When you’ve spent money on food or a hotel stay and the food tastes bad, or is cold, or your service just stinks, you want payback. You might talk to a manager, and you might get satisfaction. Maybe. When your bed is too hard, or the room isn’t clean enough, or the front desk staff is rude, you want payback. It’s highly unlikely that you’ll get your money back. You could start a letter-writing campaign to the hotel’s manager, owner, and board of directors… or you could get your revenge using the many review sites on the Internet. Here are 24 great sites to start with… but why stop there? Just make sure you avoid profanity or your review will likely be deleted.
Kill Two Birds With One Stone
1. Yelp : Yelp is one of the largest community websites for finding restaurant and hotel reviews. Your negative review will be right at home here, right out there for the world to see. Just make sure it was rightly earned.
2. Citysearch : Citysearch allows users to post reviews of restaurants, hotels, dog groomers, and business in many different categories. Chances are that restaurant or hotel you hate has a page here, so you can get even.
3. Yahoo! Local : The thing about Yahoo! Local is that when you post your negative review here, it turns up in people’s Yahoo! search results. Not that anyone still uses Yahoo!.
4. IgoUgo : Give starred ratings and detailed reviews of hotels as well as restaurants around the world. No registration is required, so it’s super-easy to give your “thumbs-down.”
Where To Report A Dining Disaster
5. Urbanspoon : Urbanspoon is restaurant review site that covers restaurants in over 100 American cities, as well as a selection of locales in Canada, the UK, and Australia. Restaurants are rated by critics as well as customers here. Each restaurant gets the quick “up or down” vote, and you see the poll results upon visiting a restaurant’s page.
6. Zagat : The Zagat ratings carry a lot of weight among educated diners. Their website allows member users to submit reviews, which are displayed along with each restaurant’s listing.
7. Chowhound : The Chowhound websites for each city are organized in a bulletin-board type format, meaning that if you want to go on there and really rip a place, you can.
8. Metromix : Metromix.com enables registered users to leave reviews for restaurants, no matter how terrible your experience at the restaurant was. Hair in your soup? Undercooked fish? Sticky pasta? Tell everyone about the injustice!
9. B4-u-eat.com : Houston is well-known for its large number of restaurants and for its citizens’ propensity for eating out. This bare-bones site is remarkably effective and well-trafficked (over 69,000 reviews.) Many Houstonians won’t try a new spot unless it gets good reviews here.
10. BooRah.com : BooRah is an interesting site that combs restaurant reviews from around the web and searches for positive and negative words. Similar to the Rotten Tomatoes movie website, each restaurant is given a percentage based on overall “rahs” versus “boos.” You can also post comments directly on the BooRah site about a particular location.
11. Dine : Dine.com has almost 300,000 individual restaurant reviews posted on its website. If your least favorite establishment isn’t on there yet, then all the better, right? Because then your negative review will be the only one.
12. MenuPages : MenuPages is a website with restaurant reviews and menus posted for establishments in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, South Florida, and Philadelphia. With a neat mobile app that helps you check out the menus and reviews for each restaurant, your bad review will reach more people, faster.
Hotel Horrors!
13. TripAdvisor : TripAdvisor is one of the first places people look to find reviews of hotels. If you’ve had a bad experience at a hotel, you should definitely post your review here.
14. Hotels.com : Hotels.com is another place that you find lots of hotel reviews. The only downside to this site is that they only let you review your hotel if you booked with hotels.com.
15. Virtual Tourist : At VirtualTourist, you can submit reviews of hotels around the world with a free membership, no booking required. Did you have bad housekeeping service or rude desk staff? Tell everyone!
16. MYTravelGuide : MY TravelGuide gives you the chance to post reviews of hotels worldwide, without becoming a member of the site. Even more bad review revenge!
17. Oyster : At Oyster, you get to see thousands of REAL, non-Photoshopped hotel photos. Plus, you can add comments to each review. All you have to do is sign in with your Facebook identity. That way, the hotel owner’s mom, brother, and sister can’t all post glowing comments.
18. TravBuddy : TravBuddy enable you to connect with travelers who have similar travel plans, to give a brutally honest review of your hotel, and to find good discount prices on hotel rooms.
19. Travelocity : Travelocity offers some pointers for writing your scathing, no-holds-barred bad review. “If you disliked something, say why.” “Avoid ALL CAPS.” “Discuss the hotel.” Got it? Good!
