apps Archives — Thrifty Mommas Tips

Reducing Anxiety with these 5 Great Apps

Paula — Mon, 11 Mar 2019 12:22:50 +0000

Reducing anxiety is one key to overall good health. The mind and body are connected, and when one is out of sync, the other soon follows. I’ve found this to be incredibly true in my life. As many of you know, we have a lot of experience with anxiety. My oldest daughter has social anxiety and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. For years, she has struggled with anxiety symptoms that can lead easily to feeling overwhelmed while also chewing up your physical health too. It is not uncommon for stomach pain, nausea, headache and sleeplessness to come with anxiety. Our Anxiety Journey We’ve made every effort to help her keep her anxiety under control to varying degrees of effect. Together, she and I have done group therapy for youth with anxiety and we have also done art therapy and play therapy. Each of these has had an important role in helping her succeed managing childhood anxiety. One thing I find super helpful is technology. From the start technology helped us to manage symptoms and build routine. At times, that was as simple as my daughter having her own phone and being able to call or text me when she had a panic attack at school. Although that was draining for me sometimes, and for her as well, it did the trick. Clearly, access to technology and the digital health space has changed and grown into something so much more relevant and useful in the last five years. Now, people can use an app to help manage their health care symptoms. And there are so many apps out there. No surprise that there are also anxiety and mental health apps too. We use several in our home. Thanks to technology, there are wonderful apps usable on phones and tablets to help with reducing anxiety. Now that I’ve found them, I want to share some of these apps with you. 5 Apps for Reducing Anxiety Anxiety and stress can be cause by a multitude of factors so it’s important to take a multi-faceted approach when trying to reduce anxiety levels. Through the years, I’ve found that addressing stress from different angles using different methods has yielded the best results. That’s why the apps I’ve chosen all target stress and anxiety in different ways. Also please note I am not a doctor, or a nurse and this is not medical advice in any way. I am a Mom with children who both struggle with anxiety. My Mom also had anxiety but it was only diagnosed as a senior. I wish so much that we had known that earlier. She missed out on a lot of things in life because of worry. Technology and apps were not available during her lifetime. MindShift CBT MindShift CBT aims to reduce anxiety through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. The app’s cognitive-based tools help people change the way the think about things and employ behavioral strategies to make lasting positive change. Through their app, people can find help with: Worry Panic Perfectionism Social Anxiety Phobias We used this one for many years and it came recommended by a mental health care professional in our city. It’s an excellent app and gets high marks in my books for ease of use and usefulness as well. It’s recently been updated making it even better. Download it now. Youper Youper helps with reducing anxiety by acting as a safe sounding board for those who are feeling overwhelmed. It uses tools to help people gauge their stress level and give them insight to their own emotional tendencies. In addition, its AI interface actually becomes a friendly ear to which people can express their anxieties through texts. The app actually asks questions that help lead those who are filled with anxiety to a more stable path. My high schooler came home from school one day and downloaded this one because she had heard about it from someone else at high school. She really likes it and finds it useful in tracking symptoms and providing feedback that helps with that. The aim of the game with many apps is to keep patients out of hospital and give them back a bit of control over their health. I have not used Youper for myself, but I have watched her use it and had her explain it to me. We have a rule about downloading apps here right now so I monitor and am familiar with all the apps on their phones. Nature Sounds Part of reducing anxiety is getting adequate rest. High anxiety can lead to trouble sleeping which can lead to even more anxiety. It’s a vicious cycle that can cause incredible strain on a person. Nature Sounds helps people get better sleep so they can feel better in general. Sounds include thunder, ocean waves, birds, rain, or waterfalls. These are soothing and easy on your ears. Apps like this can sometimes help my kids fall asleep despite the worry and anxiety about the next day. Worry Box Worry Box is an app designed to help those who are suffering with anxiety take a step back and look objectively at their anxiety. The app helps people figure out if their source of anxiety is unimportant, important, controllable, or uncontrollable. It features a personal diary where people can “write” down their worries, after which, Worry Box helps them examine them objectively and give them techniques to manage apprehension and stress. Relax and Rest Meditations This app helps guide people through mediation to help them with reducing anxiety. Using three different guided meditations, the app helps foster a sense of calm and gives an active way to help reduce anxiety. Reducing Anxiety Through Technology We live in a technology-based world, so why not use it to our advantage? These apps are excellent tools for reducing anxiety and offer a measure of relief to those who suffer from chronic anxiety and worry. Using these tools, people have more options for reducing anxiety and taking back control of their lives. If you’re suffering with anxiety, I encourage you to give all of these a try. And of course if none of this works seek therapy and help from a mental health provider. Talk to your doctor first. Do you have anxiety? What tools, or apps help you?

