? The answer is today. Many companies have what is called a future effective discount. If you pay today for your policy to start next month, there’s a really nice chance you’ll save more. Shopping in advance shows responsibility and guess what, insurance companies love insuring responsible individuals. It will also be assumed that you are not the type of Insured who will be late on payments or lapse a policy. By shopping in advance you get on the companies good side early on.

I hope these auto insurance discounts and tips help you save more on your next auto insurance policy. Whether you’re shopping for a basic liability policy or a policy with higher limits, these tips should help you get the coverage you need at the most competitive price.

While Credit Card Reform is not the most exciting topic in my opinion, new regulations went into effect this week (February 22, 2010) to help protect consumers from deceptive practices. This is all part of the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure (CARD) Act of 2009. The goal of this Credit Card Reform is to put an end to unfair and deceptive practices such as hidden fees and unfair rate hikes.

Credit card debt is a major issue in America. Close to 80% of Americans have a credit card and 44% of families carry a balance. The average outstanding credit card debt for households that have a credit card was $10,679 at the end of 2008. (Source: Nilson Report, April 2009). And, on an annual basis, Americans pay approximately $15 billion in penalty fees!!!

The hope is that by becoming educated on the new reform and with significant increases in personal responsibility, individuals can get their credit problems in check and under control.

Here are the highlights from the credit card reform law:

No more unfair rate increases.

• Financial institutions will no longer be able to unfairly raise rates or increase rates retroactively.
• First year protection is required and rates must remain stable for the entire first year.
• Promotional rates can still be offered, but must last at least six months and details must be fully disclosed.

More time to pay bills and no more unfair fee traps.

• Card holders will receive a reasonable time, at least 21 days, to pay the monthly bill from time of mailing. Consistent due dates are mandated and can no longer changed monthly and no more weekend or mid-day deadlines.

Highest interest balances must be paid first.

• Credit card companies will be required to apply excess payments to the highest interest balance first, as consumers expect them to do.

Permission required to exceed limits.

• Institutions are now required to obtain a consumer’s permission to process transactions that place them over their account limit.

Credit card terms must now be accessible and easy to understand.

• Plain language must be used and terms must be in plain sight and explained up front before opening an account and clearly disclosed afterwards.

Changes to you credit card statements.

• Issuers must outline how long it would take to pay off the existing balance – and the total interest cost – if the consumer paid only the minimum due.
• Payment amount and total interest cost to pay off the existing balance in 36 months must also be displayed.

Offers protections for young adults and students.

• Banks can no longer give credit cards to people under the age of 21 without verifying their ability to pay or having a co-signer over the age of 21 on all credit card contracts.

I’m a firm believer in personal responsibility! Each person must become responsible for their own actions and must take measures to get themselves out of unfortunate financial situations. Don’t buy something if you can’t afford to pay it off when the bill comes due. Read the fine print and always know and understand what you are getting into.  Financial institutions are already getting creative with new fees that are not banned by the Credit Card Reform Act … so BEWARE!

Sources:

For more details you can read the full government fact sheet on the Credit Card Reform Act.

For additional mind-blowing credit card facts you can go to CreditCards.com.

This is Part 1 of 2 in a Series of Sample Interview Questions.

The interview is your time to shine and show employers that you are the ideal candidate for the job. The old saying “practice makes perfect” is very relevant to the interview process. It takes great skill and lots of practice to get prepared, answer interview questions correctly, and improve your interview skills.

To help you master the interview and get a job, I have surveyed the top business leaders that I know throughout the country, from the likes of Disney, AT&T, The Coca-Cola Company, and PepsiCo, to Presidents and CEO’s of some of the largest national ad agencies, and I asked them what their favorite interview questions are. Below you will find a compilation of thought-provoking and insightful sample interview questions from top companies that are their personal favorites.

Review them carefully and give great thought to how you would answer them. They are grouped in different categories based on what employers may be trying to determine by asking you such questions.

