Read Free eBooks on Kindle

You don’t need an eBook Reader or a Tablet to read eBooks. You can install Kindle for PC on your desktop or laptop to read eBooks. If you have a Tablet, you need to install the Kindle application from the app market. I will go through the two easiest ways to find eBooks on the Kindle store. There may be others ways pull free eBooks, but I like these two methods as they are very simple and fast.

Procedure One: See All Free eBooks without Categories

1. Go to the Kindle Store
2. Put “free kindle books” in the search box
3. Hit the “Go” button
4. You will see all the ebooks. As of this writing, I got 29,431 free eBooks.

Procedure Two: Sort All Free eBooks by Categories

1. Go to the Kindle Store
2. Look for the categories on the left
3. Pick the category you want
4. Sort it by price, from low to high on the top right
5. Free eBooks for that category will appear on the first few pages

Once you have found your book, click on that book and then you can buy the book by clicking the “buy” button on the top right. Yes, you still have to click the “buy” button, although it is free and you won’t be charged.

These days, I am reading more books than ever as I have access to all my eBooks on my smartphone, tablet, and PCs. If I read one book on my tablet and then open the same book on my smartphone, I will be on the same page where I left of on my Tablet (or any other devices), as all devices are synced when you read, regardless of their operating systems.

More A Dawn Articles:

5 Best Android Free Live Wallpapers

The Continuous Depletion of Time Account

5 Tips to Automate Your Finances and Manage Your Debt

6 Things You Can Do Right Now to Manage Your Credit Card Debt

Why Should You Get Rid of Your Cable or Satellite TV?

What Do I Need To Capture Free HD Over-The-Air TV Channels?

It depends on where you are. If you live in a high-rise condo or apartment building in a city (like Toronto), the process is really simple. You just need to buy an indoor digital antenna and you have to place this antenna near your window or glass door. I bought an RCA Digital Flat Antenna, which is around $40, looks like a book or a tablet PC, lies flat on any flat surface, and is very low-profile.

If you live in a house, you will need to install an outdoor digital antenna. You can either do the installation by yourself, or you can call a professional installer. You will be saving lots of hassle (if you think of it that way) of choosing the right type of antenna, buying parts to install the antenna, and so on, by calling a professional installer. There are professional antenna installation services that will do all the work for you. The cost of such services will recover within a few months once you stop paying your cable or satellite company. Search for “TV antenna installers” to find an installer near you.

If you prefer to install an outdoor antenna by yourself, you need to buy an outdoor digital antenna and some parts to install it outside. Stores like Tiger Direct, Factory Direct, Canada Computers, Home Depot, etc. provide antennas and the parts you will require to install it by your self. Here are some websites which provide you information on over-the-air TV channels and picking the right antenna for installation:

http://www.sensuz.com/estore/catalog/whatisota.php

http://www.tvfool.com/

http://www.hdtvantennalabs.com

http://www.digitalhome.ca

How Many HD Channels I Will Get?

You will get 10 to 20 or more HD channels and many SD (standard-definition) channels. You will get Canadian channels like CBC, Global, CTV, Citytv, ABC, NBC, FOX, PBS, etc. However, keep in mind that specialty channels like TSN, Showtime, weather channel, etc. will not be available as over-the-air channels.

Last Word

You have to see it to believe the crisp, crystal-clear HD picture quality you can get for free just by connecting an over-the-air antenna to your TV. And how about the big savings you will enjoy year after year for cancelling your cable or satellite TV? You have to experience it to believe it!

More A Dawn Articles:

What Is Minimalism?

Light Traveler’s Travel Checklist

4 Common Credit Card Mistakes

Saying No Is Actually A Positive Thing

6 Things You Can Do Right Now to Manage Your Credit Card Debt

Don’t Leave Home Without Following These Wallet/Purse Tips

1. Go through your wallet and get rid of everything you will not use on a regular basis. There is no point carrying all the cards and receipts in your wallet. I keep only those what I use everyday. If I use a credit or debit card occasionally, I leave it home and only keep it with me when I will be using it.  

2. At any point, you should know exactly what items are in your wallet. This way, if you lose anything you will be able to detect it right away, reducing your chances for being a victim if someone else gets ahold of your cards.

3. Make a list of everything you carry in your wallet. Write down your credit card number, customer service phone number, and anything else you would require to block your credit or debit cards in case of theft or loss of your wallet. Better yet, you can scan the back and front of all your cards as well. Keep this list handy at home, in hotel safe, or online securely in such a way that you will have access to it when you need to call your financial institutions in case of emergency.

