Friday, December 28, 2012

How High Speed Internet Service Can Change Your Lifestyle!

We are now living in a world that is fully dependent on the internet. In fact, many aspects of modern society as we know it is a result as much as it a part of innovations and developments related to the worldwide web. People from all walks of life and from across all sectors of society rely on the internet for their daily activities. Whether it be of personal nature, for professional functions, or business pursuits, the internet will inevitably play an important role in it. It wouldn't be so far fetched to say that the web itself casts a considerable influence in our lives.

Our internet connection, therefore, is very important. It should be noted that the speed of such a connection will depend on the internet service provider of our choice. Different providers offer different packages intended to meet the varying demands and needs of users. The costs of these services, of course, will also vary in accordance with the specific packages. So it comes down to your package of choice whether you have a low speed or a high speed internet connection. While the latter may cost a lot more than the former, there are advantages that one can get from having a high speed internet connection. In fact, it can change your lifestyle for the better. How so?

The most obvious benefit that you may get from a high speed internet service is in your personal computing needs. In social networking sites, for example, it will enable you to post and get updates more quickly. This is especially true if you want to post and share multimedia files such as videos, which would take a lot more time if you are using a low speed internet service. It is a fact that simply downloading and uploading  videos over a poor internet connection could take up a lot of time. Video calls can also be a poor experience over such a kind of connection, in fact, even simple calls or chat messages tend to have interruptions. Thus, although you are paying more for a high speed internet connection, you are able to save on your time, and that translates to having an ability to tackle other matters of equal importance with those activities you do online.

A high speed internet service can also benefit your other pursuits such as your business. Making business teleconferences, for instance, would not be possible with a poor quality internet connection. Since updates needed for business operations should be in real time, it follows that your connection need be able to deliver premium speed.

It can be easily seen from the scenarios above that a high speed internet connection can influence your lifestyle from simple  and ordinary activities such as home computing to professional pursuits such as in your workplace or business environment.

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

How to Choose Mobile Phones for Senior Citizens

The current trend in mobile phones tend to support the development and integration of high-tech features that adds more value and functionalities to these communication gadgets. These innovative approaches to mobile telephony, is of course a most welcome development in the evolution of cellular phones. Whereas these gadgets can only be used for sending and receiving messages as well as making and receiving calls in the past, it now also functions as a virtual gadget that can be used to access the internet, making way for all sorts of mobile applications that has made all types of communications possible in an instant.

Apart from these developments, mobile phone makers have also made innovations on cellular phones that are intended for certain group of users, such as the senior citizens. This is in response to the peculiar needs of this group. As it is, senior citizens cannot use just any kind of cell phone that comes around, however advanced it is in terms of technology and innovation, so a consideration of their needs as well as their physical limitations would be helpful in determining the right mobile phone for them. So, if you are to choose a mobile phone for a senior citizen, say your grandmother, what features should you look for? There a number of specific features that are helpful to senior citizens, and some of these features will be tackled below.

Due to their particular condition, most senior citizens would be happy with a mobile phone that has just the basic functions and is very easy to use, so a simple phone without the frills of high-tech apps will more than work for them. It should also be a durable phone that can withstand shocks from being dropped, as most elderly people tends to drop objects for one reason or another.

Apart from these basic considerations, the phone in question should also be friendly to elderly people in terms of its keypad, screen size, and overall size. The keys should be large enough to account for both weak eyesight and frail fingers of its users. They should be easy to press and spaced wide apart so that it would be easy for an elderly person to choose the correct key. It should also feature a large screen so that its user would not exert too much effort in reading messages. Large fonts is also advised for more convenience. When it comes to size, choose a unit that is neither too small nor too big. Small phones will easily get dropped by an elderly person, while an unusually large unit may be too heavy for a senior's frail hands.

