Windows Phone 7 & XBox Live Gold Membership Giveaway From Wise Bread
Photo: Microsoft
Editor's note: Contest has ended! Congratulations to Annette D for this winning comment!
To celebrate the launch of the new Windows Phone 7, Microsoft is giving away a fabulous prize to one lucky Wise Bread reader!
Prize
One Wise Bread reader will receive
- A brand new Windows Phone 7 (approximate retail value $500).
- A 1 year Xbox Live Gold membership
- A 3 month unlimited Zune Pass -- which lets you download and stream unlimited music for 3 months and keep 30 songs forever after 3 months.
How to Enter
Simply leave a comment below telling us how you can "do more with less" in your life. The comment should be around 25-250 characters long (basically 2-3 short sentences will be perfect). Don't forget to fill out the email address box or else we won't be able to contact you if you win!
You can enter one comment per day until contest ends on 11/29/2010, 11:59 pm Pacific.
We will randomly select one winner at the end of the contest period and post the results here in December, 2010. No purchase necessary. Must be legal US resident and at least 18 years-old at time of entry. See here for detailed official rules.
"Do more with less" is a very broad topic! You can write about budgeting, decluttering your life, bargain hunting, frugal philosophies, green/simple living, lifehacking, and more.
How We Do More With Less
To help get your creative juices flowing, here's a story of how we "do more with less" when our family moved into a smaller house.
When we found out that we were moving from a 2-story farmhouse with four spacious bedrooms to a one-level ranch home with just three modest bedrooms, we were a bit concerned as to how we would make it work. Add in the news that we were expecting a 5th child, and it might seem like we were doomed to be forever frustrated with our living arrangements. Thanks to some innovative products on the market, the well-documented paths of a few who’ve gone before us, and a “can do” attitude, however, we’ve managed to feel secure with our new arrangement – as limited as it may seem, at times. Here is a list of proven strategies for taking a smallish home and making it larger than life.
Use That Outdoor Space
As more mega-mansions go into foreclosure, we are seeing the average home size come down considerable. There is nothing shameful about living in a house that’s less than 2,000 (or even 1,300) square feet – even with a big family. Perhaps the best way to conquer the issue of going insane with all the bodies around you is to take some time to step outside. If done correctly, your outdoor living space (which isn’t included in the original square footage of your home), can offer just as much usable space as your inside space. Great examples of this include the common patio, a gazebo, or even a play house. (If you have small kids, a basic metal garden shed can provide hours of sheltered outside play.)
Turn a Closet Into a Home Office
This idea for converting a closet into a home office is brilliant (and keeps your office clutter out of guest’s view.) If you really need that closet for your wardrobe, consider “adding” a closet as a recess into a wall that can accommodate it. More space can be gained by either removing the closet doors and replacing them with a curtain or getting those accordion doors that won’t stick out into the room too much. (See a great example of how to upgrade your existing office-in-a-closet at LifeHacker.)
Skip the Nursery
Yes, you really can store more than clothes and shoes in even the smallest storage closets. While I wouldn’t recommend putting a baby’s sleeping quarters into a closet (unless it’s a jumbo walk-in), the idea of using a closet for the changing table, dresser drawers, clothing and diapers is not a new one. If baby is a co-sleeper, or you opt for a small bassinet or a modern space-saving crib, you can most definitely skip a separate room for baby and use the first two years of life to come up with options for where he or she will sleep once older.
Stack Sleeping Space
Remember how you got away with sleeping in the same room with another almost-adult during college? The all-wonderful loft is still applicable! Whether you’re trying to cram 3 boys into a small bedroom (like us) or just want to give your tween more floor space for all their junk, a loft can literally bring the organization of a bedroom to new heights. (Check out this wonderful set of directions for a DIY version.) I would also suggest bringing back the bunk bed (or even a trundle) for kids that have friends sleep over often.
Work Where You Live
Since home offices are very common – regardless of whether you actually work from home – they have placed extra organizational pressure on small family homes. We took a different approach with our home office, and actually placed it in our living room! By using very nice wood furniture that matched our living room décor, we were able to integrate it into the end of the room that foot traffic did not occur. Why would we do this? For one, it helps us to keep an eye on the happenings in our home. Secondly, it really does save space (have you ever calculated the room that an additional 3 walls takes up in an already small home?)
Get a Mini-Bath
The most difficult part of having a small home is our ONE bathroom. With seven people sharing it, life can get pretty crazy! While we don’t have the room to get an additional bath (or even a traditional “half bath”) we have considered just having an extra toilet in the laundry room. While some additional plumbing will need to be done, and we’d want to hang a shower curtain in the corner to provide some privacy, many older farm houses have a similar arrangement, and it’s worked well for those “emergency situations” that are bound to happen with small kids in the home.
This giveaway is brought to you by the new Windows Phone 7. Less tech tired. More tech trendy: Learn about Windows Phone online and see it in person at local T-Mobile stores today.
If I concentrate better on my work and stop trying to multitask, I can get more done in less time. If only I can convince myself!!! :)
I think that if I could hit up my twitter and face book accounts on my phone, I'd let out more, and leave this hermitude behind ;)
I buy my baby's clothes used off of eBay! I don't have to shop (which I hate), and I get clothes for garage sale (or less!) prices.
I get my screen more organized with less hassle using Windows 7’s Snaps feature.
Doing more with less means keeping your cars as long as possible especially when they are paid off.
Do more with less by starting an herb garden. Most herbs are ridiculously easy to grow and maintain. If you cook with something frequently, grow it! Many herbs also make great windowsill plants. Keep things simple and start with one or two of your favorites.
We save by saving points for travel like car points for rentals and american express points for gift cards for restaurants. We buy certs from restaurant.com to use with our gift cards as well.
Thank You!
I do more with less by cooking dinner and staying home to eat. The family gets to spend time together cooking, eating together and cleaning up. This cost less than going out, but our family gets a lot more out of it.
I do more with less by reading magazines and weblogs of creative people who can see unconventional approaches to using what they already have, such as redecorating with scarfs (!) or making home spa items from stuff in their kitchen!
I do more with less by reusing many household items like paper, boxes, and plastic containers.
I work full time, and have six children, so my life is very busy and compllicated. If I had an amazing phone like this, it would help keep me more organized, and my household running more smoothly.
I do more for less by looking up free stuff online and entering to receive samples and freebies for myself and family.
One example of me doing more with less is carpooling with friends to school (when I don't take the train). Being college students, we'll save all the money we can and it's so convenient that I have a group of friends that all live pretty close! It's fun to see each other in the mornings, ha and eat breakfast on the go. It'd be so awesome to win! The commercials are funny but somewhat true. I know I've been in one of those situations before.
I do more with less by trying to win prizes to give as gifts for holidays and birthdays. I have an entertaining hobby and my loved ones get gifts I couldn't afford on my own.
buy in bulk! Convenience goods like the 100 calorie packs are more expensive because you're paying for that convenience. You can easily do that yourself
I use old dryer sheets to dust around the house before I throw them away.
I use old dryer sheets to dust around the house. Better than just throwing them away.
I do more with less by conserving energy.
Happy Thanksgiving! I am thankful for people who pour their hearts and souls into blogging! I am especially thankful for the phone giveaway as I am in desperate need of a new one!
Doing more for less means buying a gently used car that's been cared for and maintaining it carefully for another ten years.
i love giving out coupons as presents. Like ill watch your kids for an hour or help you clean your house. they are cheap and effective. so everyone is happy
We make more out of less by having family movie night! We build out own pizzas, pop popcorn, the works! It's really more fun (and less expensive) than going to the theater.
More with less... Getting the phone I would not have to go back and forth between phone, computer, calendar to get things done...
I can also do more with less by agreeing with friends to borrow/lend tools and stuff around the house I might need to use only once or twice a year.
Pretty simple- after living alone for 20 years...I got a roommate. Not only did it simply split expenses, economies of scale saved further. Plus sharing chores and participating in a "favor bank" is gratifying. Interdependence truly is the human way to be effective.
One word: library!
borrow videos from the library. Costs nothing vs movie tickets. And you can pause whenever you want :)
I do more with less by buying things on sale.
This might be a little too simple, but I do more with less by always having my laptop with me. Nowadays, since I'm in college, it seems like everything is being moved online, from turning essays in to math homework. It definitely helps me do more when I have free time and I have less stuff to carry around!
I plan my grocery shopping trips so I only have to go once a week. I look at what's on sale and plan meals around those items.
Less with more: Spend less on buying meaningless Christmas gifts-- and do more by donating that money to a charity.
We make our own baby food, and buy regular non-sugar-added applesauce instead of buying baby food. Much cheaper, and more nutritional.
Do more with less means living within your means. The more make, the more you spend is tough in today's times. It's time to cut down on extra's and focus on the quality things like family.
We used to have a guestroom; now my daughter uses the trundle bed (our guest bed) as her own, and we just remove the lower mattress (and use air mattresses) for guests. We moved from a 2-story house, to a ranch-style, and are fortunate to at least have 2 bathrooms. We miss our garage, but we were forced to sell and give away alot of things (previously kept in the garage) which we really didn't need anyway.
My family and I started making weekly dinner menus and also shopping at discount grocery stores. The products are just as good and you spend less money!
Doing more for less is all about doing dishes before, during, and after thanksgiving dinner. Saves a lot of time the next day.
P.S. happy thanksgiving
I get more with less at the grocery store by keeping an eye on the sale ads, using coupons, stocking up when items are on sale, and even buying a lot of generic items. Happy Thanksgiving!
More for less: Host a get together with your friends and have a clothes swap ...exchange your don't-likes and never-worns for things you can use. Everybody wins!
We recycle our towels. Once it is old and torn, we donate them to the high schools to use for car wash fundraisers.
Thank You!
I'm getting ready to do more with less as we speak! Happy black friday! My personal favorite is cyber monday, however, as I get to do all of my shopping in PJs :)
We learn to make lots of delicious food for ourselves, rather than going out to expensive restaurants. And we often like our food better! :)
Use your vertical space!! Look at your closets and general home area in which there is a ton of space between the floor and ceiling that isn't used. Get stack-able boxes (http://www.containerstore.com/shop/closet/cubesBins?productId=10000531&N...) or install several shelves (http://www.containerstore.com/shop/shelving/ladoroShelving) to make sure you make the most out of a space (ESPECIALLY a storage space!)
I do more with less redundancy by syncing my files using Windows Live Mesh.
I do more with less by multitasking.
Our family rarely eats out, and I pack my kids' lunches. I use coupons as much as possible, and I leave extra coupons in the store (by the item) for other consumers to use.
I use coupons, check the store ads for sales, and buy markdowns. I compost vegetable scraps and fall leaves. I combine as many errands as I can on a trip out to save time, gas and energy.
I would love to win! I am busy looking after my large family. With so many varying activities, I could use this amazing phone to keep us all organized. It would help me get more done in less time.
I do more in my closet with less space by using shelving products and boxes to maximize the space I do have by making it organized and allowing room for more products.
I try to do more with less by buying things for the house that are multi-purpose. Less clutter and wallet friendly!
doing more with less could mean budgeting and adhering to it. It allows us to save properly and spend wisely
Dropping cablevision simplified my life. Without the tv addiction (I shut down when the tv turns on), I now knit, visit with friends, send actual paper letters to friends, and have a cleaner home.
We also added a toilet in the laundry room to have an extra "bathroom" in the basement. It gives us more options with 5 of us working with less space.
My husband, baby girl, and I moved from our own house to his parents' house recently. We all have less space and privacy now, but we spend MUCH more time together, share the bills, and spend less time cleaning (since there are 4 of us to clean now instead of just two)!
One example of me doing more with less is simply turning off and unplugging electronics and appliances. Sometimes people forget and it adds up to the costs. As time goes by, spending a few little seconds on turning appliances off can really make a difference and save more money, more money to spend on stuff I want! I only turn things on when I need to! I really want to win this phone!
So I'm out of town this weekend, and had to bring my laptop, which is obviously no problem. What sucked was all of the witty thoughts that popped into my head on my 10 hour drive that I couldn't immediately tweet of FB. I needz a smart phone!
Less is definitely more with makeup. Natural beauty is nice. There is no need to cover yourself with tons of makeup and look fake. Makeup should compliment your natural features, not make you look like a clown.
Do more with less? I am an elementary art teacher with a $100 annual budget (450 students) and no computers - we make all our great things with everyone's castoffs!
We practice giving each other massages, rather than just paying someone else. We're not nearly as good as a professional, but it's still nice. :)
Do more with less by making sure you have a low-flow showerhead installed. A low-flow showerhead uses 2.5 gallons of water per minute or less, saving water and the energy to heat it. After a few showers, you don't notice the lower flow, but you will notice the savings! Note that ultra-low flow (1.5 gpm or less) showerheads may not be for everyone since the lower volume of water, and hence higher pressure, is more noticeable.
I am a high school teacher in a low income school. I am often asked to do more with less as school budgets get smaller
My husband always packs his lunch, instead of buying out, which definitely saves money!
Eat less junk food during the holidays; have more confidence in the new year.
I am the mother of six, so using all of my resources at the grocery store is essential. I check the sale ads, stock up on what is on sale, use coupons, and often buy generic. Anything that can help keep down the grocery bill is a big plus.
I do more with less by giving simple gifts that have taken time to put together - if I make homemade rum raisin truffles as my gift to friends and family, I can purchase simple treat boxes and tie them with festive ribbon. Adding little details makes people feel special, without having to be expensive!
As a single mother of 1 and step mother of 2, life is hectic. So if I can have 1 tool to help me keep track of everything then life would run smoother.
I do more with less by driving a gas saving hybrid car.
I got a dining room set from my uncle that had seen better days. The table was ok so I just cleaned it and polished. The chairs I reupholstered. For about $20 I was able to have a wonderful dining set.
I can do more with less if I shop for bargains, and buy when things go mark down. Works awesome.,
i have to do more with less because i'm broke and not gonna get any better any time soon, if ever
i do more with less when i use coupons they help so much and it hard sometime. But it help when u use then with a store sale and u cant save so much money it makes me so help when i do more for less.
I cook 90% of my meals at home and usually cook enough for several meals at the same time.
My grandmother taught me to "save steps". During chore time around the house, always have something with you to be returned or replaced as you move from area to area and room to room.
We recycle everything and use reusable bags for shopping. In other country's the consumer pays for plastic shopping bags.
Thank You!
One example of me doing more with less is simply turning off and unplugging electronics and appliances. Sometimes people forget and it adds up to the costs. As time goes by, spending a few little seconds on turning appliances off can really make a difference and save more money, more money to spend on stuff I want! I only turn things on when I need to!
I am trying to do more with less by entering to win wonderful freebies!
i do more with less by planning ahead as much as possible
I could do more with less in my life by getting rid of at least half the stuff in my sewing/craft room. If I had more room, I'd be more inspired to do things there.
m and ms are probably my favorite more with less candy. i use them to decorate cakes, i use them in counting games with kids, and they just taste good
I am almost the last person I know that doesn't have a smart phon, Luddites excepted, of course. While keeping up with the Jones's doesn't interest me much, updating my FB from the bank does!
I do more with less money for Christmas gifts. All year I take surveys that pay in Amazon.com gift cards. I will be purchasing a $99 Cuisinart Food Processor for my best friend this year that comes with free shipping. I won't pay a dime for it, and I still have a bit of Amazon cash left over.
as a teacher in a financially strapped school district I an do more with less because I have to. Many of my students are now coming to school with no school supplies because their parents have lost their jobs. Thanks to coupons and rebates I'm able to supply them with these things free. The same goes for pens, crayons, glue and yes even scissors and notebooks. Thank goodness for big box office stores and pharmacies that offer such deals.
We adopted a mutt rather than getting a purebred, which is more for less in many ways: cheaper to buy, more healthy, and just overall more awesome. :)
I get more bang for my buck at the grocery store by checking ads, using coupons, stocking up on what is on sale, and buying generic on what is not. I also try not to buy anything that doesn't offer nutritious bang for its buck.
I do more with less by shopping sales and finding really good deals. I am able to get some really good gifts for my family and friends by buying items when they go on sale!
Doing more with less sometimes means reusing grocery bags, or buying the recyclable types and using those. Saves the environment and saves the grocery stores money, which in turn saves you money.
I notice that I have a TON of old clothes in storage bins. I could do more with less by donating the clothes to Goodwill, wearing the ones I have out and by doing this it will free my life from clutter. I WANT this phone.
If you tape large empty juice cans together and cover them with fabric, you will a a strong steady stool to step on.
I do more with less by shopping sales.
I save more buy using my cupons when an item is onsale!
I used to make a huge meal with lots of food for my family every night and most of it was thrown away. Now i make more meals with the same amount of food and a lot less waste
I do more with less at dinner time. I can cook for 5 people, with not many ingredients. Everyone is full. I also use a lot of coupons. That saves me so much money every week. I can get $200 worth of groceries for about $125.
We only shop for clothes at thrift stores. We donate anything we don't need to a crisis center.
The less clutter in my office, the easier it is to find and organize things. The less money I have, the more thought I have to give too what I purchase. Hence, the less you have, the better you will do in life.
Do more with less by organizing a Holiday gift exchange that involves buying only one present within a given circle of friends/family/folks that you would normally gift individually (i.e. you choose a name within the group, and give that single person a present). It'll definitely save you time and money, and ideally will result in more satisfaction on both ends. And let the giftee suggest something that they'd really appreciate or get a gift card to their favorite store.
One way we do more with less is with leftovers. Especially during Thanksgiving time. An example would be using ham for lunch sandwiches and using the leftover turkey for quesadillas or my favorite turkey and tortilla soup!
We went shopping on Black Friday and I bought a lot with a little bit of money.
Put less debt on your credit card. Put NO debt on your credit card! LESS debt is MORE freedom in the new year!
I find doing more with less is more of a lifestyle rather than a credo. If you never use it, either toss it, recycle it, or it make it available to a worthy individual or cause. Believe me, life without clutter makes each day feel like a renewal, instead of a prison of our own foolish acquisitions!
I believe in "leftovers." The value of discarded items, repurposing food scraps, and finding simple pleasures in everyday occurences. Standing in line is my opportunity to meditate and plan.
This phone would help keep me organized so that I can do more with less!