auction Archives - Page 32 of 43

Taking a Closer Look at BidBuddy

Have you used your BidBuddy today?

If you haven’t, you probably should! In this short article I will explain how you use the BidBuddy, as well as why you want to use the BidBuddy. Trust me, if you’re not using your BidBuddy then you aren’t winning as many auctions as you could be.

The BidBuddy is an automatic bidding tool that is exclusively used on DealDash, and is the only way that you can consistently win auctions. The Bidbuddy might look a little intimidating at first, but in reality it’s extremely easy to use, and you will be winning auctions in no time. And don’t worry, there’s no extra charge to use the BidBuddy, DealDash provides it free of charge to anyone who wants to bid.

Here’s the directions on how to use your BidBuddy:

*Put in the number of bids that you would like your BidBuddy to place for you

*Hit the “Book a BidBuddy button.

That’s it! So easy, right? Well, after you have done that, your BidBuddy will automatically place your bids before the bid clock counts down to 0. The BidBuddy will automatically start bidding for you, you don’t even have to have your computer on. If you have changed your mind about the auction, or if the final auction price is going too high, don’t worry, you can adjust that number up or down anytime that you like.

Another great thing about the BidBuddy is you aren’t tied to just one auction at a time. If you are interested in a few auctions that are going on at the same time it’s practically impossible to be able to watch them all, let alone bid at the right time! You can save yourself some frustration by booking your BidBuddy for the auctions that you are interested in ahead of time. That way you can watch all of the auctions that you are interested in while the BidBuddy is bidding on the other ones for you. It’s like a little friend that tirelessly bids for you, even after you have gone to bed or gotten distracted. It’s definitely the best way to win auctions – I very rarely see anyone win by using single bids. The BidBuddy gives you an edge over the single bidder. It’s there for you, so go ahead and use it!

I hope this helped some of you newer DealDashers! If you’re interested in reading even more tips and tricks check out the “Tactics & Tips” section on DealDash. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

Living Healthy: How to Pick the Best Fresh Produce

Welcome back to DealDash Blog’s Living Healthy series. Today’s blog is all about the tips and tricks to choosing the best produce items at the supermarket.

I don’t know how many times I have gone into the supermarket, and picked out some great looking produce, got it home, and it tastes…Not bad, but tastes like nothing, like cardboard. This was happening to me way too often, so I started doing a little research to figure out how to get the best produce at the supermarket that I was able to find.

Of course, the number one way to get the freshest and best tasting produce is to buy things when they are in season where you live. If you’re somewhere warm like California or Florida, you’re in luck! Not only are there some great things grown right in your own home state, the distance that other things have to travel up from Mexico or South America is considerably shorter than someone who lives in Maine or Montana.

Here are some quick and easy tips on picking great tasting produce at the supermarket even if the items are actually in season:

• Apples: Choose fruits that are deeply colored, firm, naturally shiny, and heavy for their size.

• Artichokes: Choose globes that have tight leaves and feel heavy for their size. The leaves should squeak when pressed against each other.

• Asparagus: Choose firm, smooth, and brightly-colored stalks with compact tips. Avoid limp stalks. Choose stalks of equal thickness to ensure even cooking times.

• Avocados: Choose avocados that feel slightly soft to the touch. Firmer avocados may be ripened at home, but avoid rock-hard ones. Also avoid avocados with cracks or dents.

• Bananas: Choose bright yellow bananas to eat right away or green bananas to ripen at home. Avoid fruits that are bruised or split.

• Blueberries: Choose berries that are firm, dry, and blue (not red or green). A white sheen is natural. Also check the bottom of the basket to make sure there aren’t any crushed or spoiled berries.

• Broccoli: Choose broccoli with firm stalks, tight florets, and crisp green leaves. Avoid yellowed or flowering florets.

• Celery: Choose firm, unblemished stalks. The stalks and leaves should be green, not yellow.

• Corn: Choose corn with bright green husks and moist but not slimy silk. Peel back the husk to ensure the kernels are plump and not dry.

• Cucumbers: Choose cucumbers that are uniformly green (not yellow).

• Grapefruits: Choose fruits that have smooth, thin skins and are heaviest for their size. They should feel firm but slightly springy to the touch. Don’t worry about color.

• Grapes: Choose fruits that are firm, plump, and heavy for their size. They should be firmly attached to the stems without wrinkled or brown spots.

• Lemons and Limes: Choose fruits that are fragrant and heaviest for their size. Avoid fruits that are shriveled.

• Lettuce, Spinach, and Other Leafy Greens: Choose greens with fresh, crisp leaves. Avoid any that are wilted or slimy.

• Mangoes: Choose fruits that are slightly soft to the touch and fragrant near the stem end.

• Onions and Shallots: Choose dry, firm bulbs that feel heavy for their size. Avoid any with soft spots or green sprouts.

• Oranges: Choose fruits that heaviest for their size and have firm, smooth skins. Don’t worry about color. For Mandarin oranges, make sure skins are firm, not shriveled.

• Peaches: Choose fragrant, deeply colored (not green) fruits that are firm but slightly soft to the touch.

• Pears: Pears are usually picked before they are fully ripe, but choose fruits that are free of bruises and look for any that are getting soft just below the stem.

• Peas: Choose crisp, green pods. Avoid bulging, dried, yellow, or white pods.

• Peppers: Choose firm, naturally shiny peppers that feel heavy for their size.

• Pomegranates: Choose fruits that are heavy for their size. Cracks are a good sign that the fruits are bursting with plump seeds; just make sure there isn’t any mold in the cracks.

• Potatoes: Choose firm, smooth potatoes. Avoid those with bruises, green spots, or sprouts.

• Strawberries: Choose berries that are fragrant, uniformly red (not yellow or green), and shiny with fresh green tops. Also check the bottom of the basket to make sure there aren’t any crushed or spoiled berries.

• Summer Squash: Choose squash with naturally shiny, taught, unblemished skin. Avoid squash that appear dull or have soft spots.

• Sweet Potatoes and Yams: Choose potatoes with firm, unwrinkled skins and no bruises or cuts, as they are highly perishable.

• Tomatoes: Choose tomatoes that are fragrant, smell earthy at the stem end, and feel heavy for their size. Avoid tomatoes with wrinkled skins.

• Watermelons: Choose fruits that are firm and heavy and sound hollow when thumped. A properly ripened watermelon should have a yellow spot on one side where it sat on the ground

There we go! That’s the list! I personally made a copy of this list and keep it with my supermarket coupons so I know what I’m looking for when I am shopping for fruits and veggies.

Another way to be sure that you are getting great produce is to shop at the farmer’s market. The only downfall there is that you will probably only be able to find things that are in season. In my area, there is a farmer’s market going on in my town and every small town around me. When you go to the farmer’s market you are getting delicious fruits and veggies that are extremely fresh because they are grown locally. In addition to that, the prices are definitely better than any supermarket around, especially if there are multiple vendors selling the same fruits and veggies.

Hamilton Beach 70950 SaladXpress Counter-top Food Processor Electric w/Cones KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer, Apple Green T-Fal Initiatives 18-Piece Nonstick Inside and Out Cookware Set

I hope this article has helped you learn how to pick the best produce! If you’re interested in getting some items to help you with cooking at home head on over to DealDash. DealDash has food processors, stand mixers, cookware, and plenty of other items that you can use. Check out the Kitchen & Appliances category and I’m sure that you’ll find something that you can use to make delicious things from your fresh produce. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

Learning About Fine Jewelry Metals with DealDash

Do you know much about fine jewelry and the metals it’s made out of? I knew absolutely nothing until my husband and I were shopping for rings. Let’s learn more with a little help from DealDash.

I found the differences between yellow gold, white gold, pink gold, and platinum fascinating. It’s a little tricky, but let me tell you how they make the different colors of gold, and what the different “K” (karat) numbers mean. Let me just make it simple by telling you about the basics behind alloys. 24 karat gold is 100% pure gold which is far too soft to hold up to the everyday wear of a wedding band. So how do we make rings that we can wear? With alloys! Alloys are created by mixing different metals together to create a stronger version of itself.

14k gold is extremely durable, and it contains 58% pure gold. 18k gold is also very strong but is also richer in color since it contains 75% pure gold, this makes it the more precious, and also the more expensive option. In the case of yellow gold the remainder is a mix of equal parts silver and copper with a small amount of zinc. Making rose gold is really very similar – like yellow gold, rose gold is alloyed with silver, copper and zinc. However, the ratio is shifted to incorporate more copper and less silver, resulting in a warmer hue. Palladium white gold is the same deal – except it’s a mix of pure gold, copper, silver, and palladium.

Platinum is a completely different story. It may look very similar to palladium white gold, but it’s really nothing alike. Jewelry that’s made out of platinum is significantly more expensive that jewelry made of of gold, because platinum is about 30 times more rare than gold. And while gold is made with maybe 50-75% gold and the rest out of alloy metals, platinum is usually much more pure, averaging about 90-95% purity, which really drives up the price.

Personally, my husband and I opted for our rings to be made out of platinum. The main reason being is that is such a strong metal, and through it may develop a patina over time, it’s very easy to clean off with jewelry cleaner, or even just some warm soapy water.

