The Contemplation » frugal

Frugal Tip: NBC and NFL Will Offer Live Streaming of Super Bowl

tech — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 18:40:58 +0000

The Super Bowl will be streamed online and to phones for the first time, the NFL said Tuesday. NBC’s broadcasts of wild card Saturday, the Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl will be available on NFL Network online, NBC Network online and through Verizon’s NFL Mobile app.

The service will include additional camera angles, in-game highlights and live stats — and replays of those always popular Super Bowl ads.

NBC has been streaming its “Sunday Night Football” telecasts for four seasons, and the network has found that it’s not just being used by fans who can’t watch on TV. Many of the page views come from people using the service as a complement to the traditional broadcast.

It certainly would seem likely that fans would do the same for Super Bowl XLVI on Feb. 5. The game is annually the biggest attraction on television by far, with last season’s Packers-Steelers matchup drawing 111 million viewers, a record U.S. audience for any show.

“Whether it’s just for a quarter if somebody has to run out to the store to get something they forgot, now they can stay connected to the game,” Hans Schroeder, the NFL’s senior vice president of media strategy and development, told The Associated Press. “With such a big television audience, it will be interesting to see the expanded reach.“

NBC’s streams on Sunday nights typically average 200,000-300,000 viewers, compared with 21 million for the telecasts. The network has seen no evidence they hurt the traditional broadcasts’ healthy TV ratings. If anything, the extra options online may help keep fans glued to the games on their sets.

“We don’t want to limit ourselves to people not in front of the TV,” said Rick Cordella, vice president and general manager for NBC Sports Digital Media.

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Kate Middleton Carries Rewards Cards

tech — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:03:19 +0000

The people’s princess!

Duchess Kate is royalty now, but that doesn’t mean she’s given up her thrifty ways! When blogger Ashlin of GetWhatKateWore.com saw Kate shopping at Topshop in London Monday, she learned that the 29-year-old royal has a wallet full of rewards cards!

“I saw all her rewards cards [to accumulate points at stores] she carries. She had to shift through them to find her Visa card,” Ashlin said.

She also noted that the Duchess went into the fitting rooms at the store and tried on clothes just like everyone else.

So what did Kate walk away with? “A [$130] blue blazer with black lining… [and] a [$76] polka dot skirt. She also bought a pair of earrings.”

Thoughts – I would love to see congress members and family member be thrifty.

via Us MagazineSimilar Posts:

Frugal Tip: 10 Uses for Cheap Vodka

tech — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 13:26:08 +0000

Cheap Vodka is Still Vodka

Vodka also has a long history of use as medicine, having been sold by druggists to cure everything from infertility to colic and the plague. While some of those historic promoters were half-cocked, it’s true that vodka has a wide range of potential uses beyond serving as a relaxer and social lubricant.

Drink it
Treat Poison Ivy - To avoid the uncomfortable reaction, immediately pour vodka on skin that has come into contact with poison ivy, and the alcohol will wash away the itchy culprit, urushiol oil.
Odor Killer – spray down your garments, sneakers or furniture with a vodka dilution between dry cleaning to remove odors (not stains).
Glass Cleaner – This include eye glasses, windows and mirrors.
Mouthwash - Combine cheap vodka with a few drops of cinnamon, spearmint, or tea tree oil and let sit for two weeks. You’ve got your own high-octane mouthwash. Just make sure to spit after you rinse.
Pie Crust - Swapping ice cold vodka for water in pie crust recipes ensures a flakier crust. The vodka makes the dough more pliable to work with, and then evaporates while baking, giving you a lighter result than water.
Dandruff or Dry Scalp Solution - Mix one cup of vodka with two teaspoons of rosemary and let sit for two days. Strain and use as a rinse to remove shampoo build-up, or as a leave-in scalp treatment. Keep away from eyes, it will burn.
Re-Usable Ice Pack - Combine equal parts vodka and water in a sealable freezer bag for a slushy ice pack to nurse injuries.
Hand Sanitizer - Vodka is a natural enemy to bacteria, so reach for that small spray bottle and mist your hands generously.
Razors - Prolong the life of razors by filling a cup with vodka and letting your safety razor blade soak in the alcohol after shaving. The vodka disinfects the blade and prevents rusting.

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Frugal Tip: Five College Cost Cutting Ideas

tech — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 12:36:15 +0000

Higher education is expensive, here are some tips that will help you shave off the expense:

Small scholarships. Those $250 scholarships add up, get 5 micro scholarship (for a four-year education) is $ 5,000. That will make a difference.

Colleges and Universities love those types of students for the simple reason more scholarship = free PR. With more scholarship money the chances are the institution will work with you in extending extra money your way to ensure attendance.
One of the most important thing to remember with scholarships comes a thank you note, each semester/year the money is received. Also, if you get good grades, nothing will ensure financial support for each semester than an excellent report card.
No matter how small the scholarship is in monetary value – take all opportunities to thank them in person.

Scholarships take time

Time is money
Spend a few hours a week research and applying for scholarships.
Think extreme couponing without the storage need.

Advanced Placement (AP) courses.

A few AP courses looks good on a college application (which can increase the financial aid package in itself)
Colleges might give academic credit for successful AP tests, which means less classes needed for graduation and cheaper the cost.

Post Freshman Year

Once you are in your Sophomore, Junior and Senior year — go back to the institutions financial aid office and see about unclaimed scholarships. Students drop out of college and the money just sits there. This will help in obtaining funds for computers, printers, or other essentials that have to come out of your pocket.

Local isn’t Always Frugal

Scotland, Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico and many other countries have extremely cheap higher education. It is just four years – why do you have to stay in the US? This is a perfect time to live in another country, get an education and have the money to do so.

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25 Things to Throw Out Today | Wise Bread

tech — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 13:56:35 +0000

According to Wise Bread there are the 25 things you should be throwing out. I noted ** all those that I disagree with mainly for either multiple use, still being used and options for upgrade.

Clothing and shoes you haven’t worn in the last 18 months ** only practical if the clothing is worn and you can afford to replace. It is better to spend your money on quality vs quality. A good classic coat should be useful for, at least, 5 years.
Old paint
Contents of the junk drawer ** depends on your junk drawer
Dated receipts, paychecks, and bills ** keep at least 5 years worth, or better yet scan ‘em
Unread books ** not my collection
Expired medicines and vitamins
Cups and mugs ** why? I am a coffee, tea and coco drinker. Why would I throw out mugs.
Plastic containers ** no way, if it still works — we keep. We are frugal and pack lunches everyday
Linens ** downgrade to rags
Power cords
Magazines ** craft projects love old magazines
Spices ** WTF? Dried spices have a long shelf life.
Old greeting cards ** craft projects love old magazines
DVDs, VHS and audio tapes, CDs and video games ** no way, I am still playing DVDs, VHS and video games that are over 10 years old. Best solution for VHS and DVDs is to convert to a HD and sell.
Makeup
Old underwear, socks, and bras ** downgrade to rags
Dated technology, including old cell phones ** old computers can be made new with Ubuntu and computers can become home servers and even Skype server.
Coat hangers ** unless you have an alternative
Toys ** donate to church
Those “fix it up” projects ** just finish ‘em or hire someone to finish ‘em
Cribs, car seats, and other baby/toddler products ** if you plan on having more children . . . the writer must be childless or have their tubes tied.
Perfumes and colognes
Jewelry ** sell em
Rugs ** downgrade to basement or winter use only
Food ** only spoiled food

Via Wise Bread.Similar Posts: