Tag: bargain

Having Good Habits in the Office

Having good work habits in the office, or even the home office can benefit everyone.

Are you the type of person who can get to work and immediately get down to business? Or are you more like the rest of the population and need a little encouragement to get you going? Well, in this article I am going to try and share a little bit of what I have learned about having good work habits.

  • Keep your area neat and tidy – Keeping your desk space clean, neat, and orderly is very important for a few reasons. Namely, it’s much easier to have a clear and organized mind when your desk space is clean and ready for you to get to work. A great way to keep your desk neat and tidy is to get a desk organizer to hold all of your pens, post-it notes, and other small items.

 

  • Punctuality – Being on time for work (or even a little early) is a great trait for any employee to have. To be successful you should have already put your things away and gotten your coffee and be ready to sit down and work when you are due to start, not rushing in the door at the very last minute. This also applies to working at home, too. If you have the luxury of being able to work at home you should treat your home office with as much respect as you would treat a regular office, and keep regular hours.

 

  • Personality and Teamwork – Having a positive attitude and being willing to work as a team with your colleagues is a very important work habit to have. When you get to the office in the morning try and imagine yourself having a great day before it even starts. Try to greet your co-workers cheerfully and be willing to help out on projects. If you are able to achieve these feats then you are well on your way to having a great day at work.

 

I hope this article helps you on a journey to better work habits. If you’re interested in getting some new items for your office or home office, head on over to DealDash. If you browse the Home & Office  category I’m sure that you’ll find something that you just love. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

Living Healthy: Eating Well, Even on a Budget

Welcome back to DealDash Blog’s Living Healthy series. Today’s blog is all about sharing ideas of how you can eat healthfully, even when you’re on a budget.

Most people have a basic idea of what it means to be a healthy eater – everyone is familiar with the Food Pyramid from elementary school, right? The problem is, sometimes making healthy food choices can really put a strain on your budget, especially if you are feeding a family of four or even more. Luckily, I have some easy strategies for you to try to incorporate into your daily life.

 

1 – Meal Planning. Strategy number one is really important to staying on budget – when you plan your meals out ahead of time (I like to do a week’s worth at a time) it allows you to buy healthy food in bulk at your local wholesale club and spread the goodness out over multiple meals. For example, if I were to buy the single mixed-greens bag of salad at the local supermarket it would cost me approximately $3, and last my family of four for just one meal. However, if I plan my meals ahead of time and I know that we are going to have salads three nights in the upcoming week I can buy the large box of mixed-greens at the wholesale club for $6 and have enough salad for all three nights. See? I just saved myself $3 by planning ahead.

 

2- Home Cooking. Strategy number two is really beneficial for both your health and your wallet. If my family of four decided that we would all like to have lasagna and we went to any of the mid-priced Italian restaurants in my area we would spend approximately $60 (I live right outside of Boston, it might be cheaper near you), and in addition to that the lasagna would most likely be made with lots of oil, white pasta, and full-fat cheese. However, if I were to make the exact same meal at home it costs less than $15, and I am able to use fat-free cheese, whole wheat pasta noodles, and even substitute some of the ricotta for cottage cheese. It tastes absolutely delicious, and it’s very healthy as well. In a quest to get my children to eat more veggies I also add mushrooms, diced tomatoes, and zucchini slices (Shhhhh…Don’t tell!)

 

3- Farmer’s Markets. Strategy number three may or may not work for you depending on where you live. 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. If you want to make your trip to the farmer’s market even healthier, try walking there! The weather is beautiful in August, and the fresh air is great for your body and mind.

 

I hope this article has encouraged you to try some of my strategies for living healthy on a budget. 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 you and your family a little bit healthier. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

Living Healthy: Let’s Learn About Yoga Together

Welcome back to DealDash Blog’s Living Healthy series. Today’s blog is going to give you a quick and easy introduction to yoga. Let’s get started!

I’m sure that you have heard the word “yoga” before, but I bet that you didn’t know that the word yoga came from the Sanskrit word “yuj”, which means to yoke or bind. Yuj is often interpreted as “union” or a method of discipline. If you are just getting started into the practice of yoga, you will be pleased to know that you can spend as much or as little time doing yoga and you will still be able to reap the benefits of this healthy and calming exercise. Even if you only practice yoga for one hour a week, you will experience the benefits of that practice. If you can do more than that, you will certainly experience more benefits. I suggest starting with two or three times a week, for an hour or an hour and a half each time. If you can only do 30 minutes per session, that’s fine too. Don’t worry or stress, just get another practice in when you have the chance.

Here is an infographic of some of the most popular yoga poses. Please note the color coding on the infographic, some of these are advanced poses not meant for the beginner!

Yoga_Poses

Now that you’ve seen some of the poses, let’s talk about some of the benefits of practicing yoga. Here are some great reasons to start:

1- Sleep. Yoga can help you sleep better. When you start practicing yoga you’ll be releasing pent up energy that could prevent you from falling asleep, and sleeping soundly once you do get to sleep. Yoga helps relax your nervous system, which is the part of your body responsible for restful sleep or a night of tossing and turning.

