On a fairly regular basis I list links to websites that I have discovered. These are sites the give helpful hints and useful info about topics ranging from finding jobs to saving money on grocery coupons to improving what you can get out of your webcam. You'll find links to sites that shows you the moons of Jupiter to the intricacies of a butterflie's wing.

 

Check back every so often to see what else I've added. And if you've come upon a site you think I should include then please send it to me. I send out a new list with my regular emails to my sphere that is at 1,450 and growing as of 6/8/09.

 

Jobs, Real Estate, Shopping, etc:

www.makinghomeaffordable.gov Are you eligible for government help with refinancing your home mortgage. Check here to find out.
http://truecar.com/ A site to give you useful information about buying a used car.
www.epa.gov – A great place to research fuel-saving additives and gadgets is the EPA's site. It'll give you the skinny on a wide range of products!
www.BugMeNot.com It will provide you with registration information for a ton of websites. All you need do is enter a site's address. You'll get a list of account names and passwords. That is, provided a user has submitted the information to BugMeNot. You can access the site without receiving unwanted e-mail.
www.pricepinx.com/ Use this site to make online shopping even easierAll you need do is install a bookmark in your browser. Then, when you're on a site's product page, highlight the price. Next, click the Price!pinx bookmark. Price!pinx does all the work for you. You'll receive a notification if the price drops! Price!pinx can also help you with low-price guarantees. It's great for cash-strapped families!
www.simplyhired.com/ Looking for a job? These jobs aren't on Simply Hired's site. Rather, Simply Hired does the heavy lifting for you. It searches other job sites and lists openings in one place.
To make things even easier, Simply Hired will alert you to jobs that match your search. http://buzgate.org/ This is a great resource for small business owners or those who want to become small business owners.
www.mygrocerydeals.com/ This helpful site gathers grocery store circulars. Once you sign up, you can view items that are on sale in the Triangle or any area you are interested in. Then, you can construct a shopping list from the sale items. You'll see how much you'll spend, along with your savings. You can also add other items to your list, even if they're not listed on the site. Then, you can print or e-mail your list. How convenient! But things get better. You can customize the deals you're shown. For example, you can opt to see deals from certain stores. Or, select the types of food you eat frequently.
www.govbenefits.gov/govbenefits_en.portal Have you ever wondered if you or someone in your family or your business might qualify for a government program? There are two ways to learn about benefits programs. First, you can answer a series of questions. This will show you programs for which you may qualify. Or, you can search for particular types of benefits. For example, you can look for career development assistance. You can look for grants, loans, tax help and much more!
www.billshrink.com/ Look for ways to shrink your bill from cell phone plans to credit card plans

Health & Safety, For The Home, Webtools:

www.yawcam.com Get more uses out of your webcam: security, pets, babysitters, etc. Yawcam features: Video streaming, Image snapshots, Built-in webserver, Motion detection, Ftp-upload, Text and image overlays, Password protection, Online announcements for communities, Scheduler for online time. It’s available for Windows XP and Vista – Sorry Mac owners.
www.jingproject.com/ Ever need a screen capture program. A great choice is TechSmith's Jing. This free program makes screen captures a snap. You can record videos or still shots. It really is so much easier than Print Screen! Jing sits on your desktop until you're ready to use it. All you need to do is click Capture and drag your mouse over the screen. Use Jing's comment feature to make notes on your screen captures. Jing even gives you Web storage for your captures. That makes sharing easy!
http://yardcare.com/ Maybe it is time for you to completely re-do your landscaping. Or, maybe you just want to plant some spring flowers. No matter your needs, visit yardcare.com before you begin.
It features a wealth of advice for making your lawn the most it can be. From planting a lawn to choosing gardening tools, it's all at yardcare.com! Of course, when it comes to yard care, advice isn't one-size-fits-all. You'll want advice tailored to the Triangle or if you’re not yet here then just find your region and garden away!
www.disaboom.com This site is about disabilities, with blogs, personal profiles and a lot of information about various disabilities.
www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/ A great source of information about public health, from nutrition to information about disease prevention
www.google.com/ads/preferences/plugin/browsers.html Are you concerned about what some websites like Google have on file about you. This information is stored in a database at Google. You would likely be embarrassed if it were made public. And you certainly wouldn't want a criminal to gain access to it. Fortunately, you can opt out of Google's new advertising program permanently. The steps are different from browser to browser. In some cases, you download a plug-in for your browser. In other cases, you'll need to change your browser preferences. Find out now what you need to do to maintain your privacy!
http://stilltasty.com/ At StillTasty, you can learn more about food safety. Learn the difference between "sell by," "best before" and "expires on" dates. There is also a large database of foods. Find out how long something will keep in your fridge or freezer. There are also tips for extending food life spans. You'll also want to check out the frequently asked questions section. And don't forget to read the tips for handling food safely!
http://tineye.com/ Have you ever wondered how many websites might have your photo or a photo of your children out there for everyone to see? Or, maybe you downloaded a photo. Now, you want to remember where you found it. If so, you'll want to head over to TinEye. You can upload an image from your computer. Or, simply enter a Web address for a photo. TinEye will scour the Web for similar copies of the photos. I was amazed by how well this site works.
http://www.invite43.com/ Start by naming your event and selecting a site name. Then, add important details and a map. You can also create a custom design and password protect the site.
You can then send a link to your site to the guests of your choice. They will be able to RSVP to your invitation quickly and easily. There is no registration needed. You also get tools to manage your guest list and guestbook. This is a fun, free and easy way to organize your events!

For The Kids and just plain Fun:

www.freebirthdaytreats.com/ This is one of my favorite sites. You can find businesses that offer freebies on your birthday. Search for your location and then by category. Unfortunately I have to wait until January 22nd to take advantage myself.
www.musopen.com Download free and legal MP3 files of classical music and even the sheet music that you can then play if you have musical talent.
www.nextstop.com/ Find cool, fun local attractions for things to do this summer.
http://www.mos.org/sln/sem/sem.html If you like looking at the strange and wonderful photos you can only get with a microscope then visit this site. Great for kids looking for something to do. You can see scales on moths, spider claws, grains of salt and so much more.
www.libraryspot.com/ With the power of the Internet it’s a wonder that anyone goes to the library anymore. But if you want a library online start at this site. You'll find a wealth of information. Look up quotes, double-check grammar and usage, or find calculators. Of course, the LibrarySpot offers so much more. You never know what you'll find until you start exploring. In that respect, it's much like a traditional library! And do try to go to our local libraries.
www.turtlebay.org/caltranseaglecam.php Now this is a fun site for adults and kids, especially if they are interested in birds. It is interesting to see the eagles take turns incubating the eggs. And the size of the nest is impressive, too. Of course, the eagles have worked on the nest for several years.
www.windows.ucar.edu/ Windows to the Universe will help your children understand our world. They can read about geology, physics and life science. But your kids might find the information on outer space the most fascinating. They can learn about space weather, space missions and more. There are also plenty of activities to keep your children busy. They can send postcards, play games and puzzles, and watch videos.