12 Vista Sidebar gadgets that will save you money

Money-saving sidebar gadgets
The Sidebar gadgets that could help save you money

Times are hard at the moment, so we went out and found 12 great Sidebar gadgets which can help you to save some cash.

1. Find real eBay bargains

It's hard to believe that some people spell their items wrong on eBay, but they do, and generally these mishaps go for bargain prices. Goofbay weans them out, if you're willing to buy from an illiterate oaf.

2. Sell better on eBay

This is one for the sellers. It lets you find out how many hits you're getting and who's watching your items. A real trick of the trade for making some fast eBay cash.

3. Get free internet

This hotspot locator finds free wireless zones for you when you're on the move, so you don't have to pay extortionate rates to check your email or send that file.

4. Get rich quick!

If you have been watching this week's economic collapse with a vested interest, then the one sidebar gadget you need is the Fidelity Market Monitor. It keeps an eye on the markets, so you'll see the time to buy shares before anyone else! There is also a handy gadget which ships with Vista too.

5. eBay Item Watcher

OK, just one more eBay gadget! The item watcher keeps track of those bargains for you and keeps them on the Sidebar, so you can always have one eye on the best buys on eBay.

6. Free music

One of the best music gadgets around is the Unsigned Bands gadget. Built by the fantastic BuildAGadget, it has music from every genre you can imagine, is a great way to discover artists you haven't heard of before and works like a dream too.

7. Don't get scammed

Getting your identity stolen is a good way to lose a lot of money, so protect yourself using this strong password generator for your accounts.

8. Win the lottery

Until someone invents a gadget that chooses the winning lottery numbers, you'll have to settle for this alternative, which tells you whether you have won or not.

9. Get infinite bargains

Get the lowest prices around with Kelkoo. This Sidebar gadget uses the price comparison site to find you the best bargains on anything you like. (UK only.)

10. Quit smoking

The best part about giving up smoking is the extra money (apart from not getting cancer) and this gadget tells you how much you have saved - what better incentive than that?

11. Get more for your money

If you're going on holiday then researching then tracking the exchange rate is the best way to get ahead, and there's a converter included with Windows Vista!

12. Don't get ripped off

Test how fast your broadband is and make sure you're not paying over the odds for your connection with the Speed Test gadget.

Still hungry for more recommended gadgets? Read TechRadar's 22 Vista Sidebar gadgets to save you time