FEDERAL WEBSITES

www.oklibshare.org/ieclinks.htmThis is a guide to federal agency websites that feature information for or about American Indians. Most of these websites focus on tribal matters, but there are a few general websites that are included for their importance. There are many more general websites important to tribes listed in the USA.gov website at the end of this guide. There are many American Indian links in USA.gov, but many of these links are extensive, so we haven’t included them in this guide. But if you haven’t found what you want here or in USA.gov, it probably doesn’t exist. Questions, suggestions for improvement, and submittals of additional websites from federal agencies should be sent to sbeleu@oltn.odl.state.ok.us
Census/Population Communication Education Environment/Wildlife Exhibits/Maps/Photographs

Federal Government Metasite Gaming Grants and Funding Health/Human Services

Highway/Engineering/Energy History Housing/Land Justice/Crime Military Recovery Taxes Treaties

Online Reference Tools List of Federal Agency Websites
Move the cursor over for more information about the site.


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Census/Population
American Indian and Alaska Native Data and Links
American Indian Population and Labor Force Reports
Census Bureau
Department of the Interior, U.S.
Facts on the American Indian and Alaska Native Population
Tribal Statistical Areas Program, 2010 Census
Communication
Catalog of U.S. Government Publications
Culture Card, American Indian and Alaksa Native: A guide to Build Cultural Awareness
Federal Communications Commission
Tribal Homepage
Education
Bureau of Indian Education
Department of Education, U.S.
ERIC
Indian Education Office
Presentations from the 2009 Partnerships for Indian Education Conference
National Center for Education Statistics
National Indian Education Study, 2009
Environment/Wildlife
American Indian Tribal Rights, Federal-Tribal Trust Responsibilities and the Endangered Species Act
Department of Agriculture, U.S.
Office of Native American Programs
U.S. Forest Service Office of Tribal Relations
Environmental Protection Agency
American Indian Tribal Portal
Executive Order 13175
Fish and Wildlife Service
Native American Liason
National Park Service
U.S. Geological Survey
Biology
Geography
Geology
Geospatial
Native American Liason Team
Water
Exhibits/Maps/Photographs
Indian Arts and Crafts Board
Indian Arts and Craft Board Museums
Rhonda Williams
Gerald Yellowhawk
Earl Livermore
Library of Congress
American Memory Program
Map Collections
Native American History Collections
Online Exhibitions
Prints and Photographs Division
Webcasts
National Museum of the American Indian
Collections Search
National Portrait Gallery
Smithsonian Institution
American Art Museum
Encyclopedia Smithsonian: American Indian History and Culture
Federal and Tribal Government
Federal Emergency Mangagement Agency (FEMA)
Tribal information
Social Security Administration
American Indians and Alaska Natives
Senate Committee on Indian Affairs
Tribal Governments, A-Z
USA.gov
For Tribal Governments and Native Americans
Administration on Aging, Native American Programs
American Indian Probate Reform
Native Dispute Resolution Network
Navajo Code Talkers
Navajo Code Talkers Dictionary
Gaming
National Indian Gaming Commission
Laws and Regulations
Newsletters
Reading Room
Native Dispute Resolution Network
Grants and Funding
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
Community Development Financial Institutions Fund
Department of the Treasury, U.S.
Institute of Museum and Library Services
Basic Grants and Basice Grants with Education/Assessment Option
Enhancement Grants
Native American Congressional Internships
Health/ Human Services
Administration for Children and Families TriTAC (Tribal Child Care)

