Making room in my budget for books: Part 2

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Reading, especially if you are voracious, can be a remarkably expensive hobby. I wouldn't trade it for anything, but I am perfectly willing to find ways to make the cost less onerous, or to squeeze money out of other parts of my budget. So here's a run down of most of the things I have included in my day to day habits to help finagle my finances.

OpenLibrary is a free online library open to quite literally anyone with an internet connection and the ability to use AdobeDRM. Handy tip: never get the epub, always stick with the PDF. The selection is bizarre, but there are some true out of print gems in there.

I've also finally renewed my library card and am using Overdrive. My library's selection is hit or miss, but a book I don't have to pay for is a different book I can purchase some other time. And an online library is a library that doesn't require pants, which is always a bonus.

I also started using apps and online printable coupons. There were quite a few on that last post, but I have added a couple more.

For Texas specific residents who shop at HEB, there is now an app, and there are digital coupons. A few key things to remember, when you buy something that you have a digital coupon for, if you also give them a paper coupon they will ALWAYS default to the paper coupon, even if it is worth less. Also, this means no doubling of store and manufacturer's coupons. However, and this is key, HEB does some really cool things with their coupons, like $2 off an $8 purchase of produce, or meat, or seafood. There are even coupons for things like bread and milk. So there are coupons for things you almost always buy but almost never get coupons for. Pairing the app/digital coupons with the email newsletter ones has resulted in some pretty incredible shopping deals. I have to eat, but at least now I don't have to spend quite as much. Plus, it has a grocery list feature and lets you add things to your list from the sale ads. It doesn't let you add things to your grocery list from the coupons list yet, nor does it take you to the coupons directly (grocery IQ is better for this), but if you add an item that does have a coupon it will highlight it to let you know you can go "clip" that coupon.

The other new app I have added is Shopkick (disclaimer: that will link to my referral code). This is an odd app and I had been resistant to getting it. Basically, you get points for walking into stores that offer "kicks", for scanning specific items, and for linking your credit card and purchasing from specific stores (this last one I have not done). There is not an amazon giftcard option or a cash option, so you can't directly buy books with your savings, but it is a relatively painless way to earn giftcards for stores like Macy's, Starbucks, or a variety of other places.

So this is where I'm at in the budget finagling. Anyone else have any suggestions?

Freebies from Eve Langlais

During my negative review of Eve Langlais' Falling for a Redneck, I recommended readers try two of her other series instead. And lo and behold, the first book in one of those series is FREE right now. So if you have an android device, go check out Delicate Freakn' Flower.

Free - Gail Carriger

I'm going to be honest, I have no clue what precisely this is, and I've not read it yet. But there appears to be an anthology about mummies that includes a Gail Carrier story. It's free on Amazon.

Making room in my budget for books.

No, this post isn't exactly about books. But, making room in a budget is somewhat crucial to the process for most of us. So, I have been experimenting. One way I've managed is by saving or making money on the things I have to do anyway, most notably grocery shopping. There are so many options out there.

Here are the apps I use:

Ibotta

This seems to be the most successful app for people. You unlock offers by performing small tasks, then when you shop at specified stores you scan the items you purchased and then take a picture of your receipt to upload. When they have verified the items they credit your account. When you have reached at least $10.00 in rebates, you can cash out for things like Amazon gift cards. What sets this program apart from the others is the $5.00 referral bonus you can get when someone signs up with your code and redeems their first rebate (full disclosure that link up there puts me as your referrer, but you can just ask a family member or friend for their referral link if you really wanted), and the team activities. Basically your team is made up of everyone who signed up with your referral code, and all your Facebook friends. And each month there are team activity bonuses that make you extra money. The easiest way to do this is to have a lot of friends who are active using Ibotta, and there are a ton of people out there who are thrilled to be Facebook friends with someone else who is active. Check for Ibotta Facebook groups and the like for people to friend request. Pro-tip: If they are only Ibotta friends, make a Facebook list for Ibotta friends, and then add these people to your Ibotta List, Restricted, and then unfollow them. It keeps your Facebook account uncluttered.

Checkout51

Checkout51 is similar to Ibotta, except there are no referral bonuses or teams, and they don't have as many items, but they do usually have produce and they don't require specific stores.

Snap

Snap is Groupon's version of the previous two apps. It has small selections, and the rebates don't just expire, they can be used up, so you need to be fast. But it frequently duplicates Checkout51's items, and there is not specific store requirement. There is also a referral bonus, but it is only $1.00. (Full disclosure-that link is for my referral code)

Receiptpal

This app you just scan receipts, basically any receipt though it works better with shorter ones. Earning are much slower to accrue, but it does make a handy space to keep copies of your receipts. And, you can cash out for an Amazon gift card.

Wal-Mart Savings Catcher

This app only works if you shop at Wal-Mart. basically, instead of you bringing in adds for them to price match, you scan your receipt and then they check for you and credit your account. Results are kind of mixed with this, but if you are shopping at Wal-mart, there is absolutely no reason not to do this. Plus the app lets you look at prices for things, so it is handy when you are shopping at other stores.

And the really nice things, is you can use the same receipt for all of these programs. Of course this only works if you are only using them for things you would have bought anyway, OR if you get them ridiculously cheap, or free, or even make money on them. And this is edging into extreme couponing territory, but there are plenty of places besides the circulars and Sunday newspaper where you can get coupons.

Coupons.com

RedPlum

Common Kindness

Krazy Coupon Lady

And check your local stores, because some of them have coupons to print or other offers. I frequently shop at HEB which has an email you can sign up for that sends you great coupons like for produce and meats, and they have manufacturer's coupons you can print. HEB also has in store coupons that are frequently amazing, but since it isn't a national store I didn't want to spend too much time on it.


So this is just what I do. Anyone else out there doing anything different? Do you have any suggestions?

Review - Hot Damned Series

I picked up Robyn Peterman's Fashionably Dead for free on Amazon. It's still free, so if you like paranormal romance, definitely pick it up to see if the rest of the series interests you. I should probably write my reviews of books individually, but when I binge like this, it is sort of hard for me to separate out my feelings and thoughts on individual books. So I am going to throw these reviews all up at the same time. I can't guarantee there won't be spoilers for previous books in subsequent reviews, so be sure to stop reading at appropriate points if you don't want to be spoiled.

Fashionably Dead

Astrid is having a miserable week, month, life, etc. Her grandmother who raised her has recently died, her mother who is horrible continues to be horrible, and her best friend is pushing her to quit smoking resulting in an ill-conceived decision to try hypnotism. The hypnotism works just a little too well, because you can't exactly smoke if you can't breathe, and Vampyres definitely don't need to breath. So now Astrid is thrown into an entire paranormal world she had no clue exists, one with Vampyres, guardian angels, fairies, and a too hot bad guy that makes her now still heart race. And oh yeah, and she's the prophesied one. But at least she can still be a Prada whore, undead doesn't mean unfashionable after all.

I see a lot of people who are comparing this to Chicagoland Vampires, but since I haven't read those (and I am not sure I want to) I can't speak to that comparison. What I can absolutely say it is like, is Maryjanice Davidson's Undead series.

-snarky, mostly pretends to be vapid heroine? Check
-fashion obsessed? Check
-horrible parent? Check
-prophesied heroine who doesn't want the power? Check
-bad boy hero? Check
-plethora of family or friends who are more than they appear? Double Check

Don't get me wrong, this book is a ton of fun, and after some of the shenanigans of the past few Undead/Betsy books it was fascinating and almost too funny and fun to get back into the ground floor on so much delightful craziness. It's nothing new, but Peterman did it with such joy that you can't help but enjoy the people and the ride. This book ends with all kinds of twists and a hell of a cliffhanger, but since the next book is already out, that really isn't a huge problem to me.

4 stars and I couldn't wait to get into the next book.

Fashionably Dead Down Under

Stop here if you don't want to be spoiled on the previous book. Really, just stop.



So, poor Astrid, who thought things could finally settle down with her hotter than Hades fiancée, the prophesied baby on the way, horrible family members dead, and all the loving family she never had, winds up in Hell. Turns out that very little of what they thought they knew in previous events was actually true (don't worry, Peterman didn't ret-con, it absolutely makes sense to the story). Her father, evil as he was, wasn't actually a ruler, her mother wasn't at all who she thought she was, and she has plenty more family with all sorts of supernatural connections. Frankly, she's a one woman melting pot of paranormal goodness. But as much as the family wants to meet her, really they have a job for her to do, and all Hell is about to break loose.

Paranormal zaniness doesn't just abound, it bitch-slaps you right through the story. I didn't get the same punch form this story as I did the first, it was just a little too spread out. But I enjoyed seeing Astrid fully realize her powers and enjoyed how Astrid and Ethan's relationship developed. Some of the other characters were also really fun and I'd love to get their stories in the future.

3.5 stars and totally on board with the next book.

Hell on Heels

Again, let me warn you that you will be spoiled on previous books if you continue reading.

Dixie is a demon, and she's Astrid's cousin to be precise. Despite the fact that we learned that demons aren't the sum of all evil in the previous books, they aren't exactly good or nice either. Except for Dixie, she's a sweetie. She falls in love, does her stint on earth, saves the world and her family and discovers her destiny. This one had a bit of a different flavor to me, and it was more new adult romance with granted a ton of paranormal craziness, but still it was a new adult. I didn't hate it, but it wasn't my favorite entry into the series, which is sad because Dixie was one of my favorite characters in the last book.

3 stars and a relatively strong closer to the series, particularly if new adult romance is your thing.

Overall this is a fun weekend read that you can absolutely gorge on.

Eclipse Bay Trilogy - OpenLibrary

Having read Jayne Ann Krentz's Trust No One, as I said, it reminded me of previous books, which of course inspired me to re-read some of my favorites. The Eclipse Bay Trilogy is set on the west coast and involves basically two families. There is a small amount of non-action packed romantic suspense, and all three tie in to events happening in the small town of Eclipse Bay. This is not one of JAK's paranormal trilogies, but as JAK is about the queen of Easter eggs in romance novels, there are a few later tie-ins to both her contemporary and her futuristic paranormal series. You don't need to have read everything to enjoy these books, or vice versa, but it is fun to find them. They were published 2000-2002, but to me they hold up well despite the time that has elapsed.

And all three are available to borrow for free through OpenLibrary. As always, remember to borrow the PDF and not the epub.

Eclipse Bay

Eclipse Bay has grown and flourished on the rugged Oregon coast, where the shore can be rocky and forbidding, full of sharp cliffs and hidden coves. Eclipse Bay by Jayne Ann Krentz, this small town is also filled with secrets as treacherous as the landscape and rivalries as fierce as an ocean storm.

Their grandfathers hated each other.

Their fathers hated each other.

And as the next generation of the Hartes and Madisons, Hannah and Rafe are expected to hate each other too. But Hannah Harte, a successful wedding consultant with a skeptical view of marriage, remembers the long-ago night on the beach that revealed Rafe as much more than just "that disreputable Madison boy." And Rafe remembers the heroic gesture that proved Hannah's fierce spirit was stronger than any feud and saved him from near-certain imprisonment.

Now reunited by a surprising inheritance after years of living their separate lives Rafe and Hannah return to Eclipse Bay, and the hostilities that still divide, and bind, their families. And they are discovering something that is at once delightful and deeply disturbing?

They don't hate each other. Not at all.
Dawn in Eclipse Bay

Nothing was ever simple between a Madison and a Harte. The feud that had divided their families still simmered. Now, only months after their siblings’ wedding, Lilian Harte and Gabe Madison are at each other’s throats.

Successful CEO Gabe had insisted on becoming a client of Lilian’s matchmaking service. And after five disastrous dates, Lilian is at her wit’s end. If she hadn’t already decided to close her business and move home to Eclipse Bay, Gabe would have been the final straw. But when she finds Gabe at her door demanding she fulfill their business contract, the sparks between them suddenly turn personal. Once again, Eclipse Bay will witness a showdown—between a relentless Madison and an irresistible Harte…
Summer in Eclipse Bay

Summer has arrived in Eclipse Bay and things are definitely heating up between the Hartes and the Madisons. It seems that the mysterious new gallery owner, Octavia Brightwell, is thinking about having a scandalous fling with that rogue Nick Harte before she leaves town. As far as Nick is concerned, a short-term affair sounds perfect. But it isn’t going to be easy.

One big obstacle is Mitchell Madison. For reasons of his own, Mitchell has taken it upon himself to play guardian to Octavia. He’s made it clear that if Nick fools around with her, there will be a price to pay. And then there’s Nick’s young son, Carson, who has his own agenda where Octavia is concerned. He doesn’t want his father messing up his plans.

