The Chronic Consumer

I’ve been on a years-long quest to get into better shape by dieting and exercising, and though I’ve checked into numerous weight loss and fitness products, I haven’t actually purchased too many of them. That’s beginning to change, however, as I continue to have trouble achieving results entirely on my own. Sometimes an external boost is just what’s needed to get over the hump.

I am particularly interested in adding a bit of muscle to my frame to help speed up my metabolism so I can burn calories more efficiently. I’ve heard of a lot of people getting great results from creatine powder, but I don’t know if that stuff is for me. What does creatine do? That’s the number one question I have to ask myself, as I do some more research. I’m not trying to totally bulk up, so I don’t need anything that serious athletes would take. Hopefully there’s a lower grade product that would be suitable for my situation.

Now that I’m finally finished with grad school, I treated myself to an online shopping spree. I purchased a variety of things that I’d had my eye on for a long time, as well as a couple items that were more spur-of-the-moment purchases. Nothing has arrived yet, but you can expect more product reviews coming up in the very near future. The reviews will be for such things as a home acne remedy, DVD box set of a reality show, novelty snack dish, t-shirt, books, and more. Can’t wait to get everything, try the products out, and then post about ‘em!

We’ve never really felt the need for a home security system before because we live in a relatively safe neighborhood. But a friend has a security system that goes beyond simply protecting her house, and I have to admit that it’s pretty cool. It’s called home automation, and allows her to remotely control lights, climate, and video surveillance from wherever she is, which gives her peace of mind when she’s working late at the office or on a business trip across the country. Now that I’m looking for full-time work that will take me out of my house for longer stretches of the day, this is something I want to check into!

I was at kind of an upscale little grocery store this weekend and saw these bags of Rocky Mountain Popcorn on sale for $1 each. I had never heard of the brand, but the flavors (particularly White Cheddar and Butter) looked good, so I decided to buy a couple. The popcorn is air-popped, so it was a bit drier in texture than I’m used to, but otherwise the flavor wasn’t too bad. The White Cheddar was especially good, though the Butter left something to be desired. I liked the bag size (1.5 servings), as well as the “grip ‘n’ pour” shape. Plus, 180 calories per serving wasn’t entirely awful for such a flavorful snack food. I don’t know how much this stuff usually retails for, but if I see it again for $1, I wouldn’t hesitate to make another purchase!

I haven’t had much time to play video games recently, but I have been pleasantly surprised by LEGO titles in the past. That’s one reason I’m anxiously awaiting the release of LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean for DS. It is scheduled to coincide with the 4th installment of the film franchise, and will be available on May 10, which isn’t too far away now.

The gameplay looks similar to other LEGO favorites, so I have a feeling this one will be just as fun as Batman, Star Wars, and Indiana Jones. Can’t wait to buy it!

A lot of my friends have fancy smartphones with a bunch of different apps that help them do just about anything you can imagine. I don’t have a great phone because I don’t really need one. I stay home most of the day, so I’m content to use my computer or tablet for most things. But the one time I miss having a smartphone is when I’m out shopping. Many of today’s phones have a barcode scanner that allows you to instantly compare prices on a particular item at a bunch of different online stores. Having that ability would be very useful because then I would know if I’m getting a good deal or not. I’ve made a lot of in-store purchases, only to come home and find the same item for much less at a web store. Is this a good enough reason to buy a smartphone? I’ll have to think about that!

I usually try to post at least every other day, but honestly, I just haven’t been buying much lately so I don’t have any reviews to write. I need to get on the ball and start spending money, I guess!

Anyway, I thought I’d let you know about this cute little t-shirt that’s being sold by Etsy. The shirt costs $25 (a bit steep), but 100% of the profits will be donated to the Red Cross to help Japan in the wake of the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear power plant problem. It’s a good cause, so get yours today!

I usually don’t link to anything on Yahoo because they pull their links after just a few months, and I hate clicking on stuff that goes absolutely nowhere. But this article and video are pretty cool, and since there wasn’t any way for me to embed the clip, you’ll have to settle for a link. The article talks about useful gadgets under $25. There are a couple that I could actually see myself buying, including the bottle cap tripod and the iPod Nano watch band.

Great Gadgets Under $25