Does this sound familiar? Because if you’re in the same boat as most Americans, it should sound familiar. We aren’t exactly sure what vehicle brought us to our current destination, but we know we don’t want to be here any more. And Uncle Sam’s coming to rescue us. We just have to wait for him to come pick us up.

Only thing is…from past experience, we know we shouldn’t really trust Uncle Sam.

If you’re grounded in reality, you’ve learned to have a healthy distrust of government (in general) and you haven’t forgotten that these people are just people, and they’re fallible. They make some huge mistakes and do the wrong thing, often. They lie. And they do not want to look bad.

[And to make everyone out there happy, lest you think I'm about to bash the messiah Obama, I happen to have the same level of distrust for the Bush gang. So there. Now just listen for a minute, and consider what I have to say.]

I do not care what the major media and government is telling us about the financial crisis – it simply was not caused by the “free market” and cannot be blamed on corporations. When you hear blame being connected with artificially-low-interest mortgages, that’s closer to the real cause – but not quite “there” yet.

The blame should be leveled solely in one place, for just about everything: the Federal Reserve. Specifically, the system of worthless paper money the Fed controls. We’ve been living on borrowed time for years (even now!) and I don’t care how good of a speaker Obama is: injecting more worthless “money” into certain sectors of our economy can’t heal the patient. (Remember? It’s already dead.)

The real reason our economy is failing can be traced to the Fed. The Federal Reserve Bank is the originator of our miseries, and until we have “real” money again and actually allow such a thing as the “free market” to exist, we’ll continue to suffer.

Now, I’m not an authority. (Not that that means much, since the “authorities” don’t seem to know much, themselves.) But I make it my main interest to deal in common sense and wisdom wherever I can find it, and I’ve found quite a bit of actual truth being given out. There actually are some sane thinkers out there who care enough to explain how it all works, and what’s going on.

I just read the book Meltdown by Thomas E. Woods, for one – and I have to say it’s the best explanation of economics I’ve ever seen. (Chapter 6 – “Money” taught me more than I ever learned in school.) Just go get that book; I guarantee you will find it to be extremely eye-opening and valuable. You WILL have a clear understanding of the economy after reading this short book.

After you grab that book and read it (please read it – it’s packed with info, and not too long) just listen to some of the guys who’ve proven they know what they’re talking about. (No, not that Bernanke clown.) Guys like Jim Rogers for instance.

Sane economic practices will become obvious to the mainstream, one day. My only hope is that we don’t have to suffer enslavement, total ruin, or a one-world currency takeover before we get there – and we lament what “could have been”.

1. Buy bargain tires marked blems. Though perfectly useful, they have minor cosmetic blemishes in the sidewalls.

2. Lengthen the life of windshield wipers by rubbing the edges of the blades with a knife or the striking part of a matchbook cover. This exposes softer material underneath and improves the wiping ability of the blades.

3. Preserve a car’s finish by washing it with cold or lukewarm water, never hot water.

4. Run the air conditioner at least 10 minutes every week to maintain coolant pressure and avoid costly air conditioner breakdowns.

5. Clean corrosion off the battery terminals. Use a wire brush or steel wool to scrape the battery posts and cable clamps. Make a solution of baking soda and water to clean the top surface; don’t let the solution seep under cell caps.

6. Prevent wind resistance, which cuts performance up to 5 miles per gallon, by keeping the windows closed while driving.

7. Drive the recommended speed limit for maximum fuel efficiency. Be aware that every 5 miles over so m.p.h. cuts fuel performance by two miles per gallon.

If you have a car, then you will be spending money on it as long as it runs. Why not make a few small changes and spend less? There are dozens of other things you can and should do to reduce vehicle expenses. These 7 are an easy way to get started on your way to saving some bucks.

But if you have to move and you are on a budget, there are a few things you can do to save a few bucks.

1. It’s always cheaper if you do it yourself. Hiring a moving company to pack up your things, load a truck, drive it for you, and then unpack all those boxes can cost thousands of dollars. You can save a big chunk of change if you do as much as you can yourself. There are times when it makes sense to hire someone to do all or part of the above steps, but most circumstances don’t warrant hiring someone else to do everything.

2. Don’t pay for moving boxes or packing materials. You can get these free from www.craigslist.com or if you go dumpster diving. You can also use some of your own household items to protect your breakables, like using hand towels in between plates, or wrapping glasses in pillowcases.

