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  • Take Your Home From Believable to Unbelievable With These Cyber Monday Deals

    Take Your Home From Believable to Unbelievable With These Cyber Monday Deals

    We want turn Cyber Monday into Green Monday – Because that’s what you’re going to save this November 26th. We spent days finding the best ways to upgrade your home. From top to bottom we’ve gathered the hugest deals retailers have to offer.

    Living easy with living room upgrades

    These Cyber Monday deals will help you take your living from ordinary to extraordinary.

    If you’re in the market to make a BIG upgrade to your home entertainment center this Samsung 75-inch Neo OLED 4K UHD Smart TV is a great place to start. You’ll immediately notice the difference with Quantum LED’s for staggering contrast, an anti-glare screen, and a powerful new processor. This Cyber Monday at Best Buy you can save $900 off the retail price!

    Make everyday tasks easier with a new smart home speaker. You can score a great deal on the 2nd generation Google Nest mini smart speaker. With upgraded audio and the ability to easily connect to your other smart home devices this is the foundation you want to build your smart home on. This Cyber Monday at Best Buy you can get one for $25, that’s $25 off the retail price.

    Cooking like a pro with kitchen upgrades

    Upgrade your cooking skills and downgrade your cooking stress. These smart tools can help you reveal your inner 5-star chef.

    Air fryers allow you to enjoy a hot and crispy meal while avoiding the unhealthy things that normally come with it. The Bella Pro Series allows you to cook up to 3.6lbs of food at temperatures between 175F and 400F. Its matte black finish looks great on any countertop. This Cyber Monday you can score one from Best Buy for $39.99, that’s $20 off typical retail price.

    The Ninja Mega System Blender prepares you for any dicing, slicing, or food processing situation a meal can throw at you. You’ll cut your meal prep time in half. You can save $40 at Best Buy this Cyber Monday.

    Making work from home easier with home office upgrades

    Making sure that your home office is equipped with reliable high-performance business tools is key. If you’ve held off on your next upgrade that means you’ll want to take advantage of these Cyber Monday deals.

    Apple has resisted discounting their Macbook Pro line for a long time. But this Cyber Monday they’re offering a rare deal on their 13-inch version featuring its unique touch bar technology and quad core Intel processor. At Best Buy you can save a whopping $500 off the normal retail price.

    If you need a 100% mobile device that’s 100% capable of handling your daily tasks the 12.3 inch Surface Pro is a fantastic choice. It features a 10th generation Intel processor, 11 hour battery life, 8gb of ram and 256gb of internal storage so you’ll be ready to tackle any project on the go. You can score one this Cyber Monday deal for $699.99, that’s $200 off the normal retail price!


  • Best Deals for Visiting Las Vegas

    Best Deals for Visiting Las Vegas

    You know what they say: what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas! Some of the most exciting shows and attractions can be found in the desert oasis that is Las Vegas. Whether you prefer concerts, theater, magic shows or sporting events, there’s a good chance you’ll find something you’re looking for somewhere in Sin City.

    Yes, pool parties, Vegas shows, gambling, food, music and top stars, are all awaiting you on a Vegas vacation. All you have to do is find a four-star Vegas hotel room and a cheap round-trip plane ticket. Fortunately, there are many great resort hotels in Vegas that offer experiences. For help sorting through the options, we’ve compiled a list of the best Vegas hotel deals!

    Best Las Vegas Deals

    Kayak.com

    The first site for Vegas deals we’re highlighting is Kayak. Kayak.com offers some great deals on hotels and travel to and from Vegas. This covers hotels and flights and can included tours and packages, as they are actually a conglomeration of several other travel and booking sites. They way it works is that instead of having to go to several different sites, you just go to one and punch in what you want, in this case ‘Vegas.’ Kayak crawls the other sites and brings up the various Vegas deals being offered at the time, with links to those sites.

    Vegas.com

    Vegas.com is a great destination for those looking to make Vegas their trip destination! Jokes aside, this site is wonderful if you’re trying to find deals for traveling to Vegas. They market their site as a way to see “Vegas from the Inside,” and, for what it’s worth, it’s pretty accurate. The site offers a ton of great insider info on tickets for shows, deals at hotels and venues for parties! They even help you find cool activities you might not have thought of and help you save money while you’re at it! Vegas.com also offers a ‘Best Price Guarantee’ that matches competitor’s pricing.