Even though our wedding rings are platinum, most of my other jewelry is made out of different colors of 14 & 18 karat gold. I personally wouldn’t go to the expense of having all of my regular jewelry be platinum!

If you’re in the market to do a little jewelry shopping, why not see what DealDash has to offer? DealDash often has ear rings, necklaces, bracelets, jewelry boxes, and even Zales gift cards available for auction. And don’t forget, if you are bidding on an item and you don’t end up winning, you can always Buy It Now (BIN) and get all of your bids back. This is especially useful in the case of gift cards, since DealDash even provides free shipping! Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

$50 Zales Gift Cards

Cooking a Winter Stew with DealDash

I don’t know about you, but I know that my family eats differently in winter than in summer. Let’s take a peek at a wintery meal we can prepare with help from DealDash .

My family eats a lot of soups and stews during the cold and wintery months. It seems to be a common theme in cooking magazines, as well as with people I know. Not only are they filling, moderately healthy (depending on what you add), they are also something that you can make with just items that you have on hand in the freezer and pantry. That means if it’s cold and snowing outside you won’t have to leave your cozy little nest of a home to go to the supermarket.

One of my favorite kitchen items in the winter is my crock pot/slow cooker. I actually have 3 crock pots of different sizes – a huge one that can accommodate a roast, a medium one that’s great for a stew or for soup, and a smaller one that can be for a gravy or fondue. I get a lot of use out of these in the winter months, if you don’t already have a crock pot (or three!) check them out on DealDash, here.

Hamilton Beach 5-Quart Portable Slow Cooker

If you are just getting started with using a slow cooker, you might be interested in a simple stew recipe:

Simple Beef Stew

Ingredients:

2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups beef broth
3 potatoes, diced
4 carrots, sliced
1 stalk celery, chopped

How do you do it? Simple!

Place meat in slow cooker. In a small bowl mix together the flour, salt, and pepper; pour over meat, and stir to coat meat with flour mixture. Stir in the garlic, bay leaf, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, onion, beef broth, potatoes, carrots, and celery.
Cover, and cook on Low setting for 10 to 12 hours, or on High setting for 4 to 6 hours.

That’s it! And really, one of the great things about a stew like this is if you are missing an ingredient, such as the celery or the carrots you can always exclude that item, or even swap it for a different item such as peas. Personally, since I am allergic to fish and seafood I exclude the Worcestershire sauce and add in a splash of soy sauce instead. It’s delicious!

Hamilton Beach 70950 SaladXpress Counter-top Food Processor Electric w/Cones KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer, Apple Green T-Fal Initiatives 18-Piece Nonstick Inside and Out Cookware Set

I hope this article has encouraged you to try to make a simple winter stew with your slow cooker. If you’re interested in getting some items to help you with cooking at home head on over to DealDash. DealDash has food processors, stand mixers, cookware, and plenty of other items that you can use. Check out the Kitchen & Appliances category and I’m sure that you’ll find something that you can use to make your kitchen better. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

Beating the Holiday Bulge with DealDash

Did you or a family member overindulge a little too much this holiday season? Maybe it’s time to trim down with a little help from DealDash.

There are a couple of different ways that you can accomplish this, diet and exercise, and of course the best course of action is to use both in conjunction. It will make you look better and feel better, too.

For starters, you might want to start with some light stretching and mild exercise using something like an exercise ball. You can get an exercise ball on DealDash by following this link here. If you would like to try something a little more difficult once you have mastered the exercise ball, how about trying one of the new compact sized elliptical trainers? They are small enough to store in a closet, but they provide a lot of the features the full sized elliptical trainers provide such as strides per minute, total number of strides, exercise time and calories burned while you exercise. You can find an auction for a compact elliptical trainer on DealDash here.

Next up is trying to eat right and get all of your nutrients and try to keep the calories low. A great way to do this would be to try and replace breakfast or lunch with a delicious, healthy smoothie. It’s possible to make a smoothie with a plain classic blender, but its much easier and faster to use something like a Magic Bullet. The Nutribullet Magic Bullet is a blender that is designed to be used as a space saving replacement for other appliances such as a blender, food processor, and electric juicer. The Magic Bullet is compact in size and consists of an electric blender base with a number of attachments. Here is a list of the attachments:

screw-on blade attachment
two mixing cups, one short and one tall
two handled cups, called by the manufacturer “Party Mugs”, which can be used to blend individual drinks
lids for the cups, intended for storing foods
an instruction manual which also contains a recipe book

If you’d like to try and slim down with smoothies, DealDash can help you with Nutribullet auctions here.

Of course, when you use diet and exercise together you will see results much faster than just doing one or the other. Start small, go easy, and build your way up to health and fitness with a little help from DealDash. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!