Administration on Aging, Native American Programs
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
American Indian and Alaska Native Populations
Suicide Prevention
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
American Indian, Alaska Native
Department of Health and Human Services, U.S.
Office of Child Support Enforcement
Office of Intergovernmental Affairs (IGA) Tribal Affairs
Tribal Resource Guide, 2007-2008
Tribal TANF/Native American Employtment Works Program
Department of Labor, U.S.
Indian and Native American Programs
Diabetes Education in Tribal Schools
Indian Health Service
Area Offices and Facilities
Medical Programs
Violence Against Native Women
National Diabetes Education Program
National Library of Medicine
American Indian Health
Native American Health
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Parents Speak Up National Campaign
PubMed Central
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration
Highway/Engineering/Energy
Army Corps of Engineers, U.S.
Tribal Issues
Department of Energy, U.S.
Tribal Engergy Program
Federal Highway Administration
Tribal Planning
History
American Indian Liaison Office
Earliest Americans
How do I trace Indian Ancestry?
Museum of American History
Teaching with Historic Places: American Indian History
Tribal Historic Preservation Officers
Housing/Land
Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Reclamation
Native American Graves and Repatriation Act
Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S.
Information for Native Americans
Federal Lands and Indian Reservation Maps
Indian Valuation Information
Minerals Management Service
Office of Indian Compliance and Asset Management
Office of Surface Mining
Tribal Consultation
Justice/Crime
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Department of the Interior, U.S.
Indian Trust
Department of Justice, U.S.
DOJ Agencies
Indian Tribal Government Grants Program
Policy on Indian Sovereignty and Government-to-Government Relations with Indian Tribes
National Criminal Justice Reference Service
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
Tribal Youth Program
Office of Tribal Justice
Tribal Justice and Safety in Indian Country
Military
Department of Veteran's Affairs, U.S.
Center for Minority Veterans
Recovery
Indian Country Recovery Projects
Indian Tribal News
Links to Tribal Resources
State, Local, Tribal and Territorial Information
State and Territorial Certifications
Taxes
American Indian Probate Reform
Geographic Boundaries Determined for Tax Incentives Associated with Former "Indian Reservations in Oklahoma"
Internal Revenue Service
Tax Information for Indian Tribal Governments
FAQs for Indian Tribal Governments Regarding Status of Tribes
Treaties
Early Recognized Treaties with American Indian Nations
Indian Affairs: Laws and Treaties, aka Kappler's
McCasland Digital Collection of Early Oklahoma and Indian Territory Maps
Native American Constitution and Law Digitization Project
We welcome your comments and suggestions on this webpage.
Webmaster: Sadie Mattox - smattox@oltn.odl.state.ok.us
Websites compiler: Steve Beleu - sbeleu@oltn.odl.state.ok.us

Ramona Food & Clothes Closet

Howka brothers and sisters, I just saw this in the Ramona newspaper and thought it might help some of our tribal members out.

Share Your Holiday party applications due next week

Ramona Food & Clothes Closet’s mission is to assist low-income and needy households in Ramona, Julian, Santa Ysabel, Ranchita, Borrego and Warner Springs with emergency food boxes, clothing, medical supplies and referral services.
Each year the organization’s mission of service is realized through its hallmark Share Your Holiday social services program intended to serve children (ages 1 to 12) of low-income families to share in the joy of the holiday season, said Brian Moore, food and clothes closet general manager.
The program will be held on Sunday, Dec. 21, from 1 to 3 p.m. Each child will receive a new toy from Santa Claus and there will be games, music and refreshments.
To receive an invitation to the party, an adult member of the family must apply at the Ramona Food & Closet office at 773 Main St. Applications for the party and toy distribution will be taken from Monday, Dec. 1, through Saturday, Dec. 6, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Each family must pre-qualify for the program to participate. An adult family member must present a current picture identification card, proof of residency in Ramona, Julian, Santa Ysabel, Ranchita, Warner Springs or Borrego Springs, and documentation of all household income. Income includes employment, Social Security, disability, AFDC, food allowance, unemployment compensation and child support.
In addition, Ramona Food and Clothes Closet will provide a larger food box and food voucher for all current recipients and households that register before Christmas in the Emergency Food Box Assistance program. The larger food boxes will be available for pickup one week prior to Dec. 25.
Ramona Food and Clothes Closet will accept donations of food and toys as well as monetary donations during the month of December to make this a joyous and special holiday for these families. Donations may be dropped off at the thrift shop donations area in the rear parking lot Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Ramona Food and Clothes Closet Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) tax- exempt organization. All donations to the organization are tax deductible.
For more information on how to participate, call Ramona Food and Clothes Closet at 789-4458.