    LasVegas.com

    Not to be confused with Vegas.com, LasVegas.com offers a rather similar service to its similarly-named competitor. The difference, however, is that LasVegas.com is the official tourism site of surrounding Clark County, Nevada. The site offers vacation packages, hotel deals, tours, show offers and tickets, restaurant deals, resort packages and even planning tools to help you plan your Vegas getaway. They’re a great way to find deals on visiting Las Vegas!


  • Easy Ways to Start Arts and Crafts

    Easy Ways to Start Arts and Crafts

    Kids need to be constantly occupied. They are generally not know for sitting is quiet contemplation or meditation. If you don’t find something to expand their ever growing mind and keep them entertained problems arise. Thats where is good to know some arts and crafts for kids.

     

    CHildren by nature are exploratory and crafty. They are constantly looking to build and make and craft anything they can get their hands on. There is a litany of benefits for getting your kids started with some arts and crafts. It improves their coordination and fine motor skills. Arts and crafts usually require kids to use both hands in a certain manner, which can help them develop fine motor skills and bilateral coordination. It gives them a sense of accomplishment and releases the fear of trying something new they don’t know they can do. Then the Self esteem. Making something and finishing a project, then putting it on display in your home boosts your child’s self esteem. Lets take a look at some easy way to get start crafting with kids

     

    Paint

    Kids love to paint! Children of all ages love to paint! These painting activities for kids range from the simplest painting with a brush or hands to more elaborate spin art, marble painting, and painting a fort. Paint is an art material that is easily adaptable to a wide variety of kids’ art activities. Some of the best and easiest painting activities are tempera paint, acrylic paint,BioColor paint. OR stick with the old classic finger paint.

    Try this one to get started. You can paint fall leaves with coffee filters and a glue gun.  Help your kid by drawing the outlines of leaves on the coffee filters and help them cut out on the outlines. Let your kid make the lines on the leaves using a glue gun. Set the coffee filters aside till the glue has completely dried. Now help your kid color the coffee filter leaves using the water color shades of his choice. Its simple easy and fun

    Lastly try the  Batik Painting. Use Glue Gel (NB regular white glue doesn’t work for batik painting), a white t-shirt and acrylic paints. Draw your pattern on with the glue. Tip put a paper bag between the front and back of the t-shirt so the glue doesn’t go through both layers). Then once the glue is dry paint over the design (don’t layer on too much paint or it will be hard to get off), soak the t-shirts in warm water overnight and the glue will begin to dissolve and reveal the white designs.

     

    Drawing

    Kids have a natural instinct to draw. Try this experiment, place a marker and something really important of yours in place of a child. Watch as the child will quickly cover it with any kids of drawing they can fathom. point is they love to draw, any kind of drawing,  including observational drawing, drawing prompts, and creative drawing exercises and drawing games. It is a very easy and inexpensive arts and crafts for kids activity.

    Get Started with a Draw Me Paintings. You’ll need a huge piece of paper as big as your child. Get them to lie down and draw around their outline. Then they can paint and decorate themselves! If you don’t have long paper you can do draw around your hand outlines and paint and decorate your hands with rings and bracelets.

    I also like the  Draw Your Town project as well.  On a big piece of paper ask your child to draw their town out starting with your house and drawing on roads, buildings, parks and monuments. You might need to go for a few walks to remind yourselves where everything is.

    Origami And Hama Beads

    Hama bead are the latest and greatest arts and crafts for kids projects. Hama Beads burst onto the scene a few years ago. If your kids have forgotten them, it’s a good craft activity and there’s no limit to creativity and inventing shapes and designs. And once your child’s finished designing with Hama Beads how to iron them so the design stays together is a trick worth knowing.

    Origami is a classic. It is cheap easy and a lot of fun arts and crafts for kids.  Origami is a good craft to do with your child, as you get to sit down and interact while transforming a simple piece of paper into something beautiful.


