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Sheet Music – 10 Free or Nearly Free Ways to Get It

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sheet music

I became intrigued with collecting sheet music for various instruments, most of which I play, ever since my mom came home from an auction with a box full of sheet music in pristine condition, dated in a range of the past 100 years. She was really pleased with the score, no pun intended; it is the most appropriate slang from that time period of my youth. I helped her use some to decorate our music room. It was an experience similar to working in the back room of a used book store. It was amazing. Music! Something I could take off the wall and read and play, and recreate the sounds jotted on paper from 100 years ago. Needless to say, I was hooked.

So now I’m older and I have my own collection to accumulate. Inheritance would be the easiest way, but I’m impatient. I’ve spent less time finding sources for sheet music than I have for books, but I have found at least 10 reasonably cheap or free ways to build my collection.

Auction: I haven’t had much luck at auctions, but my mom did, so I’ll always have high hopes for this method. If you knew my mom, you’d know she got a screaming deal.

Online sheet music sites: I’ve become addicted to VirtualSheetMusic.com, but you can try musicnotes.com, the Sheet Music Consortium, 8notes.com, or a number of others. This is as cheap as your printing costs, unless you want to install a monitor on top of your piano.

Become a Band Librarian: The Booster Clubs in many places include a librarian to sort, file, and transcribe missing copy for arrangements. Sometimes, the piece is too old and too many parts are missing, or it’s being tossed to thin or update the library. Volunteering as a band librarian is music to my ears, or, you could become a pro.

Write or transpose your own copy: For personal use only, I have files of staff paper covered in my interpretations of songs I hear, have heard, or have invented, as well as songs I needed in the key of my instrument. If you have skill in reading it, you probably have the skills to get good at writing it. Nothing more cost-efficient than doing it yourself.

Former Students: Band and orchestra students, unfortunately, frequently abandon their instrument as the rest of their lives becomes a reality. If you know any, or have a director or instructor friend who know of former students, they may have a folder full of sentimental but unused music that you could rescue and revive.

The Public Library: Music and Songbooks are in the 780s of the Dewey Decimal System. Play your heart out, for the gentle cost of overdue book fines.

Join a Sheet Music Club: You know, like a book club. There might be one or you could start one in your neighborhood, or you could join a Yahoo! group with members from over the world.

eBay: Like on-site auctions, Internet auctions are hit-and-miss when it comes to quality, quantity, and value, but it’s there and all you have to do is look.

Sheet Music Magazine is less than $25 a year, and it comes with a variety of music selections. It’s much more reasonably priced than purchasing each piece separately at a retail, and it comes with readings I’ve always found intriguing, after, of course, I’ve played through the selections.

Join the band: One way you can very simply find sheet music is to join the community symphony or band. If just the possession of good music to play isn’t enough, put it to good use. Work hard, play well, and the exhilaration of the ensemble is unparalleled.

Whether you’re looking for a specific piece, or just have the urge for the collection, this list should give you plenty of ideas to start tickling the keys. Whether you’re looking for Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons or Seasons of Love from the musical Rent, the search for the right composer, artist, or melody is never-ending because the mood of the moment changes as quickly as the weather.

Image courtesy of Lili Vieira de Carvalho

Sometimes, All You Have to Do is Ask to Save Money

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By Jennifer Derrick

I recently returned from two weeks of traveling for both business and pleasure. As I was setting up the components of the trip (hotels, rental cars, etc.) I was disappointed to discover that there were virtually no deals to be had. This surprised me because there’s usually some sort of deal available and I’m very good at sniffing them out. (See my earlier article on how I take frequent trips on a limited budget) Normally I will balk and simply refuse to travel or pick a different destination if I have to pay full price but, since the trip was partly business, I had to go. I thought it was good that at least part of the trip would be tax deductible since I wasn’t saving much anywhere else.

As I was getting ready to leave, I decided to try a little experiment. Since there were no deals to be found I decided that, whenever I had the opportunity, I would ask for a discount. I know this idea will offend some people, but let me be clear: I wasn’t demanding a discount or asking for anything for free. I wasn’t rude or threatening. I simply inquired politely if a better price could be had for the purchase I was making. If not, I smiled, thanked the person for their time and went ahead with the transaction at the going price. It helps that I enjoy talking to strangers and I’m very comfortable negotiating and asking for what I want. Shyer folk may not be as comfortable as I was.