Cost wise, you should look for plans from providers that offer a special price deal that is enough to cover a senior's need for messaging and call minutes. You have to make sure, of course, that such a package is both reasonable and affordable.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Tips for Cell Phone Shopping Online

Online shopping is now the preferred method of many buyers for many reasons. Specially for individuals who are too busy to even spare an hour at a shopping mall, the convenience of online shopping is very appealing. Apart from the savings made in terms of time, you also get to have the advantage of not having to spend on travel cost in going to the store from your home, or office for that matter. Definitely, making your purchase through online shopping portals makes life a bit easier, at least when it comes to procuring the things you need.

In shopping for your needs online, it is important to remember that different goods require different shopping techniques. There are items that require careful research before making a purchase. Other items, however may require little to no research at all.

One of the most common item shoppers look for in an online setting are gadgets, such as cell phones. When you are planning to purchase a mobile phone via online shopping method, the following tips will be of help:

1. Consider site auctions
The advantage of buying your phone online is the availability of several sites that offer all manners of auctions on items they sell. This can give you much savings, but before taking the plunge and paying for that phone, do some research with the goal of comparing which among them offers the best deal that will give you an advantage not only in terms of the amount of money you are going to save, but also in terms of the quality of the item you plan to purchase.

2. Get the complete details
Sometimes, buyers make a purchase on the basis of how an item's image looks on a site. As flashy as a gadget may present itself in websites, it does not mean that it will really be the one you need. So before buying an item, click on it and get as much details as possible. Look for cell phone specifications that will meet your actual needs. As it is, you are making your shopping online to get the best deal possible on an item of your choice, so it will be futile if what you get is actually something you don't need at all.

3. Be aware of the site's replacement and refund policy
If at all possible, consider buying only from sellers that offer to make a replacement, or for that matter, a refund in case you find out later that the mobile phone you purchased is defective.

Making your purchases online should be a pleasant experience. But it is so only if you are an informed buyer. So apart from the tips given above, you will do well if you arm yourself with as much information about the items you want to buy.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Benefits of Choosing a Cell Phone with No Contract

If you are considering about ways on how to save up on you mobile phone bills, one of the best way to do it is by choosing a cell phone with no contract, otherwise known as pre-paid mobile phones. As the term implies, it is a mobile phone that a user can acquire without the attendant hassle that a contract brings. All you have to do is to shoulder the initial cost of purchasing the cell phone unit itself and off you go, you can either stay with a prepaid subscription plan of your chosen initial provider, or you can choose to look for another plan from the same or another provider as you see fit in accordance with your actual usage needs.

The following are some of the benefits that comes with using a cell phone with no contract:

1. Ease and Convenience
Obviously, a cell phone without a contract attached to it is more convenient to acquire over one that you use with a set of agreed terms with your chosen provider. Currently, you don’t even need to provide an identification in order to get it. Generally, all you have to do is to pay the unit cost and there you have it. This particular advantage works well for those who are keen in maintaining their privacy and for those who don’t want to disclose their personal mobile phone numbers. As it is, you can instantly change numbers anytime you want with a no contract cell phone. You may, for instance, wish to use a certain number for a particular purpose and when that purpose is served, you can change your numbers again, those allowing you the maximum privacy that you may desire.

2. Lower Usage Costs
Compared to a mobile phone with a contract, a no contract cell phone will cost you a substantially lower amount of money when it comes to usage costs. This is so because with a contract, you may be tied to an agreement with your provider that you have to pay for a certain amount of service every month, whether or not you actually have been able to consume the pre-determined service or not. With a no contract cell phone, however, you are only required to pay for the service that you actually use, and that gives you a leeway to control your cell phone usage. You are not forced to pay for a service that you have not used.

3. Ability to Switch Service Providers
A mobile phone with a contract binds you to stay with a service provider, whether you are satisfied with their service or not. A no contract cell phone, however, gives you the freedom to choose your desired service provider at any given moment. You don’t even need to notify your current provider if you want to switch to another provider of your choice. This way, you are able to look for and actually enjoy the service that fits your needs under any given circumstance.

With the advantages of a no contract mobile phone as discussed above, it is very easy to see that a user can get to enjoy mobile phone services without necessarily spending much money.