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Self-Improvement for the New Year with DK Canada

Paula — Mon, 14 Jan 2019 11:31:21 +0000

This post was sponsored by DK Canada. Self-improvement is always on the top of everyone’s list when the new year rolls around. Whether we’re trying to lead a more healthy lifestyle, balance work and home life, or just broaden our horizons, self-improvement always takes the front spot in our minds this time of year. It’s no different for me and my family. This year, we’re improving ourselves with my favourite publisher, DK Canada. Three Self-Improvement Books for My Family Travel and learning always top my family’s list of ways to improve ourselves, and the books I recently received from DK Canada help us out on those fronts. 15-Minute Japanese My sister-in-law is Japanese, and my oldest daughter is very interested in learning the language. In fact, over the past decade, she’s actually picked up several phrases. She picks up language fast and always has done so. Now at 17, she’s fluent in French and English and chipping away at Japanese. That’s why I got her 15-Minute Japanese. With it, she’ll be able to start actually learning the language that she’s always been so fascinated by. Who knows – maybe the rest of us will pick it up too. From the DK Website: With this fun, user-friendly, and uniquely visual Japanese language course, you can teach yourself Japanese in just 12 weeks. ….What? Cool. DK’s 15 Minute Japanese–now relaunching with a new free audio app–is the perfect course for busy people who want to learn Japanese fast. Twelve themed chapters are broken down into easy-to-follow 15-minute daily lessons, spanning a range of practical themes, including socializing, doing business, food and drink, travel, and shopping. Each lesson combines vocabulary and grammar essentials with attractive full-color photographs, making it quick, easy, and fun to learn new Japanese vocabulary. There is no writing or homework–you simply use the cover flaps to hide the answers to exercises and test yourself as you learn. Each chapter ends with a review module, so you can track your progress and identify any areas where you need further practice. The free audio app enables you to hear Japanese words and phrases spoken by native speakers. You can also record yourself, compare with native speakers, and re-record as desired. Use the app alongside the book’s easy-to-use pronunciation guides to perfect your pronunciation, and to practice Japanese conversation in real-life situations. 5 Language Visual Dictionary I got myself the 5 Language Visual Dictionary. I studied a lot of languages over the years, but I never became fluent in any of them. That doesn’t mean I lost my passion for languages, though. Since I plan to visit Europe this year, I’m eager to start using my new book. From the DK Website: 5 Language Visual Dictionary is a user friendly and intuitive reference for adults learning English, French, German, Spanish, or Italian. The only language dictionary of its kind, 5 Language Visual Dictionary makes language learning accessible by using photographs to put everyday words into context. Its thematic organization of 10,000 terms accompanied by more than 1,600 annotated color photographs and illustrations puts the perfect translation at your fingertips. Additional feature panels include abstract nouns and verbs, as well as useful phrases you can use in conversation. Whether you are a student, tourist, or business traveler, 5 Language Visual Dictionary is your comprehensive guide to learning English, French, German, Spanish, or Italian. DK Life Stories: Anne Frank Finally, I got my youngest daughter DK Life Stories: Anne Frank. We’re all fascinated by the story of this courageous young girl, but my daughter is especially moved by Anne’s life and her diary. She was so excited when she heard she was receiving this book. From the DK Website: In this biography, discover the incredible story of Anne Frank, the courageous young writer who hid from the Nazis during World War II. Anne Frank’s diary is read by children and adults worldwide. It tells two stories: one of an extraordinary young girl living in hiding during one of the most fearsome times in history, and one of a relatable young girl facing the same questions and troubles that kids come up against today. Learn how both sides of this puzzle made up the person who is Anne Frank. Meet her family and friends, explore “The Annex” where they hid, and see her story put in historical context alongside information about World War II and the Holocaust, and Hitler and Nazi Germany. Books are a Great Path to Self-Improvement I’m a lover of books, both for pleasure and self-improvement. The best scenario is when a book combines both of those elements. That’s what books from DK Canada do for my family. With 15-Minute Japanese, 5 Language Visual Dictionary, and DK Life Stories: Anne Frank, my family and I are well on our way to a year focused on self-improvement with some fun and interesting books that will help us broaden our horizons. Enter for a chance to win a copy of DK Life Stories: Anne Frank. Good Luck! If you do not win you can still save on these books – Indigo sale on until January 20th: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/sale/deals-of-the-week/books/dk/ Entry-Form

