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Is Earth4Energy Any Good ?

by The Shopping Maniac






It’s becoming costly to use traditional energy resources as a main source of energy in the home. This bottom line cost is making people reflect on practical alternatives to fossil fuels. If you add this to the probable environmental problems that may be caused by using carbon based, fossil fuels, it seems that people are getting the bigger picture and determined to act on this information.

The first option to consider is renewable energy for your residence. Renewable energy systems are generally safer than burn carbon based resources for the environment. It is also plentiful and will not be depleted the more humans use it.

This means it is an ideal source of energy given that our needs for energy will increase with population increases. So the Earth4Energy guide is about creating 2 renewable energy systems for your home. And with this in mind, it does what it says on the sales page. It details how to build these systems from scratch, including finding the parts for free or very cheaply. It also includes clear diagrams, photographs and instructions on how to put them together.

However, there is another reason why this manual is a much needed product in the renewable energy field. It is useful right now because people are looking at renewable energy systems but are put off by the cost. The EarthForEnergy guide shows you how to install two systems at a fraction of the commercial options.

Indeed, the cost of a professionally installed renewable energy system could be as high as $20000 depending on the requirements of the home. This kind of money is either not available or hard to justify using on something that isn’t essential when a solution is already in place. It also means that even though you will save on energy bills with such a system, it will take a number of years to get the initial investment back from these savings.

In the case of the systems you will be creating based on the Earth4Energy manual, the cost is small enough that you will have made the initial investment back within a couple of months (6 months maximum). After that, all the energy you create will supplement your energy needs and help to reduce your energy bills. So the entry barrier for getting into renewable energy is greatly reduced, as is the financial risk, even if these systems do not have the same capacity as an expensive system.

So the major innovation of this manual is that it can help even the most cash strapped person set up a renewable energy system, thus popularizing the use of renewable energy.This can not only help the  individual, but can help everyone collectively, as environmental issues become more of an issue.

Get more details on solar power appliances as a renewable resource for the home, including residential solar hot water .






Who Wants Walmart Gift Cards?

by The Shopping Maniac

Despite many of the negative press lately about the de-valuation of gift cards there is still one place where people can find full-valued Walmart Gift Cards. Aside from the fact that they are free there are many reasons to go check it out? No kidding, free.  If you look around a bit you can find a lowest unique bid auction site where you can get said gift cards absolutely free.

Auctions4acause has a lot of different auctions going on now where bidders pay a small fee for a chance to win some cool stuff. Most of the time they run some special auctions where it’s free to bid and win. Anyone can bid on a $75 value gift card for no cost and possibly be the winner at the end of the auction. While there anyone can check out any of their other auctions that benefit some very well-known charities all the while exploiting opportunities to get some cool tech items for pennies on the dollar. From IPOD auctions to macbookair and cheap Nintendo Wii’s the selection is sufficient.

Mac genes aside the macbookair is one of the hottest mobile computing devices available. Considered a tool for graphics designers and a toy for kids the Macbook air is proving to be much more versatile these days. It gets it’s thin build thanks to a backlit LED display and combined with other feature enables it to outpace the competition.

The idea of the lowest unique bid gives this website a leg-up on the other auctions sites on the net. The unique idea results in a pre-determined number of bids while not restricting the number of bids you can make. The idea here is to make 2 or 3 bids for less than $30 and win the item. You’ll want to think through various outcomes before you put any money into it.

You surely could spend an hour or two looking over the site but the real freebie is on the $75 Walmart Gift Card!

Unique Gift Ideas to Surprise Your Loved Ones

by The Shopping Maniac

It’s your birthday and you are showered with T-shirts or chocolate boxes; comes Valentine’s day and there are at least five rose bouquets waiting for your kind attention; perhaps it’s your parents’ wedding anniversary and your house becomes a dumping ground of cookware and bedspreads and like and  you can not find a place to fit them.

Just think a little, don’t make the same mistake when it comes to shopping for gifts for a special person and end up buying the most boring gift, while your intention all along has been to make a unique statement of love and appreciation with your gift.

If you need some help to stir up your imagination, here are some off-beat ideas to make your gift stand out in the crowd.

Seasonal produce
If you have a garden, the produces thereof can make beautiful gift for the person you care for. Suppose it is your best friend’s wedding anniversary –  pluck roses from your garden and then arrange them artistically in a basket and then send them to her with your best wishes scribbled on a piece of paper.

The same way, a basketful of garden fresh seasonal fruits or vegetables from your garden can add to your dad’s delight on the father’s day or perhaps on someones birthday.

Herbal beauty products
This is an age when organic products score over their chemical counterparts. As such, a range of herbal skin care products including bath soap, bath salts, moisturizers or facial packs can make an interesting gift for not only women, but for men as well.

Japanese Bonsai
Who doesn’t love greenery? So a green present is bound to be a hit with everybody. Make a green statement by presenting your loved one a bonsai plant. For a more attractive statement, look for a specimen that bears tiny fruits in it.  This of course is not a gift to give someone with no interest in gardening or Bonsai as the plant will die off quickly if not cared for properly. For those without green thumbs and easy to care for plant might be ideal.

Stunning picture frame
Picture frames often make boring gifts. But not anymore when you tuck a beautiful picture inside it. When father’s day is near you could  rummage through your mother’s drawer or the attic in search of an old photograph that features your dad as a dotting father. Present it to him on father’s day, but be prepared for some emotional outburst.  You could also give a Digital Photo Frame as a gift. Load it up with a range of pictures that suit the occasion and the gift recipient will be sure to appreciate such a lovely gift.