4. Do not carry wallet in your rear pocket. Thieves use very sharp tools to cut pockets and it’s a lot easier to cut when it’s in your back or rear pocket.

5. Be careful and pay attention to what’s going on around you. Thieves work together in crowded places and try to distract you by pushing you, causing artificial arguments among themselves, or anything else to cause distractions so they can use that split second to grab your wallet while you are distracted.

6. Keep some cash separated from your wallet in a different place on you. If you lose your wallet, this ensures that at least you will have some money to get home.

7. Do not keep your home or car keys in your wallet. If thieves get ahold of keys, they will be easily able to access your home or car because it’s not hard to find information (home address on driver’s license, vehicle information on insurance or registration card, etc.) leading thieves to further carry on their operations.

8. Do not write your PIN number on the back of your cards or carry it with you in your wallet. Also, do not use your date of birth, postal code, or your phone number as your PIN. If thieves have your wallet, they will have access to enough information to guess your PIN by going through your wallet.

9. Do not leave your wallet in a jacket, coat, or anywhere else if you’re checking out these items in a restaurant, movie theatre, or anywhere else.

10. If you are wondering what’s in my wallet, here are the items I always carry with me if I am in Toronto:

- One bank card (Interac card)
- One credit card
- Driver’s license
- Toronto Transit Commission Metropass

If I travel, I modify these items depending on where I am traveling to.

NB – You do not need to carry your rewards or points card anymore as smart phone apps have the capability to carry these cards digitally on your smart phone. 

More A Dawn Articles:

How Not to Give Up on the Gym

India’s Falling Rupee and Its Economic Future

Why Are Global Entrepreneurs Flocking to Canada?

Get Free Hi-Speed Internet for Your Home and Save $50 or More per Month

Is This A Trick To Make Me Read Your Article?

The purpose of this article is not to trick you to read it by giving unrealistic tips such as going to an Internet cafe or Wi-Fi hotspot zone and sit there all day long to have free Internet access; or not to give you an even more nonsense tip such as drive around the neighbourhood to find an unsecure Internet network and sit in front of that house in your car with your laptop to have free Internet access (and oh yes, don’t forget to keep an eye out for police cruisers).

The purpose of this article is to give you enough information to have free Internet at home and at outside – without paying for a separate Internet connection. I will tell you what you need to save around $50 per month, and I will also tell you what you can do to overcome some technological limitations – if you are not a tech savvy person. However, after learning about all the tips and tricks, just like anything else, some of you may not want to go through the pain and hassle (if you think it that way) to save $50 a month – and that is perfectly understandable. However, I will tell you this that I have been using free Internet and saving $50 a month for 4 months now since I discontinued my regular Internet service in January 2011.

What You Must Need To Have Free Internet

Here is what you must need to have this work for you:

An Android smart phone (same procedure mentioned here should work for other smart phones; however, I use Android and am only familiar with Android)

A phone plan with unlimited data. In Canada, Mobilicity and Wind Mobile offer unlimited data plan.

A tethering app or software

A USB/micro USB cable

What Is Tethering?

Tethering is the process in which you use your smart phone to get Internet access for your laptop or desktop. Your smart phone and your computer can be connected via USB cable or wirelessly via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection.

How Do I Actually Connect My Smart Phone and Computer To Get Free Internet Access?

The way I do it, and this is the easiest way to tether with an older version of the Android operating system, is to use a USB cable and very user-friendly tethering application such as Easy Tether.

Here are the steps in order:

You need to install tethering software on your computer and smart phone. There are many available on Android market so you can pick the one that suits your needs. I use Easy Tether.

Connect your computer and smart phone via a cable.

You may need to change some settings on your phone. The tethering software’s website will tell you what settings need to be changed and it should not be that complicated.

What If I Am Not Tech-Savvy Enough To Do It On My Own?

Tethering is not hard to do; however, I realise that some of you may not be able to do it. What can you do in that case? Find someone else to do it for you. If you know a high school kid who is on the Internet 24/7 in your neighbourhood or even in your home, most likely this kid will be able to do it for you.

Another easy way to find someone is to check cell phone stores. The folks who works there are usually very tech-savvy and they can do it for you in a snap. One geeky guy at my phone store did a lot of work for me when I first bought my smart phone, as I had even no idea how to pick up a call on a smart phone. As a token of appreciation, I gave him some cigars upon returning home from Cuba. This is the guy who also taught me how to tether. One point here – don’t expect someone to work for free for you. Offer them money and they will be happy to go the extra mile for you and it is only fair. For example, offer someone $100 to set up tethering for you and I can almost tell you with certainty that this will be an offer someone won’t be able to refuse. Don’t worry about spending $100 when you will be saving $50+ a month on a regular basis.