Get Cash When You Trade In Your Old Phone

Planning to get that new smartphone model but lacking in cash? Well, getting the most out of the latest in technology doesn't really have to mean that you have to shell out much from your pocket as well. If you really want that new phone but don't have enough money to acquire it right away, then you may consider trading in your old phone for cash. You can then use the proceeds from your trade in to add to your current budget for purchasing that new phone that you want. This way, you get to enjoy the new phone without necessarily turning your old phone into a useless piece of electronic junk, as the old one will simply get to be used by another user eager to pay for its price.

If you think that it is difficult to make a sell or trade in out of your old phone, then you have to know that there are many channels by which you can actually do so. In fact, there are many sites that offer to assist people in selling their old piece of electronics, including mobile phones. A typical trade in site will guide a prospective seller of an old phone in the process to make it as easy as possible. Generally, all the seller has to do is to tell the site about the phone's manufacturer, select the model of the phone being sold, assess the condition of the phone being sold and the preferred method of payment, completely fill out a sale registration form, post the phone using the site's prepaid shipping labels, and wait for the site to inspect the phone for the accuracy of its stated condition, after which, the seller can expect to receive payment in as early as 24 hours. Generally, your phone's condition can be rated as follows:

1. Working - product turns on and off, is fully functional, LCD is 100% working, keypad and touchscreen is working, can make and receive calls, and includes battery and charger/cable. Normal cosmetic wear and tear does not affect this rating.

2. Partly Working - Product turns on and may be working but is suffering from minor damages such as a missing part, faulty charging condition, a missing charger and/or battery, and LCD that has a line or missing pixels. The product must not sustain any major physical damage or water and liquid signs.

3. Broken/Faulty - Product turns on but LCD screen is not working. Also sustains damages such as physical damage and water damage. Or the product may not turn on, does not charge, cannot make and receive calls, and with a broken LCD screen.

For working devices, you can get as much as 100% of the website price. For partly working and broken/faulty devices, you can command as much as 50% and 20%, respectively, of the stated website price.

So what are you waiting for? Let your working or non-working old phone work towards helping you have some cash to get that new phone that you have been looking forward to own.

Monday, December 10, 2012

Cheap Laptops - Should You Get Them?

In today's world, computers and computer systems have become a major part of daily life. We all depend upon computers to have our daily tasks accomplished, whether we be at our homes, in offices, or schools. It would be unimaginable to think of a day without a computer system being part of it.

Hence, investing in a computer system has become a very important task. But it doesn't necessarily mean that we have to spend a substantial amount in order to acquire a working computer system. In fact, there are a lot of cheap laptops available in the market for us to consider. These cheap laptops, although not as flashy as their expensive counterparts, can do almost all the important functions that a computer system is expected by its user to do.

To understand this better, we might as well discuss why cheap laptops are, well, cheap in the first place. The major reason why these kind of laptops sells for as much as 50% of the current market price is that they are generally refurbished laptops. A refurbished laptop is one that have been returned to its retailer for one reason or another. But does it mean that is a faulty laptop. Of course not! Usually, it has been returned because it is not fit for the actual needs of its buyer. As such, it cannot be legally resold as a brand new product with a brand new price. It has to be resold with an indication that it is a factory refurbished unit that has been already sold once.

With this in mind, is it advisable to procure a refurbished laptop? By all means. These cheap laptops undergoes extensive testing at the factory to ensure that they are working properly before being offered for sale at the market. Extensive testing ensures that they meet the original manufacturer's specifications and also come with a limited warranty.

Considering that buying a cheap refurbished laptop gives you a computer system that is as good in terms of its specifications and working condition as a unit that is brand new, it must be safe to state that a cheap laptop is a great investment. For one thing, you get to have the benefits that comes with a brand new computer at only half the price. That is quite a substantial savings that can go a long way towards procuring your other needs.

