Websites of the Week

• www.paperbackswap.com — A site maintained by an avid group of readers who share books with each other (and not just paperbacks, surprisingly) for nothing more than the cost of postage.

• www.flickaday.com — This site allows you to document one of life’s slow evolutions: the changing of your facial features over time. One picture of yourself, each day, via your webcam, for as long you choose.

• www.weddingmapper.com — Have an upcoming wedding? Make sure to take advantage of WeddingMapper.com; doing so practically guarantees that you’ll be making life a little bit easier for your wedding guests by familiarizing them with the local area.

• www.underwatersculpture.com — A fun website showcasing the work of acclaimed underwater sculptor, Jason de Caires Taylor.

Tip of the Week: How to Fix Scratched CDs and DVDs

While perusing WiseBread.com this week, I came upon an article in which the author shared his tips for fixing up scratches on CDs.

I now know that I should never ever clean CDs or DVDs in circular motions; I should only clean them in straight lines from the center of the discs outward.

The remedies that the author mentioned for fixing scratches included toothpaste, banana, chewing gum, and Brasso (liquid metal polish). Can you guess which option worked most consistently? Take a look at the WiseBread post — http://tinyurl.com/27umfq — to see for yourself. (I’ll admit it; I was surprised.)

Online Tool of the Week: BillShare

It took little more than 10 to 15 seconds of browsing through the BillShare site before the little marquee in my head started flashing “If only I’d had this while I and my six housemates shared that tiny house in college…”

Whether you share your condo expenses with a renter, live with a number of housemates while attending college, or pay your mortgage but split the electric bill with your sweetie, Billshare can undoubtedly help simplify your dreaded monthly ritual of splitting up the bills.

With BillShare, you can set up e-mail alerts to keep you updated on amounts owed, create receipts that will help you divide up shared expenses, and track spending habits with detailed statistics.

BillShare is brilliant, easy to use, and free. Give it a whirl over at www.BillShare.org.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Based in Frisco, eRin pheiL is the primary creative force behind timeforcake (www.timeforcake.com). She can be reached via phone at (970) 668-0709 or e-mail at info@timeforcake.com.