Technology Makes Life Easier

In newer versions of Android phones, you will not have to go through setting up tethering and so on to enjoy free Internet. Google has added built-in tethering and Wi-Fi hotspot functionality so you can tether easily or use your smart phone as a high-speed wireless modem to share an Internet connection among many computers.

The Last Word

My smart phone does not support Wi-Fi hotspot functionality – so I am limited to have Internet only on one computer at a time. I am hoping to get a new version of the Android phone shortly so I can have Internet on all my computers at the same time. And yes, with the money I am saving after disconnecting my regular Internet – which comes out to be about $600 annually (12 X $50), I can afford to buy a new phone shortly.

More A Dawn Articles:

Personal Finance

How To Be Confident

Hiring A Home Inspector

How to Choose A Place to Retire

The Tallest Skyscraper In Canada

How To Find New Uses For Old Things

HSBC Declines Internet Entrepreneurship Bank Account

Canadian Dollar at Par? Learn How to Do Shopping In the States

Currently, as of this writing, the Canadian dollar is worth more than the United States dollar. Against the Canadian dollar, the American dollar is worth 99 cents, a full cent below our Loonie. This is a good time to be a Canadian because most of us can remember a time when the Canadian dollar was worth 40 cents less than the American. That meant for every dollar something was worth in the United States, we paid .40 cents extra. To buy a ten dollar book, we paid $14.00. To buy a $100 stereo, we paid $140. Well for the time being that is no more because Canada is back on top.

Naturally, this means some big benefits to Canadian consumers, not to mention hockey teams that can now save money in Canada (unlike the situation in the 1990s). As a consumer, how are you going to benefit from the high Canadian dollar? Well, through cross-border shopping of course. When you go to the border crossing and exchange your money, you get one cent extra for every dollar you exchange. That may not seem like much but it can add up. It will be awhile before retailers in Canada begin to sell things at American par prices, so why not go to the States and get a jump start on savings?

What are the tips for cross-border shopping?

1. You are not going down to the United States for a vacation, so keep what you bring minimal. Make the process of going over the border easy by having a Photo ID, a birth certificate and a passport ready at the crossing. In addition, you can eliminate some delays by choosing to eat in the United States, rather than bring a lunch. If you do bring a lunch, do not brown bag it or you will probably have it confiscated. If you have a sandwich with beef in it, you will probably lose it as the United States border is very particular about beef products going into their country.
2. When you are in the United States, do not buy fruits and vegetables that do not originate from Canada. You are not allowed to bring fruits and vegetables from the United States into Canada.
3. Forget about using your credit card or your debit card. If you use your credit card, you may not be capitalizing on the rate of the day at that point. Credit card companies do not always credit your card right when you make the purchase, it could be later that day or the next day. So, if you buy something today when the Loonie is worth more, the credit card company might put the purchase through on your credit card tomorrow, when the Loonie is worth less than the American dollar. Also, debit transactions can be done, but they cost you $1.50 per transaction.
4. When you come back over the border, you have to declare everything and make sure you bring your receipts. If you do not declare all your goods and you are caught, then you lose what you bought, as well as the money you spent. On that same note, if you are in the United States less than 24 hours, you still have to pay a duty if you bought goods. If you stay for 24 hours, you can bring back $50 worth of goods without paying a duty and if you stay 48 hours you can bring back $200 worth of goods without paying a duty.

Some hand-picked related and non-related posts:

Canada’s Personal Finance Blog

Canada Personal Finance Website

Foreign Property Mortgages for Canadians

Toronto Real Estate – A World Class City Is Still Surprisingly Affordable

What Is The Pareto Principle And How To Use It

What Is The Pareto Principle

The Pareto principle, or the law of the vital few, or the 80-20 rule was the work of an Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto. Pareto observed in Italy in 1906 that 80 percent of the land owned by 20 percent of the population. Later on, Pareto observed the same 80/20 proportion applies to many other aspects of life. This observation gave us the Pareto effect or Pareto law which has been known universally. Simply stated, the Pareto principle is – a large proportion of results come from a small proportion of works or causes (a vital few).

Why You Need To Know the 80-20 Rule

You need to know the 80-20 rule to use your time and efforts more intelligently and efficiently to become more productive. If you can track the 20 percent products or works that bring you the most (80 percent) results, you can emphasise on these 20 percent and cut down the other 80 percent unproductive, time wasting tasks you do. Knowing your productive 20 percent and unproductive 80 percent will put you on the edge and you will be better equipped to handle your entrepreneurial journey than anyone else.

