New and Updated Articles Coming Soon!

Hello, Thrifters! Welcome back... and thank you for your patience! A New and Improved version of That Thrifty Guy is on its way, with new articles and updated versions of old ones. I would love your feedback on what YOU would like to see here on my blog, drop me a line! See you back here soon! - Georges, thatthriftyguy@gmail.com

A Personal Message from That Thrifty Guy!

Hello, Thrifters! I must apologize for the lack of posts on our blog here lately. I continue looking for deals and ways to stretch and save a buck or two, and I plan to update this blog very soon! Personal circumstances have it that I've had to put some family affairs in order due to a parent's passing, but things are getting back to a "new" normal and I will be getting back to the blog shortly. As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions! See you back here soon! - Georges, thatthriftyguy@gmail.com

That Thrifty Guy's Guide to FilmOn TV and how to get it onto your Roku

It's no secret on this blog that I really enjoy my Roku as the best source for cable-free TV (check out my article here). FilmOn TV is a terrific free Live TV service available from the UK that is now available, though in limited fashion, as an unofficial "private channel" for the Roku. 

You won't find any live streaming TV channels on the app, though, that's the limitation that the Roku channel sadly has. Presumably it's a regional licensing issue locked down by the broadcasters, but gladly these restrictions are not on the website version of FilmOn TV. There is a way to get all of FilmOn TV's streaming channels on the Roku, with a little time and effort. Instead, the native Roku channel carries the FilmOn-produced online channels geared towards specialized interests and tastes.

If you want to check out the live channels and on-demand content available with the native app, simply sign into your Roku account online (( https://owner.roku.com/Login/ )), go to the "My Account" section and click on the "Add a Private Channel" link on the page. FilmOn TV's private channel code is WM6BC.

Looking at the FilmOn channel guide online (( http://www.filmon.com/group/ )), what's missing on the Roku app are the Live TV streams from UK Live TV, Latino TV, Canadian TV, German TV, French TV, Italian TV, Australian TV, Kazakh TV, and African TV. All other channels that are present and accounted for are mainly owned by FilmOn TV or aggregates of podcasts and on-demand content.

Guest users of the FilmOn TV website have access to low to mid resolution streams of all of the available channels. Register a log in and you can also set up a Favorite channels list and receive 10 hours of storage space for DVR recordings. Additionally, sign up for a monthly subscription to get high quality versions of the streaming channels as well as additional DVR storage. 

It's important to mention a caveat to the HD streams advertised on the website: Look closely in the Subscriptions page and you will see that $14.95/mo will allow you to watch "High Quality Video", which does not mean actual High Definition, but higher quality versions of their standard feeds. Testing a paid subscription for 30 days, there is a difference, however slight, between the SD and "HD" (I'm gonna call it HQ) streams. I'm not yet convinced it's worth the monthly expense considering that the HQ streams are not available for all channels. For example, I noticed a small increase of sharpness in the stream for the ActionZone channel when switched to HQ, though the HQ stream for Horror Channel did not provide any difference at all (which is a shame because the Horror Channel is one of the best channels on the service).

As for the variety of channels that are available from FilmOn TV, it's mostly UK-located channels such BBC and ITV, but a handful of UK channels dedicated to American series, along with classic TV shows and movies, are quite enjoyable.

As I mentioned earlier, Live TV from FilmOn TV is not included as part of the native Roku channel, but with a bit of effort and the help from the PlayTo app for Android-based tablets and smartphones and its Roku channel, casting the live streams to the Roku greatly expands the viewing options from the FilmOn TV service. A PC-based solution to cast FilmOn TV streams to the Roku is available with the Plex server installed onto the PC and its associated channel for the Roku, but more on that method later.

The "Lite" version of the PlayTo Android app is all you need to make this work with your Roku, so there is no need to dish out 5 bucks for the full version of the app. (The free version has some limitations, but I haven't come across any while testing this method.) The Android PlayTo app has a pre-installed list of media links including the mobile-web version of the FilmOn TV service, with all live channels intact. A bit of set up is needed in the app for it to "see" the Roku device to cast to, but the easiest method is to manually "Add Device" and type in the Roku's IP address in the configuration. On your Android device, tap onto the PlayTo Lite icon, tap "Online", tap "TV", tap the FilmOn TV icon, find the channel that you want to watch from the various categories listed, get the video started in the device then tap the flashing cast icon on the screen to send the video to the Roku. If all is set up properly, the live stream should transfer instantly to the Roku's PlayTo channel. (During my testing, I could disconnect my Android device from my network and the Roku stream wouldn't be interrupted, so I didn't have to worry about tying up my smartphone for other tasks or draining the phone's battery while watching FilmOn TV.) For PC users, getting the FilmOn TV live channels to the Roku can be accomplished using different apps.

