Choosing the right heater involves a number of factors, not least the consideration of energy usage. Fan heaters warm up a room, unfortunately they warm up your heating bill too!! A new breed of infrared heaters has recently emerged, utilising new technologies to keep you warm and cool down your heating bills at the same time.

The RedCore 1500 heater is a state of the art multi-faceted device, acting as a heater, an air purifier and humidifier. The problem with many heaters is the a tendency to dry out the air while heating, causing difficulties for people with allergies and respiratory issues. The RedCore 1500 replaces lost moisture and purifies the air of dust and allergens, creating a comfortable environment in which you can breathe easily. So, no more dry winter air, dry skin, no more pollen, dust and no more dry sinuses!

According to the manufacturer, this heater can save you 50% on your heating bill, using only a miserly 1500 watts.

The infrared heater warms instantly and can heat areas of 1000 square feet. Other features include remote control LCD, temperature display and timer. The heater also comes with a 1-year replacement warranty. The unit comes in silver, light wood and dark wood finishes.


This post brought to you by Air & Water Inc.

I hope everybody had a great Christmas this year. Let's hope for a happy, prosperous and safe new year. Here's to 2010!!
Cheers
LJP

It's that time of the Christmas shopping period where some people are relaxed, all presents wrapped and ready to go, slippers on, eggnog in hand.

Other people may be in the midst of mind-bending panic trying to get everything purchased before December 25th. The crowds, the pressure, the "what the heck am I doing in this department - everything's starting to look the same" experience. During my shopping expeditions to the Melbourne CBD, I found myself armed with a list, a credit card, some dollars and the beginnings of a whopper headache. After the third shop my eyes began to glaze over and my mind began to fantasise about settling down with a nice cold beer and potato wedges. I don't know what it is about shopping that makes me so hungry. Maybe it's because I'm in survival mode and my body sends out signals to eat to preserve the continuation of the human race. Shopping will do that to you.

I should have taken my own advice and done most of my shopping online. For some reason my online shopping mainly involved buying myself some Christmas presents - perhaps to reward my subconscious for putting up with 2 and a half hours of the most annoying species of shopping humans:

1. Slow Walkers - The thing about Christmas shopping is that MOST people are in a hurry. Probably because there are only 72 hours to Christmas and some of us haven't even bought wrapping paper. Slow walkers are content to amble aimlessly, admiring the crowds, staring at concrete and mesmerised by traffic lights. Slow walkers are the natural enemy of efficient shoppers and tend to approach backwards using stealth and cunning.

2. Bag Whackers - These shoppers come in two forms - those that whack you with a bag and those that whack the bags you are carrying. I try to keep my bags out of everybody's way, daintily dodging and weaving so as not to gonk anyone in the shins. Bag whackers on the other hand are either training for the marathon, arms waving and thumping every bag in sight, or they are carrying half the shareholder's investment at Myer and try to squeeze past thirty people trying to get in the back carriage at Flinders Street.

3. Directional Changers - One of the most dangerous to those carrying anything made from glass or crystal are the directional changers. Like poisonous snakes they wind from side to side, occasionally walking backwards or diagonally without first checking to see if anyone is in their path. If you do see one of these shoppers, stay well clear and hide any breakables.

4. Inexplicable Stoppers - Possibly the worst of the lot. Imagine you are walking behind someone who appears to be walking with purpose. And suddenly inexplicable stopper er... stops. They don't do anything or go anywhere - for example, into a shop, to a stall to buy a drink, to give money to a street artist. No, they just stop. In front of nothing. With blank expressions on their faces. It makes me think of that new Bruce Willis film where robots dressed as people suddenly all stop. Perhaps inexplicable stoppers are actually robots, infiltrating our Christmas shopping habits and stopping to report back to base. Or maybe the heat just makes their joints rusty.

For some of us, the only things left on the list are stocking fillers. Little knick-knacks and last minute curios that add to the Christmas spirit and make it look like there are more presents under the tree. These examples may give you ideas as to what to put in your own stockings this Christmas.


