Stop the Scams: A FREE VoIP Landline Robo Call Blocker

Bots tangling up your classic VoIP landline? We got you.

If you or someone you know is still using landline technology via VoIP, or Voice Over Internet Protocol, then this is a freebie you need to know. 

Back in our landline days—before we got completely priced out due to soaring taxes alone—we were constantly inundated with bots, sales calls and political polls ringing our phones off their proverbial hooks. That is, until I spotted Nomorobo featured in some national news coverage. Block automated calls? For free, you say? What had I to lose, aside from the ringing in my ears?

The sign up process was simple enough. Though they required an e-mail, I don't recall ever receiving undesired messages in the inbox. A few pieces of information, including the ability to opt in or out of receiving political polling calls, should one be so inclined, and that was it. We registered and we waited.

And then, it came. That glorious SILENCE.

No more calls at all hours, especially around dinner time. No more impersonal bots or scammers clamoring for money. Just a pleasant and happy quiet we hadn't known in a very long time.

Mind you, there was the occasional quick ring, one not long enough to prompt us to even move. That became a sound of satisfaction, an indicator that another new bot was intercepted, and hopefully that would ultimately help others with Nomorobo not to be bothered by that particular auto-dialer ever again.

We never had any issues with scammers fully busting through this robust bot-buster, and no actual human callers who could not get through. Our time with Nomorobo was a great experience, and it's a product I highly recommend.

This blocker may be especially significant for seniors, who are more likely to still use landline tech over or alongside mobile, and who are the constant demographic targets of scam calls. If you have less tech savvy relatives or friends, it should be easy to sign them up and significantly decrease the chances of them being taken advantage of right inside their own homes. It's an easy way to honor one's parents and protect our seniors and other vulnerable individuals.

While use on VoIP landlines is free, Nomorobo does feature some paid levels for mobile blocking. Personally, I've had very few such calls to mobile numbers that would necessitate an added blocker, especially since some of my tech already includes built in blocking features. Standard landlines are, of course, excluded.

So let Nomorobo bring some peace, and peace of mind, into any home with a VoIP landline. #accidentalpoetry

Got tips on stopping unwanted phone calls and scammers? Let us know with a comment below.

Garage Sale Goals: What to Do With What's Left

Just one of many options for giving the rest away.

While we definitely had a successful garage sale clearance event, you're typically left with something that didn't get hauled off that day. So, once the sale ends, finding homes for the rest begins. And since we're not ones to just throw it out unless it's actual trash, we really take this part seriously too.

The Reset
One thing we realized after going so hard on this event was that we eventually ran out of time (and a little bit of steam) to keep clearing. But another great thing about this type of decluttering is that now you can see what's left and process what else you might later remove, like peeling back the layers of an onion, only (hopefully) less odorous. With all that excess clear, it's easier to get into spaces you might not have before. It's also helped me consider better ways to inventory keeper items to make them much easier to find.

Since very few things that went out to the garage actually found their way back inside, it didn't take long to move everything back into proper places. Even after a long sale and a lot of work, it's worth it to get the place reorganized as quickly as possible. This is especially significant if you have an actual garage housing actual vehicles, and we managed to get one back inside right away. We also cleared and collected tables borrowed from our church, setting those up for quick return.

All that then gave us the space to start forming piles for the next phase...


The Clearing: Part Deux
We probably could have had another sale if we really wanted to put in the effort, but we usually just want to move the rest out and move on. For that purpose, we have a few great places to take things when we want them gone for maximum benefit to ourselves and others:

• The ReStore - These stores are Habitat for Humanity's arm for donations of various building goods, appliances and more, and a great way to support what they do.

• Book & Media Resellers ($$) - We have a few area stores such as V•Stock or Half Price Books, plus other local shops. So, if we have a stack, we'll take in books, DVDs and other assorted items to see what they might offer in cash or trade. Some shops may pay better or simply take more than others, so you might check out different shops or ask around to learn how they function.

• Clothing Donations & Resellers ($$) - We have a bin on our church parking lot for resaleable clothing, linens, purses and other non-breakables that can be resold at thrift stores. In turn, they give the church a nice per pound cash donation we often put toward our benevolence ministry.

Alternately, some of our area clothing thrifters will actually do cash or trade for certain items, so we visit them occasionally just to see what they might be interested in, which can vary as styles change.

• Leftovers Etc. or Teacher's Recycle Center - Here locally, we have a couple of great places to donate items that might be used for creative projects. It's a bit like thrift, but with more of an educational bent, and might even include things you'd normally pitch—plastic bread ties, as an example. So, rather than open the trash can, we've kept a designated collection bag on hand for years and just stop by when it's full, or whenever we're feeling creative ourselves. These locations tend to run on donations and grants, so they've moved around a bit, and are both temporarily housed in a soon to be demo'd area mall.

• Goodwill - Or general thrift, if you like. This is for everything else that's got some solid resale value. The hope here is to help others with affordable things while supporting the community efforts of the organization to which we donate. In some cases, they might even offer a donor benefit such as discounts on baseball tickets (go Cards!) or other perks.

• Electronics Recycling & Hazardous Waste Collection - We also make sure anything that can't be reused gets delivered to the appropriate spots to be disposed of as responsibly as possible.

• Bonus: Ask a Neighbor - We know our neighbor enjoys buying and reselling, so we invited them to browse our sorted piles, and they even found an item for personal use. In another case, we left out a snowblower that might be difficult to repair, and a passing neighbor inquired before taking it off our hands. In past, we had a buyer return to peruse some sheet music. Love your neighbors by giving them a shot at what's left, and maybe make a little extra this way as well.

So, those are just some of the ways we try to spread the love and support the community at the same time, with bonus points for keeping all that stuff out of the landfill. You might have other great options in your area as well.

We'll probably peel off the next layer a bit more slowly, and between purges we often just take stuff straight to the places listed above. But for now it's fine to relax a minute, take a breath and enjoy that extra space.


Have a favorite reseller or place to donate? Let us know with a comment below.

Welcome to Frugowlity!

Everybody needs a hobby, right? One of mine is finding a good deal, and truly it's more of a sport. Some have said barely a week goes by where they don't hear me mention some fun freebie or extravagant discount, or even a handy life hack.

Sometimes, I'll pick up some random tip through natural curiosity. Quite frequently, these things seem to find me. However it happens, it's often fun for me to learn and share with others who might also take advantage. Or, if it's a find born of frustration, I'd love to help you avoid unnecessary headaches as well.

I've thought for a long time about creating an online space to make it even easier to share this wealth of information, and I realized I already have a ton of content I could dump on you today. Since that might be too much, the present plan is to release an article or a few a week, dropping in special finds along the way.

Of course, you'll spot the latest posts on the main page, but I also plan to break down the wisdom by topics under Save Wise, Earn Wise, Give Wise, Live Wise, and a special collection called Health Wise. 

Full disclosure, the overall concept of Frugowlity is based in Christian values, with the idea to use the wisdom and resources God provides to help put us in better positions to be more generous and loving toward others. Pretty sure we could all use a lot more of that these days.

Clearly, we're just getting started here, but I'm told that's what you do in the blogosphere—just get it started! So I hope you'll join me as, Lord willing, the site develops and grows, and I hope Frugowlity perhaps helps you grow a little too.

Cheers!