20. Expedia : You can post your terrible review at Expedia is you booked your trip here. Bwahahaha.
21. Gusto : At Gusto, not only can you leave that terrible review you’ve been thinking about, but you can even post the shocking photos of the stained couch in your room/bodily fluid on the ceiling/rat droppings behind the TV. Whatever.
22. SeekHotelReviews.com : This is another hotel review site that allows anybody to review a hotel without signing up for an account. Good times.
23. HotelShark.com : HotelShark accepts reviews from experienced travelers. However, if you want your bad review to get published, you should be as fair and balanced as possible, listing the good points alongside the bad ones. They won’t publish reviews whose only purpose is to damage the hotel. So be subtle, people.
24. Zoomandgo : Zoomandgo.com would be a good place to post a negative review, after you’ve posted on some of these other sites, because their coverage is still a little spotty. So your review might end up being the only one.
A hundred years ago, there were no such things as computers, cell phones, televisions, and other high technology devices designed to make our lives easier. But yet as things get easier, they also get more complex. Our grandparents didn’t have bloggers to help them get organized, giving us no excuse to do different.
To aid in the quest for the simpler life our grandparents led, while maintaining the technologies of today, we have collected 100 simple living blog posts you can incorporate into your own life. Use them to organize everything from the unmentionable spaces to the ones you share every day.
Simple Change Blog Posts You Can Incorporate Into Your Own Life
Make these small changes as recommended in these blog posts to simplify your life.
1. Do Not Call : Harassing sales calls can shoot down a day of simplicity as sure as a real crisis. To help keep your phone number out of databases, add it to the national registry where it will remain until you remove it.
2. That Goes for Mail, Too : It seems as if junk mail is a daily occurrence that people have just learned to live with. No more. By visiting this site and entering your information, you can choose which if any companies send you mail.
3. The Cash Diet : Count your cash the same way you count calories in this blog entry from Smart Money. Simple tips and more are featured.
4. 100 Thing Challenge : Get a simple way to make your life and possessions mean more. Dave Bruno tells more on how you can narrow down your possessions to 100 and get more out of them.
5. Drive Me Sane : Mr. Simpleton of Living a Simple Life did something different in the car today. See what it was and how it changed his life here.
6. Lessons From My Frugal Father : Kentin Walts shares how his dad was the inspiration for a simple life. A few tips from the Depression era are shared.
7. Free Drinks! : Now that I’ve got your attention, this blog post does contain simple ways of scoring free drinks. A simple laugh is all that is guaranteed.
8. Take Your Advice : See how this blogger took his own advice and got a simpler life out of it. The link between motivation and rest is explored.
9. Simple Unstick : A need to simplify your life may be due to routine. Get 100 simple ways to change your life by reading this.
Simple Low Tech Living Blog Posts You Can Incorporate Into Your Own Life
Trade in the latest technology to get back to simple living.
10. Bicycle : Fresh air, no traffic, and lower gas bills are just a few of the reasons to bike when you can. About.com has five more reasons to ride.
11. Pray : An expert on the subject weighs in on how and if prayer is good for you. Studies and simplicity are also discussed.
12. Meditate : If a television or radio show is your only reprieve, try this to simplify your life. The site offers help on how ten to fifteen minutes a day can change a life.
13. An Evening With Oil Lamps : For most of us, our entire lives have been spent under the light bulb. See how to break the habit for simplicity you can see.
14. One Pot Meals : Use the Food Network’s massive database to quickly and easily make food that fits into one pot. Chicken and bean stew, casseroles, and much more are available.
15. Remember the Milk : Because forgetting to do one simple task can throw off your whole day, stop here. The blog and online tool can help you and your family manage and complete tasks.
Simple DIY Living Blog Posts You Can Incorporate Into Your Own Life
You won’t believe how easy it can be to create a simple life with these blog posts.
16. DIY Zen : The popular blog Zen Habits is a main staple of those trying to simplify their lives. This blog post is a complete beginner’s guide to starting the lifestyle.
17. Body Work : Keeping a car looking like new can be a challenge these days. However, Paul Michael has a quick and easy guide on how to remove dents and dings without spending thousands at a body shop.
18. Grow It : With organics and local farmers charging far more than a grocery store, one would think it doesn’t make sense. However, this guide from MSN shows you five foods that are cheaper to grow yourself.
19. Solar Food Dehydrator : Don’t know what that is? To save yourself the cost of buying one, stop here to see how and why you should make one from cooking trays, mesh, and more.