  • Three of Our Favorite 4K Projectors

    Three of Our Favorite 4K Projectors

    There’s no denying that televisions can provide a great viewing experience. But if you want the true movie theater feel in your home, then you need a projector. Projectors can also be very handy for easier portability, so if backyard viewing is your thing, then a projector trumps a large television any day of the week!

    Here are some of our picks for the best 4K projectors available. Enjoy some ultra-HD goodness!

    Optoma UHD60 4K Ultra UD Home Theater Projector – $1,799

    Not only does the Optoma offer the stunning 4K resolution that you would expect, it also supports HDR10 color technology. This means the blacks are blacker and the colors are more vivid than ever (if the source film supports HDR).

    With 3,000 lumens and a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1, the Optoma is able to deliver razor sharp images that you can see in 4K detail from up to 10 feet away. 1.6X zoom and 1.30 to 2.22 throw ratio means you can fit your images in various spaces 140 inches and up. The Optoma features a single DLP chip system for easy set up.

    Vivitek HK2288-WH 2000 Im Bright Ultra HD 4K DLP – $1,425

    This is the best budget 4K projector you can buy currently. At this price point, there is no competition!

    This Vivitek features a 2,000 lumen bulb and a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio. Like the Optoma, it supports HDR10 for enriched brightness and beautiful color reproduction.

    Also, like the Optoma, this Vivitek features a DLP chip system.

    Epson Home Cinema 5040UB – $2,299

    The Epson 5040UB features a 3-chip design which ensures that there is never a rainbow effect to your picture. It also supports HDR10 high dynamic range and high contrast. Like the others, it features a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio for better brights and darker darks.

    At 2,500 lumens, it lands between the Vivitek and the Optoma on the bulb output. You can set up to 10 positions for motorized focus, zoom and lens shift.

    Another great feature is the Bright 3D Drive which allows for 3D projection.


  • LG Cinebeam 4k Projector Truly Beams

    LG Cinebeam 4k Projector Truly Beams

    The latest tech from the South Korean manufacturer LG is set to embrace the Ultra-HD revolution in its LG Cinebeam 4k Projector, specifically the all-new HU80KA 4K Projector that we saw at CES earlier this year: LG has just released that the portable projector starting at  $2,999.

    The Great

    • Bright
    • Light
    • Beautiful Picture
    • Ultimately Portable
    • Best Value for 4k Screen Size

    The Not

    • Limited Light Lifetime

    The Conclusion

    The LG Cinebeam 4k Projector is LG’s brightest projector yet, able to display a 150-inch picture at 2,500 lumens, while its HD projectors top out at 2,000 lumens. To take advantage of this extra brightness, the HU80KA also supports high dynamic range via HDR10, though unfortunately, Dolby Vision doesn’t appear to be supported. Two built-in 7-watt speakers provide enough audio power in case you’re bringing the projector with you, but you can easily connect it to an external speaker system or sound bar using the optical output, HDMI, or wirelessly via Bluetooth.

     

    The LG Cinebeam 4k Projector is a versatile and beautifully glorious black box. Spunky one-two 7 W speakers that you can choose to hook up to external speakers and sound bars via optical or Bluetooth. Size and weight, this compact package comes in at about 14 pounds, but delivers far above its competition with a stunningly sharp laser engine that projects up to 2,500 lumens, allowing crisp viewing even in bright conditions. Coupled with LG’s innovative Trumotion Technology, the compact box paints an amazing 150″ screen (74″ by 132″) on your wall from 14.1 feet. Do the math, and a screen 70″ or greater can be projected directly on the ceiling. Makes it Nice for viewing in bead but also just adding a nice Star light canopy or thunderstorm right above your bed.

    LG Cinebeam 4k Projector 77 Inch OLED

    Even a mammoth 77-inch OLED is dwarfed by a 150-inch picture, and that’s exactly what the new LG Cinebeam 4k Projector UHD projector brings to the table. Even better, the CineBeam is available now for a price that is close to what you’d expect to pay for a 75-inch 4K TV — not bad for what promises to be one of the best home theater projectors around.

