My uncle is going to be hosting a high school exchange student from Spain. With the new school year just around the corner, the boy should be arriving in a couple of weeks. My uncle wants to have a small gift waiting for the kid when he arrives, and asked for my advice. I suggested an electronic speaking dictionary and thesaurus because it would be very practical and get a ton of use. The only problem with my suggestion is that we don’t know if the student already has something similar. I guess my uncle can always buy one and then just return or exchange it if it turns out to be a duplicate!
My husband is a camping/fishing enthusiast, so every once in a while he has to replace useful tools that have worn out after years of use. He used to carry a Swiss Army knife, but after the blades dulled and the handle cracked, he decided to look for another all-in-one tool. This time he went with a Leatherman instead of Swiss Army, and he’s pretty happy with the result.
The model he purchased was the 830685 Charge TTi, which came with a handy nylon sheath. The Charge TTi features 15 tools, as well as a couple of lanyard rings and a removable pocket clip for carrying convenience. The unit has titanium handles, too, which should add to the durability factor. Some of the tools include:
- Needlenose pliers
- Regular pliers
- Wire cutters
- Hard-wire cutters
- Saw
- Serrated knife
- Wood/metal file
- Diamond-coated file
- Scissors
- Large bit driver
- Small bit driver
- 9 double-end bits
- Ruler (8 inch)
- Bottle/can opener
- Wire stripper
That’s a lot of stuff to fit into such a small package! Honestly, I don’t know how many of those tools my husband will actually ever use while camping or fishing, but I guess there’s a certain peace of mind that comes with knowing the stuff is there if needed.
Anyway, this tool was a bit on the expensive side at $97 from Amazon, but it received so many fantastic reviews that it was hard for my husband to pass it up. Sure, you can find cheaper multitools out there, but you get what you pay for! This product is definitely recommended.
So my husband is looking for a new backpack to replace the one he’s had for 12 years. The old pack’s straps finally gave out, and it’s unsalvageable at this point. After looking around at some popular models, my husband wants to get this Oakley Bathroom Sink pack. It’s called the Bathroom Sink because apparently there’s a bigger “Kitchen Sink” model, too. This one is slightly smaller than the Kitchen Sink, and thus is called the Bathroom Sink.
At any rate, I think it looks okay, but the price tag is incredibly big for a backpack: $150, to be exact. A hundred and fifty bucks??? For real? I know it’s Oakley and all, but come on!
So what do you think, yay or nay on this model (either because of the price or the looks)?
My mom has been retired for almost two years now, which means she’s on a fixed income. Unfortunately, most of her savings is in various stocks and mutual funds, and her portfolio has taken an utter beating thanks to the terrible economy. So I’m going over her finances to help her look for ways to save more money while getting by on a lot less than expected.
My first task is shopping for a new insurance policy. Her premiums seem pretty high to me, and I’m relatively certain we can find better deals by looking around. Several companies out there claim to have the best term life insurance for seniors, so it’s really just a matter of doing some quick online comparisons.
After that, I’m going to go through her utilities and various service contracts, such as her cell phone, cable, and Internet. I’m sure I can save her a few hundred a month by switching providers or whatever. That money will be a welcome cushion considering the economic climate.
I love my Tigers, so when I saw this beach towel over at FootballFanatics.com, I just had to buy it. It features the tiger head logo in the center, as well as two smaller logos on each end with the word “Mizzou” printed along the edge. It’s a nice big size (30 x 60), which is perfect for the beach or for the shower (which is how I’m currently using it).
Additional features include:
- 100% cotton
- Sublimated graphics
- Washer/dryer safe
- Officially licensed
The only drawback to the towel that I’ve noticed thus far is that it’s a bit on the thin side. Then again, beach towels are almost always thinner than true bath towels, so I guess I can’t complain too much. Can’t wait to head to the pool with this thing next week!
It’s August now, which means we’re getting into the dog days of summer. There’s absolutely nothing that I like about this time of the year — except maybe the fact that the pro football season is just a month away. I hate the heat, humidity, and lack of any compelling sports (baseball certainly doesn’t count) or original programming on television.
I don’t know about you, but I always use August to start thinking about holiday gifts. Even though it’s about a hundred degrees out every day, the Christmas shopping season is right around the corner, as are some family birthdays, Valentine’s Day, and Easter. I need to buy presents for all those holidays, so this is as good a time as any to start mapping out my strategy.
Towards that end, I’ve been checking out helpful lists like this girlfriend gifts for valentines day and other guides for ideas. I also check technology and gadget news to see what the most anticipated products are, and take note of any summer apparel, toys, or sporting goods that my family might possibly want as gifts, then I pounce when the items go on sale.
This approach might not work for everyone, but it sure beats waiting until the last minute!