Tag: BIN

More Suggestions on How To Conserve Your Bids

We’ve talked about conserving bids before, but here are some other ideas that can hopefully help you save bids and money.

Well, there are a few different ways to try and conserve your bids for another day, and I will try to teach you about some of the easiest ways to save your bids for later.

One of the best ways to conserve your bids is to use the BidBuddy! When I very first started using DealDash a few years ago I was so confused by the Bid Buddy. At first, I thought that the BidBuddy was some kind of trick or bid waster, but really, that thinking was all wrong. The Bid Buddy is the BEST way to save bids, because when you are putting in single bids it’s very easy to lose track of the order that people are bidding in, and therefore wasting a bid by bidding too early.

The BidBuddy is a wonderful tool that DealDash provides to every single bidder, free of charge, to help them win more auctions. We all know that the majority of auctions on DealDash are won by using the BidBuddy. The BidBuddy waits until the last second to bid. You can put in as few or as many bids as you like into the BidBuddy, and it will tirelessly bid for you until your bids have run out. The BidBuddy is an awesome tool to use to conserve bids, especially if you are bidding on an auction that seems like it’s going to last late into the night, long after you have gone to bed.

 

We’ve talked about this before, but I feel that being willing to BIN (Buy It Now) is such an important way to conserve bids that we need to talk about it again. If conserving bids is important to you and your family, then you should probably only bid on things that you need and can use in everyday life instead of “taking a chance” on something that’s completely out of your price range if you don’t win. If you want to conserve bids, practice your DealDash math so you know when to stop bidding to break even with your bids + final auction cost, then stop bidding! After you do your math calculations and realize that you have reached the BIN price, use the “Buy it Now” option and pay retail price for the item. DealDash will when refund all of the bids you used on that item, and you can try again another day.

 

 

I hope that these simple tricks help you to save your bids and get the most out of your bid pack purchases. Pay attention to what you’re doing, check out the auctions and see what you would really like to bid on, and try my tips to save bids. See you on DealDash everyone! Good luck and happy bidding.

Let’s Talk Trash

No, I don’t mean about DealDash’s competition – DealDash is great without having to drag down other’s image! I mean let’s talk trash, literally.

 

This is probably a subject that you don’t think about very often, but what kind of garbage cans do you have in your house? Most people have a big trash can in the kitchen, smaller ones in the bedrooms and bathrooms, and maybe one in the basement/laundry room area. When you think about it, that’s a lot of trash receptacles!

As the owner of a couple of small children who I am trying to teach how to be neat and clean I am very adamant that they throw away all of their trash, all of the time. In my kitchen we used to have an old “step on” garbage can that’s lid was supposed to lift when you put your foot on the pedal. However, it was on the older side as well as being made out of cheap plastic, so the lid only opened about halfway most of the time. Which, of course, would result in the kids using one of their little hands to pull open the dirty grimy lid the rest of the way, YUCK!

Nine Stars 13.2-Gallon Stainless Steel Oval Sensored Trash Can

It was really just luck that I saw the automatic motion sensor garbage cans on DealDash. I never knew that such a product existed before I stumbled upon it on DealDash. When I saw it, I knew that I had to have it! The 13.2 gallon size is just perfect for my kitchen and laundry area. It truly works as well as advertised – just wave your hand or the trash that you want to throw away above the sensor and the lid will open. It takes AA batteries, or you can get a separate AC adapter cord so you don’t have to put batteries in.

Since I have been enjoying my 13.2 gallon garbage can in the kitchen I have been looking into getting a bunch of the 8 gallon versions for the bedrooms and bathrooms. They are just so cute! And of course I love the fact that my children and I don’t have to touch any old stinky garbage can lids anymore. Check out the different selections at this link. 

iTouchless 8-Gal. Touchless Trash Can

If you’re not in the market to replace your garbage cans right now,  DealDash still has all of your cleaning supplies covered, – they carry everything from the biggest items like vacuums and steam cleaners all the way down to the most humble of the cleaning supplies – paper towels, dish soap, and spray cleaners. Have a Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow everyone!

 

 

That’s My Pet: Saltwater Fish

 

We have already talked about freshwater fish here on DealDashBlog before, but I think it’s time we progressed on to the next challenge: saltwater fish!

In this DealDash Blog series we have been highlighting different pets, given some basic facts about pet ownership, and hopefully helped you make informed decisions about your new furry, feathered, or finned family member. Having a saltwater or marine aquarium is a significantly harder challenge than a freshwater tank, and some would argue much harder and more time-consuming than a cat or dog.