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LG QuadWash Steam Dishwasher is my New Favourite Appliance

Paula — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 13:09:50 +0000

This post has been sponsored by LG. The new LG QuadWash Steam dishwasher has a lot going for it. When the LG QuadWash Steam dishwasher arrived I was excited to see the new features, bells and whistles incorporated into the design and function of this heavy duty kitchen appliance. I am a technology loving girl at heart. So, when technology improves something I already use every day, and adds to the performance of an appliance, that gets my heart racing a bit faster and I have to see it in action. This month I have been putting the LG QuadWash Steam dishwasher through its paces to see what it can do. Happy to report it’s easy to use with a few truly exceptional features and my dishes have never looked cleaner. First Impressions Let’s face it, how an appliance looks matters. I like the design of my kitchen and want any new large or small appliances to look as if they belong. This new LG QuadWash Steam dishwasher is sleek, modern and minimalistic and it fits in well with the look and feel of our kitchen. It matches the LG fridge we bought three years ago, so that’s ideal and it makes me happy. Use these dishwasher tabs with the steam dishwasher. One of My Favourite Things When we moved into this home 4 1/2 years ago we inherited an old dishwasher which eventually died. As I was researching products available I learned a lot about what’s out there and what I like or want. I loved the idea of a third rack for silverware. The third rack on the LG QuadWash Steam dishwasher is adjustable and it’s one of my favourite things about this model. I’m thoroughly enjoying the third rack on my LG QuadWash Steam because it affords a lot of room and flexibility with our dishes. It offers an adjustable, half and half design which allows me to lower half of it to accommodate larger utensils like spatulas, scoops, big spoons, big knives, etc. Also, the grooves on the trays are angled perfectly to cradle your silverware. Even our water bottle lids fit just a little bit better in it! It’s the most functional third rack I’ve ever had. EasyRack Plus Is Another Feature I Love! We have huge Fiesta plates and bowls and we really like them. I mean they are gorgeous and great quality. But they never fit quite right in our old dishwasher. EasyRack Plus in the LG QuadWash Steam dishwasher means we don’t have that issue anymore. You can pretty much set the inside of the LG QuadWash Steam dishwasher up to be any configuration you need. It has folding tines for maximum flexibility on the top cup rack and the bottom plate and bowl rack too. Plus there’s on-the-fly rack height adjustment which is extremely useful. LG QuadWash Steam Delivers Clean Dishes Even though our last dishwasher wasn’t all that old, I was keen to see what LG QuadWash Steam could do. Basically it gets my dishes and glasses cleaner than ever before. It’s impressive actually. They sparkle. No water spots are left at all. How does it do that? Steam is released at a very high temperature to effectively sanitize dishes. Energy Saving? There are a few energy efficiency features I look for in new appliances. There’s an energy saver setting on the LG QuadWash Steam that I have used a few times already. Happy to note that the energy saver setting doesn’t compromise the cleanliness of the dishes. In Ontario, energy use and electricity is rated according to time of day. So costs are cheaper at night. With the delay start function and the app that allows me to control the dishwasher from my phone, I can ensure that it only runs in the late off hours at cheaper times of the night. Auto Cycle The Auto cycle is a smart feature I am impressed with too. I started using normal cycle because it seemed super simple and it was, but then I read about auto, which automatically senses the load size, soil level and optimizes for the best cleaning. That is a great feature. And night dry is unique too. Set the dishwasher for night dry and the fan runs periodically to help vent steam from the tub. The tub light is just the kind of technological advance and function I have come to expect from LG appliances. It’s a small thing, but it means you can clearly see to load or unload the dishwasher late at night. LG QuadWash Steam Specs If you’re like me, you enjoy seeing the specs of a device, machine, or appliance in addition to hearing about it. So with that in mind, here are a few more highlights of this amazing dishwasher. Steam Technology Reduces pre-washing Addition of steam helps hit all nooks and crannies Reduces water spots by 60% QuadWash Multi-Motion spray arms spin and rotate to hit every angle of every dish EasyRack Plus Folding tines for maximum flexibility On-the-fly rack height adjustment Smart Technology Control your dishwasher from your phone. That is the kind of fantastic feature I welcome in my home and frankly wish my other kitchen appliances had similar smart technology. So Does It Pass This final test? Some of you know my husband, Jim. He’s the real force behind much of the cleaning here, so I was curious to see if the LG QuadWash Steam dishwasher would win him over. The truth? I was won over with the amazing third rack and the other bells and whistles like the folding tines. The technology, the tub light and even the delightful music the dishwasher plays when a cycle is finished, all are winning details. My husband can be extremely particular with dishwashers, washers and dryers. But just a few days ago, out of the blue he said: “I’m not sure how it does it, but this dishwasher gets the dishes cleaner than any other we’ve had.” So there you have it. Our new LG Quadwash Steam dishwasher even meets the fussy spouse test. LG QuadWash Steam Dishwasher is Truly Awesome I have had several dishwashers over the years, and I can say with no hesitation that this LG QuadWash Steam is the best one we’ve had. I love the connectivity, flexibility, and styling of this machine so much. Plus the features on the LG QuadWash Steam are outstanding.