For your protection, however, you should buy cheap and refurbished laptops only from trusted sellers. Major brands such as Dell, HP, Sony VAIO, IBM (Lenovo) and Toshiba offer refurbished laptops on their websites. Knowing that your product comes from a trusted source will give you peace of mind that you got premium quality at a low price.

Friday, December 7, 2012

How to Spend Less Without Sacrificing Much

A lot of people would say that spending less is equivalent to sacrificing. A lot would think that if they spend less on food, clothing, travel, etc. that would make them feel like they are being deprived of the things that life has to offer just to get through every single day. Well not to worry about much of the deprivation part because today we are going to discuss some tips on how to not spending too much but still enjoying life every single day.

Let's talk about your weekly or monthly grocery visit.

Tip #1: Leave the kids at home.
Aside from taking care of these kiddos the whole time which will ruin your focus on buying what the family really needs, you might end up buying unnecessary items that your kids would point at just for them to stop crying. You pretty much can relate right?

Tip #2: Include fruits, veggies and other healthy items on your list.
Well, it's pretty obvious that these items are way cheaper than processed ones. Second is their nutritional content. As the saying goes, "health is wealth" and "prevention is better than cure," so a trip to the hospital for just a fever or flu will cost you money that you might be able to save for future expenses.

Tip #3: Visit the grocery on a weekday but make sure not on a payday.
Aside from the fact that you will have a sure slot for parking, just think of the long lines that you have to endure and waiting in line means temptation, the temptation of impulse buying. Ever wonder why the cashier station has goodies next to them before you make your payments? Well if you will notice, those goodies are the same items you have or have not placed in your grocery cart when you were still doing your picking right? Well, that is actually a marketing strategy for most companies since most of the time when shoppers fall in line for checkout, they take advantage of this by placing items that these shoppers might put in their carts before paying for their purchases and that is called impulse buying. Buying things that you don't actually need and doing that every month will cost you a lot of money in the long run. So don't ever visit your favorite grocery store on a weekend or a payday.

Well, those are just some of the tips on how to spend less without sacrificing too much particularly when buying groceries. So the next time you visit your favorite grocery store, just keep these tips in mind so that there would be no need to sacrifice while saving some of your hard-earned dollars.



Thursday, December 6, 2012

Frugal ways to keep Your Home Warm in the Winter

Considering the rising cost of heating up our homes during winter time, it has become necessary for us to come up with ways on how we can economize when it comes to keeping our homes warm. By doing so, not only are we going to save in terms of cost, but we might as well help our planet earth in terms of conserving energy. So here the winter comes, and with it the freezing cold that make us look for some warmth. What can we do to heat our homes in a way that will not consume too much resources? Well, here are some tips to consider:

 1. Look for an affordable and energy-efficient heater
 If you are planning to procure a heating system for your home, it is wise to consider if it is energy efficient, as it will give you savings in terms of cost.  

2. Insulate your home
A good insulation keeps heat inside your home for a maximum amount of time possible. One good way to insulate is by using thermal curtains, as it keeps heat from escaping from your home. Blinds can also serve as insulators. Just keep it open during the day when sunlight is available so that heat can come in. Before sundown, close the blinds while heat is still in the room, that way the heat will be trapped inside the your home. Bare floors can also be insulated using rugs, which will do a good work in keeping your feet warm. Also make sure to have sufficient ceiling insulation, as it is the main avenue by which heat can be trapped inside your home.  

3. Block Drafts
Drafty doors, windows, and vents is a channel by which cold air gets in and heat escapes. You can use towels to seal up Drafty doors as well as leaky window sills.  

4. Rationalize your heater use
You can save much if you will turn off the heating system during the warmest part of the day and when you're sleeping during the night. Another trick in regulating your heater use is by heating only one room at a time, that is, only the room that is being used at any given moment. While cooking, for instance, it would be wise to keep yourself in the kitchen where heat is available.  

5. Light up candles
Lighting up candles can be an awesome source of heat in the room, apart from the cozy ambiance that it brings about. Take note, however, that you are extra careful when you are using candles to warm up. You should never leave one unattended for any given period of time.