Apple iPod Touch Accessories




Canon Deluxe Grey Leather Case




Sandisk 4GB Memory Card



Crayola Glow Station

technorati tags: stocking fillers, stocking stuffers, christmas, gifts, cool gift under $20, gift ideas,Christmas gift ideas, frugalChristmas, gift ideas for christmas,

An excellent place to find a wide array of coupon codes for various items is at the nifty UK based site Unbeatable. Whether you are shopping for kitchen goods, games consoles, or a new flat screen TV, this site pretty much has it all.


Coupon codes can save a lot of money at the electronic checkout. If you can track down a coupon code for a purchase, it's always a good idea to use it. Some codes provide free shipping, some codes will offer a percentage off the listed price and others will offer discounts for purchases over a specified amount.

Updated coupon codes appear each day and new offers are added regularly so it is a good idea to check back to hunt for new bargains and special deals.

If you are interested in buying a specific product, you can find product comparisons, user generated reviews and comprehensive buying guides to help you make an informed purchase. For example, say that I am interested in purchasing a blu-ray player. I can compare prices from different outlets, find the best model as reviewed by other buyers and read a buying guide such as "Battle between blu-ray and HD DVD - the question is who will win?" as featured on the site. By the time I make my purchase, I will have the best possible price all the relevant information to confidently buy the item. And I may even score a coupon code to further discount my purchase.

Here are some examples of the latest discounts.



As you can see, some of the offers last from shorter periods up to 14 days. The savings are quite substantial and worth checking out.

For convenience you can also follow Unbeatable on Twitter for up to the minute deals and coupon codes so you never miss out on the latest bargains.


This post brought to you by Unbeatable.co.uk

It's difficult to know the exact limit to set on purchases for friends and family. $30? $50? Let's assume for argument's sake that the maximum you have to spend on each person is $60.

I have an admission to make - I haven't done any Christmas shopping yet. And I run a shopping blog.

Here are some last minute gift ideas under $60:






Red Dwarf Series I and II
In my humble opinion, the earlier episodes of Red Dwarf are the best. Rimmer, Lister, The Cat and 3 million light years away from Earth. Series III is also a classic (refer to earlier post Mr Flibble Is Very Cross). It's perfect holiday viewing - the touching story of a man who wakes up slumped on a table in McDonald's on Mimas (a moon of Saturn), wearing a lady's pink crimplene hat and a pair of yellow fishing waders, with no money and a passport in the name of 'Emily Berkenstein' and an annoying rash. All this for celebrating his 25th birthday with a few mates and a Monopoly pub crawl. This of course happens in the book, and the series begins shortly after these fateful events. But you get the idea.





Nike One Golf Balls 12pk
I am fascinated by how they make these things. I watched an advertisement showing these weird rubber spinning and getting covered in layers, tested by robots, its all very high tech. Personally I just hit them. Preferably on greens and fairways. I once lost around 4 brand new balls in the creek at the 8th at Elsternwick Golf Course. But that's another story...






Bungee, Surfing, Jet Boating

If you know someone who would rather bungee jump than have plum pudding and eggnog, you can choose from surfing lessons, jet boating and other such exciting things.




Fair Trade Fashion

If you want to give a gift that won't add clutter, try this one. Millions of workers in developing countries are employed in the fashion industry. This refers to the people who actually sew and manufacture the clothes we wear every day. This gift helps to improve working conditions for fashion industry workers, making it a better Christmas for everyone.




QuickFlix DVD Rental Gift Voucher

This is a gift that can be enjoyed for months to come. Includes DVD hire and home delivery for those of us too busy to go to the video store. The service provides free return by post and no late fees.




Estee Lauder Travel Set

Christmas time is also holiday time, so this travel set is perfect for a brief or lengthy getaway.
Pack includes Estee Lauder moisturiser, foot smoothing lotion, lipstick, mascara, eyeshadow pack and travel bags. I feel relaxed already.

technorati tags: christmas, gifts, cool gift under $60, gift ideas, Christmas gift ideas, frugalChristmas, gift ideas for christmas,