As a person who had worked at a pet store as well as having my own freshwater aquariums for years at some point I decided that I was ready for a saltwater tank. To be honest…I wasn’t! I jumped in feet-first and tried to make everything beautiful as fast as possible. It had always worked with freshwater aquariums before, and I was very surprised when all of my tank inhabitants died. I was very upset, and went back to freshwater for a while. I got the marine bug again about a year ago, and I am doing things correctly this time. Hopefully I can share some of my helpful tips so you don’t make the same mistakes that I made.

 

Hawkeye 2 Gallon 360 Starter Aquarium Kit with LED Lighting

There are a huge variety of different aquariums that you can get for your first set-up, most people find that the easiest thing to do is to get a kit that is already pre-assembled. DealDash has a few adorable nano tanks that some some equipment to get you started. Check them out in the Home, Garden, and Tools sections. However, if you would prefer to pick up the pieces yourself, here are the very basics that are recommended for a saltwater fish aquarium:

  • Fish tank or aquarium
  • Light source (LEDs or other strong lighting if you plan on doing corals)
  • External Filter, Protein skimmer
  • Water additives depending on if you keep corals or not
  • Power head for water movement
  • Thermometer
  • Fish food
  • Heater
  • Live rock
  • pre-made saltwater or RO water, bucket, and salt mix
  • Hydrometer (to measure how salty the water is)
  • Water testing kits (ph, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite at a bare minimum)
  • Sand (optional, some people prefer “bare bottom”)
  • UV light (optional, kills bacteria)
  • Magnet scraper (optional, to clean algae and salt deposits on glass without getting wet)

 

The size and type of aquarium that you purchase can determine the type and quantity of fish that you choose to put in your new aquarium. When doing saltwater fish, space is KEY. If you want a very small nano tank (10 gallons or less) then you probably just want to go with one small fish such as a clownfish (Nemo), or clown goby. Clown gobies aren’t quite as well known as clownfish, but they are amazingly cute and come in many different colors like yellow, blue, green, etc. Along with your one small fish and live rock you could also put in a small shrimp such as a peppermint shrimp. You can also add a few marine hermit crabs and snails. If you have good lighting you can also add some beginner corals such as kenya trees, pulsing xenia, mushrooms, or zoas.

If you are interested in having more than 1 or 2 small fish in your tank then you will need to go much bigger, I would say 40 gallons is the smallest tank that you should go with, but with saltwater, bigger is always better, because the water quality is more stable the bigger you go. I currently have a 90 gallon tank, and it’s definitely been the most successful (and biggest) tank that I have ever had.

Setting up your aquarium for saltwater is a simple process, but the key is patience. With freshwater you can basically go from no tank to a tank full of healthy happy fish in the span of a week. No so with saltwater.

  • Put your aquarium on whatever surface that you will be keeping it on long term, be it an actual aquarium stand, a dresser, table, desk, etc. If you’re looking for a nice sturdy piece of furniture to put a smaller tank on, check out DealDash.
  • Get your pre-made or mixed saltwater and add it to the aquarium, leaving a few inches unfilled at the top
  • Put in your sand if you will be using it
  • Install your heater, filter/protein skimmer, and thermometer
  • Add your live rock and arrange it how you would like
  • Finish filling the saltwater to the top
  • Plug in heater and filter/protein skimmer
  • Wait
  • And wait
  • And wait some more
  • Add fresh RO (reverse osmosis) water every day to make up for the evaporated water. Make sure you don’t add saltwater! As the saltwater evaporates every day the water leaves, but the salt stays in the tank. If you top off with saltwater every day then your water will be much too salty after a few days.
  • After a few weeks add a few snails and hermit crabs
  • If your snails and crabs seem to be doing well then use your water testing kit and test the water after your tank has been set up for 6 weeks or so
  • If your water tests well 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 20 or less nitrate then you just might be ready to add one fish. Please pick and small and inexpensive fish such as a damsel fish, don’t go for an expensive tang right away.
  • Try not to add more than one fish at a time, and wait a few in between adding fish. Before you add any more fish do a water test in between to make sure that your water parameters are safe.
  • Sit back, relax, and enjoy your new pets!