20. Home Repair 101 : You might not need a contractor for that simple home improvement project. The experts at the DIY network show you how to do many improvements such as tiling, painting, and even when it is time to call a professional.
21. DIY Plumbing : Got a clogged drain or leaky toilet? You might be able to simplify your life and bills by visiting here to get guides on how to do these and other jobs yourself.
22. DIY Electrical : Tim Carter is the pro behind Ask the Builder. He includes many electrical projects, along with other home improvement tips.
23. DIY for Women : If your honey won’t or can’t tackle the to-do list, visit here. There are over 200 home improvement projects with the DIY woman in mind.
24. DIY Creativity : A more complex individual may wait for a muse or travel across the country to find his or her creativity. This blog posts tells the true secret of creative people.
Simple Frugal Living Blog Posts You Can Incorporate Into Your Own Life
Keep it on the cheap and simple with the help of these blog posts.
25. Rent Movies for Free : If you have a Red Box or other movie rental box near your home, pay attention. This blogger shows you how to get free rentals legally and with little difficulty.
26. Say No to Spending : Beth is the blogger behind My Simpler Life and has 20 tips to keep from spending money. Her blog is also full of posts for a simple life.
27. Dreaming of a Simple Christmas : No matter how simple a life is, the holidays can always add complexity. This blog entry shows you how to get a less expensive, more meaningful Christmas.
28. Insure This : Every state has mandatory minimum coverage for cars and if you have a car note, you probably have full coverage. But did you know there is a whole world in between? Check out this post by Gillian Davies to read about how to simplify car insurance.
29. Team Up : Free Money Finance has loads of tips for a simple financial life. In this blog entry, they share how to get your neighbors involved in your quest for frugality.
30. Food Waste Challenge : Because so much of our food and money is thrown out in a complex life, read this blog entry. Mary Ann Romans discusses the Food Waste Challenge and how you can take it.
31. Coupons 101 : With many parents saving tons on grocery bills, couponing is getting more and more appealing. This blogger gives a simple guide on how to get started.
32. Easy Frugal Recipes : Both frugality and simplicity are featured in this blog post. Choose from family favorites such as potatoes, turkey, soup, and more.
33. Festival of Frugality : Visit to get the best of the blog-o-sphere’s entries on frugality. You can check out the current edition or have a look at the previous.
34. Beware the Anti-Frugal : If all this frugality has you rethinking your life, read here. The idea of the anti-frugal is discussed along with its perils.
Simple Green Living Blog Posts You Can Incorporate Into Your Own Life
Save the Earth and go green with the help of these blog posts.
35. Plant a Tree : Not only are they good for the environment, a tree can be good for the soul. This site has a post on how, when, and other details on planting trees.
36. Composting : See how reduce both your waste and impact here. Eartheasy provides this simple blog post on how to compost.
37. Vermicomposting : It may not be pretty, but this form of composting using worms can be done easily. Cheap Like Me has an FAQ featuring the myths and realities of the practice.
38. Rainwater Irrigation : This system of using rainwater to irrigate your lawn is already in place in Arizona. Learn how to save on your water bills along with the environment.
39. Conserve Water : Get 25 ways to conserve water in the home and yard in this blog post. Many common and lesser known tips are given.
40. Natural Declutter : Clutter can be the sworn enemy of a simple life. Beth returns in a post on how to declutter with a green frame of mind.
41. Less Waste = More Money : Economy and ecology meet on the Cheap Like Me blog. In this post, they share ten ways that reducing waste can increase cash.
42. Homesteading Classes : Learn how to live off of your own land in this practice. A blog entry from Living Off the Grid showcases courses and classes to help you.
43. Stealth Living : Live as if you weren’t even here in this type of life. The Frugal Guy shows you the essentials of a simple life, and they don’t necessarily include what you would think.
44. Simple Appliances : There is no denying that appliances have made our lives simpler. Now learn how to simplify them by checking out this blog entry from Sustainablog.
Simple Dollar Earning Living Blog Posts You Can Incorporate Into Your Own Life
Get some green instead of going that way with a read of the below on how to make your money work for you simply.
45. High Yield Online Savings Account : Money Ning swoops in with suggestions on how to maximize extra cash with minimum risk. The three steps to finding them along with recommendations are given.
46. Online Checking Accounts : Use their checking tool to replace your current one. Choose by internet, location, and even account type. There are also loads of other tools for checking and beyond.
47. Top Money Markets : Visit Bankaholic to get an instant list of the top money market accounts available. Rating, rate, minimum deposit, and even fees are reported on.
48. Top Credit Cards : These plastic demons can be poison, but if used correctly can be a ticket to loads of free stuff or even cash back. Visit here to get current rates, picks, and more.
49. Best Credit Union : Find a credit union that is right for you by stopping here. Learn more about them or even search in Spanish.
50. $10,000 Challenge : David Bruno returns in a challenge to make the most of $10,000. He blogs on ways he is taking his own challenge.
51. Mom = Car : Catherine and Ann have a few pointers for why mom can make it better purchase on a new car than dad. They even throw in how dealers think to prove their point.
52. Hunt for the Deal : With loads of sites promising to save you more, finding out which are truly worth it is anything but simple. Lifehacker has the top five deal sites as picked by experts in the web.
53. Simple Financial Advisor : A financial advisor can be key to a simple life. This blog entry shows what to look for and not look for when hiring one.
54. Windfall Planner Worksheet : Plan for ups and well as downs with the help of Squawk Fox. An essential part to the How to Make a Budget Series.
55. Start Planning Retirement : No matter what your age, retirement remains a hot topic of conversation. Make it simpler by checking out this blog post from Retirement Planning.
Simple DIY Dollar Living Blog Posts You Can Incorporate Into Your Own Life
Learn how to manage your own money simply with the help of the below blog posts.
56. DIY Will : About 70 percent of Americans currently do not have a will. If you have any assets and family you would like them to go to, visit here for a simple, and occasionally free way, to write your own will.
57. Annual Credit Report : Many sites offer to monitor credit for free and turn out to be more complex than advertised. Just enter your state and name to get a free credit report from the big three creditors. You can file once a year for free.
58. Debt Eliminator : Click here to get a free tool to simplify one of the most complex monetary items known to man: debt. Honesty is required.
59. Life After Debt : Now that you are out of debt, don’t make the same mistake so many others do and plunge back in. Silicon Valley Blogger has useful tips for what to do now that you have saved some cash.
60. Expensing : In this blog post, learn how to use a free tool to keep track of all your expenses. Mobile phone, internet, and other ways to use it are featured.
61. College 101 : If you or your child are packing up for the first year of school, “The Wall Street Journal” has some tips for you. What to expect, spend, and more are included.
62. Ten Reasons to be Cautious : The top ten signs of a market crash are discussed here. What to look for and do are also suggested.
63. Retirement by Decade : Whether in your twenties or running late, get tips for retirement by age here. They also have help for those who are already retired.
64. Personal Finance Calculators : Leave the financial advisor waiting for your call with the help of these free tools. Plan your retirement, investments, taxes, mortgage, and more with the use of these calculators.
Simple Make it Yourself Living Blog Posts You Can Incorporate Into Your Own Life
Leave the grid out of your next purchases by having a look at these blog posts.
65. Make Your Own Ketchup : It may be the most recognized condiment in all of the kingdom, but it can also be loaded with preservatives, corn syrup, and more. Read about how Maria made her own ketchup in just 20 minutes here.
66. Make Your Own Laundry Soap : With brand name bottles costing up to and over $10, it just makes sense to make your own laundry soap. A blog entry from Tipnut gives you ten different recipes.
67. Make Your Own Bread : The Simple Dollar has an interesting blog entry on homemade bread. They show how it can be delicious, easy, and even healthy.
68. Make Your Own Veggie Juice : Visit here to get a quick and easy way to get your daily allotment of vegetables. The other benefits of juicing are also discussed.
69. Make Your Own Baby Food : Learn how to make organic and homemade baby food and avoid the grocery store. Simple recipes and tips are shared.
70. Make Your Own Pet Food : Speaking of, your furry friends can also be included in the search for a simple life. The staff at the Herald shares five pet food recipes good for cats or dogs.
71. Make Your Own Butter : If our grandmothers could do it, so can we. Lori Phillips shows you how to make butter at home simply and quickly.
72. Make Your Own Beer : Wash away the days’ complexities with your very own home brew. Eartheasy shows you how in this blog post.
73. Make Your Own Wine : If your tastes lie a little higher, read this blog post. Wine Maker shows how to make wine for beginners.
74. Make Your Own Soda : The canned devils can cost loads of money and contain loads of preservatives. This video shows you how to make your own simply and quickly.