Top 5 Smartphones to Get Your Kids this Christmas

This Christmas might be the chance for you to introduce your kids to the latest trends in mobile technology. But with the myriad of smartphones continuously swarming the market, it's quite confusing which one is the best bang for bucks.  For kids though, it won't be as hard choosing. Kids aren't really after the processor, OS or any other nerdy stuff. What they mainly want is the fun factor of the phone - user interface, games, music, video playback and web browsing.

Below is a list of smartphones you might want to add in your gift list and give your children. The price, durability and entertainment features are the main considerations in these. All are below $200 and some are even cheaper if you purchase them with a contract.

LG Optimus T
The phone has a 3.2-inch touchscreen display with a 320x480-pixel resolution. Text and images are crisp and clear despite its relatively reduced resolution. It weighs only 4.5 ounces which is light enough for your kid to grasp. It has a 3.2-megapixel camera and a microSD slot if the internal memory can't handle the number of games your kid has installed. It has a simple interface and sturdy built that is perfect for handling it to kids.

Samsung Galaxy Mini
The phone isn't really powerful but it's good enough for introducing your kid to the latest trends in phone technology. The Galaxy Mini has a 3.14-inch display with a resolution of 240x320 pixels. It weighs only 3.70 ounces which is lighter than comparable phones. It's equipped with a 3.15-megapixel camera, an FM radio and a microSD slot for memory expansion. The beauty in this one is that it has Adobe Flash support, giving your child a wider variety of games to choose from.

Nokia 500
It has a 3.2-inch touchscreen capable of displaying 360x640-pixel resolution. It is also lightweight – only 3.28 oz. Its greatest advantage probably is the 5-megapixel camera capable of giving decent photo quality. The music player is gives good sound playback; add it to the capability to play DivX/Xvid video formats and you have a decent smartphone for a reasonable price. Moreover, Nokia phones are also known for their durability, so it won't easily break if your kid drops it.

T-Mobile Vivacity
The phone has a 3.5-inch display with a native resolution of 480x800 pixels - decent enough for multimedia viewing. It's a little heavier compared to the others in this list, weighing 4.16 oz. It has a 5 MP camera, MP3 support and MP4 video format playback. Its Android-based OS (Gingerbread) also provides a wider choice of apps and games available in the market.

Huawei Ascend G300
It boasts a 4-inch display with a 480x800-pixel resolution giving it a crisp display of texts and images. It's quite heavy with 4.94 oz. of weight, which is nothing your kid can't handle. It has a decent 5 MP camera, supports MP3/MP4 formats, and a Gingerbread OS which can be further upgraded. Combine these with its display capacity and you have a great phone for entertainment.

Get your kids get connected this holiday season!  Use Verizon promo code from cheapdanny before you shop for phones and accessories to get discount.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Healthy and Affordable Frozen Meals

You live in a time when your days are often characterized with rush and hurriedness. You eat chaos for breakfast, lunch and sometimes, even dinner. More often than not, you eradicate the word healthy out of your meals. You just don't have the time to chop those vegetables or whip up a healthy dressing to go with your salad greens. And the healthiest food you can think of that requires the least bit of work is an apple – after all, isn't that adage, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, quite true?

The answer is yes. Eating something raw and fresh should be part of your eating lifestyle. No matter how busy you are, there is no excuse not to eat something raw and healthy. Bite an apple, pop in some grapes or raw walnuts in your mouth, chew on a carrot stick. Buy frozen healthy meals.

Start off with frozen veggies. The frozen kind can be just as healthy as the fresh kind - especially if you get the non-branded kind. Store bought frozen vegetables usually retain most of their vitamins and minerals and they don't easily get spoiled. However, stay away from frozen veggies that come with sauces and seasonings – they are loaded with fats and sodium and they cost more.

Do you know that you can actually walk down the frozen food aisle and find yummy meals like roasted beef and spinach ravioli? These yummy meals can be prepped in less than five minutes. What's more? They cost less, easy and pre-portioned to avoid overeating. Try one frozen meal at a time and pretty soon you'll realize which ones really taste good and which ones can truly satisfy your hunger.