A Profile of American Indians and Alaska Natives and Their Health Coverage

A Profile of American Indians and Alaska Natives and Their Health Coverage

This brief examines the health coverage, access to care and health status of American Indians and Alaska Natives across the country. Although the U.S. government has an established responsibility through tribal agreements to provide health care services to members of federally recognized Indian tribes, many American Indians and Alaska Natives lack access to health care.

The brief gives an overview of the some of the demographic factors that influence the health and insurance coverage of American Indians and Alaska Natives. It examines the relatively high rates of chronic conditions experienced by American Indians and Alaska Natives compared to other racial and ethnic groups.

The brief also provides information about the Indian Health Service and health coverage and access to care for this population.

Go to this link and you can access the pdf
http://www.kff.org/minorityhealth/7977.cfm

Happy Perewii Hunn or the Fall Equinox

KUMEYAAY CALENDARCalendar Graphic and Caption by Mike Connolly Miskwish, Campo Kumeyaay
KUMEYAAY MAT'TAAM means Kumeyaay Year

This calendar is a contemporary interpretation of the traditional Kumeyaay calendar. Originally, the calendar was flexible and adaptive to changing conditions. One year the summer may be longer than others, while the next year the winter may be extraordinarily lengthy. Certain celestial events helped to readjust and reset the year.

The most important of these events was the ascendency of the constellation EMUU (Three Mountain Sheep) to its zenith just before dawn. This corresponds to the three stars of Orion's belt and they reach their zenith around the fall equinox of September 21st.

A mini season overlaps the fall. This was the season of KLII Anemshap or the acorn harvest season. It falls from September 21 to November 21.

Reading the calendar from the top is Perewii Hunn or the Fall Equinox. Fall is Kupiihaaw and the months are Hellyaa. December 21st is the winter solstice, called Hilyati in Kumeyaay. Hiichur is winter, ending in Perewii Hunn or Spring Equinox. Spring is Chiipam ending in Hilyati or Summer Solstice. The calendar concludes with Ippall or summer.

Months of the Kumeyaay Calendar:

Halakwol - September Halakwol - March
Halanyimcep - October Halanyimcep - April
Halatai - November Halatai - May
Halapisu - December Halapisu - June
Halamrtinya - January Halamrtinya - July
Halanitca - February Halanitca - August
Halakwol - September (Kumeyaay New Year)

The names of the months repeat after six months.
This is similar to the way we repeat hours on our clocks with 12 hours repeated after noon. The months are not exactly the same as the calendar most of us use today, months follow the phases of the moon, with adjustments made by the appearance of certain constellations.

Two of the Kumeyaay constellation names are:
The Three Mountain Sheep
The Hand and the Buzzard

The solstices are known as Hilyatai.

The Milky Way is called Hatotkeur.

Prayers for the Guiam Family

I just wanted to say my prayers are with the Guiam Family. I am sorry for the loss of our tribal member Jimmy. His passing is a reminder of the need for more minority organ donations.

U.S. Department of Education Launches "I Am What I Learn" Video Contest

Howka tribal members, I am hoping some of our youth will enter this contest. Parents, if you don't have a video camera, remember I bought a combo digital / video camera for the library with the grant. Go to the tribal office and ask to use the video camera.


U.S. Department of Education Launches "I Am What I Learn" Video Contest


The U.S. Department of Education has launched the "I Am What I Learn" video contest and asks students to respond to the president's challenge by creating videos, up to two minutes in length, describing the steps they will take to improve their education and the role education will play in fulfilling their dreams.

Students age 13 and older can create and upload their videos to YouTube by Thursday, Oct. 8. Submissions can be in the form of video blogs, public service announcements (PSAs), music videos, or documentaries. Students are encouraged to have fun and be creative with this project! The general public will then vote on their favorites to determine the top 20 finalists. These 20 videos will be reviewed by a panel of judges including U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. The panel will choose three winners, each of whom will receive a $1,000 cash prize. Visit http://www.ed.gov/iamwhatilearn to find out more. For updates or to find out more about the President's address, accompanying classroom materials or the video contest, visit http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/academic/bts.html or http://www.whitehouse.gov/mediaresources/

CDC health podcasts for free

Howka brothers and sisters, I know our reservation has many members struggling with numerous health issues. We also have many members that have cancer, diabetes or have had transplants. I wanted everyone to know about the CDC's podcast website.
http://www2a.cdc.gov/podcasts/browse.asp?nu=1
You have to sign up... but it's free... Karen

New ways to save tribal languages

Howka tribal members, I am hoping somebody from our tribe or our rez will see this and use it for our language.


Native languages find a pal in software
By LAUREN McSHERRY, Special to The Press-Enterprise

For years, Ernest Siva, a Morongo tribal member who runs a Southern California Native American educational and cultural center with his wife in Banning, has been working to preserve the Serrano language.

Siva and his sister, Arlene Craft, are the only fluent Serrano speakers left in the area.

Now, Siva has one more tool to help him do so.

On a recent day at the Dorothy Ramon Learning Center, Siva was introduced to a new software program called Language Pal that is used to digitally record words and phrases in Serrano.

Phrases, songs, prayers and multiple dialects can be recorded.

The software organizes the recordings and applies them to multiple choice questions, electronic flashcards and speech lessons. Once the language has been recorded, it can be exported to an iPod Touch or iPhone.

The software was developed by a husband-and-wife team, Don and Kara Thornton.

Their Banning based company, Thornton Media Inc., is devoted to harnessing new technologies to keep indigenous languages from vanishing. They use video games, iPods and iPhones in an effort to motivate younger generations to become language learners.

“It’s not just documentation,” Don Thornton said of the language software. “It’s revitalization. It’s teach the language, teach the songs, teach the stories.”

The fight to save threatened languages seems daunting.

There are 175 native languages remaining in the United States, but 90 percent of them will disappear in the next 20 years, Don Thornton said.

Siva hopes the software will appeal to younger generations of the Morongo tribe, making it easier and more fun for them to study Serrano.

“It’s good to start with a new technology,” said Siva, 72. “We’d like to be able to interact with the youth of today.”

“They’d probably be attracted to this more than a traditional language class,” his wife, June, added.

The plight of disappearing languages dates back to the late 1800s when the U.S. government opened off-reservation boarding schools that were part of a concerted effort to force native people to only speak English and to wipe out indigenous languages and culture, said Clifford Trafzer, professor of Native American history at UCR.

Tribes’ priority

In recent decades, many tribes have made it a priority to keep their languages alive, he said.

The Thorntons have devoted their lives to providing services for documenting endangered American Indian languages across the United States.

They have worked with more than 110 tribes and Canadian First Nations since 1995 when Thornton Media rolled out its first language program.

Over the years, the couple has worked with a number of tribes in the area to help them preserve their languages, including the Soboba, Twenty-Nine Palms and Pechanga.

The Thorntons have an RV that is set up as a mobile recording studio which they use to criss-cross the country, stopping at tribal nations that are working to revitalize their languages. The Thorntons sit with tribal elders and record them speaking their language, then show them how to use the software.

In the coming year, they plan to drive to North Carolina and the Northwest territories as well as work with Aborigines from Australia to record oral histories.

Each tribe retains the rights to the language software that its members create. It is up to individual tribes to decide how to distribute the software and whether to release the language software with their indigenous language to the public as an iPhone app or Nintendo DSI application, Don Thornton said.

Because Don Thornton is part Cherokee and collaborated with his family and friends, the company was recently able to launch two tools to teach the Cherokee language — a free iPhone app and a one-level demo video game called Rez World.

A former filmmaker, Don became interested in documenting the Cherokee language when he learned that his grandmother had never been credited for her work creating a Cherokee language dictionary.

As one of the few fluent speakers in her tribe in Tahlequah, Okla., his grandmother had also grown weary of the cumbersome repetition required to teach Cherokee.

On average, a student needs to hear a sound 85 times before being able to say it correctly, Don said.

“It must be tremendously frustrating for them to do that year after year,” he said of elder tribal members.

Don thought a computer program that could give voice to consonants, vowels and words upon a student’s command would be a more efficient way to teach Cherokee.

The Thorntons have been working the video game Rez World longer than Language Pal, but it is expensive to develop a video game.

educational tool

The game takes language learning to another level, immersing the player in a virtual world where everyone speaks Cherokee and the only way to score points is by engaging in conversation with the characters to get clues to winning each level.

“It is used solely for educational purposes only,” Kara Thornton said.

“But it’s still fun. It changes the whole mind-set of language acquisition.”

Rez World uses software developed by Alelo, a company that created similar video games for the military to teach conversational Arabic and other languages to service members being deployed overseas.

“The whole idea is you’re trying to teach language the way it’s used,” said Andre Valente, Alelo CEO.

© 2009 Press-Enterprise Company

recycling

Howka tribal members,
I know some of the kids are looking for things to do after school and I found a great site. This site shows how to make things out of recycled products. Less things we throw away on the rez the better it is for Mother Earth
http://www.makingfriends.com/recycle_containers.htm

Free computer lessons online

Lynda.com has courses for learning graphics, software and design. The classes are done in video and some of them provide course materials. If you have some extra time on your hands, and you’d like to learn a new skill, this is a fantastic way to do it. I have NEVER seen Lynda.com offer a free subscription, so this is a super deal.


You’ll get a Free 7-Day Membership (no credit card or obligation required). If you love it, you can sign up for www.Lynda.com monthly and pay just $25/month.

You can learn things like Photoshop, Podcasting, Print Design, Search Engine Optimization, Video, and Blogging.

Sycuan reservation fire

My prayers go out to our people on the Sycuan reservation that were affected by the fire.
No one is injured in fire on Sycuan reservation
By Michael Burge
Union-Tribune Staff Writer
2:00 a.m. September 14, 2009
EAST COUNTY — No one was injured during a blaze that engulfed a house on the Sycuan Indian Reservation yesterday afternoon.
Dispatchers received a call of a garage on fire at a home on Sycuan Road at about 4:50 p.m. When fire crews from the reservation arrived, the flames had engulfed the two-story home, a fire official said.
Firefighters from Cal Fire, the San Miguel Fire Protection District and the San Diego Rural Fire Protection District fought the blaze.
A damage estimate was not available, and the cause is under investigation.
Michael Burge: (760) 476-8230;

Fabulous Freebies 2009

I saw this online and thought some of you tribal members might like to know about these freebies.



Fabulous Freebies 2009
by Erin Burt
Friday, September 4, 2009
provided by

It's been said that the best things in life are free -- and we couldn't agree more. That's why we're back with our third annual list of our favorite freebies.

We looked for primo goods and services, no useless junk allowed. And boy, did we find 'em, from financial management and planning helps to entertainment and vacation freebies.

Go ahead. Embrace your inner tightwad:


More from Kiplinger.com:

• The Best Buys of Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring

• Quiz: What Kind of Spender Are You?

• You Can Buy That... Or This for a Lot Less


1. Free Video Games

If you're looking for games for the kids -- or an excuse to act like a kid yourself -- head to Kongregate.com, Popcap.com, Pogo.com and OnlineFlashGames.org for thousands of free online and downloadable games of all types.

For educational or just-for-fun games suited to young kids, check out PBSkids.org, DiscoveryKids.com, NickJr.com and Scholastic.com/kids.

2. Free Birthday Goodies

A slew of businesses will give you prime freebies on your birthday that almost make getting older worth it. For instance, anyone can get free admission to Disneyland or Disney World parks in 2009. Join the birthday club at Toys R Us and your child (younger than 10) will get a free toy or gift card every year.

If you sign up in advance to join the club at your favorite eatery, you could score free food on your birthday too. For example, you can get a free meal at Famous Dave's BBQ and free ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery and Baskin Robbins. Search the Web for "birthday freebies," then call your local restaurants to ask whether they participate in the deal.





3. Free Shipping

Special delivery! Some retailers still offer free shipping on every order, including Alyssagiftbaskets.com (special-occasion gifts), Bluenile.com (jewelry), Piperlime.com (shoes), Shopbop.com (clothes) and Zappos.com (shoes).

Many merchants offer free shipping if you can pick up the item at your local store, including Walmart.com, Payless.com and REI.com. This comes in handy for online-only items, oversize purchases or goods that have sold out at your local store. Or, look for free shipping deals when you spend a certain amount, such as orders over $25 at Amazon.com. See FreeShipping.org for more deals.


More from Yahoo! Finance:

• Consumer Spending: What's In, What's Out

• The 7 New Rules of Financial Security

• 10 Ways Banks Siphon Money From You

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Visit the Banking and Budgeting


4. Free Software

For most of your computing needs, you can get free software. For word processing and spreadsheets, go to OpenOffice.org. For antivirus protection, head to http://free.avg.com. For free basic photo editing, check out http://picasa.google.com, or for more advanced touch-ups, try Gimp.org. And to manage your finances, use the free programs at Mint.com or Wesabe.com.

5. Free Stock Trades

At Wells Fargo, you get 100 commission-free online trades per year if your cumulative account balance is $25,000 or more (including your Wells Fargo checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit, IRAs and brokerage accounts).

Also, Zecco.com offers ten free trades per month if you have $25,000 in your brokerage account.

6. Free Credit Report

By law, you're entitled to one free report once a year from each of the three main credit bureaus. Go to www.annualcreditreport.com to find out what lenders can see about your credit history.





7. Free TV and Movies

Head online to watch free episodes from hundreds of TV shows -- old and current -- as well as free movies. And it's perfectly legal.

At OVGuide.com you'll find a list of TV and movie sites including Hulu.com, Veoh.com and Fancast.com, as well as individual network Web sites, such as ABC.com and CBS.com.

8. Free ATMs

A buck or two here and there may not seem like a big deal, but if you're frequenting ATMs outside your bank's network, the surcharges can add up quickly.

Get money from an ATM that belongs to a surcharge-free network. Allpoint has about 200 participating institutions and 32,000 ATMs. Money Pass has 600 members and 8,000 ATMs.

9. Free (and Risk-Free) Interest

Many banks offer free savings accounts, but they won't help your money grow. Instead, use a high-yield online savings account for your short-term savings, such as ING Direct, HSBC Direct and Emigrant Direct. They're FDIC-insured and were recently paying around 1.4%. They have no minimum-balance requirement, so you earn that rate whether you have $1 or $100,000 saved.

And consider the free interest-bearing checking accounts from ING Direct and Everbank. They're also FDIC-insured and were recently paying between 0.25% and 1.96%. (Most traditional banks' free checking accounts pay you nil.)

10. Airline Freebies

Airlines may be scaling back their perks, but some still have freebies for fliers. For instance, Southwest lets you check two bags for free, while most others charge extra for luggage. JetBlue lets you check one bag free, plus gives you access to free TV, satellite radio and all-you-can-eat snacks. Continental still serves free meals on several routes. And all kids under age 2 can fly free on your lap on any airline.

Don't forget about the free flights you can score by signing up for an airline's frequent-flier program (enrollment is also free). See the "Program Guide" at WebFlyer.com for the lowdown on each airline's rules.

11. Free Money for Grad School

On average, a year of graduate school costs $28,375 for a master's degree at a public school and $38,665 at a private school. But free money abounds, from grants and scholarships to assistantships and fellowships.





12. Free Rewards

You have to buy groceries and gas anyway, so why not use those purchases to get a little more green in your wallet? Sign up for a rewards credit card and get free money, gift certificates, airline miles or other perks. (Of course, it's only free if you pay the balance in full each month without incurring interest charges.)

When you have to make a purchase online, start at BondRewards.com to earn another cool freebie: You click on an affiliated online retailer (there are hundreds) to do your shopping as usual, and a percentage of your purchase is given back to you in your BondRewards account. You then redeem your rewards for U.S. savings bonds or cash.

13. Free Financial Advice

Not to toot our own horn (okay, maybe just a little), but Kiplinger.com is a treasure trove of free financial advice. Our tools and calculators will help you get on the right financial track.

Our expert columnists will answer your personal-finance questions. For instance, Kim Lankford answers your general financial questions, Janet Bodnar tackles family and kid topics and Knight Kiplinger advises readers on ethics and money matters.

14. Free Mobile Apps

You spent all that money on a new iPhone. Now download some free apps to help you save money and recoup the cost. For instance, the free Mint.com or Quicken apps help you track your spending and manage your money and investments on the go. AMT Hunter can help you find a surcharge-free machine near wherever you are. And iShop can help you search for the lowest price on an item before you buy.

There are plenty of other useful applications at the iTunes App Store, with free recipes, weather updates, diet help, music, games and more.

15. Free Books, Movies, & Music

If you haven't been to the public library lately, dust off your card. It's your ticket to mounds of free books, magazines, CDs and movies.

Many libraries also offer free lectures, book readings and community clubs to residents.

16. Free Online Bill Paying

Stop paying your bills by check and put their payment on autopilot. At many banks, including Bank of America, BB&T, SunTrust and Wachovia, you get free bill paying with every online checking account. (Be sure you read the fine print -- some banks may require you to maintain a certain balance in your checking account to get the freebie.)

But even if your bank doesn't give you this freebie, you can probably arrange for automatic bill paying directly with the parties sending the bills, such as your utility, credit-card, phone and mortgage companies.





17. Free Kids' Meals

Yes, there is such a thing as a free lunch -- or dinner. Kids eat free at Denny's, Lone Star Steakhouse and Roadhouse Grill every Tuesday night (and some Saturdays) with a paying adult. IHOP, Golden Corral, Marie Callender's and Chevys restaurants offer kids-eat-free deals at select locations.

You can search for eateries in your area at KidsMealDeals.com.

18. Free Digital Storage Space

With free online backup storage, you can protect your important files and photos from computer crashes, theft or natural disaster.

For instance, Spideroak.com and Myotherdrive.com each give you 2 gigabytes of free and secure digital storage space. You can also store your cherished photos and videos at sites such as Photobucket.com and Flickr.com. You can also store your pics at photo-print ordering sites such as Snapfish.com, Shutterfly.com or Walmart.com, as long as your account is active.

19. Free Tech Recycling -- With Benefits

Not only is it getting easier to keep your old electronics out of the landfill, but you may even get some free cash in exchange. Services such as BuyMyTronics.com, Gazelle.com, MyBoneyard.com and GreenPhone.com recycle or refurbish your old tech and send you a check in return. They take cameras, cell phones, MP3 players, game consoles and more.

If you can't find anyone willing to pay for your dinosaur, look for other free places to recycle. For instance, Best Buy will take many of your tech castoffs at no charge. And keep your eyes open for free e-recycling days in your city.

20. Free Capital Gains

Who wouldn't love to let their investments grow 100% tax-free? Take a pass on paying capital-gains taxes by investing in a Roth IRA. Any money you put into your Roth grows tax-free, and you won't owe Uncle Sam a dime when you cash out in retirement. It's all yours.

See 10 More Fabulous Freebies
Copyrighted, Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc.