Plan & Decorate Your Room in 3D

If you'de like to make your home more you, now there is help.

mydeco is a FREE website that brings together a set of 3D tools to help you plan your room before you even open a can of paint.

Create your unique style using our layout planning tools | Plan my Room | mydeco

mydeco offers a wide range of products from high street stores to niche retailers, thousands of inspiring looks to fit your budget, expert designers on hand for advice, and you can also join their community to share ideas, swap decorating tips and show off your designs.

To start planning your room's new look, simply get started here.

PicniK: A Hosted, Free Photoshop Alternative

Picnik is a FREE, online photoshop alternative.

It's the easiest way on the Web to fix underexposed photos, remove red-eye, or apply effects to your photos.


What can I do with Picnik?
With plenty of Edit tools you can fix just about anything that could possibly go wrong with a photograph.

Many of the editing tools are one-click fixes, including auto- fix, exposure, colors, and red-eye.

And the others, like rotate, crop, resize, and sharpening, can be controlled with easy-to-use sliders.

Also available are custom-made Effects (most of which have the ability to be painted into just the areas of your image where you want them), an awesome text tool with dozens of fonts, dozens of shapes, including seasonal shapes for holidays and events, and some super customizable frames and much more.

Picnik lets you upload photos from your computer; and it can also pull photos directly from photo sharing sites like flicker, Picasa, facebook, WebShots, PhotoBucket etc.

They used to have FREE and Premium type accounts, but Picnik has just announced that users will now have full access to all of Picniks editing features for free.

Tools now available to all users include advanced edit tools, special effects, additional fonts and shapes. The service will be ad supported, but those wanting an ad free experience can sign up for Picnik Premium for $24.95 a year.

So to use ALL of the editing features for FREE simply sign up for a FREE account.

Free Wedding Invitations & Event Managment

These days, cell phones, MP3 players, and even our sneakers are stylish, personalized, and technologically progressive. So why are online invitations stubbornly stuck in the past?

A new web service, Pingg.com aims to change all that.

So far they seem to be doing a GREAT job.

The site offers FREE and advanced event management and reporting tools WITHOUT compromising style.

Its designs are stunning and very inviting (pun intended) making for invitations that express personality and deliver excitement.



Pingg is the next generation of free invitations, delivery and event management tools, and more:

• Stylish and sophisticated invitations that reflected our taste and personality as well as our event style

• The ability to send invitations and follow-up communications in a way that was compatible with our modern lives, via email, sms, personalized event web page, social networks (facebook) and also printed and mailed ... because sometimes people want an old-fashioned invitation

• The ease and convenience of advanced management tools for organizing guest lists and tracking open-rates so that we could manage personal and professional events from one place

To create your next event and invitations simply register for a FREE account.

Project2Manage: Free Web Alternative to MS-Project and BaseCamp

Project2Manage is a FREE, hosted project management solution.

It is simple and easy, and can be used by everyone involved in a project.

Publish Post

Project2Manage

Project2Manage is a great tool to keep you and your projects organized. It has a ton of features that allow you to create, manage and complete projects in your day to day activities as well as your professional life.

Your team doesn’t have to be located in one place with Project2Manage - Project2Manage includes tools, like Spot2Jot, which allows you to create documents and then edit them from anywhere.

This especially comes in handy when your team is spread out in different locations.

You can also set up milestones that alert you when a task is due and never miss a deadline again.

For more information, check the online tour, or sign up for a FREE account.

Xpenser: The Free & Easy Way To Do Your Expense Report

Fed up with how painful expense reports and tracking are?

Then try Xpenser - a FREE and efficient way to manage your expenses and reports.

Xpenser offers "Fire and Forget" expense tracking. Simply record expenses as soon as they happen and forget about them.

Xpenser - Mobile Expense Tracking and Reporting

Xpenser lets you record expenses via whatever means are available to you quickly and painlessly. Send them in via Email, SMS, IM, or voice (call a number and say your expense).

From your Blackberry, email "Lunch 78.50 with BigClient" and it's recorded.

From your phone, SMS "exp groceries 27.13".

From your computer, IM "Equipment 889.19 backup server".

From your phone, call and say "taxi 39 office to airport".

Use the Web interface to edit and finalize them or export them to your favorite financial management software.

No more forgetting your cash expenses, no more half-day expense entry sessions.

For more info take a look at the online tour, or simply sign up for a FREE account.

PickUpPal: The Easy Way To Carpool

Fact: With millions of vehicles on the road, someone is definitely going your way!

So finding a ride, or someone to share the expense with should be easy, right?

It is with PickUpPal - a new web service that provides an easy way to carpool by matching up Passengers with Drivers who are going the same way.

PickUpPal: match up Passengers with Drivers who are going the same way

Launched in January 2008, PickupPal allows a private vehicle engaged in a transportation event (a one-way trip from A to B) to be matched intelligently and dynamically over the Internet to a pickup location (someone or something) along its planned route anywhere in the world.

PickupPal's core service is providing a venue for either passengers or packages to find or be matched to a driver—typically already traveling in a certain direction or destination.

PickupPal DOES NOT have a fee for "using the site". So joining the community, posting routes and viewing opportunities is FREE.

PickupPal's only fee applies to the drivers who decide to charge their passenger an amount to offset their driving costs (such as gas or the cost of owning a car), something they make clear in their offer. PickupPal charges a 7% fee on that transaction.

So for example a driver offers to drive a passenger across town for let’s say $20. The passenger pays the driver in cash at the end of the drive and the driver puts the money in their pocket. PickupPal then charges the driver 7% on the $20 fare – so that is $1.40. When it is convenient for the driver he/she pays us via PayPal. Usually we like to let the charges accumulate a bit until the driver owes us say $10 (10 Euros) or more and then at that point we ask to get paid. The passenger does not pay PickupPal.

See PickupPal in action:



With millions of vehicles on the road, someone is definitely going your way!

Delegate Effectively With a Monkey On Your Back

Waiting on someone to do something for you?

Just send a specially trained monkeys to remind them!

Monkey On Your Back is a FREE, to-do list for things that you want other people to do.

Create a monkey for each task you want to delegate to someone else. Monkey On Your Back will send that person email reminders about the task, and email you a reminder when the deadline for the task has expired.

Monkey On Your Back

To send a monkey
Simply give your monkey a recipient, a description, and a deadline. Monkey On Your Back will send the recipient regular reminder emails to make sure they don't forget.

See & manage all your monkeys
You can see all the monkeys you've sent, or all the monkeys that others have sent you, in one place; where you can edit your monkeys and review each monkey's history.

All in all it's an effective way to follow up on delegated tasks.

To give it a try; sign up for a FREE account.

StuffSafe: Protect Your Possessions With a Home Inventory

What is a home inventory and why do I need one?
A home inventory is simply a detailed list of the stuff you own and should be a big part of your theft or disaster recovery plan.

Your up-to-date inventory will help you purchase the correct amount of home owner insurance protection, get your insurance claim settled faster if you suffer property loss or damage and verify losses for your tax returns.

However, even the best home inventory is not worth much if you can't find it after a fire, flood or other disaster. And keeping your inventory on your home computer is fine until it gets stolen or destroyed.

Enter StuffSafe - a FREE solution that keeps your inventory securely online where you or your insurance agent can get quick access.

StuffSafe : Online Home Inventory Software

How do I start making my home inventory?
Cataloging all the stuff you own can be a daunting challenge so start with the big ticket items like appliances, computers, home electronics, jewelry, furniture and power tools.

Gradually work to the less expensive items like books, linens and clothing. For each item, give a brief description, date purchased, make, model, serial number (if appropriate) and replacement value. A photo of the item is helpful too.

How do I get started?
Creating a StuffSafe account is fast and easy! Just enter your email address and name to get started - no phone number, address or billing information. Your account is free forever and you cancel your account at any time.

Once you create an account, just follow the instructions for adding locations, rooms and items to your inventory.

In case of emergency?
On any computer with an internet connection, you simply log into your StuffSafe account. Then, you can print or download your entire inventory.

Also, you can let your insurance agent, partner or friend have read-only access to your StuffSafe account with separate passwords. Read-only access means that the user will not be able to add, edit or delete anything in your inventory - the user can only view, print or download your inventory.

Multipe locations
You can add an unlimited number of locations (home, office, lake house etc.) and separate inventories to your StuffSafe account.

Watch What You Eat. Literally!

Figuring out food labels is not for everyone, but simply seeing what you are eating can be surprising to all of us.

A new site, Foodsel.com helps us do just that.

Foodsel

The site contains detailed nutrient information, ranging from the usual information about sugar, fat and carbohydrate all the way up to detailed information about lesser known nutrients (potassium, beta-sitosterol, essential vs. non-essential amino acids etc.

The information covers over 7,500 foods and is neatly organized by group, manufacturer or nutrient.

Extensive activities & exercises
Had a nice meal? Then have a look what you can do to burn the calories you have just gained. Of course, sports are listed, but non-sport activities such as child care are listed as well.

How To Get Out Of (Or Into) An Existing Cell Phone Contract

A good friend of mine recently took a new job on job on the west coast, and will be moving there from Houston.

His new position includes a company cell phone; so he won't be needing his current cell phone anymore.

Unfortunately, he has, not long ago, re-upped his cell phone contract in order to get the latest phone (blackberry pearl) for free. So now he is "stuck" with ~18 months of contract for a phone he doesn't need anymore.

Obviously, he can simply cancel his contract; but all the cell phone carriers charge a hefty early termination fee of $150 to $250. In his case, T-mobile charges $200.

So...I'm writing this post to help him (and anyone else) get out of an existing cell phone contract WITHOUT having to pay the early termination fee.

The way to do that is to basically find someone else to take over the reminder of your contract.

Finding someone else to take over your contract can be difficult. Fortunately, two sites, CellSwapper and CellTradeUSA can help you with exactly that.

Cellswapper.com - Get out of your cell phone contract - mobile contract - wireless contract

Both sites are very similar and basically serve as a market place for people wanting in and out of existing cell phone contracts.

Celltrade, America's Online Cellular Exchange Place

How it works:
Cellular customers register to list their remaining contract obligation. Other members can browse and make contact with them. Once a match is made they can follow through with the respective cellular service transfer of responsibility process.

What are the fees for the service?
For the party that wants OUT of the contract: Both sites charge a flat fee of $20-$25 for to actually connect you with interested parties (though you can gauge interest in your plan before paying anything).

For the party that wants IN: Nothing. It is absolutely free to register and take over someone's contract!

Cookthink: Free Recipes That Match Your Cravings

Cookthink.com is a personalized cooking and recipe website that helps you find recipes to suit your cravings.

"..the “Cookthink It” feature was inspired by the many conversations we've had over the years: with ourselves, with each other, with friends and family. Those conversations went something like this:

"What should I cook tonight?"
"What are you craving?"
"I don't know. Maybe fish. But something hearty. And something easy. Kind of feeling like Mexican."
"What about fish tacos with avocado, cabbage and feta?"
"Ooh, that sounds good."..."

The “Cookthink It” feature was created to recreate this process online. It lets you search for recipes by a combination of ingredients, dish types, cuisines and moods so that we can answer the question: What are you craving?

Cookthink

When you’re craving something to eat, what is it that you really want? Do you want a specific ingredient? Do you want a particular dish or the flavors of a certain cuisine? Do you want to feel a certain way?

Every recipe is made up of all these things. Cookthink's , Recipe Mapping Project aims to figure out all the little bits and pieces that go into making a good recipe.

Each recipe is broken down to its components , analyzing dozens of characteristics about what goes into a dish — what it tastes like, smells like, feels like, and how it makes you feel to eat it.

You can tap into this process when you use the “Cookthink It” tool to search by ingredient (pork chop, zucchini), dish type (salad, burrito) cuisine (Italian, Thai) and mood (exuberant, summery).

When you “Cookthink It” , what you’re craving is and compared to all of the recipes, returning the one recipe that best fits what you’re looking for.

How To Get A Free Computer Security Checkup

Are you ready to step safely into the online world?

To be sure that you can be safely online, check your computer with a FREE health check by F-Secure.

It makes sure that your computer has the necessary security products, and the operating system and programs on your computer are up to date.

No sign-up or registration required -- simply launch Internet Explorer, and head to over to the free, computer security check.

After the check is complete, you get a status report:


Not all of these programs necessarily put your computer at risk at the moment. However, by updating the programs, you minimize the future risks in using the programs.

The report will also point you to the web sites where you can grab your upgrades.

So go take the free security checkup and be sure that you can be safely online.

How To Find Out If There Are Violent Criminals In Your Neighborhood

FelonSpy is not the typical site I usually write about. With BIG gun ads and an aggressive vigilante attitude, this is not a site I would want my kids to visit.

However, there maybe more dangerous things, or rather people, in your own neighborhood ==> and that's where FelonSpy could be useful (which is what THIS site is all about).

They say that safety starts with information and this is what FelonSpy provides by mapping convicted and accused criminals who live in your neighborhood.


How it works
Simply type in the desired address, click enter. "...Felon Search technology mines data from across the nation, from the web and otherwise, and combines it into a single, easy to use interface..."

So whether you're checking your own neighborhood; or trying to find out if that hotel you've been eyeing is in a safe place, check FelonSpy and "...let your new knowledge be your peace of mind..."

dizzywood: Explore an Incredible and FREE 3D Virtual World for Kids

Dizzywood is a FREE, virtual world where the focus is on fun. Kids can play games, interact, and have a good time in a safe and positive environment.

Kids start by creating a character (sometimes referred to as an avatar) and then they can explore the many areas of Dizzywood. Along the way, they'll have the opportunity to interact with other children, engage in challenging activities, and earn many rewards, such as items, achievement badges and even super powers.

Dizzywood actively encourages kids to play and interact in a positive manner with other kids.

Since many of the activities are designed to foster a sense of cooperation -- it is and highly recommended that parents discuss personal safety online with their kids.

Dizzywood has a straightforward parents guide with a few simple tips.

Dizzywood is an exciting, fun virtual world and kids game filled with activities and exploration. You can join right now for FREE here!

How To Back Up Your iTunes Library

How-to video site, Howcast, features -- How To Back Up Your iTunes Library.


"...You've spent months, years, decades updating your music collection from vinyl to 8-track, from 8-track to cassette, from cassette to CD, from CD to this new-fangled digital format. Don't let all that hard work disappear with one fried circuit—back it up..."

How To Back Up Your iTunes Library [Howcast]

How To Easily Compare Mortgage Rates

One of the (few) good things to come out of the sub-prime credit mess is a lower interest rate.

With interest rates at their lowest in years, now maybe the time to re-finance or take out that second mortgage.

The Mortgage Professor has a FREE online tool to compare wholesale mortgage rates.

Mortgage Wholesale Rates

Simply select your geographic area, and time period to look at. Choose whether you want your data in chart or table format, and what kind of mortgage you want to look at.

You can further sort the results by FICO score , loan purpose, loan size, type of documentation, or size of down payment.


This is an easy way to compare mortgage rates, and find out how strong you have to be to get them. Or simply use it to see how much of a markup your broker is charging.

So take a quick look at the Mortgage Professor to see and compare today's mortgage rates.

Traveling? Get Free Wake Up Calls You Can Count On

When you're away from home and have a meeting, flight or any other "can't miss" appointment; you need a wake up call you can trust.

The hotel's radio alarm clock certainly isn't it!

Enter WakerUpper - "...the web's easiest telephone reminder tool..."