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that my efforts paid off more that I expected, although looking back I see that I had more success with smaller, local operations than big, national chains. I learned that sometimes to save money, all you have to do is ask. Here’s a summary of my attempts, and my failures and successes:

1. Car Rental: I arrived at my destination and needed to rent a car. I was holding a reservation at one of the big rental chains for $200. When I got to the counter, I presented my information and then asked the customer service representative if that was the best price I could get for the size car I needed. The lady tapped some keys on the keyboard, opened and closed some drawers under the counter and came up with a coupon code that saved me $50. I was surprised and grateful. I thanked her profusely and promised to write to her manager to thank her for her helpfulness (which I did). I think the key to my success here was that, although this was a national chain, it was an off-airport, neighborhood location where the rep. had more time to work with me. Had it been a busy airport location with a line three miles long behind me, I doubt she would have been as accommodating.

2. Hotels: My results in this area were definitely mixed. I stayed in four hotels over the course of two weeks. At the first, a local bed and breakfast, I arrived to check in and asked if the price I was holding was the best available. As it turned out, when I made my reservation the only room available was one of the larger rooms that sold for a higher price per night. When I arrived and asked, it turned out that someone had cancelled, freeing up a smaller, less expensive room. Since I didn’t need the extra space, I took the smaller room for a savings of $30/night, or $120 for the four nights I was there. This wasn’t a discount per se, but if I hadn’t asked they would have put me in the room I had reserved.

Two big national chain hotels followed where I was unable to get a better price than that on my reservation, although one did give me an upgraded view. It didn’t save me money, but it was nice to look at trees rather than the parking lot. The last three nights I stayed in a national chain hotel that was pretty much the only hotel in the whole town. I didn’t expect anything, knowing the monopoly they had on the market, but when I asked if my reserved price was the best available, the clerk knocked an extra $10/night of my price for a savings of $30. I think they were almost empty as I didn’t see many people around, so I guess the clerk figured I might leave if he didn’t give me a discount and any money was better than none.

3. Tickets: In some of the places I went, I wanted to visit some attractions and museums. I would arrive at the gate of the attraction and ask if there were any discounts on tickets. Most of the time I was told no, although there were some successes. At two museums I was offered $5 off a ticket. Neither clerk said why, just, “We can offer you $5 off.” Savings $10. I took a colleague to a small aquarium, gave my usual spiel at the gate and we were offered 2-for-1 admission. Savings: $7.50. I think in all of these cases it helped that it was the off season for these areas and business was slow.

4. Food: I was unsuccessful at saving much money in this area, although in one restaurant they did grant me the same discount as the senior citizen discount (10%) for a savings of about $2.00. I didn’t ask for the senior discount, but when I inquired about any discounts the waiter said I could have the senior rate. I don’t look like a senior, so I think he was being nice. Either that or I look far older than I think I do.

5. Fuel: Forget it. In a few places I asked about discounts for paying with cash, but quickly stopped asking. Never ask for a discount on fuel unless you are prepared to be treated very rudely.

So for just engaging in some small talk and making some polite inquiries, I saved about $219.50. Not a huge amount of money, but enough to render my experiment a success. Ask politely, don’t whine, nag or demand and your chances of success are greater. If you do get offered a discount, thank the person and be grateful. Also, you’ll probably succeed more often if it’s the off season at your destination and you’re dealing with smaller businesses. I learned that it never hurts to ask. The worst they can say is no and in the best scenario you’ll save some money.

Ways to Save for your Children’s Futures

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tuition fees

I know many kids who grow up and go to college on their own dime, spending all their own hard earned cash for the next twenty years getting out of that debt. I also know of several kids who had a stockpile of cash they could use for tuition, even if they skipped a couple of years after high school, or even waited until adulthood. Then there are the fortunate few who never even pay for their own doctorate.

In any case, parents frequently feel they could do more for their children’s futures. The obviously easy way is to open trust funds and fill them with assortments of investments and set them up securely so that they can grow steadily for the next 18 years. Oh, wait. That’s not easy. Okay, so the easy way is to get a screaming good job and make tons of money so that when the time comes, $30,000 a year is a mere fraction of your income. Wait, that one isn’t easy either. Fine then. Remodel your home and add a few bathrooms so when the time comes you get greater value from that second mortgage and…ugh.

To be honest, there is no catch-all easy and complete one way to save money for your kids. What you must do is accumulate from several sources, including from your own income. Make money now, save for later.

I’ve heard of a few programs that work pretty well; you can open a 529 account, the money which can be transferred to private schools (some in part) and to public schools around the country, possibly internationally. You can find more information at SavingforCollege.com, but do make sure you do some of your own research, talk to your tax professional, and talk to a college financial aid office (any will do).

But apart from the institutionalized options, there are many things you can do as an individual.

Allow family members to open savings accounts jointly with your children’s names. If you have a parent willing and able to save some money for you, let them. Go with them to open the account, but don’t put your name on it. Allow that account to be their business, not yours. Now the normal response would be to count on this money, but don’t. Don’t count it. When the time comes, if they’ve spent all the money, it’s no skin off your nose, but if it’s there, better for your kids.

Request savings bonds instead of gift cards for your kids for holidays. These can just sit in a safe and make money. You can learn more about these at TreasuryDirect.com, but again, make it your business to research things first.

Encourage your children to enter scholarship contests or other contests with cash rewards, and consider entering some yourself. Grace Tierney with Writers On-Line has listed some resources of the free variety, though others require entrance fees. Inventor Spot keeps a calendar and forum discussing invention, science, and engineering contests. Photo contests are prevalent, but if you’re looking for a place to start you can go to International Photography Awards or Kodak. If you win some cash, stash it in an interest-bearing account or buy CDs, or put it in that 529.

Collect your loose change once and a while and put it in savings for your kids. The thing about loose change is that it has been forgotten and ignored, so it doesn’t impact your budget. It’s like the bank that rounds up your change and puts it in savings. You’re doing the same with your cash. Pennies are only worth one cent until they gang up.

Replace a couple of your bills and put the saved expense into savings. If you’ve been budgeting for the past few years for a safety deposit box at the bank, consider buying a fire-proof safe and putting the rental fee into a savings account instead. Cancel the magazine subscription you don’t read every issue of and read it from the library or online instead, and put the subscription fee into savings. The idea is when looking at your budget for extra money for your kids’ savings, you take things you have already made concessions for and replace that cost with something more important and more utilitarian. Never think: “That’s only fifteen dollars a year.” Think instead: “That’s an extra dollar a month to the future fund.”

Look differently. Try college programs like Disney, UPromsie (with rebates that can be redeemed for cash), or the Military(more here).

And finally, when it comes time for the college search, . Some schools have even made work study a major portion of their curriculum, like College of the Ozarks. To get these benefits, encourage your children to work while in high school, explore their own avenues, and do well in school. Remind them, in any case, that their education is their own, and your money and efforts are a gift of aid, not a free ride. You don’t have to put a hole in your pocket to provide the best for your kids. You can do some little things and let your children life take its course.

Image courtesy of slowitdown

Using Product Loyalty Programs to Help Teach Saving Skills

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coke bottle caps

As a child, I went grocery shopping with my adult sister at a store that didn’t exist in my hometown. When she checked out, the cashier gave her a number of stamps based on how much she had spent, and she discovered that she had enough saved to treat me to a toy chosen from the store’s stamp redemption counter. Even though I hadn’t seen her save the stamps over several trips, I remember the thrill of seeing how saving up that pile of stamps paid off! It was an early lesson in saving for me and one I didn’t forget.

Buyer loyalty programs have changed quite a bit over the past several decades; instead of giving customers stamps they can collect and exchange for merchandise, grocery stores generally offer discounts or free turkeys at Thanksgiving in exchange for purchases of a certain dollar amount, and everything is tracked electronically. Two drawbacks to this method (from the buyers’ perspective) are that children can’t store stamps in a box, and points can’t be given to friends.

While nearly all store loyalty programs have switched to electronic tracking, many manufacturers still have programs that use physical tokens of some sort on their packaging (UPCs, codes to enter online, or small cut-out logos) to encourage brand loyalty among customers. When you already buy a product regularly, it’s nice even for adults to get some bonus freebies now and then by saving these tokens. If you have kids, it’s also a great opportunity to teach them about saving. They can choose a prize they like and help clip UPCs or logos, counting how many they still need to “earn” the prize.

The list of companies offering loyalty programs of this type changes frequently. Some programs — such as Betty Crocker points — last for generations, but others are only around for a few weeks or months (no longer than a coupon or rebate promotion and barely long enough to save for a good reward). For this reason, if you see an incentive you like on a product you would probably buy anyway, it might be worthwhile to stock up right away. I recently spotted an offer for a long-sleeved t-shirt on a Pop Tarts box. The cost of the four or five boxes of Pop Tarts I needed to get it would have been less than the cost of the t-shirt, so I bought them all right away. Had I not stocked up, I would have Pop Tarts but no t-shirt because the next time I was in the store, those “specially marked boxes” were no longer there. If you do buy more than you usually would, be sure the price is right, and explain to your children how buying multiple products you regularly use at a bargain price can help you save in the long run.

In addition to varying durations, each incentive program differs in offerings and rules, so be sure to read the fine print. Some programs, such as Hershey’s short-lived 2007 Wrapper Cash promotion, require you to bid on items, using wrappers or tokens from packaging as money. These promotions cash in on the popularity of eBay and other online auction sites, but I would much prefer knowing how much each reward costs so I can teach my children how to make a saving goal.

To get started, here are some national brand loyalty programs, on whose products you can look for tokens you and your family can save for prizes:

My Coke Rewards: Coca-Cola’s promoters describe this program as having “prizes for every interest.” Quite a claim, as I have several interests for which I can find no rewards (reading, puzzles, crafts, etc.). However, they do have a pretty big selection of entertainment and sports rewards, as well as my favorites Coca-Cola products. I save up for coupons for free 12-packs, which cost 100 points. (Each 12-pack has a ten-point code, so it’s like getting 10% of my Coke products for free.)

Pepsi: Up until recently, Pepsi had a program where you could redeem codes for sweepstakes entries. It gets customers to the website, but doesn’t really offer much incentive to buy more Pepsi and save up. However, the Pepsi Stuff program for which I found a code on a new 12-pack seems a bit more promising. Launching February 1, 2008, the teaser site suggests prizes you can save for, including music and television downloads, in addition to the sweepstakes entries.

Pampers Gifts to Grow: Pampers diapers and wipes have codes that can be redeemed for infant and preschool toys made by Lego and other well-known brands, featuring characters from Sesame Street, Dora the Explorer, and more. The rewards require shipping and handling, the cost of which the site does not reveal until you’re ready to redeem the codes for the reward. I earned a Bob the Builder Duplo set for my son, paying $8.00 to have it shipped. The shipping cost was well below the cost of the set at Toys R Us ($35.00), but considering how little he has played with it, that $8.00 might have been better off in his savings account.

Purina weight circles: Like Pampers points, Purina’s weight circles (found on pet food products) offer rewards tailored specifically for those who generally buy the products. These circles can earn checks toward future Purina purchases or veterinary services, merchandise with Purina logos, and gift certificates to restaurants and other businesses that cater to humans.

Kool Aid points: When I visited the website for this promotion, I couldn’t find any mention of an expiration date or program end date, but no products were available in the redemption catalog. Unfortunately, this experience illustrates the “here today, gone tomorrow” nature of many of these incentive programs, which the manufacturers use to create a sense of urgency. I wonder how much ill will this practice creates among those who have been saving up for a prize only to find it unexpectedly unavailable when they are ready to order it.

Disney Movie Rewards: This program offers Disney merchandise and movie tickets in exchange for codes from Disney DVDs and theater ticket stubs. Promoted in the nepotistic Disney fashion, this program (which runs through January 2009) has become quite popular among families with children.

Kellogg’s movies: Cereal companies are well known for offering small prizes that kids can save up for, some for cash plus UPCs and some for UPCs alone. Recently, Kellogg’s had a relatively long-running program, during which its boxes featured forms and coupons that offered a free DVD for five purchases. The movies were full-length, mostly well-known titles. The boxes have disappeared from our local stores’ shelves, but I still have a certificate that’s good until March 31, so there may be more out there.

Cigarettes and Alcohol: I’m not a smoker, and I rarely drink, but I have heard that several brands of cigarettes (including Newports and Virginia Slims) and alcohol offer rewards for proofs of purchase. Understandably, I could find nothing official on these programs online — they are advertised directly to the companies’ customers to minimize criticism for rewarding unhealthy behavior. I would also recommend avoiding these brands’ loyalty programs as a teaching tool for children — use products they can enjoy instead.

Upper Deck trading cards: Specifically geared toward kids, each Upper Deck trading card (at least the 2006 cards, according to the website) have codes that are worth a specific value that remains secret until the code is entered online. Prizes include music downloads, movie passes, video games, and sports memorabilia. Those who have duplicate cards can trade them through the site to get more points.

Betty Crocker Points: Betty Crocker points were still around through 2006, appearing next to the Box Tops for Education logo on General Mills products. The Box Top for Education is worth a dime to a school, but near the end of the program, the Betty Crocker points were nearly worthless, as you could only earn a discount on a purchase, not a free item. Plus, most of the items in the catalog were sold elsewhere for nearly the same price as the discounted price you had to save up for. If you still have Betty Crocker points you want to use, click on “Points” in small print at the bottom of the company’s website, where you will learn how to redeem them for a 10% discount at the company’s online store.

Dum Dum Lollipops: Dum Dums’ Save Wraps for Stuff is similar to the Betty Crocker program in that you still have to lay out cash in addition to the saved wrappers to get anything. The rewards are fun, retro-looking products with the Dum Dum logo on them, which you might consider buying for a tween, but it’s better to view the redemption as a purchase rather than as a reward.

If a particular loyalty program offers rewards you don’t really want, you can still benefit from saving the points. Have some you won’t use? Read the fine print, and if it’s allowed, sell them on eBay. After I received the Bob the Builder set from Pampers, I continued to save Pampers points, and every two months or so, I sell the codes in a lot, earning anywhere from $10 to $30 for them. If your children are the ones saving the tokens/points, get them involved in the auction process by having them calculate shipping, help you write the description, track the bids, and package the tokens.

Likewise, if you really want something but are just a few points/tokens too short, look into buying some more on eBay. Also consider asking friends and relatives to save their codes/tokens/points for you if they aren’t already saving them for themselves. Most people will gladly help you save for something when they’d just throw away the packaging, anyway. If others are saving tokens for your children, be sure your children write thank you notes, including a mention of what prize(s) they earned.

Don’t lose your good money sense, however, when you (or your child) set out to save for a reward. You may actually be able to buy the reward you want in a store for less than what you spend acquiring points/tokens (either by purchasing them outright or by buying products you wouldn’t normally buy). Reinforce the lesson you want to teach your children by saving and spending wisely, even if it’s not real cash.

Frugal Tricks to Make Consumable Purchases Last Longer

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toothpaste tube

Other than our mortgage and utilities, the majority of our regular spending goes to consumables. It’s amazing to think how much it costs to keep our bodies fed, clean, and healthy. Penny pincher that I am, I try to squeeze every last bit out of our consumable items before I throw them away. Each little bit may cost only a few cents, but those little bits add up. By habitually using some frugal tricks to make consumables stretch, we can save a greater portion of our money. Here are a few ways to make those consumables last just a little bit longer:

First, use less than recommended. Not only do I wash my hair every other day (a habit that actually was recommended to me by a hairstylist), I only lather and rinse once each time. Who has time to repeat, anyway? My hair looks and feels as clean as that of most people who lather and rinse twice every day, using four times as much shampoo as I do. Using less than recommended works for more than just shampoo, too. I know I could use less food (smaller portions) than I do! Some people swear by using less laundry or dish detergent, though I still use the full recommended amount, partly because I have an extra large washing machine, so I still wind up cleaning more with less.

One way to use less is to dilute cleaning solutions, juices, and other liquid consumables with water. Water is also a great substance for getting out the last bit of liquid soap or shampoo (instant suds) and for refreshing any cleaning or baby wipes that have dried out. I have often added a few teaspoons of water to a tub of wipes to make them as good as new. If you have the opposite problem with wipes — running out of wipes before the solution that saturates them — add paper towels to the container and get a few more uses out of the solution.

Using leftovers doesn’t just apply to cleaning solutions. The most obvious leftovers to be used are food leftovers, and even though my husband takes leftovers to work for lunch, I’m still amazed at how much we throw out. If too little food remains on your plate to make another meal, save what’s there and turn it into a snack. Also be sure to keep track of what leftovers you have so that you use them before they go bad. (That’s something we need to work on in our house)

“Reduce, reuse, recycle” has become the mantra of environmentalists, but they don’t often mention that reuse leads to reduction. Whenever you can, use consumable items more than once, and the packages will last longer.

Speaking of packages, there are many things you can do with packaging itself to squeeze out a bit more when their contents seem depleted. Turn bottles with lids on top upside-down for several hours to bring contents to the opening, cut open plastic lotion bottles and use your fingers to wipe out the lotion stuck to the sides (I’ve gotten five or six more uses out of some containers this way), and squeeze the toothpaste tube from the back (sorry, middle-squeezers) When I get to the end of the tube, I even fold in the sides, just above the cap, and push down on them to get out two or three more brushes after my husband has given up and left the tube for dead.

Sometimes, you can use tools to get at a package’s final contents. Try a cotton swab or Popsicle stick to get out the last bit of lipstick, lip balm, eye makeup, solid stain remover, or even deodorant. Add a little nail polish remover to nail polish that’s getting gummy, and it’ll be as smooth as ever. When a child’s medicine dropper no longer reaches the bottom of the bottle, pour out what’s left of the medicine into a small cup with a wider mouth, and you should be able to use it all.

Other ways to squeeze out every last bit of your consumables include writing/printing on both sides of a sheet of paper (be sure there’s nothing confidential on the opposite side if you pass something along to someone else), moving depleting batteries from toys or gadgets that use a lot of energy to others that require less (not recommended by the manufacturers, but I’ve seen it work well), and applying heat to the tips of dry pens to get the ink running again.

Some of these ideas may sound like a waste of time to you, but in reality, they take very little time or effort, especially once they’re habitual. They can make a noticeable difference not only in the amount you spend on consumables over a year, but also in the amount of waste you generate. Sounds like another, older, slogan can apply here: “Waste not, want not.”

Image courtesy of justinhenry

The Frugal Counterculture

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“Countercultural” is one of the last things most people would call me, but the description that fits me well. Chances are, if you are reading this article, you are countercultural, too. Living within your means and saving for the future are pretty radical ideas in our culture of easy credit and instant gratification.

In addition to having a way of thinking that differs greatly from the predominant culture, frugal people have some characteristics in common with other countercultural groups. Though we hold a broad range of political and religious beliefs, we share some important ideas. In addition to living within our means and prioritizing saving, we believe in making wise use of our resources and eliminating personal debt.

Frugal people don’t have a particular style of music or clothing to distinguish us, as many countercultural groups do. Most of us don’t wear long hair and long skirts like the hippies or dress in black like the beatniks and the Goths. If you look closely, however, you might be able to identify us by our clothes — they’re likely to be a little worn around the edges and a few years out of style. Then again, some of us wear new, highly fashionable clothes, but pay less for them than everyone else.

The frugal counterculture might not be organized enough to be called a movement, and we have no formal recruitment plan, but we welcome anyone who wants to join us and are willing to teach new members of our group about our way of life. We also teach frugal principles to the next generation and are thrilled when our children grow up to be frugal, too.

I am not aware of any plans for a frugal revolution, but if frugal living became mainstream, it would change the world — many businesses would find themselves losing money, and a lot of people would have to find new ways to make a living. (Thankfully, having converted to the frugal lifestyle, many of these people would already have saved for a period of career transition and would find that they could live on a lot less money than they previously thought.)

As with any way of thinking that goes against the norm, people who live frugally can be seen as strange, particularly when we are asked to explain our reasons for doing some of things we do. Ordering water at a restaurant is considered healthy if you do it because you don’t want to drink caffeinated or sugared beverages, but you’re seen as cheap if you do it to save money. Sometimes, our frugal lifestyles are mocked, and we are called insulting names, like “tightwad” or “cheapskate,” or even “Scrooge” (whether or not our motives are mean-spirited). Yet, even these names can be turned into proud labels when we apply them to ourselves. I think of two well-known publications catering to the frugal lifestyle: The Tightwad Gazette and Cheapskate Monthly.

If you identify with these descriptions, welcome to the counterculture! When you tire of continuously going against the popular way of thinking, remember that frugal living is a rewarding lifestyle. When you live within your means and save for the future, you are less likely to worry about money and more likely to be able to afford what you really want. What a great way to live!