A few nights ago my expensive high speed internet went down. Not for a few minutes, but for hours. And then it happened again…..every day (but not all day) for 2 weeks. While this was inconvenient it could have been worse. So many services today tout the ease of storing your data online. They tout high up time and redundant servers, backup systems, etc. That’s all find and good — but what if you can’t get online? You can’t access your data.
Here’s a few things to think about storing locally (on your own computer) or at least not keeping your only copy online.
- Address/Phone Book – I use Palm Desktop to sync my Palm. This has been a great tool for looking up phone numbers when I don’t have online access. And it’s backed up, locally and on my Palm. Last night I even used an old fashioned phone book to look up the number for a local store.
- Financial Data – Keep it locally in Quicken (my favorite), Microsoft Money, or even a spreadsheet. If you don’t like any of these programs, you can still do it the old fashioned way — in a check register.
- Podcasts – download into iTunes so you can have something to listen to when you’re offline. Last night I caught up on the nightly news, NPR shows, and a devotional. I know way more about the oil spill than I did 24 hours ago — because I had podcasts to listen to.
- Documents – I love Google Docs for the ease of sharing documents with others, but when I’m not online I can’t read and edit them. Keep a copy locally for when you work offline.
- Recipes – Ever had the net go down when you’re making dinner and trying to find that recipe you read about on someone’s blog? Buy the book, print out the recipe, or at least save it to your computer.
- School Projects — My kids use Education Backpack to move files between school and home. This eliminates the need for thumb drives to be lost or stolen. Make sure you have a backup at home for when the internet is down. This is most likely to happen the night before a big project is due.
Make it a habit — and don’t store all your data online.
Do you pay for your property taxes directly (not have them escrowed by your mortgage company)? If so, Hamilton County is offering a new payment plan (with no extra fees) to homeowners. Check out the article in June’s Hamilton County Happenings (Note: it’s in PDF format).
Make it a habit to at least skim local news magazines, flyers and mailings. You never know when you’ll find something useful to help your family save money.
It’s the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May…..or in other words….it’s Election Day! Many primaries and levies are on the ballot across the state. And don’t forget the 2 proposed Ohio Constitutional amendments:
1. to buy bonds for Ohio’s Third Frontier
2. to change the location of the casino in Columbus from downtown to the west side
If you live in SW Ohio there are many school levies on the ballot. Whatever you do, please vote. Without your vote, the district you live in doesn’t know what you think and what you support and value. Butler County polling places are open until 7:30pm tonight.
Don’t forget to bring your photo id.
Going on a trip this Spring? If so, you might want to save a few dollars while you’re there. Did you know that you can buy an Entertainment book for the area you’ll be visiting? And right now Entertainment is having a SALE! 50% off plus FREE SHIPPING! Most of the books are under $20 shipped. Every time we travel, I check out a local book. It can save us tons of money while having fun.
Traveling to see the Mouse in Orlando or LA? There’s a book for that. Family in Texas? There’s 7 books. There’s even books for Puerto Rico, and Canada.
Get Discounts (many 2 for 1 or 50% off) at:
- Fancy Restaurants
- Bagel and Donut Shops
- Fast Food
- Hotels
- Attractions
Q: How do you know if there’s a coupon for an item?
A: I remember a lot of coupons that come in the newspaper, but I also use technology when my memory fails. One place I go is http://www.coupontom.com/. Just start typing a product name and it’ll come up with coupons that match. Not all coupons are in this database and sometimes the Sunday coupons don’t seem to be in there right away. But this is a great source for a quick “is there a coupon I can use” question.
If you love to read magazines Amazon is having a SALE! I love getting magazines this way. Not only are these magazines well priced, but they are also eligible for Free Super Saver Shipping. And you know I love free shipping at Amazon. This deal only goes through Jan 31, 2010. For a complete list of deals check out $5 off Magazines
. Please note that the direct links show some magazines that are not family friendly.
Here’s a few of my favorites:
This Old House
Money
Time
I’m an Amazon affiliate.
The deals just keep stacking up. Border’s Books is offering $60 in gift cards for $50. They come as two $25 cards and a bonus $10 card. Only available online, but shipping is free. Complete information here.
Save even more with bonus gift card deals at other stores and restaurants.