I hope that this article has helped you understand a little bit about setting up a saltwater fish aquarium. If you are in the market for an aquarium, pet store gift card, or any other pet-related items head on over to DealDash and see what they have up for bid today. I have gotten so many pet store gift cards from DealDash. And the best thing is, if I don’t win the auction then I can just buy the gift card for face value, they ship it to me for free, and give me all my bids back to try again. It’s really win-win! Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

DealDash Loves Dogs

Did you know that 70-80 million dogs are owned in the United States, and that 37-47% of American households have a dog? It’s estimated that over 60% of American households have at least one pet.

With all of these canines in the US it’s really a great bonus for us that DealDash has pet supplies! They have so many different options that come up for bid that are dog related. DealDash frequently offers dog food, pet washing tubs, dog houses, dog beds, dog toys & chewies, pet trackers, pet bowls, and more.

Suncast Large Dog House Oscar Orthopedic Dog Bed, Large (36 x 48in.), CrimsonBooster Bath Dog Wash Tub Large

Of course, you don’t need to get all of those things when you first bring a new puppy or dog home, you can win or BIN them gradually. Dogs are relatively simple in their needs inside the home. Here’s a quick list of things that you will need for you new pet as well as a few bonus options.

  • Food & water bowl
  • Food
  • Collar, leash, name tag with phone number
  • Toys (optional)
  • Brush (optional)
  • Dog bed (optional)
  • Dog shampoo (optional, you can use baby shampoo)

As any dog owner knows, though, it’s hard not to treat your “baby” with some fun things in addition to the bare essentials. However, don’t forget that owning a dog also means visits to the vet for a check-up, shots, and spaying or neutering. Also, I would recommend that you sign up for obedience classes at your local pet store. No one enjoys being around a naughty dog – but most people love to see a well-behaved dog. Train your dog well and become an ambassador for the other doggies out there.

 

If your dog is a star in obedience class, they might have the right temperament to train to be a therapy dog. If you were looking for an activity that you and your dog could do together, being a therapy dog to go visit the sick or elderly could be a great experience for everyone involved.

I hope that this article has helped you understand a little bit about what is involved in owning a puppy or dog. If you are in the market for dog beds, dog toys, a pet store gift card, or any other pet-related items head on over to DealDash‘s “Home, Garden, & Tools” section and see what they have up for bid today. If you see something that you are interested in that DealDash is not currently offering up to bid, go ahead and click the “Alert Me” button and DealDash will send you a quick email when that particular item is going to be offered in the next few days. Simply follow the link and load up your bids into your BidBuddy! Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyFBbQrNLjA

 

That’s My Pet: Cat

Did you know that over 60 million cats are owned in the United States, and that 30-37% of American households have a cat? It’s estimated that over 60% of American households have at least one pet.

In this DealDash Blog series we are highlighting different pets, give some basic facts about pet ownership, and hopefully help you make informed decisions about your new furry, feathered, or finned family member.

Today’s pet is the cat. Unlike some more unusual pets, everyone has owned or at least know someone who has owned a cat. However, it’s said that you never own a cat, you just share a home with them, feed them, empty their litter box, and if you’re lucky, occasionally get some affection from them.

I was just joking above, but it’s no laughing matter that a house cat needs it’s owner to survive.  Indoor cats are totally dependent on their owners for all their needs — food, water, medical attention, exercise, shelter, and even companionship. For many people the benefits of cat ownership outweigh the daily grind of chores, but for others, their lifestyles make it impossible, especially for people who like to travel for more than a long weekend.

Before you make the commitment to bringing home a new cat or kitten please keep in mind that they will not only need to be spayed or neutered, they will also need a variety of shots, the suggested core vaccines are feline panleukopenia (distemper), feline viral rhinotracheitis, feline calicivirus, and rabies. In addition to shots it’s also advised that you apply a flea medication to them monthly. If your cat doesn’t ever leave the house or associate with other animals (such as a dog that goes outside to potty) then you might be able to get away with skipping the flea treatments.

Cats are relatively simple in their needs inside the home. Here’s a quick list of things that you will need for you new pet as well as a few bonus options.

  • Food & water bowl
  • Food
  • Litter box, litter, litter scooper
  • Scratching post (optional)
  • Toys (optional)
  • Brush (optional)
  • Cat bed (optional)

I hope that this article has helped you understand a little bit about what is involved in owning a cat or kitten. If you are in the market for cat beds, cat toys, a pet store gift card, or any other pet-related items head on over to DealDash‘s “Other” section and see what they have up for bid today. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!