Blogging for Change

Thirty free online resources worth checking out

by Jesse Campbell on
3/16/2015

Money Management International is not affiliated with any of the following websites. This information is provided for reference purposes only.

At the moment I’m writing this, there are exactly 916,184,675 different websites online and available for your consumption, should you be so inclined. In the time it took me to write that sentence, however, the number jumped up to 916,185,245. In other words, there are a lot of websites out there. Many, if not most of them, are pretty useless.

Some, however, are pretty great. And free! And worth checking out. Here are 30 free online resources that you can really benefit from.

Free media

Documentary Heaven – Do you love documentaries? If so, be sure to check out the massive library of free documentaries at DocumentaryHeaven.com. And if that doesn’t satisfy your craving, browse the huge selection at DocumentaryStorm.com.

Project Gutenberg – If you’re something of a bookworm and have an eReader of any variety, you can download free books at Gutenberg.org. It’s a great way to catch up on all of those classics in the Public Domain you’ve been meaning to read for years. OpenLibrary.org is another great resource for free eBooks.

LibriVox.org – Would you prefer listening to those old classics? Or maybe you know someone who loves books, but is no longer able to read printed materials? This site contains thousands of free audio versions of public domain books by authors like H.G. Wells and Arthur Conan Doyle. The books are actually read by volunteers. And you can help by uploading your own recordings to the site!

Archive.org – As the slightly ambiguous name implies, there’s much to be found at Archive.org. They have a sizable library of free books, movies, software, and more. The site also includes the Wayback Machine, a huge catalog of historical website snapshots. If you want to know what your favorite website looked like in 2001, here’s where you can find out.

Educational materials

DreamSpark.com – Per their description, “DreamSpark is a Microsoft Program that supports technical education by providing access to Microsoft software for learning, teaching and research purposes.” Essentially, this is free Microsoft software for current college and university students.

Class-Central.com – If you’re interested in deepening your knowledge base, you really can’t go wrong with these free, online classes presented by leading universities across the globe, such as Stanford, MIT, and Harvard. You can also browse Coursera.org and Open2Study.com for more online courses.

OpenStudy.com – If you’re having a hard time organizing a study group locally, you should be able to find peers tackling the same subject on this website. You can also pose questions and get detailed explanations from other students.

KhanAcademy.org – This site essentially provides all the tools you need for online tutoring, with educational resources for all levels and subjects. It’s a great site for students, teachers, and parents.

TEDTalks – You’re probably familiar with TED Talks, but if not, TED is a nonprofit dedicated to the power of ideas. TED Talks are short presentations on a wide variety of subjects. They range from the educational to the inspiring.

Duolingo.com – Is it time to relearn all of that French you forgot in high school? Duolingo is language software that teaches a number of different languages in a fun, stress-free way.

Memrise.com – If you used flash cards in school (and that worked for you), you’ll appreciate Memrise, which uses the same principles to help you learn…pretty much whatever you’d like to learn.

Health

7 Cups of Tea – If you’re struggling with mental health issues, consult with a trained professional. If you simply need to talk and feel like someone is listening, this free, online service may be a good starting point. Described as “an on-demand emotional health and well-being service,” this site provides a safe, anonymous environment in which to vent and be heard.

GoodRx.com – Prescription drugs are expensive. This site and its connected app actually helps you comparison shop for prescription drugs. Enter the drug and your location and you’ll see the prices offered throughout your area. You can potentially save a pretty significant amount.

f.lux – The glare coming off of your various screens has been proven to be bad for your sleep habits. This program automatically adjusts the screen settings on your computer, cellphone, and tablet depending on the time of day. Users report that the adjustments help reduce eye strain and improve sleep.

TwoFoods.com – What’s the difference between sourdough and whole wheat bread? This site provides a quick comparison on two different foods, including calories, carbs, fat, and protein.

A Soft Murmur – If you need ambient noise to help you sleep or study, this site provides a combination of natural sounds (wind, rain, thunder, etc.) at different intensities. You can also try Simply Noise, which gives you the choice of white noise, pink noise, and brown noise.

Miscellaneous

AccountKiller.com – This site provides detailed instructions for deleting online profiles and accounts (which is often more difficult than you might think).

Skyscanner.com – Need plane tickets? This site quickly searches through multiple travel sites to provide the best prices for the flights you want.

RetailMeNot.com – I hope you’re not shopping without coupons. Whether you’re buying online or in-person, always take a second to check for the latest coupons. Give Coupons.com a peek while you’re at it.

Pixlr – If PhotoShop is too expensive and too complicated for your photo-editing needs, there’s Pixlr, which is free and browser-based (so there’s nothing to download).

10 Minute Mail – If you need to provide an email address and don’t feel like providing your own, you can use this site to create a temporary email address. You can also try GuerillaMail.com and Mailinator.com.

IFTTT.com – If This Then That is a pretty fascinating piece of technology. This site allows you to create “recipes” for your various apps. For example, if your weather app says that it’s going to rain today, then you will receive a text notification before you leave the house in the morning. If you upload a picture to Facebook, then that picture will also be uploaded to your cloud storage. You can create your own unique recipes based on how you use your apps.

Jesse Campbell photo.

Jesse Campbell is the Content Manager at MMI, with over ten years of experience creating valuable educational materials that help families through everyday and extraordinary financial challenges.

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