75. How to Pay too Much for Home Grown Eggs : Got chickens? They may be worth less than their weight in eggs. See why in this blog post.
Simple Organization Living Blog Posts You Can Incorporate Into Your Own Life
If piles of papers complicate your life, stop by these blog posts for help.
76. DivShare : If those papers happen to contain information also on your computer, throw them away. This site will store up to 10GB online to be viewed and downloaded at any time.
77. Clean Slate Method : This method takes away the emotional aspect of decluttering and makes it a practical and easy exercise. Three steps can get you there.
78. Build Your Own Bookcase : Need a weekend project and somewhere to store your books? Popular Mechanics shows you how to make an impressive piece of furniture and something worthy of a simple life.
79. Organize Kids Toys : If you have kids, you need organization. This blog entry from HowStuffWorks shows adults and kids how to make a space they both like.
80. How to Organize a Closet : If the eyes are a window to the soul, than surely the closet is a window to simplicity. Real Simple check in with a video guide on organizing closets.
81. Organize Under Bed : There are many store bought bins that can help organize under a bed. Or you could read this blog entry from eHow for free.
82. Organize Your Garage : Rarely used for just car storage, a garage can also be a part of life that needs simplifying. HowStuffWorks returns with a guide on organizing it.
Simple High Tech Living Blog Posts You Can Incorporate Into Your Own Life
Bring in your high tech devices in your quest for simple living.
83. Battery Hacks : Just about every device made today needs one, but did you know you could literally being throwing out your money with your batteries? See how a used 12volt battery can be worth $40.
84. Springpad : We’re bombarded with things to remember every day, and it’s pretty overwhelming. Rather than sign up for a handful of different services to manage it all, this blogger consolidated their digital life with one powerful service and shows you how.
85. Extend the Life of Electronics : Get more out of the high tech devices you do keep around with the help of Real Simple. Devices such as the iPod, cell phone, and others are featured.
86. Hack Your Gas Mileage : Five Cent Nickel shows you how to improve the mileage of any automobile. Efficiency can even be increased by 15 percent.
87. Self Publish Anything Online : Is your paper stack just waiting to be published? Then learn how to with the help of Scott Steinberg, a CEO for a technology company.
88. Computer Clutter : Computer Advisor shows you how to declutter a computer in just ten easy steps. Best of all, no downloads or screenings are involved.
89. Simplify Social Media : With social media sites coming and going on a constant basis, your status may be leading to chaos. Use these tips from Mashable to fix them.
90. Organize Electronics : Cords from electronics can reveal the true complexity of any room. Read this blog entry to make them disappear.
91. Best To Do Manager : The avid readers of Lifehacker weighed in on which was the best organizer. The answer might surprise you.
Simple Decluttering Living Blog Posts You Can Incorporate Into Your Own Life
Still got clutter? Then check out these blog posts for help on how to fix it.
92. A Thing a Day : Take this challenge to get your home decluttered slowly. A visitor at this blog began this post a while ago and has received hundreds of posts on what others have done in taking on the challenge.
93. Electronic Declutter : If your computer reflects your cluttered life, this guide from Lifehacker can help. It contains the top ten ways to declutter your digital life.
94. Decluttering for a Loved One : The passing of a loved one can be a hard time in everyone’s life. Sifting through their things can also be a daunting task of what to keep and give away. This blog entry provides simple guidelines to completing the task.
95. How to Declutter : See how a space can interfere with the mind in this blog entry. Useful tips for decluttering are also given.
96. Warning Signs : “Hoarders” is a show about people who suffer from a condition which causes serious declutter. See how and why they get started with this tool.
97. Declutter Sentiment : With possessions being loved too much to be thrown out being a leading cause of declutter, visit here. Kara gives eight tips on how to let go of sentimental items.
98. The 27 Fling Boogie : Clearing your hotspots of clutter is just one of the goals of this simple living blog entry. The Fly Lady guides you through a 15 minute decluttering process.
99. 10 Ways to Declutter : The experts at Life Organizers weigh in on decluttering. They share where to look and what to do about it.
100. Unclutter : Still don’t have enough blog posts on decluttering? Then visit here for a blog dedicated to it.
With more technology come more opportunities more resources and inevitably more complexity. Remember that technology can also aid in a quest for simplicity as shown in the above 100 simple living blog posts you can incorporate into your life.
