Are you earning 0.01% interest on your savings account?  Thanks to historically low interest rates, you are probably earning near zero interest on the money you worked hard to earn.  Have you looked into online savings accounts?  I’ve noticed more and more online savings accounts popping up lately and I think you may like the extra interest it can earn you.

I joined ING Direct several years ago and have loved it since joining.  It has earned more money in interest than any of my other bank accounts.  They have great customer service, and they have nearly all the services a physical bank has, though you may have to get the services in a more creative way.

So what kind of interest can you earn with Online savings accounts?  Recently I saw these rates:

• ING Direct 1.25% APY
• Ally 1.49% APY
• HSBC 1.35% APY

These three are some of the highest paying accounts I’ve seen.  Compare this to the 0.01% you are getting from Chase, yes that’s 1% of a percent.  Just by opening an online bank account, you’ll be earning 100x more interest!  I also noticed CapitalOne Direct Banking, which offers Business and personal accounts at over 1% APY

OK, I admit there are reasons for not using online bank accounts.  In fact About.com lists 3 reasons not to use online bank accounts.  The reasons are: bad customer service, speed of clearing, and not being able to spend it from your online bank account.

These are good reasons, though I find them all to be false, at least for ING Direct…

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(Ed. Note) It’s no secret that the unemployed like to or have to save money where they can.  As such an important component of our lifestyle it was only right to team up with FrugalNYC, a premier resource for frugal city living, as we present Frugal Fridays! Enjoy.

With the Advent of the Apple iPad, the ebooks market is going to get much more crowded.  The Amazon Kindle has remained the leader up until now.  Sony, Barnes & Noble among many others will be upgrading or joining this joyride.  Buying the device can cost you a bit of pocket change, luckily ebooks are cheaper than the paper alternatives.  An even better option is to find FREE ebooks.

To help you find more FREE ebooks than you can read in a lifetime, I’ve put together a list of sites that either host the books themselves or helps you search for the books.  Project Gutenberg is probably the most widely known.  Most of you have also heard about Google digitizing books.  Below you will find links to these and more.

1. pdfgeni.com
2. scribd.com
3. Project Gutenberg
4. Manybooks
5. Feedbooks
6. Books In My Phone
7. Queens Library
8. NYPL
9. Online Computer Books
10. Free Tech Books
11. Free Computer Books
12. Google Books

What sites do you use to download or find Ebooks?

For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.

Read more Frugal Friday tips here.

(Ed. Note) It’s no secret that the unemployed like to or have to save money where they can.  As such an important component of our lifestyle it was only right to team up with FrugalNYC, a premier resource for frugal city living, as we present Frugal Fridays! Enjoy.

Restaurant Week kicks off on Monday January 25, 2010 in NYC.  Due to it’s popularity and the Great Recession, it is once again 2 weeks, from January 25th to February 7th.  There are some new additions this year.

This year, there are 260 restaurants participating.  Some new additions include dell’anima, SD26 and Breslin Bar & Dining Room (in the Ace hotel).  In addition, there is a new Restaurant Week Truck making rounds across the city serving soups from 24 of the participating restaurants.  The truck will run week days only from 11 am to 2 pm January 25th - February 5.  To find out where the truck is you can check nycgo.com or via twitter

Prices for three-course lunches are $24.07 and dinners are $35.  So those of us who have been saving up and eating out less, pick a good restaurant and try it while the prices are low!

Make reservations early, as the best restaurants fill up fast!  Bon Appétit!

For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.

(Ed. Note) It’s no secret that the unemployed like to or have to save money where they can.  As such an important component of our lifestyle it was only right to team up with FrugalNYC, a premier resource for frugal city living, as we present Frugal Fridays! Enjoy.

The weekend is nearing once again.  If you don’t already have something planned or are just looking for something low cost to do here are five things you can do this weekend.