    Not only can the LG Cinebeam 4k Projector deliver a huge picture, but it does so in a compact, portable form that doesn’t require you to find a table or stand for setting it at the exact right height. LG Says, as the projector’s mirrorless I-shaped engine allows the projector to display without problems whether it’s mounted on the wall, hung from the ceiling, or placed on the floor.

     

    The Final Thought

    Will the projector outclass OLED in terms of black levels? Probably not – especially without the aid of more advanced HDR formats like Dolby Vision or HDR10+. But, that said, its portability and price may help LG’s latest beamer beat out the competition in its design class.


  • The Gift of Music: How to Do It the Right Way

    The Gift of Music: How to Do It the Right Way

    Everyone has those people in life that are very hard to shop for. I mean what are you to get the person that has everything? Music. Music is always the best gift,  and for the people that have everything, it’s often the only gift. Music is universal and received by everyone. No one can have all of it or appreciate all of it,  which makes it such a great gift.

    The best part about giving music as a gift is there are so many different ways to do it. You can give equipment, earbuds, speakers, listening peripherals, or just new music that you think they would enjoy. The options are virtually endless. Let’s take a look at some of the best music gift ideas you can give your friends, family,  and loved ones.

    Streaming Subscriptions

    When gifting music the first place to start is the easiest place to start. That is a subscription to new music. Starting at $9.99 a month there is a plethora of streaming music subscription services. The subscriptions will allow you to stream, download, and listen to unlimited music, new, retro or classic. Whatever you wanna hear, whenever you wanna hear it.

    The first one I would mention is Apple Music. Apple Music has the largest subscription-based of users as well as the largest database of music. They’ve been compiling music in their iTunes software since the beginning of digital music. Almost all the music you could ever want to listen to is there is a very easy to use, intuitive,  user-friendly platform that syncs perfectly amongst all your iOS devices.

    The next option is Amazon’s Prime Music. Prime Music functions mostly like the Apple subscription services. Prime music will sync across all your Amazon prime devices,  you can even download the prime music app to your iOS or Android devices.

    This provides flexibility in your multiple and various OS mobile devices. There are also services like Iheartradio, Pandora, and Spotify. All the services will run you $9.99 a month and make an excellent gift for anyone who doesn’t have unlimited streaming music service.

    Harmonica?

    Maybe you want something tangible to give? Another great option to give somebody is the gift of a musical instrument. Regardless of talent level, Giving the gift of a musical instrument is always welcome. This will give you some options as well, the classic iconic instrument, a keyboard or guitar,  or you can get interesting like a banjo or harmonica. It’s fun, always remembered, and just may improve someone’s life.  If that’s not exactly what you been looking for, Here are some specific music listening devices that will make great gifts.

    Amazon Echo

    The Amazon Echo is one of Amazon’s premier speaker systems. It is an elegant and easy to use this quality speaker. It doubles as a speaker for most of your devices and comes with Amazon’s Alexa voice-enabled assistant fully built in. Full cloud sync-ability to prime music,  you can add in that subscription for a total music package. Synchronization across your devices lets the Amazon echo provide the ultimate in home music listening enjoyment. The Echo gives the gift of high-quality speaker along with the content to play through it.

    The Sonos Vinyl Set

    Are you looking for a gift for someone who likes that hands-on music experience? Do they like the sound they can feel and touch? At the same time want to have that digital proficiency and quality without suffering the nostalgic sound of crackles and pops. Look no further than Sonos’s new vinyl set. Picture this, the Play:5, the best-sounding, most powerful speaker, matched with the Pro-Ject vinyl record player, allowing you to stream your vinyl to every room. Masterful.

    Did I mention, the Pro-Ject includes built-in phono preamp. Outstanding. They will be able to just plug in any audio device, from a record player to a friend’s phone, and listen to their favorite music on the fantastic Play:5. Like all Sonos speakers, it is expandable.  The Sonos vinyl easily let you go from streaming your favorite music and high-quality sounds to spinning from your own record collection.

    Give the gift of streaming vinyl across the connected Sonos speakers to every room in a pure, balanced sound,  unmatched by anybody else in the industry. Give the gift of their own musical completion, The Sonos Vinyl set.

