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Friday, August 2, 2019
FREE: Try Scribd as a Frugal Alternative to Kindle Unlimited and Audible
Recently Eva asked about her Big Nate books we had put on hold at the library. I told her the library was closed all weekend for a computer maintenance situation, so we could not get our holds. Then it hit me that I should check Scribd to see if they had any Big Nate books. They did. TONS OF THEM, including the "complete" books that are over 350 pages long. Problem solved. Kid reading. Mother of the Year award on the way.
When my husband was out of town and I was too whipped to read aloud to the kids at bedtime, we all snuggled up in one room to sleep and I turned on a Magic Tree House book or something like Frindle or The Penderwicks, and it was the perfect way to go to sleep. Another problem solved. Listening to a book counts almost like reading it. Bam.
Still Alice was popping up all around me, as a movie suggestion and as a book suggestion. I like to read the book first if I possibly can, so I put it on hold at the library. Couldn't get it yet (see above). Logged in to my Scribd account. STILL ALICE! I've been reading it on my phone ever since, in a doctor's waiting room, all over the house, by the pool, anywhere. When Mommy gets some brain break sanity, everybody wins.
So let me answer some questions for you about Scribd.
What's the selection like?
For those of you who are over 40 like myself, yes, you can adjust the size of the font. I am not in love with reading on my phone, but it works when I'm waiting in the car, when I have just a few minutes to myself, when I want to sneak away. I am absolutely in love with all the audiobook options and I always have something great to listen to when I'm walking. I'm discovering things to listen to that I would not normally choose.
The screenshot at the left shows how you can browse by what's on the top charts right now.
Downside: not all books are available as audiobooks. What I do like is that some are available as BOTH!
I also appreciate that I can save titles for later, whether I ever get to them or not. It's nice to have options. It also recommends books for me based on what I've saved in the past, both for myself and for the kids. This is going to be huge for making my Winter Reading List (see Summer Reading List here).
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| The book icon means it's a book and the headphones mean it's an audiobook. I haven't gotten into the Magazines section yet. There's more exploring to be done! |
How do you organize them all?
When you find a book that grabs you, you can SAVE it then put it in a collection. I have collections for each of my kids, for homeschooling in general, for myself (fiction and nonfiction). The picture below shows some of what I have so far: some books for Sam and something the girls are loving right now. There are more collections as you scroll to the left. I don't know about you, but I am NOTHING without organization! This screenshot also shows titles I might like that are available soon or that I have already saved, as well as what I'm listening to or reading now.
So how much do I pay for all this? Just $8.99 per month. (although if you sign up for a free 2-month subscription to Scribd to try it out and then decide you love it, I get a month for free ... full disclosure ... then you can start telling your own friends how much you love it and get a free month when your friends fall in love with it like you did!)
And hey, guess what? You don't even need a smartphone to do all this. You can do it on your COMPUTER or laptop! Read, listen, sort, all of it.
Why I didn't love Kindle Unlimited at $9.99 per month
Kindle Unlimited is a good price, but you really have to track down what's available, and the search function is not the best as far as holding your place, so you go down rabbit holes and forget what you were trying to find in the first place. I personally have my own books on Kindle Unlimited so I do think it's a great service sometimes. Obviously I think my books are a great value on there, but I have downloaded some really crappy books on KU. Also, it's not free to listen to books instead of read them.
Why I didn't like Audible at around $15 per book
Too expensive, even with freebies here and there and even with a plan where the more you get the cheaper it is. Yes, it's great to have the audiobook and own it forever, and I understand it costs a lot of money for an author to get an audiobook made. Hence the authors who choose to read their own book to save money, and we sure wish they hadn't. Not many people have a voice for reading books. I would never read my own books to save money because I have an annoying voice that would take away from the content. But I digress. This is too rich for my blood, and I felt a lot of pressure to make a good pick since I was spending so much money.
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| This is what the screen looks like when I'm listening to a book. Of course you can make the narration go faster or slower, fast forward, rewind, and even make it stop after a certain amount of time. This is in case you fall asleep quickly like I do when you're being read to at night or you just want to listen to 15 minutes then go to sleep. |
Get two free months!
Like I mentioned, if you sign up using my Scribd referral code here, you get TWO FREE MONTHS to try it out, and I get a free month. We both win, and I love to bring you offers where we are both happily skipping around holding hands in interwebs land :-)
I also talked about Scribd here on my 2018 Summer Reading List. No, Smarty Pants, I didn't get to all of the books on my list, but I read others instead and next year will make my reading and listening list more realistic and will share with you! Maybe I'll make a 2018 Winter Reading List!
Originally posted August 2018. Since then we've listened to so many books! Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Wednesday Wars, The Wife Between Us, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, Kristin Hannah books are about to be devoured by me as well. So many options!
How to Lose Weight Drinking a Yummy Orange Creamsicle Shake Every Day #HealthyLiving
This is a fabulous gluten-free meal/snack/treat! You can also check out my Kerrie the Kitchen Queen blog for lots of great recipes I'm going to try, post and share.
I wrote back here about giving the Trim Healthy Mama plan a shot. Except I still haven't cracked open the book. I have tried several recipes from the cookbook, but I'm definitely not sticking with the plan 100% ... or even 50%. BUT there is one thing I pretty much have every day because it feels like LIFE to me and doesn't give me a sugar headache and fills me up and makes me feel AMAZING.
It's the Trim Healthy Mama orange creamsicle shake. I have it nearly every day as my lunch and I'm slowly losing weight (also, walking daily doesn't hurt) and I'm not craving sugar and chocolate as much as I used to. When you see what is in it, you will see why I feel so great these days!
How to Upgrade Your Partner's Wardrobe
Sometimes, the people we love aren’t always hot on their own fashion sense. After all, shopping for clothes costs both money and time. However, sometimes we just want them to branch out a little bit, and not wear the same threadbare outfit that the so often rely on. If you want to upgrade their wardrobe into something that’s stylish and diverse enough for every occasion, here are some tips.
Encourage a closet purge
A closet purge not only gets rid of those dreaded, worn-to-death items, but it also provides a bit of education. By pulling out all of their old clothing items, you will get a sense of what they do and don’t like – and where room for improvement fits in. As well as that, a purge allows you to start from scratch to some extent. By weeding out all the less-appealing and unworn items, you can add to your partner’s wardrobe in a way that will have a much more profound effect.
Don’t drag them around shopping malls
Upgrading your partner’s wardrobe requires a bit of tact. Chances are, if their drawers are a bit lackluster, it is likely to be because they don’t enjoy the process of shopping – or at the very least are intimidated by the prospect. While many of us enjoy days spent dipping in and out of shops while enjoying the odd coffee break, our partners might consider this to be the worst way to spend a day.
Quality, capsule clothing
A capsule wardrobe is essentially just a small but diverse wardrobe that you can happily mix and match from. However, if your partner has a tendency to wear their clothes to death, then you will want to prioritize quality. Choosing comfy and luxurious fabrics such as cashmere is great for capsule wardrobe items. Remember: even though you’re paying a little bit more, you are making a long-term investment for your partner. Companies such as State Cashmere have plenty of adaptable and timeless menswear items that would be ideal.
Find out what they like
Many people stick to the colors blue, brown, grey and black because they’re pretty timeless and they go with just about everything. In order to branch their taste out a bit, it’s a good idea to find out what other styles they like. They may have a secret desire to wear bold patterns, or they may have a soft spot for some European-style tailoring. By adapting it to their taste, you’re far more likely to have an influence on what they wear.
Be patient
It’s possible that your partner could really enjoy the idea of a complete makeover – which means you might be able to have an almost overnight influence. However, it’s important to remember that it may take some time. By encouraging them to try on new and exciting items of clothing and broaden their wardrobe, you can expand their taste over time – but it might not be an immediate transformation.
Upgrading your partner’s wardrobe isn’t always as simple as buying them a new outfit. By discovering their hidden fashion tastes and investing in quality pieces, you can create a capsule wardrobe that lasts.
A Guide to Redesigning Your Kitchen
Your kitchen should be somewhere that you find pleasant and inviting. However, unfortunately, not everyone’s home comes with a picture-perfect kitchen. The good news is that you can create such a kitchen, primarily by maintaining the one that you have. It is also true that even if you do have what you see as the perfect kitchen, there are times that you may want something different. Below, you’re going to find a guide to redesigning your kitchen if it’s something you aim to do now or in the near future.
Set a Budget
Before feasting your eyes on design ideas, you should start by setting a budget for yourself. Take a close look at your finances and see how much you can logically afford to spend on a redesign. It could cost you anywhere from hundreds of dollars to hundreds of thousands, so be realistic about what you can afford. Be sure to include a contingency budget in the event that unexpected expenses arise. There are financing options, such as obtaining a home-equity line of credit. Alternatively, try getting a home-equity loan in which you’ll get a lump sum upfront.
Decide on Renovations
When you make the decision to redesign your kitchen, it is often because you want a new look and feel. With that in mind, make a note of what about the kitchen you want to change. Below are a few renovations or redesigns you could try.
Custom Cabinet Doors: To give your kitchen a fresh look, replace your cabinet doors. To create an even more personal feel, you could get custom cabinet doors. This is something that you can do on your own as a DIY project, or you could get someone to come and install them.
Replace Countertops: Your kitchen countertops are something you often use, so you may want to replace those as well. You should also keep in mind that you don’t always have to replace your countertops and could repair them instead, especially if you’re on a budget. Some countertop ideas that you could try are white and grey colors or a Grecian white interlocking tile.
Upgrade Appliances
Your kitchen has a number of appliances that you use on a daily basis. This could include things like a dishwasher, refrigerator, and stovetop. Make a note of the appliances in the house that are old and need to be replaced. You should also check for energy-saving appliances that will help you save money or energy. Some of the best kitchen appliances include an AmazonBasics Microwave, a SmartThinQ fridge, or a Brava Oven.
Plan a Kitchen Layout
The kitchen is somewhere that should be functional. Think about how you use your kitchen and what areas, as well as appliances, are a priority. The things that you use often should be close by so that they’re easier to access. The three things that tend to be used the most are the sink, refrigerator, and stove which are commonly arranged as a work triangle.
A kitchen remodel can significantly increase the value of your home. Think carefully about what you want to do, plan it out, and remember to stick to a budget.
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