Blog Digest


11 Dec 2008

You may have just blown December’s wages on your Christmas shopping, but before you head to the supermarket to gather food samples for your lunch, check out these blogs.

The Hype Machine

Don’t download every song you feel like listening to, head over to the Hype Machine.

This site is completely legal and gathers all the best free MP3s from other music blogs.

And as music and playlist sharing is the new black, the Hype Machine’s blog will keep you up to date on the latest tools, widgets and sites that may convince you to ditch vinyl for good.

Movies.ie

Besides giving lots of great reviews of the latest movies to hit the big screen and video stores, Movies.ie also gives away plenty of free cinema tickets and DVDs.

With the cold weather hitting, there is nothing better than curling up on the sofa with a good movie. If you pick one blog to keep you abreast of Hollywood gossip and intelligent reviews, then pick this one, and enter all the competitions while you’re at it.

There are also great interviews with A-list actors such as Ben Stiller and Chris Rock, and a comprehensive cinema guide. Certainly one blog to add to your essential reads.

Planet eBook

There may be nothing like the fresh smell and feel of paper as you crack the spine of a newly purchased novel, but equally, the jingle of coins and rustle of notes in your pocket as you save on a bookshop blitz is a good feeling.

Copyright laws obviously mean that modern reads will not legally be found for free in electronic format, but there is a wealth of classics out there and now is your chance to read them all, completely free.

Wuthering Heights, David Copperfield and George Orwell’s absorbing Down and Out in Paris and London: these novels are as engaging and relevant today as they were when first published, and are all available free to download from this blog.

Beaut.ie – The Irish Beauty Blog (pictured)

Grooming is a multimillion euro industry, and no wonder – aside from the essentials, think of all the money you spend on strange lotions, potions and hideous shades of eyeshadow that you will never ever use.

A good tip is to head to www.makeupalley.com/swap and swap whatever is languishing at the bottom of your make-up bag for something you need but won’t have to shell out hard-earned cash for.

Also consider cheap and cheerful grooming tips for men and women using household staples, and of course, the daily bargain alerts so you never again have to shop for beauty buys without availing of a discount.

By Marie Boran