Wakerupper.com - Free Wake-up Calls and Telephone Reminders

Wakerupper is a FREE service that aims to make telephone alerting as easy as possible.

No more need to pay a wakeup call service up to 6 dollars to arrange a one-time wakeup call.

It's FREE and easy -- just input the date and time when you want to receive the call, your time zone, your e-mail address and your phone number.

You also have the option of typing a message to yourself; and Wakerupper will “read” the message to you when you answer the call.

You can also use Wakerupper to:

• Remind yourself of important events
• Remember to take medication on time
• Escape from a boring date or meeting
• Remind child or spouse to do chores
• Set reminders for tasks and follow-ups

Want to test drive Wakerupper before you trust it to wake you up for your flight to Chicago in the morning? Schedule a test call now.

More Ways To Find Cheap Airfare

Previously, we have written about how to Pinpoint The Best Time To Buy Your Ticket.




Now, new how-to video site -- Howcast, features additional ways to help you find cheap airfare, like:

• planning ahead
• using alternate airports
• buying on Wednesdays between midnight and 1 a.m. (that’s when most airlines readjust their prices for the week).

How To Find Cheap Airfare [Howcast]

How To Find Free Music Downloads

SkreemR is a search engine for locating audio files on the web.

Unlike some other music search engines, SkreemR has bare bones functionality.

But they have one feature that the others do not; a direct link to the file on the third party server --> that means downloading the song to your hard drive is just a right mouse click away.

There is nothing to install - you simply use your web browser to find and listen to music that you are interested in.

SkreemR Mp3 Search - World's Greatest Mp3 Search

How it works:
Enter the artist, song or album you're looking for; and get back links to MP3s files.



SkreemR ranks the results using AudioRank --> SkreemR's new scoring system to help put the best quality, most reliable files at the top of the results.

Every file in the search results gets a score from 0 to 100. The higher the score, the better the file.

Note on Copyright:
While SkreemR claims that since it does not host the files it has no responsibility for its content; download copyrighted material at your own risk etc. etc.

Genealogy: Start Your Family Tree And Watch It Grow

Geni is a FREE tool for understanding and staying in touch with your family. Geni lets you create a family genealogy tree through a simple interface.

You can expand your tree by adding relatives' email addresses. They will be invited to join your tree and can add other relatives. Your tree will continue to grow as relatives invite other relatives.

Geni - Genealogy - Free Family Tree

Each family member has a profile which can be viewed by clicking their name in the genealogy tree. This helps family members learn more about each other and stay in touch.

Family members can also share photos and work together to build profiles for common ancestors.

Geni is private -- only the people in your family tree can log in to your tree and your profile.

For more info, watch the following video tutorial on how to start and grow your family's genealogy tree.

Super Tuesday: Join The Fight With Kung-Fu Election

Tired of just watching others duke-it-out on TV?

Join the fight today in a no holds bar fight to the death with the game Kung-Fu Election.



Choose your favorite candidate (Clinton, Obama, Huckabee, Romney, McCain etc.) and then put them head to head in a Kung-Fu fight for the presidency.



All come equipped with their own weapons, and there's a training mode so you can get acquainted with your candidate before making a run for the white house.

10 Universities Offering Free Writing Courses Online

Previously, we covered how anyone can get the best online courses from the best schools, for free.

Today, we take it a step further, with 10 Universities Offering Free Writing Courses Online.

Whether you are a current writer or looking to break into the craft, formal writing courses can help you hone your skills. If you don't have the money or the time for a campus-based course, there are plenty of universities that offer free writing courses online.

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (mit.edu)

• Introduction to Fiction
• Writing and Reading Short Stories
• Advanced Essay Workshop

MIT offers dozens and dozens of free writing courses online through the MIT OpenCourseWare initiative. Course topics include everything from writing fiction, poems and essays to analyzing all forms of literature. Lecture notes, videos, suggested reading lists and more will help you become the writer you want to be. No registration is required.