I am currently testing the FilmOn TV app that appears by means of the Unsupported App Store plug-in for the Plex Media Server installed on my PC, in addition to the Plex Channel app installed on both my Roku boxes. I will have a more detailed review about Plex in a future article, but for those already familiar with Plex, be sure to install the plug-in to access the FilmOn TV channel.  (The Unsupported App Store plug-in for the Plex Media Server is something like the private channels for Roku, it aggregates channels that are not officially supported or endorsed by Plex for various reasons as the apps may be unstable, unfinished, or otherwise. It's from within this plug-in where you will find the FilmOn TV channel, complete with all of the live TV streams found on their website, but use at your own risk as it is unsupported. My experience with the app so far, though, has been fine, I haven't been hit with any instability or incompatibility issues yet.) Once the FilmOn TV channel is installed on the PC server, it will appear in the menu inside the Plex Roku channel. Click on the FilmOn TV channel within Plex and up will load a fairly attractive interface with all of the channels and content. Set up the Roku app with your FilmOn TV log in credentials and you will even have instant access to your Favorite channels and DVR recordings. Sweet! 

FilmOn TV makes it easier to consider cutting the cable TV cord for good. Though US-located channels aren't available with this service, there are still quite a few channels available from the UK dedicating their programming line-up exclusively to American shows and movies. Making the full FilmOn TV service work with the Roku is well worth the effort.

As always, I welcome your feedback in the comments section or by email at thatthriftyguy@gmail.com anytime, let me know about your experience with FilmOn TV, Roku, or any of the other apps mentioned in this article. 

Happy viewing!

Yours truly, 

That Thrifty Guy!

Thrifty Deals from Swagbucks, Part I: Secrets of Highly Successful Swag Buck Earners

Whether you've just signed up through me to get your 500 SB bonus, or you've been a member for awhile, I've got a great tip to help you earn more Swag Bucks! Thanks to Swagbucks.com, who have looked at the earning habits of highly effective and high-earning Swagbucks members, I've got some insights to help you earn more SBs faster. Of course, that also means you'll get more gift cards too, so here's the tip: Special Offers.

Special Offers can be found under the Discover menu (on the top of the site) or on the homepage of Swagbucks.com, and they are great ways to earn more Bucks. Not only are there many free ways to earn, but several of the offers credit instantly and have a higher Swag Buck payout. Higher payout = more gift cards. Those with longer periods to credit often have even larger payout amounts, so it's worth a quick look. In fact, the Swagbucks members who on average earn the most get the majority of their SBs from Special Offers -- so why not follow suit to become top earners like them and get your gift cards sooner! If you haven't signed up for Swagbucks yet, it's a great way to get gift cards and pay for the things you want and need -- all for doing things you already do online. Click here to sign up and start earning right away.

Happy Earning!

Yours truly,

That Thrifty Guy!

- thatthriftyguy@gmail.com

Roku Sets New TV Streaming Milestones

Congratulations to the whole Roku team who celebrated a huge milestone on Tuesday, September 16th, 2014. The Roku team announced on their blog that they've sold over 10 million streaming media players, boasting over 1800 channels-- hundreds more than any of the other current media players on the market-- since it first launched six years ago. Read the full article here. Way to go, Roku!

My family and I account for at least 6 streaming boxes in their various versions. I love both my Rokus; that's all I watch. Check out my primer on using Roku to replace your cable TV and reducing your entertainment costs.

While That Thrifty Guy is in the middle of researching Roku channels to review for this blog, stay tuned. In the meantime check out these great sites for the latest news and updates about Roku:

• The official Roku blog: http://blog.roku.com/
• Roku Guide, Your Independent Guide to Roku Channels: http://www.rokuguide.com/
• More about Roku private channels: http://streamfree.tv/roku/private-channels/
• More news about new Roku channels and updates: http://www.roku-channels.com/

If there any specific Roku channels that you would like That Thrifty Guy to review, drop me a line at thatthriftyguy@gmail.com or leave us your feedback in the comments below.

Yours truly,
That Thrifty Guy!
-Georges B.

Thrifty Tips: Organize Your Dorm Room to Maximum Space

Every once in a while That Thrifty Guy finds a great article that fits right in to our lifestyle that it's worth passing along. Our guest author today is Nicole Rodriguez and she gives us great advice on spiffing up a dorm room the thrifty way.

This article is reprinted in its entirety under the Terms Of Service ("TOS") issued by the distributor of this article. That Thrifty Guy has agreed to keep all original links in the article as "live links" and all content intact without edits. At times where links are broken or content becomes outdated, we will add an *editor's note with current details or links relevant to the article at the time of publication on our blog. Copyright infringement is not intended and is retained by the original author under the terms of the distributor's TOS.

Organize Your Dorm Room to Maximum Space
By Nicole Rodriguez  |   Submitted On August 14, 2014

August is here and that means college students around the country are packing their belongings and heading back to dorm living. Dorm rooms are notorious for being cramped spaces that offer very little storage. Don't just settle for living in tight quarters; there are lots of clever ways you can maximize your tiny space. Read on to learn how you can transform your dorm room into a functional, comfortable space.

Rise Above it All

To get the most out of your space, you'll have to use every inch of it. Propping your bed up on bed risers is a great way to give yourself several feet of much-needed space. Use this space to store bins and containers filled with blankets, books, or clothes. There are many styles of storage containers to choose from, and some even come with wheels attached making it easy to access what you need. According to Seventeen.com, look for risers with built-in outlets so you can easily charge your smartphone, tablet, or laptop right from your bed.

Handy Hooks

Hooks come in handy when you need a spot to hang your bags, clothes, and accessories. Driving nails through dorm walls is not only frowned upon, it's difficult trying to get a nail through the concrete walls. An effective solution is using temporary hooks that adhere securely to the walls. Although temporary, these useful hooks are sturdy enough to hold many items - from bathrobes and coats to backpacks and sets of keys. At the end of the semester, simply remove the hooks.

Stack 'Em Up

Stackable bins and baskets are a great way to gain vertical space on desks, on top of armoires, or on the floor. Store your most-used items in open bins so you can easily access what you need.

Over-the-door Shoe Organizer

Running out of closet space is one of the biggest dorm room complaints. Hanging an over-the-door shoe organizer on the inside of your closet lets you organize your shoes while freeing up useful space for other items. Shoe organizers are also great for corralling other items besides shoes. They're great for holding toiletries, pens, highlighters, paper clips, etc.

Tension Rods

Most dorm closets usually come with only one hanging rod - hardly enough space to hang all your clothes. Add an additional rod to maximize your space; they are easy to install - look for ones with hooks that hang over the existing rod. Simple! According to the pros at Ambersorganizing.com, if possible, avoid bringing an entire semester's worth of clothing with you at the start of the semester. If you plan on visiting home, you can swap clothes as needed to help prevent overcrowding.

Corner Check

Corners are often overlooked spaces in dorm rooms. The corner wedged between your bed and desk might not be big enough to add a full-size shelving unit, but it may be large enough to tuck a free-standing shelving rack or rolling cart. Another way to maximize open corner space is to hang an adjustable tension rod and use it for hanging scarves, ties, or belts.

Avoid Duplicates

If you'll be sharing a dorm room with a roommate, contact him or her before moving in to make sure you're not overloading the room with unnecessary duplicate items. If you can do with one television, microwave, iron, and ironing board, you'll free-up valuable space.

Miscellaneous Tips

• An over-the-bed-storage shelf takes up very little floor space, yet provides additional storage.
• A bedside storage caddy has plenty of pockets to hold your television remote, phone, or reading materials. The caddy fits securely between the box spring and mattress.
• Replace bulky hangers with slimmer, non-slip hangers. They take up less closet space and help to keep your clothes from sliding off.

Reference:
http://www.seventeen.com/college/sneaky-dorm-room-space-savers#slide-4

Enviro Maids LLC is a family-owned and operated maid service based in Stamford, CT and serving homes throughout Fairfield County, CT and Westchester, NY with professional green cleaning maid services. Our staff is trained in the latest green cleaning methods and each maid is carefully screened, bonded and insured. Discover for yourself what homeowners throughout Fairfield and Westchester Counties have come to enjoy -- exceptionally clean, green maid service from Enviro Maids. For more information, visit our website http://www.enviromaidsllc.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nicole_Rodriguez
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8671325
___________________________________________________

*Editor's footnote:
Thank you, Nicole, for giving us such a great article! The link that Nicole shares with us from Seventeen.com actually provides more thrifty dorm-room space-saving ideas, simply view their gallery from the beginning here:
http://www.seventeen.com/college/sneaky-dorm-room-space-savers#slide-1
Also, Enviro Maids has created a fun newsletter with loads of thrifty tips totally worth checking out. Here is a link to their full archive:
http://www.enviromaidsllc.com/articles-green-housekeeping-tips-free-newsletter.htm
- Georges B. ( thatthriftyguy@gmail.com )

Thrifty Living: Cutting the Cable TV Cord with Roku, Netflix and Wi-Fi streaming

Let's face it. Cable TV is getting just too expensive and we are getting much less value for it than what we did when Cable was the only game in town. In 2008, a new player emerged changing the way we consume entertainment. Today, the Roku multimedia streaming box leads the market by bringing hundreds of channels of great programming into your home for less than a night out at the movies.

Today, I will show you everything you need to enjoy great programming without breaking the bank.

ESSENTIAL #1: A good Internet package: Monthly cost, apx. $60.00 - $75.00/mo

It's important to mention that Roku will not function without a good Internet connection which will be your highest monthly cost. Now, when you consider *everything* that you do online, like web-browsing, checking your email, Skype calling and more, having Roku is a mere extension to your monthly usage. When you are ready to officially "cut the Cable TV cord", be sure that you get a good loyalty deal from your cable company to keep only your Internet. Also make sure that your Internet speed is at least 10 Mbps to ensure optimum viewing of content in HD and that you have a robust usage limit since most of HD content can run over 1 GB per hour.

ESSENTIAL #2: The Roku box: One-time purchase, apx.$60.00 - $110.00

Currently, there are four models of Roku streaming devices ranging from the cheapest model, a simple stick which plugs into a free HDMI port on your TV, to a full-featured box about the size of a square hockey puck that includes a USB port for playback of external media from a memory stick.

Canadian Versions:

1. Roku Stick Streaming Player 3500CA, Purple
2. Roku 1 Streaming Media Player - Canada
3. Roku 2 Streaming Media Player - Canada
4. Roku 3 Streaming Player - Canada Version

US Versions:

1. Roku 3500R Streaming Stick (HDMI)
2. Roku 1 Streaming Player (Black) (Roku 2710R)
3. Roku 2 Streaming Player (Black) (Roku 2720R)
4. Roku 3 Streaming Media Player
5. Roku HD Streaming Player (Certified Refurbished)

The Roku 3 is the only model that includes a USB port and happens to be the most expensive, though highly recommended. If you are like me, you may be one who likes to download his media to a USB drive and use it as his own personal PVR, I just wish this great feature was available with the more budget-friendly models. For those who prefer getting their entertainment on-demand, then I recommend the Roku Streaming Stick (to keep your set up neat and cable-free) or the Roku 1 for about the same price. Go to Roku's website for a detailed comparison of each model.

Once you have your Roku set up and ready to use, now comes the fun part: getting all the great content! There are plenty of free channels that will get you great movies and TV shows, mostly the classics, and That Thrifty Guy plans on reviewing them soon, but here are just a couple of recommendations to get you off to a great start:

NETFLIX: Current plans start from $8.00/mo

I won't really classify this as an "essential" purchase, but the monthly cost for Netflix beats every Cable TV package out there and you get current fare that will keep you entertained as much as Live TV. Mind you, current TV seasons are usually about a year delayed (some of my favorite shows like Arrow and Revolution made it to Netflix after their initial seasons completed), but new release movies and recent additions are frequently updated. There are plenty of TV classics to keep you in TV rerun heaven, though, so you won't run out of options. New movie releases are usually about 3-6 months after they've been released on DVD or Blu-ray and reach Netflix about the same time as Cable TV premium channels like HBO or Showtime get them. At half the price, though, it's a no-brainer.

HULU PLUS: Current plan is about $8.00/mo

Second to Netflix, I would recommend getting Hulu Plus. Though not available in Canada, US viewers get immediate access to the most recent episodes of the top TV series on the air, as well as classic TV offerings like I Love Lucy, Star Trek, Twilight Zone, and much more. (Arrow and Revolution, by the way, appeared next-day in Hulu Plus, so if you simply can't wait to watch your favorite shows, it's worth an extra $8-bucks a month and STILL better than Cable TV even with Netflix in your budget.)

THE BEST "FREE" CHANNELS on Roku

Though I wouldn't really call these channels as essentials to install on your Roku, I consider them worth a look as these are the best of the free content that is available.

• Crackle: The Crackle Television Network is a Sony-owned network that features plenty of their library movies and TV shows. The only annoyance about this channel is the infrequent and repetitive commercial breaks within the media stream. There's nothing worse than getting into a great, suspenseful movie only to lose the momentum with a break for cat treats, not once, but sometimes twice or three times during the same break. It's completely free to sign up and watch their content on your computer, wireless devices or the Roku. I hope that Crackle will someday make available their service without commercials, it would be worth a small fee to avoid them altogether.
• Fox Now: There are only a few free Roku channels that provide viewing of full episodes of popular PrimeTime TV series. Fox TV's Fox Now channel gives us access to recent episodes of nearly all of their current series and specials. Commercial breaks are included, but I really don't mind the promotions for upcoming episodes or series from this network. This channel definitely gets top marks and is a must for any starter package.
• PBS: Another must-add channel for your Roku should be the PBS channel. Just like Fox Now, it provides on-demand access to recent episodes of nearly all of their series and documentaries, including the dramatic offerings from their great Masterpiece program. 

There are other TV network channels available such as ones from SyFy, CBS, and Showtime, but don't look for full episodes here. These channels are merely promotional showcases with clips and featurettes from their respective series.

For the kids (and those that wish to relive their childhood), there are a few terrific family-friendly channels that I highly recommend.

• Disney: This channel is loaded with family goodness featuring mostly promotions, clips, behind the scenes materials, and trailers from Disney's studios, such as Marvel, Lucasfilm ("Star Wars: Rebels"), and of course the parent company, but if you take the time to look through the massive library of content, you will find playlists with the classic Disney cartoon shorts we all grew up with, as well as current internet favorites and web-series. It's definitely a channel your family can enjoy together.
• Hasbro Studios: There are two versions of this channel, a free "sampler" version and a full subscription-based version which brings us the classic Transformers and G.I. Joe shows from the 80's, among other great Saturday-morning cartoons. The free version offers a selection of episodes from all of their catalog titles. The seasons are not complete, but does still offer hours of great entertainment for everybody. You can subscribe to a paid-version of this channel through Vezo.tv (at the time of this post, the monthly cost to access this channel was $4.99, with a free 3-day trial, along with ad-free versions of many other Roku channels; a review from That Thrifty Guy is forthcoming, stay tuned!)
• Angry Birds Toons: Yes, that addictive game played on millions of tablets and smart-phones has its own Roku channel, and I must admit, there's a lot of great funny animated shorts here. The latest update of this channel included sub-channels of a few Hasbro Studios titles, but are once more a mere sampling of episodes. The cartoons are even funnier after playing the game since the situations the cartoon characters get into must be resolved with super-powers used in actual game play, the familiarity of this makes it hilarious at times. Definitely a fun complement to the Roku channel package.

There are many more other channels that can be added to this list and we will be featuring many of them in posts to come, but as a starter guide to Roku, the channels I've highlighted today give you the best start. 

Image courtesy of Idea go at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Summary of Costs:

• Initial start-up in the purchase of the mid-range version of the Roku player: about $75.00, comparable to those "installation" costs from any cable or satellite TV provider.

Monthly:

• Internet service: $60.00
• Netflix: $8.00
• Hulu Plus: $8.00

= $76.00/mo

That's about half what my last cable TV "deal" was before I ended it some time ago. How are you saving money on your entertainment budget? What are your favorite Roku channels that you would like to recommend to our readers? Drop me a line at thatthriftyguy@gmail.com or give us your comments below, I'd love to hear from you!

Thanks for reading!

Yours truly, 

That Thrifty Guy!