Here are some of the healthy frozen meals that made it to the top list of the weight watchers and consumer reports. Look for these delish and healthy dishes next time you stroll down the frozen food aisle --- Healthy Choice Roasted Beef Merlot, Kashi Chicken Florentine and Lean Cuisine Santa Fe Style Rice and Beans.

To elevate these delish dishes one notch higher in the healthy scale, don't forget to eat some fruits with it. Remember to grab an apple and put in those pre-sliced pineapples and watermelons found on the fruit chiller and drop them in your grocery cart. Buy the fruits in season – cherries are rich in anti-oxidants. You can freeze them to avoid spoilage. Fruits are the best partners of your healthy frozen meals.

Don't leave breakfast out of the frozen meal plan. Don't give in to the temptation of going to your favorite fast food chain and conveniently order a high cal hash brown and a cup of steaming sugar-laden hot chocolate for breakfast. Make your breakfast healthier by heating up previously cooked and frozen rolled oats. Simply pour some low-fat milk and add a pipkin of mascuvado sugar to the mix – or better yet, drop off some frozen blueberries or any sliced fruits to your bowl.

Now you can honestly say that no matter how crazy and busy your life is, there are still ways to eat and live healthy.

Click Here to get more tips on living the frugal life at cheapdanny.com. 

Monday, December 3, 2012

Verizon FiOS: Cutting Edge Internet Television

Verizon FiOS internet television is a great advancement that perked up internet television experience. Great features, picture perfect settings, a bunch of channels to choose from, a wide of set of options, and all the things that you can possibly imagine with your internet TV is all packed in a Verizon FiOS device.

With the rapid growth of Verizon FiOS all over United States, millions of subscribers by this time have already relished the next level entertainment and convenience of internet television as compared to the conventional cable televisions. Verizon FiOS internet television offers digital TV experience like no other. Full packed with high end features and picture perfect reception, FiOS technology has made positive feedback from consumers and have been rated fairly above the cable and satellite televisions.

Verizon FiOS Internet Television vs Traditional Cable TV
The main difference between a traditional cable television andFiOS internet televisions is that the latter utilizes fiber optic cables which are directly connected to your home. Compared with the regular cable connections that ideally use copper and coaxial cables, fiber optics carry more and faster data hence providing more robust set of options and an increased flow of communications between the Internet and the television device. Regular cable television connections are easier to install however the copper or coaxial cables have limited connectivity options. FiOS technology allows users to access the Internet applications like social networking and video applications from the TV and at the same time send pictures and other contents from a computer device to TV.

Verizon FiOS Features
Verizon FiOS internet television offers a new set of available options to perk up your regular TV experience. Start it off with a picture quality that offers brilliance provided in high definition uncompressed scale for greater reliability in almost any type of weather conditions. FiOS offers you a wide range of channels to choose from and include many ways for you to watch.

The Verizon FiOS Experience
As mentioned earlier, Verizon FiOStechnology gets you through a wide range of channels. With your FiOS plan, you can choose from 46 commercial-free digital music channels, 130 HD channels, and up to 540 all-digital TV channels. Additionally,, you can also choose from over 35,000 On Demand titles each month. Ultimate HD TV subscribers also can access to the latest popular TV series and movies from FLIX, Showtime, Cinemax, and EPIX.

There are also new ways to watch your favourite movie and shows with your Verizon FiOS TV. You can go stream through live channels on gaming devices like the popular Xbox console and choose to watch hotreleases and about 20,000 On Demand titles from Flex View with an iPad Media Manager. You can stream TV channels via Samsung Smart TV or Samsung Smart Blu-ray™ Playerthrough connecting the FiOS router on your Samsung device.

Verizon FiOS internet television indeed has offered improved and revolutionary ways to give great TV experience to the public. It takes entertainment to a whole new level with a touch of sophistication and convenience.