    Beats Studio3

    You could just try keeping it simple and just go with the old trusty Beats headsets. When you want to give the gift of quality music look no further than beats headphones. The best of the beats headphones are the Beats. Featuring intuitive balanced, pure noise canceling functionality in the most robust and authentic sounding headphones on the market.

    These headsets function flawlessly regardless of the situation or noisy environment that you’re in,  always providing the perfect pure balance sound and they look pretty great.


  • Which Streaming Device is Right for You?

    Which Streaming Device is Right for You?

    TV has changed in the last ten years. At one point in time, it was either cable or nothing. Now, with the popularity of Netflix, Hulu and internet TV at an all-time high, cable is the exception rather than the rule. If you’ve been looking to cut the cord and watch internet TV, you’re probably wondering what the best streaming device for your living room is. How can you narrow them all down, though? That’s what we’re here for.

    There are a number of options out there for streaming. Whether you’re an Apple fan who wants to use Apple TV for your content, or you want something smart-home integrated like Alexa, there’s a ton of options. Maybe you’re looking for something more general-use, like Roku? Let’s take a look at some of the most popular streaming options and what each brings to the table. Hopefully this will help you narrow down your options and make a good decision.

    Fire TV

    Fire TV is Amazon’s proprietary TV streaming platform. There are budget options, like the Fire TV Stick, which just plugs into the back of your TV, and more full-fledged platforms like the Fire TV Cube. No matter which one you’re looking into, there are a number of similarities between the platform’s various hardware devices. Namely, the user interface and the Alexa integration. If you like using your voice to pull up your favorite shows, Fire TV is for you.

    For those who really enjoy voice commands, the Fire TV Cube comes with a remote that offers voice-control option. You can navigate menus, search for actors and movies and issue commands all with your voice. It feels very natural to command your entertainment in much the same way you command your smart home features. For people who like high-tech solutions that just work without lots of fiddling and tech knowledge, Fire TV is a perfect fit.

    Roku

    Roku is a very well-known name when it comes to streaming devices. From the budget-friendly Roku Express to full-blown smart TVs with Roku integration, there are versions of the streaming platform across the spectrum of budgets. The best thing about Roku is how straightforward and simple it is. The remote is small and sports only a few buttons. A clean, simple user interface shows you the information you need to see to find your entertainment.

    If you’re new to the world of internet TV, or just want a simple way to turn your old TV into a smart TV, the Roku is the best option for you. While it might not sport the same wide variety of options and features as Fire TV or Apple TV, Roku offers a great platform for users who want a simple and clean platform. The low entry price of the Roku Express is also a huge selling point for the platform.

    Apple TV

    For those users who are fans of the Apple ecosystem, Apple TV is a no-brainer. Offering a great, seamless experience across your Mac, iPhone and Apple Watch, the Apple TV is a great extension of the clean design and deceptive simplicity that makes Apple so popular. Logging in to apps is simple, as you can copy passwords and logins directly from an iPhone or iPad.

    While the Apple TV ecosystem doesn’t offer as many apps as a system like Roku, it’s still a robust hub for your media. If you have lots of pictures or videos on your phone you’d like to see on your TV, AirPlay 2 gives you that option. You can even issue voice commands through Siri to find TV and movies you’d like to watch. The only downside? The higher-than-average price when compared to the competition.


  • Thinking About a Cruise to Alaska?

    Thinking About a Cruise to Alaska?

    When you think of a luxury cruise liner hitting an exotic destination, you normally think of some tropical island somewhere. However, there’s more than one type of luxury cruise. Take, for instance, Alaskan cruises!

    Snow-capped mountains, frontier towns and rugged beauty await vacationers in the northernmost part of the United States.

    Cruising to Alaska

    Why Alaska?

    Alaska is full of natural beauty, intriguing wildlife and full-tilt adventure. The island-filled southeast region of the state is a common destination of cruises from the West Coast. Fans of rugged beauty, exceptional cuisine and luxurious vacations can find a lot to love in Alaska.

    Best Cruise Lines

    A number of cruise liners have Alaska as a destination. From family-friendly Carnival Legend to romance-centric Ruby Princess, there’s something for any type of cruiser. Today we’re going to look at a few of the most notable ships plying the Pacific waters around the Alaskan islands!