Pursuit for knowledge
Books no longer interest most young people these days. Make a gift of annual subscription of the Encarta series of digital multimedia encyclopedia to the studious girl and see her brighten up instantly.

Charm bracelets
To mark any special event, gift your loved ones with a charm bracelet. Make it personal by adding a charm that bear the date of that special event or occasion. Depending on your budget, choose between sterling silver white gold or yellow gold. For added glitter, choose one with Swarovski crystals.

Wine set
Personalized wine glass sets make very stylish gift ideas. It makes a romantic statement if you present a pair of wine glasses to a couple with the couple’s name engraved in it. Be sure to include a nice bottle of wine for the couple to sample.

Create the balance of negative and positive chi
Fengshui items could spark off the imagination of any person. Fengshui items like crystals, chimes, laughing Buddha – all make ideal gifts for house warming parties.

Toolbox for the passionate cook
If you know someone to be an avid cook, you can please her/him by a making a gift of such items as an assortment of exotic spices. A set of knives or skillets or a set comprising such tools as kitchen thermometer, weighing scale etc. A person who loves cooking or baking would enjoy a gift such as this.

Use your imagination, try to find gifts that suit a persons interests and passions.  Your gift will be all the more cherished if you put some thought in to it.

Book of the Month Clubs

by The Shopping Maniac

What Is A Book Of The Month Club?

Are you an avid reader that just can’t wait to get to your next book? Does it seem like you spend more time at the library digging through stuff you have read rather than getting to read something new? Maybe a Book of the Month Club is what you need!

Originally started in 1926, the very first Book of the Month Club was a way to sell new books from new authors or authors that were not well known so that the public would learn more about that author. Today, there are many different clubs that specialize in all sorts of genre. Depending on what you enjoy you may find anything from clubs dealing primarily with romance to clubs that only carry one author’s works. With an enormous selection of works to choose from, you are bound to find a club to suit your tastes.

How Does It Work?

Most Book of the Month Clubs use a system called a “negative response” system. They will offer you a monthly selection that will be mailed to you unless you decline it by a certain date. You then will have the option to order another book instead.

Usually the terms set forth in the club agreement will specify a certain number of books that you will be responsible to purchase or a number of months that you must remain active. In return for agreeing to join that particular Book of the Month Club many times they will offer you a very tempting initial shipment of books that you can choose yourself. This can be any number of books offered at a very low price such as “First 6 books only $6.00!”

Today there are a few clubs that will actually allow you to build a queue on the net of what books you are interested in and in which order you would like to receive them. This type of club is beginning to gain a good deal of interest. Obviously, it allows club members to have more say in exactly what they want. Unfortunately, this could lead to some members never experiencing authors that they may never have heard of or given a chance before. Which club to join is a personal choice that you must make according to your taste in literature.

No matter which Book of the Month Club you join, make sure you get one that is right for you. Be careful to read any fine print so that you do not get stuck in a situation where you have to pay for books that you really don’t want or care for.

The best source for information on what gift of the month clubs are out there is the Internet. You can search from many different clubs and pick the perfect one. If you feel that the club you are considering may not be honest you can check it out. See if it is set up with the Better Business Bureau. This is usually a pretty good indicator of what kind of service you can expect from your new club.

Book of the Month Clubs can be very enjoyable. Finding a new author that you haven’t heard of can be a wonderful experience. Remember to pick your perfect club and go for it. You will have many hours of enjoyment ahead. Happy Reading!

Edible Fruit Baskets Make Great Gifts

by The Shopping Maniac

Giving an edible fruit gift basket is always a great gift! Hey, it could save the recipient money on their food bill at the very least.  In addition, most of us usually only buy one or two kind of fruit during our weekly grocery trip.  Who can afford to get a bag of different kinds of fruit with the food prices today? So if you decide to give some one a fruit basket as a gift you’ll be providing them with a variety of nutritious and tasty fruit – perhaps some that they don’t eat often.

Providing baskets of fruit is also a nice way to give a gift to a person that you do not know very well. There are countless reasons why we might want to bring a gift to those we are not familiar. For instance, teachers at the end of the school year often need a gift. Or perhaps that person who has done work on your home, maybe even a summer lawn worker or a pool hand might be deserving of something once the job is complete, and especially if it was done well. Have you ever thought that your mail will come every day, no matter what? If you like to give your mail carrier a gift once a year; the holidays are a great time for this.

Image by sweet mustache via Flickr

We definitely do not like to think about this, but we all know of at least one person who has lost a loved one. You definitely want to express your sympathy and offer your assistance to the person in mourning. Instead of bringing a casserole or a pie, why not just bring them a nice fruit gift basket? They most likely will not feel much like eating a big meal anytime soon and would probably rather reach for a piece of fruit to get them through until the next mealtime.

The neat thing is that you can send edible fruit baskets to anyone across the country. You do not have to go out and buy the basket yourself at the local store and then worry about delivering it, although you could if you would like.  You can simply order them from a florist or even go online and schedule a delivery a thousand miles away if you wish, a local company will fulfill your order and your gift recipient will get only the freshest fruit basket available.

So the next time you need to give a gift, think about giving fruit gift baskets. After all, they are healthy, taste great and a wonderful gift for any occasion.

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