Here are a few websites that will give you some good information about managing your finances.

My Money: The Federal Government's website dedicated to helping Americans understand more about their money – how to save it, invest it, and manage it to meet their personal goals.

Money Smart: A training program created by FDIC to enhance money skills and create positive banking relationships.  Available in both online andinstructor led versions.

Basic Economic Security: The Basic Economic Security Tables™ (BEST) Index and the Elder Economic Security Standard™ Index (Elder Index) measure the incomes workers and retired elders need to achieve economic security.

Feed The Pig: Free financial information and tools to empower 24-35 year olds to take charge of their personal finances and live within their means.

Here is a list of companies that give you something on your birthday.

The website tries to keep the list current but I can't guarantee that they will all work.

http://www.frugalliving.tv/free-stuff/birthday-freebies.html

Here is an article that provides an early look at some positive features of Windows 8.

http://www.retrevo.com/content/blog/2012/03/some-cool-new-features-windows-8?cmpid=Email

The features discussed in the article are:

Lock Screen Alerts

Password Options

Better App Management

One-Click Sharing

Compatibility with Xbox, Windows Phone, Tablets

Easy Backup

Increased Download Protection

Windows App Store

Many of us use Microsoft Outlook extensively. I came across this collection of tips and tricks.

1. How to Create an Email Signature in Outlook
Set up a short piece of text containing essential contact information, a tag line or maybe an ad or quotation to be inserted in every email you send from Outlook.

2. How to Set Up an Out of Office Vacation Auto-Reply in Outlook
While you are away from the computer, Outlook can automatically reply to incoming mail with a pre-written message telling senders when you’ll be able to reply individually.

3. How to Access Free Yahoo! Mail with Outlook
Your Yahoo! Mail account is not made for the web alone. Here's how to download mail from a free Yahoo! Mail address into Outlook -- and how to send through Yahoo! Mail, too.

4. How to Access Windows Live Hotmail with Outlook
Use Microsoft Outlook to fetch and send email messages through your Windows Live Hotmail account comfortably and with all the power and flexibility of a real email client.

5. How to Export Your Outlook Contacts to a CSV File
Keep your contacts even if you leave Outlook behind. If you save your Outlook contacts as a CSV file, you can easily import them elsewhere.

6. How to Back Up or Copy Your Outlook Mail, Contacts and Other Data
Backing up all your important Outlook data (mail, contacts, calendars, and more) is as simple as copy and paste.

7. How to Import Contacts from Excel or a CSV File into Outlook
You extensive list of contacts or customers is stored happily in a spread sheet or database? After some simple importation steps, they can be in Outlook, too, and build the basis for a mailing list, for example.

8. How to Access Gmail with Outlook
Outlook and Gmail make a great couple; they send each other messages all day long. Here's how to set up access to a Gmail account in Outlook, and it is terrifically easy.

Here are a few websites that you might find useful.

Nudgemail

http://www.nudgemail.com/

This is a site that will help you keep emails from "dropping through the cracks." Forward any email to NudgeMail and it will send it back when you want it. It can remind you about that email in an hour, day, month, or even a year.

LastPass

https://lastpass.com/

Excellent password manager that you should be using. Features include 1-click login, form filling, automatic sync between browsers and more.

Mint (USA and Canada)

https://www.mint.com/

Fully automatic spending tracker and budgeting tool. Mint tracks your budget, monitors your spendings, advises on how you can save, and lots more. Highly recommended.

Wolfram Alpha

http://www.wolframalpha.com/

Cool answer search engine that answers factual questions directly rather than giving you a list of webpages that might contain the answer.

I came across a website that offers a different free software package everyday. Today's software is called PDF to Word Converter. "PDF to Word Converter is a windows application to convert PDF to Word Doc format fast and easily. With PDF to word converter, users can convert PDF to word format in few clicks."

http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/

Here is how the site describes itself; "Basically, every day we nominate one software title that will be a Giveaway title of that day. The software is available for download for 24 hours (or more, if agreed with software publisher) and that software is absolutely free. That means – not a trial, not a limited version – but a registered and legal version of the software is completely free for our visitors*."

I have added a little box at the bottom left side of our home page that will tell what the free software is for that day. I hope you find something useful.