Free Services (and Other Things) Most People Don't Know About

I come from a working-class family that believes in saving money but stresses that cheap is not always best. From this I learned that every so often you can get a good pair of designer shoes for less than $20 or with the combination of a supermarket sale and coupons, you can get certain item free or get cash back without going through that mail-in rebate process (I'm still training myself to do this). Sometimes saving money can be fun and other times it can require more thought than most are willing to dedicate at the moment.

When I began working for the school system, I knew I was taking a slight cut in pay in an exchange for steady work hours and my pay frequency changed from weekly to monthly so this was another sacrifice that affected my lifestyle. So I thought it wise at the time to enlist outside help. I re-joined my mail order book club and bought all the books I could on saving money. The Tightwad Gazette series, which started out as newsletter published by Amy Dacynzyn gave some good hints but overall, is a little extreme if you do not live a rural life and have no children. Like everybody else, I'd seen Matthew Lesko's commercials on late night TV that promise free money, grants, etc. In Lesko's books, most of the resouces listed are the same ones found in the federal government's Consumer Information booklet that you can pick up for free at your local library, are in the government section in your White/Yellow pages or the information may have been a little exaggerated. For example, he once incorrectly listed a Los Angeles non-profit as being able to give a $10,000 grant to small businesses. I know this for a fact because these people assisted me with my home business and the most they can guarantee is less than half that amount. For more feedback on any of Matthew Lesko's books, go to amazon.com and read the comments section before spending any money.

Nowadays, you see many people offering services to help you start that business you've been thinking about or help with your existing business. Starting a business is not for everybody, regardless of education or skills. As I mentioned before, I have a small gifts business that I pondered for years before actually putting things into action. People will tell you what you want to hear, if you pay them. Or worse, they can tell you nothing after paying them. The classes at the Learning Annex franchises can be benefical to a small business but if you want similar information for free (or at least low price), check out your local Small Business Development Center (SBDC) or the Small Business Administration (SBA). These agencies work with different levels of government and other well known, non-profit organizations such as the United Way. In other words, any information given is real, non-speculative and not plugging a book they self-published. One downside is that classes that are free tend to welcome the public and some attending may not be as serious as you are about starting a business. The other is that, like taking college courses, the speaker may not be as interesting as you may like. They are not misleading but after a hard day of work, it is easy to go to sleep during their presentation.

There are other free things given away by manufacturers and other companies to promote other products they have to sell. Besides catalogs, they sometimes offer free samples or direct information that can make a difference in one's life. For example, State Farm Insurance is known mostly for selling insurance but did you know they offer both a guide for selecting the right college and a wedding planner for the working woman? Sometimes the best travel planner is the Division of Tourism/Travel Information office of the state or city that you want to visit. If you call during suggested business hours, they will send you free of charge.

As I get older, I seek ways to make my small change stretch as far as possible - even into my senior years. So lately I have been looking into financial planning methods. When we hear about celebrities or lottery winners going broke and think, 'If they hadn't spend so much money, they might not be crying now.' After a while it is discovered that they did not meet with a financial planner, or worse, got bad money management advice. Both the International Association For Financial Planning (1-888-806-PLAN) and the Oppenheimer Funds Inc.(1-888-470-0862) have free information that gives you the basics to short and long-term money management.

Finally, if you live in Los Angeles or New York or plan to visit either place and love to watch TV, you can go to the tapings for free. One website to check out is www.tvtix.com or if you wouldn't mind getting paid to watch various television shows being taped, contact Standing Room Only in Hollywood. Remember to get to the studio at least one hour before since the early bird catches the worm.