1. Go to Dylan’s Candy Bar, if you have a sweet tooth, this will be your favorite destination.  It is quite different from most candy stores.
2. Visit Grand Central and check out the Transit Museum’s 8th annual Holiday Train Show! It is available until 1/18/09.
3. While you are at Grand Central, check out the whispering gallery of Grand Central Terminal.  Read more about it at NewYorkology.
4. If you like tech and gadgets, go visit the Sony Wonder Technology Lab.  This is where I’ll be heading to this weekend.  You’ll enjoy a couple hours of fun for FREE.
5. Take the Roosevelt Island Tram.  You’ll get a bird’s eye view of the East river that you can’t get any other way.  It costs the same as a subway ride.

What low cost activities can you suggest for this weekend?

If you’re looking for some FREE business cards to help you Network, today is the final day to enter the Business card giveaway!

For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.

(Ed. Note) It’s no secret that the unemployed like to or have to save money where they can.  As such an important component of our lifestyle it was only right to team up with FrugalNYC, a premier resource for frugal city living, as we present Frugal Fridays! Enjoy.

Start 2010 off with some free Wi-Fi spots so you can keep your cash for more important things, like coffee or food.  Yes, you can get free internet access at work, home, school and probably all your friends.  You might even have an iPhone and never need anything else.  But what if you are in a building without AT&T 3G coverage?   Well, here are six places you can connect your iPhone or netbook to a Wi-Fi network so you can continue tweeting, facebooking and blogging all day long.  Don’t forget to drink your coffee!

1. Barnes and Nobles - You can read, drink coffee and surf the web at the same time.  You are officially a multi-tasker!
2. Bryant Park - If you would like to sit out in the freezing cold, you can get some Wi-Fi here.  It’s probably a better idea to do this spot in the summer time.
3. NYPL - Steps away from Bryant Park, you can park yourself in a comfortable seat in the New York Public Library and surf to your hearts content.  And you thought the library was only good for studying and napping!
4. Queens Library - Those of you who journey outside of “The City” into Queens, the most diverse borough of NYC.  You can get your fill of Wi-Fi in the #1 library system, by circulation, in any of the 62 branch libraries.  You will need a library card though, so borrow a book or DVD while you’re at it!
5. Brooklyn Library - Lets not forget the borough with a famous bridge named after it.  You can even catch free concerts there in the summer time!
6. Times Square - There are signs telling you where free Wi-Fi is available.  If in doubt, head to the TKTS and you’re sure to get a signal there.
7. Starbucks - If you register your Starbucks Card, you’ll receive two consecutive hours a day of complimentary Wi-Fi courtesy of AT&T.  AT&T DSL customers already get this free.

Midtown Manhattan is supposed to have a zone setup by CBS several years back.  I’ve never verified it, so it didn’t make it to number eight.  Perhaps someone can verify this and let us know?  Looking for more?  Check out NYCWireless.net’s map for Wi-Fi spots all over the city!

Do you know of other great spots for Free Wi-Fi in NYC?

For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.

(Ed. Note) It’s no secret that the unemployed like to or have to save money where they can.  As such an important component of our lifestyle it was only right to team up with FrugalNYC, a premier resource for frugal city living, as we present Frugal Fridays! Enjoy.

You’ve opened the gifts and put on the Yule log on TV.  You’ve probably received a ton of holiday cards by now.  Instead of throwing them out or stuffing them into a box that you’ll never look at again, why not do something interesting with them?

Make an ornament - Cut the back of the card off, punch a hole in the card and put a string in it.  Now you have an instant ornament to add to your tree or anywhere else that needs a little holiday cheer.  I’ve taped some to my door, the kids love it!

Chains of cheer - Cut the front of your cards into strips and make interlocking loop chains to hang on a tree.  Children will enjoy helping you make these as well.  Make a game out of it to see who can make the longest chain.

Interesting Borders - Tape a bunch of cards to a doorway or window border.  You just made your entryway more interesting.

Make Postcards - Cut the backs off and you have a post card!  Just add some words and a stamp and send it off.

Make a wreathe - Cut a large piece of cardboard into a wreathe shape.  Glue the cards or just interesting images from the cards onto the wreathe

Do you have other ideas or uses for old Christmas / Holiday cards?

If you’re in NYC and looking for the Yule Log program, you can find it on WPIX (11) from 4am-6am & 9am-1pm this year.

For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.