Some 80-20 Suggestions

Here are some common scenarios where you can apply 80-20. These are just some example to show you. Find out your own situations where you can apply the Pareto principle and prosper.

- 80 percent of your sales come from 20 percent of your products. Find out these 20
percent and improve them to get more sales.

- 80 percent of your work is being done by 20 percent of your employees. Take good
care of these few employees and decide what to do with the rest.

- 80 percent of your errors come from 20 percent of causes. Fix these 20 percent
causes first.

- 80 percent of the things you do daily or monthly, only 20 percent are really
important. Do these important 20 percent with utmost care.

- 80 percent of your results (or income) comes from 20 percent of your works. Do
these 20 more often to get better results.

- 80 percent of the time you use (wear) 20 percent of your stuffs (clothes). Eliminate
the other 80 percent you never use and live clutter free and less stressful life.

- 80 percent of your failures are coming from 20 percent of your wrongdoings. Eliminate
these 20 percent and succeed more often.

- 80 percent of your health problems are coming from 20 percent of your unhealthy
habits. Cut these 20 percent bad habits and live a healthy life.

Well, I can go on and on with this list forever. But these should be good enough to give you an idea. Find your own situations to apply Pareto rule and prosper.

Some Interesting A Dawn Journal Facts In Light Of The Pareto Principle

Here are a few interesting A Dawn Journal facts:

- 80 percent of visitors are coming from 20 percent countries

- 80 percent of traffic is coming from 20 percent articles

- 80 percent ad revenues are coming from 20 percent keywords

Final Word

I do believe in Pareto principle, but I don’t believe the 80-20 matrix is always constant. I think it fluctuates and disperses from the exact 80-20; however, it stays very close to, or within plus or minus 80-20 range. For example, it makes sense to assume that lots of times 80-20 proportion will actually be 70-30, 65-35, or even 85-15.

You May Want To Read:

More ATM Tips To Protect Yourself From ATM Scams

Recession Proof Jobs You Can Start Right Now

How To Get Free Marriage Counselling

10 Tips to Save Money at Restaurants

RRSP Creditor Protection

In the past, insurance investments such as Segregated funds (whether being held in a registered or non-registered account) and registered pension monies were provided creditor protection in case of bankruptcy.

Starting July 7, 2008, Bill C-12, an amendment to the federal Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, extended the same creditor protection to all registered investments such as RRSPs, RRIFs, DPSPs. RRSPs and other registered investments as mentioned above are now exempt from seizure or claims of creditors in case of bankruptcy. Remember, this exemption may not apply to contributions made within a 12-month period prior to bankruptcy.

Some hand-picked related and non-related posts:

What Is An RRSP?

Advantages Of An Early Age RRSP

Canada: The Genuine Alternative To America

Ten Common Bankruptcy Questions Answered

What Is A GIC (Guaranteed Investment Certificate)?

Free Global Internet Phone Calls

MediaRing Talk is running free calls promotion for the month of September (extended till December 2009). You will be able to call real phones to eight countries from your computer (VOIP) for free. These countries are: Australia, Canada, China, USA, Singapore, Taiwan, UK, and Hong Kong. Only residents from selected countries are eligible to make free calls. Canada and USA are eligible countries among many other countries. Check MediaRing website for a list of eligible countries and terms and conditions.

I have tested free MediaRing calls on my computer. The installation process is easy to follow and MediaRing softphone is simple to use. Sound quality is very good. It feels like calling from my land phone. However, you will have to put up with these two problems.

- The first call you make will never go through. I called my friend in Connecticut 10 times and the first call never made it at first. He heard the ring but once he picked up, connection got disconnected. However, in each cases, we got connected second time.

- There is a ten minute time limit for each call. Your conversation will get disconnected after 10 minutes. However, feel free to call back again. Call backs are allowed unlimited times.

Definitely I will be using this free calls promotion for the full month. I recommend it – as long as it’s free. Try it out.

Want More?

Free Home Phone Comes To Canada

How to Get Free Internet for Your Laptop at Starbucks

Hi-Speed Internet For Your Laptop Anywhere, Anytime

You May Not Need Your Home Phone Anymore With This Cell Phone Feature

Free Internet Wi-Fi on Your Laptop

Whether you are an Internet Entrepreneur, or just a regular Internet addict, chances are high that the idea of having high-speed Internet on your laptop while sipping a cup of coffee has crossed your mind. But the question is, is it possible to get free Internet Wi-Fi access Hotspot service for your laptop while having a cup of coffee for free?

Starbucks coffee shops in Canada and in the US offer free high-speed Internet access for free. To use this free Wi-Fi access, you need to have a Starbucks.com user name and password. To obtain this user name and password, you need to buy a Starbucks card.