These are also great questions for employers to get hold of so that you and your employees are prepared to ask the right interview questions to find your next great employee.

Sample Interview Questions

Self-Awareness/Confidence:

• What are you good at, great at, and where do you need to grow and improve (biggest weakness)?

• Where would you like to see the most development in yourself?

• What is one of the best decisions you ever made?

• What are two or three characteristics a person must possess to be successful? How would you rate yourself in those areas?

• How would others describe you in terms of your job performance (including bosses, subordinates, peers, clients, suppliers)?

Self-Awareness/Emotional Self Awareness:

• What is the most important thing you contribute to any organization?

• What are three things people might say about you at your last company after you have been gone?

• If we hire you, a year from now what will people in this office say they really like about you? And what will those same people say are the things about you that drive them crazy?

• What is the single biggest regret you have had in life?

Self-Management/Emotional Self Control:

• Tell me about a time you were angry or frustrated.

• Tell me about a bad day you had at work and how you dealt with it?

• How do you deal with stress?

Social Awareness/Organizational Awareness:

• What bothers you most and least about people? How do you handle those situations?

• Tell me about a place you worked that had either good or bad morale.

• You’ve been in the office now for a while (or a few visits) – what are your initial observations or recommendations about this workplace–either positive or negative?

Self-Management/Responsibility:

• How do you set priorities in your job?

• What has been the highest pressure situation you’ve faced in recent years? How did you cope with it?

• What is your greatest failure and what did you learn from it?

Always remember that being prepared will make you much more confident during an interview. By practicing your responses to the above sample interview questions you will improve your interview skills – you will have well thought out answers, you won’t be caught off guard, and this will allow you to shine and ultimately get the job offer.

Please add other interesting sample interview questions that you ask candidates or that you have been asked in an interview. Let’s build a great useful list together.

Check back for part 2 for more sample interview questions.

Good luck to you all.

Entertainment costs typically tend to be where a lot of money is spent … almost unknowingly. Movies, dinners and more … all add up quickly. Being resourceful becomes an art form when it comes to frugal living and you’ve got to be creative in terms of finding ways to save and have fun. So, to help you out when you are bored-silly on a Saturday, or any other day for that matter, here are some Living Frugal Tips for frugal fun:

Act like a tourist.

1  Go to your local Chamber of Commerce or Visitor’s Center and find out about all the free stuff to do in your town. Most cities have complete brochures on fun, free things to do.
2.  Or, go online and check out the same Chamber or Visitor Center resources.
3.  Go to a local museum.
4.  Check out your city-center or downtown area.
5.  Visit the historical sites in your town. Most people know very little about the history of the town they live in.
6.  Take a ride on public transportation. You see things differently when you are not driving.
7.  Visit a state park.

Get out and play.

8.  Start a neighborhood game of kickball (it’s making a huge comeback).
9.  Take a walk.
10.  Walk your dog.
11.  Go to a local park.
12.  Find one of the local rails-to-trails areas in your town and explore your area by bike.
13.  Go roller-skating.
14.  Go ice skating.
15.  Go fishing either for the sport of it (catch and release)e or heck, catch your dinner.
16.  Go for a bike ride in your neighborhood.
17.  Have a picnic.
18.  Go bird watching.
19.  Hike through the woods.
20.  Go nature-watching.
21.  Go to the beach.
22.  Watch a sunset.

Volunteer!

23.  Whether it’s Habitat for Humanity or the Humane Society (two of my personal favorites), find a non-profit that you are passionate about and get involved. There are all sorts of local charities in need, especially given the current economic state with reduced donations. It’s a great family thing to do together. It teaches responsibility and allows you to embrace the feeling that doing good … feels good.

Nest inside your home.

