In addition to free samples, free gifts with purchase and the occasional restaurant freebies, free online resources are an essential piece of the frugalista's arsenal. These freebies are great because they do not expire so you can bookmark them to use when you need them. Here are five resources that we have found particularly helpful:
Free Online Over-the-Counter Medicine Guide at Walmart - This resource is particularly helpful if you have children. Staring at a rack of 15 different cough medicines at 3:00 AM can be overwhelming. Look up the symptoms on this handy guide, follow the questions and it will direct you to the medication you need. Arm yourself with knowledge BEFORE you go to the store. Or if you have a bottle of over-the-counter medication and are unclear as to what symptoms it is meant for, you can search by the brand name and medicine type as well. You can also indicate existing medical conditions and it will narrow search results to products that are safe for use with high blood pressure, pregnancy, diabetes, etc.
Free Allergy Alert Tool for Local Pollen Level at Walmart - If you have severe allergies to pollen, this resource is a must for your health. Use this tool to check the pollen count in any given United States location. Use it daily during peak seasons to get an idea of how much medication you'll need that day. Or use it when you're traveling to plan ahead for pollen counts at your destination and pack medication accordingly.
Free Weight Loss eTools from Jenny Craig - Even if you are not a member of Jenny Craig, you can use these resources for free. Other weight loss sites charge $15-20 a month for the same features. Start planning your weight loss success story with a number of great tools to help to you find your BMI, determine your dieting style, target potential problem areas and help you create a plan to address your weaknesses. There is also an online diet journey, progress charts and exercise log to keep you focused on your goals.
Free Virtual Makeover at e.l.f. Cosmetics - Keep this one on-hand for those moments you are thinking of making a drastic change in hairstyle or hair color, or makeup. Before you let those scissors touch your head or reach for that bottle of dye, find out if that look is going to turn you into a bombshell or a train wreck. Do the same with new makeup ideas and save yourself tons of money that you might spend on colors and products that just don't work for you.
Free Online Tools to Help Stop Smoking from Commit - Even if you don't want to use Commit as part of your plan to stop smoking, you'll find these online resources to be incredibly helpful as you plot strategy and fight your way to non-smoking freedom. There are a wide variety of tools to help you get started including the Readiness Indicator to evaluate your motivation, the Dependency Quiz to find out how "hooked" you are, the Health Risk Assessor to find out if your are at high risk for cancer (some smokers are at a higher risk than others - are you one of them?) or the Savings Calculator to calculate how much money you'll save. These are just a few of the tools available for free.
--Renee
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