The Tech-pert: Money Saving Alternatives to the iTunes Store

It's easy to go broke on iTunes. Movies, music, apps, audiobooks--everything's just a click away. Sure, it might not seem like a big deal to drop $3.99 on a new game for your iPad or $14.99 for the new Maroon 5 album, but this stuff adds up. A handful of songs here, a few apps there, maybe a movie rental or two, and suddenly you're looking at a monthly tab of $20, $50, or even more.

It's time to reign in the iTunes spending. Here's how:

Download Digital Audiobooks from Your Local Library

Before you plunk down $29.95 for the audio edition of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," check to see if it's available from your local library. And by "available," I don't mean driving to the library and browsing the audiobook-CD stacks. Instead, many libraries now offer downloadable audiobooks, just like you get from iTunes--but without the price tag.

This varies from one library to another, so head to the Web site for your local book depository and look for links to audiobook downloads. My library has actually partnered with two services: NetLibrary and OverDrive Digital Media. Both allow you to "check out" audiobooks, usually for 2-3 weeks, and copy them to your iPhone or iPod (but only if they're in iPod or MP3 format; WMA-formatted books won't work). In some cases you can also burn the books to blank CDs for easier listening in the car.

I think Ben Franklin would be pleased, don't you?

Watch Your Own DVDs

iTunes wants you to pay $14.99 for a digital download of "Avatar" when you already own the movie on DVD? You don't need 3D glasses to see that's a joke. Thankfully, you can "rip" your DVD, creating a copy of the movie that's compatible with your portable player. And you don't have to worry about Hollywood studio thugs breaking down your door: DVD ripping is more or less covered under "fair use" laws--as long as you own the DVD and don't distribute the "ripped" version to anyone else.

There are countless programs that can perform the DVD ripping process. I've had good luck with Wondershare DVD to iPhone Converter, which, its name notwithstanding, also works with iPods and iPads. It sells for $29.95.

If that's too steep, check out Giveaway of the Day, a daily-freebie site that, from time to time, offers a commercial DVD-ripping program.

Watch Your Own Recorded TV Shows

Why buy the latest episode of "30 Rock" for $1.99 (or $2.99 if you want HD) when you've already got it recorded on your DVR? Granted, it takes a little time and effort, but it won't cost you a dime.

If you have a TiVo, you can use the free TiVo Desktop software to convert recorded TV shows for viewing on your iPhone or iPod. You can do this for individual shows, or configure the utility to convert all recordings automatically.

Windows Media Center users should check out MCEBuddy, which can also automatically convert recorded shows to an iPod-friendly format. The utility itself isn't all that friendly, at least for novices, but the price is right: it's free.

Shop Around for Music

There's no law that says you have to buy your music from iTunes (which charges $1.29 for most songs). Your iPod/iPhone can play MP3 files from any source, so shop around! Amazon, for example, often has lower prices than iTunes and the MP3 store at Walmart almost always does. For example, the new Maroon 5 album, "Hands All Over," costs $14.99, $12.99, and $9 at iTunes, Amazon and Walmart, respectively.

Alternately, subscription services like Napster and Rhapsody let you listen to unlimited music for just $10 per month--about what you'd pay for a single album. Their iPhone/iPod apps stream tunes from their massive song libraries, but both can download songs for listening even when you're offline (like on an airplane).

Score Free and Discounted Apps

For a long time my daughter wanted the game Oregon Trail for her iPod Touch, but I balked at the $5.99 price. (Most games sell for a buck or two, so that seemed steep.) A few weeks later, a message popped up on my iPhone: "Oregon Trail on sale for 99 cents." Sold! My secret weapon: a free app called PandoraBox, which lets me build a list of apps I want to track and then alerts me of price drops.

That's just one way to score app savings. Another is to check out sites like Free App A Day, which offers a new freebie (usually a game) every single day. I'm also fond of Free App Alert, which showcases paid iPhone apps that just became free (either because of a price cut or temporary sale). You can follow both sites on Facebook and Twitter, so you don't have to remember to visit them every day.

Self-proclaimed cheapskate Rick Broida has been a technology writer for over 20 years. He has authored over a dozen books, including, most recently, "How to Do Everything: Palm Pre." Currently he writes the Cheapskate blog.