3. Shop around. If you must get some help for your move, then call around and do some comparison shopping. Prices vary widely. Search for on-line coupon codes, see who will beat competitors prices, and ask for any applicable discounts. We just rented a U-Haul trailer (they are the only company that has trailers for rent one-way across the country) and when I first reserved the trailer a month before our move, it came the $521, plus tax and insurance. I checked back 2 days before we were to pick it up, and the price had dropped to $440. Of course I called and was given the cheaper price. This happened another time and we saved over $100 that time. The Post Office offers coupons either on-line or in their change of address packet.

4. Avoid paying for storage long term. Many people pay good money to store things that could easily be replaced for the same or less money. Long before you move, start giving away things you do not use or have a few garage sales. Moving is certainly a pain, but it’s also a good time to clean out your closets and get rid of clutter. If there are some items you will need to store, figure out if that’s cost effective; it may be cheaper to sell those items and replace them later after figuring in storage costs.

Looking to save money? Maybe make some money? The government gives away billions of dollars a year, and if you know how where to find it, some of it can be yours! Free money is out there for anyone who takes the time to find it: money for women entrepreneurs, college students, and even free money for your retirement down the road!

When it comes to saving money during a move, preparation and knowledge are key. And if you have some strong friends with trucks, that helps too!

But one thing I haven’t really talked about is keeping track of your money. You need to keep track of what you pay out, as well as what you earn. In other words you need to keep a budget in order to know if you’re being successful or not.

There’s more than one way to do this.

• Use a Notebook. Write down what you spend. Write down what you make. This is the simplest and cheapest way to do things. It takes a bit of discipline and isn’t the prettiest way to do things, but it’s better than nothing!
• Keep a ledger. This is the old-school way to keep track of your expenses. You can even buy one of those bookie hats while you check out your budget so it will be more fun.
• Excel spreadsheets. This is more accessible and easier for most people to do. Spreadsheets can be configured to calculate a running balance, and it’s a no-frills way to keep an eye on your money. I actually do this for all my affiliate programs and PPC so I can see what’s up.
• Personal finance software. I’m talking about Quicken or Microsoft Money here, but I can’t wait to try out Mint when it opens up to users.
• Business budgeting software. If you’re a regular guy like me who isn’t running an entire business this might not apply, but if you run a business with employees well of course you need actual business budgeting software like Clarity.

You know how in those old Looney Tunes and Tex Avery cartoons, when someone would do something really dumb they would turn into an old shoe and the word “HEEL” would appear? If you don’t keep tabs on your finances, that’s you. (For those who don’t have any clue what I’m talking about, you need to add some quality classic cartoon viewing to your visual diet.)

Seriously, if you don’t keep up with how much is coming in vs. how much is going out you cannot know if you’re making a profit or not. So the first rule of becoming a success is keep track of your money.

Or so they say. BUT, there are times when you CAN get free things. As a matter of fact, there are some things you should NEVER pay for.

I am not talking about bootlegging movies or music, or stealing satellite TV. (Never break the law, ever. What would your momma say if she knew you were using bittorrent?) I am just talking about things in life that you can get for free, or almost free, with a little effort and initiative.

Here’s a list in no particular order of things you can get for free (or almost). These won’t apply to all of ya, and may vary by your location.

1. Packing supplies. Yep. All you eBayer’s out there, for the most part, could be getting your packing supplies for free. One way is to ask; ask at businesses that get inventory in boxes the sizes you need. Or, just by-pass the asking part and go dumpster diving. Boxes of all sizes, packing paper, packing peanuts, and envelopes are all readily available for FREE in businesses’ “recycle only” dumpsters. We haven’t paid for shipping supplies (except tape) in years thanks to this idea. We’ve also found other sorts of neat stuff in dumpsters, like dozens of greeting cards with envelopes, magazines, books, computers and computer parts, a car stereo, a dehumidifier, fish tanks, picture frames, and more. I have even heard of people who claim that safe food can be found in dumpsters, like pizza behind a pizza restaurant or groceries from a grocery store. (But we’re not dirty hippies so we don’t eat food outta dumpsters.)

2. Moving Boxes. These are also freely available in dumpsters or on craigslist. It almost seems stupid to think of paying $4 per box at one of the moving places. OK – it is stupid. Never pay for boxes.

3. Baby stuff. Parents spend WAY too much on baby stuff. And while there are a lot of things you do need to get (like from a store) when a little one comes along, lots of things can be acquired for free. Again, craigslist has a “free” section and you’d be surprised at how often baby paraphernalia is given away after couples decide they aren’t going to add another number to the world’s population. I personally have gotten years supplies of boy clothes, two baby swings, carseats, blankets, sheets, bottles, and even diapers through craigslist. All in good condition, and some even in NEW condition. Babies don’t put wear and tear on stuff like swings – so I’d rather get a free one than to pay $70 for a new one that will get 6 months of use. I have also given away baby stuff, including baby formula, diaper bags, and toys. Also, most hospitals have generic but usable diaper bags they give to newborns. And some community centers give away car seats and baby slings, depending on where you live.

4. Doula services. If you have ever had a baby (or watched as you wife was in labor), you know how extra support throughout the entire pregnancy would be a godsend. And that’s what a doula does. But their services can be quite expensive. Unless they aren’t certified/licensed yet; then they provide their services for free or on a donation basis as they need the experience to become fully certified. Do some on-line searching and find a doula-in-training. I had a wonderful doula-in-training who helped me treat an agonizing and mysterious condition naturally that even my doctor hadn’t been able to help with.

5. Real estate commission. I am a very strong believer in doing it FSBO. Television commercials for realtor services make selling a home appear scary and overwhelming and hard. But it’s not. Why give away 6% (which might equal $12,000 or $40,000 or who knows how much money) of your own equity to an agent when you can do it all yourself? It does take work- mostly in the form of prepping your house (which you would have to do anyway) and in the form of research so you can price your home correctly and know what to do legally. It does take time. But 6% is a lot of money when you’re talking about the price of a freaking HOUSE. And today there are many options if you want to sell your home yourself: FSBO websites with all the tips, home value websites, real estate books and classes, etc. However, I also understand that there might be situations in which you can’t avoid using a realtor, such as when you have already moved (maybe out of state), or if your time is worth more than what you will end up paying an agent.

6. Legal forms. Many forms, such as real estate forms, are freely available on-line. Do some on-line searching and you’ll probably find the forms you need.

7. Groceries. (No I already told you we don’t eat from a dumpsters!) We lived in Texas for a bit during what is sometimes called the grocery-store wars. Pricing was very competitive and stores ran loss-leaders like crazy. One store in particular (Tom Thumb) had a triple coupon day once a week; they would triple coupons up to $0.75. That adds up to $2.25 off what ever product, and that also meant most of those products ended up being free, or a few pennies, when the same products were on sale. I always felt elated going there and coming out with bags and bags of groceries that were free or a few pennies! It was entirely possible (with a bit of planning and strategic buying) to get over a hundred dollars of groceries for just a few bucks after all the coupons were tripled and deducted. Where we currently live the stores don’t triple coupons – but maybe where you live they do. If so, think of this as a grocery store hack.

8. Shipping and handling. When you are going to buy something from an on-line store, it pays to do some searching for codes that give you free s&h or a percentage off. For example, I recently bought a slipcover on sale for $49.00 (originally $119.00) from www.lnt.com. Before checking out, I googled “code, linens and things” and found a few sites listing coupon codes that I could use for saving money. LNT.com already had free shipping on clearance items, and I saved an additional 20% using a coupon code I found on-line. I was really happy to have a quality product for the price of a cheap imitation. I do this for EVERYTHING I buy online. I register a lot of domain names as well, and before buying a domain I always look for offers, discount codes, promo codes, etc. and I always find something.

9. Clothes. If you don’t mind wearing used clothing there is always eBay. For adults and especially kids, are given away all the time on craigslist and freecycle. Many times the clothes are name brand. This isn’t my personal choice but it’s an option.

10. Household/furniture. You’re a college student? You’re a young couple just starting out? Well before you break the bank by furnishing your house or apartment with all new stuff – hold on to your cash and take a look around. People move all the time, or redecorate, or kick out their lying, cheating significant other and all their belongings. So you can find all sorts of household items and furniture on craiglist, freecycle, or next to the street in rich neighborhoods. Some of that stuff is awesome.

I think 10 is a nice round number to stop at for a list. But here’s an interesting note for business owners. It has been our experience that having a business license gets you lots of freebies. We got free memberships to a warehouse club store (Costco), free office supplies from Staples, dozens of free batteries, and free pens (of course), among other things.

I know some readers are bound to turn their nose up and scoff at trying to get freebies. But there are other out there, like me, who love the challenge of getting things for free or really cheap. Maybe you didn’t hear: frugal is the new black. And if you have your own little ways of getting free stuff, the rest of us would love for you to share your secrets.