Meal planning, like budgeting and clipping coupons is one of those tasks that I always groan at. However, meal planning does make a mom’s life easier, not just in knowing what to make for dinner each night, but in grocery shopping as well. When you know what you’re going to serve, you know what to buy.

Over at KitchenMonki.com you can get help with the process of menu planning. Add your own recipes, use them to meal plan, and even print out a shopping list. KitchenMonki.com also has a social aspect in that you can share or get meal plans and recipes from others.

The site is free to use so check out KitchenMonki.com and start meal planning.

One way to save money is to maintain and fix household items. At FixItClub.com you can get hundreds of free guides on how to do ordinary repairs on just about everything around the house including cell phones, washing machines, fishing reels, smoke detectors and more.  Visit FixItClub.com to learn more.

Caller Id and the Do Not Call List have a been a big help in avoiding unwanted calls. But sometimes Caller ID isn’t clear and not all organizations follow the DNCL rules.

When I’d get a weird number on my Caller ID, I used to type the number in my search engine to see what came up. But now there is a better option to figure out who’s calling you. The Number Investigator will not only provide reverse phone number look up, but you can see if there are any complaints about the caller, and you can file a complaint as well. Further, if there are enough complaints about a caller, the Number Investigator will file a report with the proper authorities.

To use the service:

1. Enter Phone Number Information into the box on the home page. Or choose “Reverse Look Up” from the navigation bar at the top of the page.

2. Click the “Search Now” Button.

3. Get your results that include a map of the location, information about the organization, and complaints filed.

I tested the service on two numbers I received in the mail as part of a fake check scam. The letter with the scam listed a New York address but the Fax number was in Houston and the phone number was in Calgary (Canada).

To learn more, visit http://www.numberinvestigator.com.

Results of Phone Number Search of Scam Received in Mail

I tend to relax with a good book, but my son and husband enjoy computer games. The problem is that getting new games or participating in online games can get expensive. But over at Game House you can get a new free game everyday! Or if you want to buy a game, its only $5.99.

To get the free game, visit Game House and check the link in the top right corner. Check out all the other fun games as well.

Not sure what your teenager just texted to you? Visit Transl8it.com to get the translation. Simply enter the text message, click translate and get the English version. You can impress your teen by typing in a message in English and have Transl8it.com translate the message into text.

Visit Transl8it.com to check it out.

Its an odd fact of life that we’re more likely to do something we don’t like to help someone else, than we are to do it for ourselves. If you’re that type of person, the Plus3Network.com is for you. The site connects sponsors who will pay the charity of your choice for each mile that you bike, run, walk or swim (more exercise options such as tennis and gym time are coming). Simply choose your cause (many to choose from including Breast Cancer Research, Project Rwanda, and The Environmental Defense Fund), log in your miles, and your charity is paid through sponsors.

You can help raise even more money by inviting your friends to join and organizing teams and/or events.

The best part is that each time your exercise, you aren’t only improving your health, but you’re helping to raise money for a worthy cause. Learn more at Plus3Network.com.

A couple of years ago I was checking my web stats and noticed that one URL seemed to making a lot of hits on one of my graphics. Visiting the site I discovered it was using my logo as its own. This was potentially very bad for me as my site was about finding legitimate work-at-home opportunities and the site that was stealing my logo was a scam. People who didn’t know better would think that I was promoting the scam or at the very least endorsing it. It could have ruined my credibility.

Copyright infringement is rampant on the Internet, and its hard to know what materials are being stolen and where they are posted. But at TinEye.com you can an least find out if your logo, image, or other graphics are being used somewhere other than where you placed them.

TinEye has an easy to use image search engine for graphics. Just upload the graphic or give the URL of the graphic and it will show you where else the graphic is being used. You may be surprised to find your pretty mug showing up on a different  site! Or your logo!

To learn more visit TinEye.com

Results of a search on my photo image. Sparkplugging has permission to use this photo.

Having trouble finding someone to watch your kids? SitterCity offers a resources for families to find full-time childcare or the occasional sitter. Its not service in that someone is assigned to you. Instead its a directory where you can find profiles of people that include their experience, expertise, and references. Some sitters have their profiles marked with “background check”.

The database is fairly extensive. There were several sitters listed from my tiny, rural area. You can do a search and see a list of sitters for free, but to get their details you’ll need to join. The service offers a free 7 day trial and then a monthly or yearly membership option.  To learn more visit SitterCity.com.

Thinking a change of location will help you survive in this difficult economy? Find out for sure with Salary.com’s Cost of Living Wizard that will compare the cost of living between two cities. It will let you know the difference in the average cost of living as well as provide the difference between salaries. To learn more, visit Salary.com.

Dealing with old outdated gadgets is a hassle. You don’t want to throw them in trash, after all you paid good money for it and it probably still works. And of course, sending them to the landfill isn’t good for the environment. On the other hand, throwing them in the junk drawer just adds more clutter.

There are many organizations willing to take your old cell phones but what about your old digital cameras, MP3 players, GPS systems, laptops and other gadgets? Gazelle offers you good money for most your gadgets. And if your gadget isn’t worth anything, it will still recycle or dispose of it in an environmentally safe way. Gazelle offers other way to make a difference by allowing you to donate the money you make from your gadgets to a cause. If you have a cause, Gazelle can help you fundraise as well.

Gazelle is easy to use. You need to create an account. Then simply type in the gadget you have into the search box. Answer some questions about its condition and ask for a price quote. Gazelle will give you a price and let you know what the item is selling for in the regular market. Next you request a packaging so that you can send your item in at Gazelle’s expense. You’re paid when the item is received.

To learn more, visit Gazelle.com!