2. Utah State University (usu.edu)

• Intro to Writing Academic Prose
• Intermediate Research Writing
• Technology for Professional Writers

Utah State University's Department of English publishes three free courses devoted to the art of writing through the school's OpenCourseWare program. The courses are extensive and may take up to 16 weeks to complete if you study at the average pace. No registration is required.

3. Open University (open.ac.uk)

• Fiction Writing Course
• Descriptive Writing Course
• Essay Writing Course

The UK's largest academic institution, Open University, offers a number of different writing courses through their OpenLearn website. The free curriculum includes both undergraduate and graduate level courses that are available to everyone regardless of your country of origin. No registration is required.

4. University of Utah (utah.edu)

• Introduction to Shakespeare
• Introduction to Creative Writing

The University of Utah's English Department offers free courses to self-learners around the world. Currently, there are only two free writing courses. Both offer strong preparation in their topic and are built for beginners. No registration is required.

5. Western Governors University (wgu.edu)

• Rhetorical and Critical Writing
• Language and Communications
• Literature Course - Parts I and II

Western Governors University has made free course materials available through an open content license. There are several free writing courses courtesy of the university's Liberal Arts Department. All courses are split into convenient self-study modules. No registration is required.

6. Purdue University (owl.english.purdue.edu)

• Pattern and Variation in Poetry
• Proofreading Your Writing
• Conquering the Comma

Purdue University brought their writing lab to life online in 1994 to offer a writing resource to students no matter where they were located. Online Writing Lab (OWL) materials are now free to everyone regardless of location or student status. The OWL site offers writing instruction, grammar and usage information, individualized help from tutors and much more. No registration is required.

7. Steven Barnes' UCLA Writing Course (lifewrite.com)

• 9-Week Introduction to Screenwriting Course

Best selling author and screenwriter Steven Barnes offers the free version of the writing class he has been teaching at UCLA for years on his website. The course offers in-depth instruction on writing, which is why Barnes suggests completing each part of the nine-week course one week at a time. Nevertheless, it can be downloaded all at once. No registration is required.

8. News University (newsu.org)

• Cleaning Your Copy
• Beat Basics and Beyond
• Covering Breaking News

News University has a solid e-learning program designed to providing training to journalists. Most of the courses offered at News U are free, especially those that are self-directed. Courses cover everything from writing and editing to reporting and ethics. News U also offers a newsletter, a blog and other great resources. Registration is required, but it is free for everyone.

9. E-Zine University (ezineuniversity.com)

• Writing Clearly and Effectively
• Conquering Confusing Words
• Quick Ways to Clean Up Your Writing

E-Zine University offers quite a few courses written by Internet publisher Kate Schultz and visiting professors. Although the courses offered at E-Zine University are designed mainly for web writers and e-zine writers, they would be helpful to almost any scribe. Courses are very short and do not take long to complete. No registration is required.

10. Wikiversity (wikiversity.org)

• Introduction to Web Writing
• Technical Writing Courses
• Narrative Dialog Editing

Wikiversity is an active learning project that encourages people to create and benefit from online courses and tutorials. There are currently several different writing courses that can be found at Wikiversity. Although these courses vary greatly in length and content, there is something for everyone. No registration is required.

[Education Portal via Red Ferret Journal]

ShipGooder: The Easy Way To Find The Best Shipping Option

Last month I wrote about How To Get A Shipping Clerk That Will Work For Free.

Today, we'll introduce you to ShipGooder --> a site to help you choose who to ship with, by quickly comparing rates from local, regional and national couriers.

Since all couriers aren’t competitive to and from all locations, this service offers you a way to double check and compare rates.

Just enter your location postal code, the destination postal code of your package, and the total package weight and you’ll get instant price comparisons and delivery options from a range of couriers.


From there, you pick the best option for you, and click that courier’s link to go to their site, and start shipping, either with a phone call or online.


It’s that simple.

ShipGooder is FREE, has no advertising, and does not need your personal information!