Summer in Eclipse Bay is going to be eventful this year. Some long-buried secrets from the infamous Harte-Madison feud are about to surface. The past and the present are on a collision course. I hope you’ll join me to watch the fireworks.
The second one's hero, Gabe, is the one that Julius reminded me of. They are cute stories, perfect for curling up on a rainy weekend, which is precisely what I did. They were as good as I remembered them, not spectacular, but definitely cozy.

Free - Wrecked by Meljean Brook is FREE

Ok, so the title says it all. But Wrecked is free over at amazon.

Even more interesting, Meljean has contact to get an epub from her if kindle isn't your thing.

http://meljeanbrook.com/wrecked-free-december-11/

Since I read this series in order, I am a bit unqualified to determine how this fares as a stand alone, but this is my absolute favorite steam punk series. So I highly recommend it.

Free- Wolf Signs

Wolf Signs is FREE! http://feedly.com/e/RFUlLaok

This shifter romance is currently free at all major retailers.

It has a Goodreads average rating of 3.64 and I really enjoyed the handling of the dead heroine.

Freebie- Vivian Arend Rocky Mountain Heat

The first book in Arend's Six Pack Ranch series is free. Here's what I had to say about it when I read it:

This is the first entry to this series and this family. So we meet probably all the characters and get quite a bit of background and plot involving them. This story seems to be less about Blake and Jaxi and more about setting up for the rest of the series. And that’s ok, because I don’t think Blake and Jaxi were interesting enough, or compelling enough to be the main attraction. I didn’t dislike the story, but those two didn’t draw me in. More of the focus and interest, in my opinion, was on Travis, Matt, and Gabe. This is a light, mildly entertaining read with no real punch, but read it anyway to get the background you will need for the rest of the series.

Overall I tenjoyed the series, so if a family saga with romance sounds like your cup of tea, pick this up not for Blake & Jaxi's story, but to see if you want to find out more about the rest of the cast.

Amazon

B&N

Kobo

Fourth of July Freebie

Cynthia Edens The Wolf Within is currently free! It currently has a GR rating of 3.97.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00A8NGHE2?pc_redir=1404328242&robot_redir=1

http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-wolf-within-3

I don't know what's up with B&N.

Freebie- Darkness Falls.

Darkness Falls
by Erin Kellison

I originally reviewed this novella in Dark and Deadly: Eight Bad Boys of Paranormal Romance bundle and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Its currently free for Kindle

http://www.amazon.com/Darkness-Falls-Reveler-Erin-Kellison-ebook/dp/B00KAM07RY/ref=sr_1_68?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1401040302&sr=1-68

(As aside, I really hate posting from the blogger app.)

Freebie- Mine to Take

Mine to Take
by Cynthia Eden

Cynthia Eden is an auto-buy for me. There aren't an real groundbreaking things in her works, but she writes an engaging story with interesting characters.

Mine to Take is a second chance romance with mystery and suspense and Goodreads gives it an average rating of 3.77. AND most importantly it is currently free from the following vendors:

Amazon

Kobo

iTunes

AllRomance

So if you are a fan of romantic suspense and need some Memorial weekend reading material, this is the deal for you. 

Freebie- Turning up the Heat

Turning up the Heat
by Laura Florand

After eleven years of marriage, Léa Laurier knew her husband. Knew how he could take on responsibility for a world-famous restaurant, a wife, and her two teenage siblings at nineteen years old and never falter, never tire. Knew his drive and his ambition, that took him to the stars. Knew how briliant his gray eyes looked when they met hers for just one moment across a host of cameras. She didn't know why she was so tired. She didn't know why she needed to just get away. For a while. Maybe a week or two. A month. She'd be back.

After eleven years of marriage, international superstar chef Daniel Laurier knew his wife. Knew how she could lavish caring on everyone, her siblings, his staff, and most especially him. Knew the way her face lit up when he won yet another television contest, and the way she hugged him for it. Knew how her hair smelled when he sank into bed exhausted at one in the morning. He didn't know what to do when he came home from a consulting trip to find she'd disappeared to remote South Pacific island: I just needed to get away for a little while. A week or two. I'll call you.

As the whole solid world under his feet turned into a sandcastle in the tide, Daniel knew only one thing: whatever was wrong with his marriage or his wife, he wasn't losing her. So as a top chef, he did the one thing he always knew how to do: turn up the heat.

This is a novella about how lack of communication can ruin relationships and how time together is the most important thing in a relationship.

It's currently available for free on Kobo and iTunes.