2-  Builds muscle strength. Yoga requires you to get into and hold positions that will naturally strengthen your muscles, using only your body’s weight for resistance.

 

3- Lower blood pressure. Yoga is a great workout for your heart, and will improve your cardiovascular function over time.

4- Metabolism. Yoga helps improve your metabolism, which is directly responsible for helping you burn more calories with less work.

5- Better posture. Yoga will give you better posture naturally. All of the poses you’ll be performing are geared to get your body back into proper alignment the way that it should be.

 

 

I hope this article has encouraged you to take up the practice of yoga. If you’re interested in getting some items to get you started head on over to DealDash. DealDash has yoga mats, yoga balls, water bottles, and plenty of other items that you can use. Check out the Hobbies, Outdoors, & Sports category and I’m sure that you’ll find something that you just love. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

 

 

 

Living Healthy: Getting a Good Night’s Sleep

 

Everyone knows that getting enough sleep is an important factor in staying healthy, but there are other factors than just getting 8 hours in. Let’s talk a little bit about Living Healthy, and how to get a good night’s sleep.

Everyone knows that you SHOULD get at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night, but with kids, working extra hours on the job, household chores, and errands sometimes it’s hard to get to bed at a reasonable hour. You should really make your best effort to get your ZZZs, because your health can really suffer if you can’t make the time.  Not practicing healthy sleep habits can lead to all kinds of health problems, poor sleep leads to cardiovascular dysfunction, a poor immune system , glucose and insulin abnormalities, weight gain due to fluctuating hormones that control appetite, and impaired cognitive function. Not only those physical problems, but lack of sleep can also lead to mental issues as well, including anxiety, depression, impaired reasoning skills, and mental sluggishness.

Well, what can you do to get not only the quantity but also the quality of sleep that you need? There are a few things that are fairly obvious such as cutting down on caffeine (especially after 3 PM), keeping your bedroom dark and comfortable, and clearing your mind of troubles and worries before you attempt to drift off.

However, there are some lesser known tips and tricks to get a better night’s sleep that I will share with you. For instance, did you know that using your tablet and smartphone right before you try to sleep can hinder the process? The light that is emitted by these types of devices wake up the senses and make it harder for your brain to get into “sleep mode.” For your best night’s sleep turn off your electronic devices about an hour before bedtime. Another great trick to getting a good night’s sleep is to keep a fan going in your bedroom all night. The fan serves two purposes – It’s easier to fall asleep when your room is a bit on the cooler side, and the fan also provides just the right amount of “white noise” to help you block out every little creak and crack that your house makes at night.

 

I hope this article helps you on a journey to better sleeping habits. If you’re interested in getting some new soothing items for your bedroom, including the fan that I recommended head on over to DealDash. If you browse the Home & Office   category I’m sure that you’ll find something that you just love. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

 

 

 

What Time is it? Check Your NOOKA

Are you young and hip? Do you like luxury brands but think that a Rolex is better suited for your Dad? Check out NOOKA!

NOOKA is a relatively new company, it was founded in December 2005 in New York City, however NOOKA has offices worldwide including Japan and Europe. NOOKA  was founded by designer Matthew Waldman, they mostly design and produce watches that are primarily focused on the intersection of design and technology. With NOOKA you don’t need to know how to tell time like on an old school watch, they display readouts of bars, lines and dots representing a visual progression of time instead of using the hour and minute hands.

 

NOOKA’s first time pieces ever designed and successfully manufactured were the Zoo and Zot series of timepieces.  They were such a success that in 2010, the Zoo series and Zot series were inducted into the JIDA (Japan Industrial Designers’ Association) Design Museum as part of the Vol. 12 Selection. NOOKA doesn’t just make watches, though, they also make sunglasses,  bags, belts, figurines, wallets, and they are working on many other projects that haven’t even been reveled yet.

NOOKA has been featured in many publications. Just last month, NOOKA’s watch called the NOOKRONO was featured in June’s Issue of GQ, and NOOKA was also called “One of the best digital watch brands out there” by Highsnobiety.

 

Unfortunately for me, my very favorite NOOKA design is the Zot V-Series Galaxy watch – it has been discontinued for a long time, and they are pretty much impossible to find. It’s truly a work of beauty, with a galaxy inspired pattern all over the face and strap. Bring it back, NOOKA! Please!

 

 You too can own an awesome NOOKA watch! There are different models, types, and colors on DealDash, book your Bid Buddy, and sit back and enjoy the watching and bidding in the auction. However, also remember, if you have bid up the auction to the point of retail price you should go ahead and hit the “Buy It Now” (BIN) button, because when you BIN the item for the retail price you get every single one of your bids back, immediately. You can then use the bids all over again to try and win another auction. Good luck and Happy Bidding, everyone!