In Canada, if you are buying your card at a Starbucks location, the minimum amount you need to purchase is $5. Once you have a card, you will be able to register for a username and password and then you will be able to use free high-speed Internet.

A Starbucks card comes with many other perks. My favourite one is unlimited brewed coffee refills with any size cup. Free Internet access is limited to two hours daily; I think this is more than enough for most of our usual daily needs. This program works very similar way in the US as well. Visit Starbucks.com and Starbucks.ca for more information.

I enjoy having a cup of coffee outside while working on my laptop. Starbucks will be able to redirect a good number of customers towards them from other coffee retailers, just by simply having Wi-Fi friendly shops. This is very good for Starbucks from a business perspective. Soon, other coffee players that are not offering free W-Fi, will have to offer this service to hold onto their customers. 

Some hand-picked related and non-related posts:

Free Home Phone Comes To Canada

10 Tips to Save Money at Restaurants

40 Ways To Save Money On Textbooks

More ATM Tips To Protect Yourself From ATM Scams

Hi-Speed Internet For Your Laptop Anywhere, Anytime

You May Not Need Your Home Phone Anymore With This Cell Phone Feature

Survive A Layoff; Start Recession Proof Jobs

Ever since I wrote the Recession-Proof Jobs article, I’ve been thinking about writing more on the subject. Initially, I was thinking of writing an article describing all recession-proof jobs. Then again, I thought, what would be the purpose of describing jobs which would require long training and won’t let you start right away?

Today, I will describe a few jobs that you can start right away or within a few months. These jobs require short-term, very little, or no training. I am sure there are more opportunities like these but these are the ones I can currently think of off the top of my head. Always keep your mind and eyes open and be on the lookout. Soon enough, you will find opportunities to ride out this economic crisis.

Repo Man – A repo man repossesses property or goods from buyers who defaulted on payments and can’t pay them anymore. During recessions, this trade seems to flourish as many people lose jobs and are unable to keep up with payments. To work as a repo man, you need to find bailiffs or repo firms that employ repo workers. If you don’t have training or experience, you will be starting off as an assistant or helper. To locate a firm near you, search online by using these keywords: “bailiffs jobs Canada” or “repo man jobs Canada.”

Auto Mechanic – Qualified mechanics are always in short supply, and you can use this to secure an entry-level job, such as parts-runner or assistant to the mechanic, and complete your automotive courses towards achieving certification as a full-time mechanic. A job as a mechanic will always be on demand, not just during a recession. Check with local auto-repair shops or look in the newspaper for opportunities.

Fast-Food Worker – Layoffs are abundant these days; however, long lines at Tim Horton coffee shops tell me that fast-food stores are nowhere near feeling the heat of recession and they are constantly hiring. As more and more people are losing jobs, they are avoiding fancy restaurants and gathering at fast-food shops to socialize. Therefore, fast-food shops have to hire more workers to keep up with the excess flow of customers. You do not need any training or certification to work at a fast-food restaurant. Although it does not pay well, something is better than nothing and during a recession any employment opportunities should not be overlooked.

Thrift Store Worker – During a recession, thrift stores like Goodwill and The Salvation Army seem to do well. People avoid buying new and costly products and these second hand stores flourish. I have seen that these types of stores are on a hiring spree to keep up with increased demand and you don’t need any formal training to be hired.

Security Guard – During an economic downturn, stealing and other offences go up and so does the demand for private security guards. You can be hired by security firms with no training and they will give you some quick training to put you on the fast track.

These are only a few worth mentioning. There are many other job opportunities that exist in a financial crisis which we may not even know about. Keep your eyes open and always be on the lookout.

A rough economy also brings fresh opportunities for entrepreneurs. Creative entrepreneurs can weather the global financial crisis by looking ahead and seeing opportunities in the future. For example, regardless of economic conditions, Green and environment-related opportunities will flourish and there are opportunities in these areas.

Also, some particular sectors do well in recessions and you need to find and utilize those sectors. I can give you a couple of quick examples:

1. People like to stay home and use more cable TV and Internet.

2. People cut services and products they hardly use and stick to the basics, such as gym memberships, magazine subscriptions, luxury items, etc.

An optimistic entrepreneur should always track these trends and come up with innovative products and services to fill the gap. With innovative thinking and the right information, yes – you will be able to ride out the recession and work towards achieving your dreams.

Some hand-picked related and non-related posts:

Ten Tips to Survive the 2008 Global Financial Meltdown

How To Protect Your Marriage In Economic Downturn

How To Get Free Marriage Counseling

Global Credit Crisis and Canadians

Earth Hour A Reasonable Success