Daily Archives: March 11, 2009

Here Come Cities on the Cheap

March 11, 2009
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picture-4A great big shout out to my fellow freelance writer Jennifer Maciejewski who has come up with a brilliant recession-era business idea–Cities on the Cheap. This is a hub for a rapidly growing network of “On the Cheap” blogs. Each blog, which is independently owned and operated, highlights city-specific freebies, discounts and deals.

The blogs grew out of Maciejewski’s own Atlanta on the Cheap blog idea. “I started out just looking for ways to help my family see and do more in Atlanta for less, but the deals I found were too good to keep to myself,” Maciejewski says. “I created Atlanta on the Cheap to spread the word.”

After launching the Atlanta blog, Maciejewski shared her idea on a networking site for professional writers and invited other writers to start “On the Cheap” blogs for their cities. The idea took off.

“Although a myriad of money-saving blogs exist, most focus on reaching a national U.S. audience, offering readers few, if any, city-specific deals,” Maciejewski says. “Cities on the Cheap fills this niche.”

Cities on the Cheap now includes more than 40 city blogs in the U.S. and Canada, with more in development.

In the past month, thrifty readers of the individual “On the Cheap” blogs have learned about free dance performances, concerts, art workshops, coffee, breakfast, poetry slams and movie passes. That’s in addition to dozens of deals on everything from Broadway shows to sporting events.

To celebrate its official launch, both the Cities on the Cheap hub and some of the local “on the cheap” sites are hosting giveaways, including CityPass booklets, movie tickets, books, and more.

The Cities on the Cheap network includes blogs in Albuquerque, Atlanta, Big Island, Birmingham (March 12), Boulder, Charlotte, Chattanooga (March 12), Chicago, Denver, Des Moines, Florida Keys, Florida Panhandle (March 12), Fort Lauderdale, Fort Worth, Gainesville, Gatlinburg, Gold Country, Honolulu, Houston, Hudson Valley, Indianapolis (April ’09), Jersey Shore (April ’09), Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Mobile (March 12), Montreal, Napa, New Orleans, Northeast Georgia (March 12), Palm Beach, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego (April ’09), San Francisco, Santa Fe, Sarasota, Seattle, Sonoma, Tampa Bay, Taos (April ’09), Toronto, Tucson, and Western North Carolina. One specialty site, Disney on the Cheap, focuses on deals for visiting the Florida theme parks, and the other, Florida on the Cheap, focuses on Florida’s tourist attractions.

In addition, writers are currently developing sites for Calgary, the Caribbean, Manhattan, Maui, Milwaukee, Orlando, St. Louis, West Virginia, and others.

According to my blog stats, a number of readers of Suddenly Frugal got here via links from these “on the cheap” blogs. I hope that others will go check out these various blogs near the places where they live, and see what bargains they can get. I know that when I travel in the future, I’ll be checking the On the Cheap blogs for deals I can use when I get to where ever it is I’m going.

Hey, Jennifer, it looks like we’re taking a frugal trip to London and Dublin this summer. Any chance you’ll have a Dublin on the Cheap or London on the Cheap blog up and running bythen? Just thought I’d ask.

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4 Tips to Add Curb Appeal to your Frugal Home

March 11, 2009
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Thank goodness I no longer have a home on the market. I can’t imagine how stressful selling a house must be in the current climate. I know that two years ago when we were selling our old house, one of the first tasks we tackled was improving the curb appeal of our home. This included:

  • Mulching the gardens
  • Painting the front door red (it was boring tan)
  • Power-washing the front of the house (it was a white house and showed a lot of dirt; I used this great Windex Outdoor product that you attached to the hose)
  • Clustering pots of brightly colored flowers on the front step; I favored yellow mums in the fall
  • Sweeping the front walk and driveway daily

In case you are trying to sell your home and are looking for ways to improve your house’s curb appeal, I thought that knowing what I did above, plus these 4 front-door tips from Lowe’s (two of which mirror what I did), would be helpful.

1. Fresh Front Door

For about $75 you can transform your front door into a knockout. Choose a paint color to match the architectural style of your home. A great example is to try a rich charcoal gray or even dark ebony on a modern home or a cobalt blue or striking red on a traditional home. Install a coordinating kick plate, dynamic door numbers and a door knocker, too.

2. Add Landscaping

Consider potted plants instead of a full lawn renovation. Strategically place full, green plants like ferns into pots on your stoop or walkway leading up to the door. Ferns are about $10 each and you can find attractive pots for as little as $5. Be sure to coordinate your pots in the same material so the look is cohesive. Flank each side of your door with substantial topiaries at least four feet tall so you can see the tops of them from the street. This is a great option for apartment dwellers and condo owners who might not be allowed to paint the door.

3. Improve Outdoor Lighting

Lights should be functional at night but also look fantastic during the day. Replace standard flush mounted fixtures with lantern-style lighting for a chic addition and accessorize with pathway lighting. You can use CFL light bulbs in fixtures which helps save on energy costs.

4. Furniture Flair

Space permitting, don’t shy away from adding outdoor furniture such as rocking chairs, tables and even lamps. Outdoor pillows in weather-resistant fabric will add extra flair to punch up your front patio furniture. Pick a contrasting color for your furniture to accent the colors of your home. For instance, if you have white columns use dark woods to make them stand out

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