24.  Play “Design on a Dime” and change up a room in your home – swap out towels, placemats, flower vases, etc. and recreate a room with stuff you already have.
25.  Bake something – cookies, a cake or a pie.
26.  Make crafts that can later be given as holiday gifts.
27.  Make a home movie.
28.  Make sock puppets.
29.  Have your kids put on a play.
30.  Write a letter to a friend or family member (preserve the lost art of hand-written notes).
31.  Plant an indoor herb garden.
32.  Plan an indoor picnic if the weather is lousy – complete with the blanket on the floor.
33.  Scrapbook.
34.  Play board games.
35.  Put a puzzle together.
36.  Make a pine cone and peanut butter bird feeder.

Chill out.

37.  Listen to music.
38.  Plan an at-home spa day.
39.  Rent a $1.00 movie at BlockBuster Express or Redbox.
40.  Read a book or magazine.
41.  Take a nap.

Play on the Computer.

42.  Find free games to play online.
43.  Connect with friends on Facebook.
44.  Reconnect with an old friend and send them an email.
45.  Catch up on your favorite TV shows online.

Other frugal fun.

46.  Find a $1.00 movie theater.
47.  Pile up in the car and go for a ride in the country
48.  Go to a drive-in movie theater (yes, they do still exist).
49.  Go to the library.
50.  Power walk through the mall if it’s cold outside (leave your wallet in the car).

My hope is that one of these Living Frugal Tips and frugal fun ideas will help make it a great day for you. Please continue to add to the list via the comment field and let’s see how many frugal fun ideas we can come up with.

Enjoy you day!

With the rising costs of higher education, it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to afford to get a college degree. And, with the highly competitive job market, a degree is more important now than ever.

So, how can you help defer or off-set the expenses so that the dream of college can become a reality? Once again, it’s a Living Frugal Tip … you need to be resourceful and uncover all of the available financial aid, college scholarships, grants and loans that are available. You’ve got to dig deep and search at the Federal level and state level. You’ve got to search by subject areas (ie, teaching, nursing, banking, etc.), and you need to look for financial assistance that is awarded based on nationality, minority status, as well as various athletic scholarship opportunities.

I’ve compiled a list of valuable resources for finding college scholarship, grants and loans and other financial aid. I’ve steered clear of sites that require fees, long forms or participation in something to gain access to information. Here are the top picks:

• Federal Student Aid — An office of the U.S. Department of Education, ensures that all eligible individuals can benefit from federally funded or federally guaranteed financial assistance for education beyond high school.

• U.S Department of Education — An unbelievable wealth of financial aid resources. Find and Pay for College – Explore Financial Aid is a great starting point within the site.

• The Federal Pell Grant Program — This is the official site for information regarding Pell Grants that are need-based and offered to low-income students.

• U.S. Department of State — An official government site with extensive listings on scholarships, financial aid, internship opportunities and other useful resources.

• CollegeScholarships.org — This is a great resource that is free and does not require you to fill out long forms to search for information. You’ll find resources for finding scholarships, grants and loans by state, subject area, minority, athletic interest, as well as federal programs.

• 101 Grants You’ve Never Heard Of — A page worth calling out on CollegeScholarships.org that breaks out grant opportunities for states and by profession, You’ll also find grant award based on gender and if you have certain diseases.

My road to college was self-paid. I sold my car, got a Pell Grant, took out loans and worked two jobs while going to school full-time. Lunch and dinner consisted of Ramen Noodles (I’ve not eaten them since) and credit cards were used for emergencies.  My saving grace was that an old boss suggested a Cooperative Education Program. Basically you work within your field while going to school. I landed a job at a large advertising agency and worked my school schedule around my flexible work schedule. I made good money and got great experience. When I graduated college I had two years of full time experience in the business and this catapulted my career, not to mention significantly helped pay for school.

At the time I was completely unaware of all the financial aid resources and opportunities that were available. But, through the help of a boss and a guidance counselor I made it work. I graduated with loans and credit card dept, but they are all paid off now.

I’d love it if I can make it easier and help the process along for others.  As I come across other resources I will update this post. Also, please submit any other useful resources that you have come across.