    Nieuw Amsterdam

    The traditional, quiet, reserved and upscale appeal of Nieuw Amsterdam is great for more mature cruisers. If you’re looking for a more traditional cruise, maybe with less children running around, then consider this cruise liner.

    You won’t find rock-climbing walls or goofy children’s attractions on this boat, so if you’ve got kids coming with you, this might not be the best pick. However, if you’re looking for a relaxing getaway with you and your sweetheart, this refined cruise is for you.

    Scrumptious dining, upscale service and an air of dignified luxury are hallmarks of this cruise line. Of particular note is the main dining room, which is complimentary with any cruise. The food and service found therein are of excellent quality, perfect for any discerning cruiser.

    Carnival Legend

    For families looking for a good value, Carnival offers an affordable and enjoyable cruising experience. If you don’t mind the presence of kids and families, Carnival Legend offers a great Alaskan cruise on a very reasonable budget. Those who prefer a more family-friendly atmosphere will appreciate this type of cruise liner.

    Ruby Princess

    The Ruby Princess is a great cruise for people who want the best of both worlds. Ample luxury and fun activities go hand-in-hand on this Princess cruise liner. Attractions like the “Movies Under the Stars” (complete with popcorn and warm blankets) make this ideal for younger couples.

    Likewise, the adults-only sun deck is a wonderful and relaxing place to relax away from the kiddos. There’s even a Voice spin-off, “Voice of the Ocean,” to be found on this cruise liner. Combine that with great dining and wonderful interior design, and you’ve got one winner of a ship!


  • Unlimited Phone Plans with Netflix, Hulu & HBO Max

    Unlimited Phone Plans with Netflix, Hulu & HBO Max

    Did you know you can get Disney Plus with your Verizon account? Check out our reviews below.

    Overview:

    1. AT&T: Includes HBO Max
      • Stream all of your favorite movies, TV shows and Live TV right on your smartphone. These plans start at $50 a month.
    2. Sprint: Includes Hulu. 
      • All levels of Sprint’s unlimited plans include the ad-supported version of Hulu. Ad-free plans are available with an upgrade.
    3. Metro by T-Mobile: Includes Amazon Prime. 
      • For $60 a month with 100GB of Google store and Amazon Prime included.
    4. T-Mobile: Includes Netflix
      • Customers who choose a high level plan will get a basic Netflix account with their plan.

    Mobile carriers are constantly trying to recruit new subscribers with new bundled packages, lower rates and other incentives. It is always worth shopping the competition or checking for new offerings on the plan that you’re on. You never know- a better deal may be right in front of your eyes if you look for it! So when was the last time you reviewed your plan to ensure you’re getting the best extra services? There’s no time like the present~ Check into it!

     


  • Searching for the Best Labor Day Sales?

    Searching for the Best Labor Day Sales?

    As Summer comes to a close, Labor Day weekend is always a sure bet for sales and savings. We’ve found some of the best places to shop online and even some discount codes to use. Check it out! Labor day is on September 7th this year, with most sales starting the weekend before the holiday. Many retailers will push sales beyond September 7th, especially for big ticket items like mattresses, home appliances, and furniture.

    Here are the highly anticipated sales:

    • Walmart
    • Macy’s
    • Wayfair
    • REI
    • The Home Depot
    • Best Buy
    • Ikea

    What do people typically buy on Labor Day?

    Discounts can be found across most categories, but deeper discounts are typically concentrated around a few items including:

    • Mattresses
    • Patio Furniture
    • TV’s
    • Furniture
    • Fall Clothes and Gear

    Start shopping now! 

    We’ve found many stores that have sales going on right now- check them out:

    • Crate & Barrel: 20% off through Sept 9th
    • HomeDepot: 40% off appliances tools and other home goods
    • Wayfair: 70% off outdoor furniture *beginning 8/31*
    • SkinStore: 25% off sitewide (use the code LABOR)
    • Saatva: $200 off of purchases $1000 or more
    • Lowe’s: 40% off
    • Primary Goods: 25% off (use the code WERK)