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Give The Gift of Sound with Bose Smart Speakers

Paula — Fri, 12 Oct 2018 12:46:49 +0000

This post is sponsored by Best Buy which means I received compensation. When my husband turned 50 I bought him an amazing Bose surround sound system for the family room. Bose speakers are my favourite and we have a few Bose sound products here, because the sound quality is unparalleled in my opinion. So when I heard of a new family of Bose smart speakers and soundbars with tricked out features able to update as new software features are added, I was keen to see more and share my impressions here too. Bose brings it every time in my opinion. The new Bose smart speakers and soundbars have built-in voice control from Amazon Alexa that puts millions of songs on the tip of your tongue at the touch of a button. And with Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth® compatibility, you can wirelessly stream whatever you want, however you want. Plus, future software updates will add new features. What? Yes, that’s future forward and exactly the kind of progressive technology I want. Our Bose system is about 4 years old now, which has me considering this upgrade. Superior Bose sound. Unlimited entertainment possibilities. How can that be anything but exceptional? Bose Smart Sound Control goes way beyond voice with these new Bose smart speakers and soundbars. Enjoy one-touch access to the music you love or manage it all from the Bose Music app. Want more music in more rooms? Done. The new Bose family of smart speakers and soundbars works together. Bose Soundbar 700 The Bose Soundbar 700, designed to be the world’s best soundbar, delivers an unmatched combination of sophisticated design and exceptional sound. Bose Soundbar 500 The stylish Bose Soundbar 500 has a thin profile that fits discreetly under your TV, while its powerful acoustics fill the room with sound. And the Bose Home Speaker 500 delivers the widest sound of any smart speaker. Unlimited Sound and Entertainment Value: Superior Bose sound coupled with unlimited entertainment possibilities. Yes please. The new Bose family of smart speakers and soundbars has built-in voice control from Amazon Alexa that puts millions of songs at your fingertips. And with Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth® compatibility, you can wirelessly stream whatever you want, whenever you want and however you want. Plus, future software updates will add new features. In fact that might be my favourite feature on the new Bose family of smart speakers, making these speakers relevant for years and a sound investment. Control goes way beyond voice. Enjoy one-touch access to the music you love or manage it all from the Bose Music app. This beats what I have currently and I could see it being super convenient since I rarely stray far from my smartphone. Want more music in more rooms? The new family of Bose smart speakers and soundbars works together. Bose Soundbar 700, designed to be the world’s best soundbar, delivers an unmatched combination of sophisticated design and exceptional sound. The stylish Bose Soundbar 500 has a thin profile that fits discreetly under your TV, while its powerful acoustics, with widest sounds of any smart speaker, fill the room with sound. Is it Time to Invest in Better Sound? Brilliant sound can elevate your entertainment experience at home and with this new family of Bose smart speakers and soundbars that’s an investment lasting for years. No better time to invest in sound or give the gift of entertainment!!

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Ten Camping Apps to Make Camping Go Smoothly

Paula — Thu, 29 Jun 2017 13:44:14 +0000

Camping apps? Yes, there are even apps to make you camping experience run a little smoother, if that’s your mission this year. Camper, glamper or weekend warrior – no matter what your camping style there’s a camping app to help. Most of my readers know by now that I am more of a glamper than a camper. I enjoy the outdoors and I love a good road trip. But I don’t do tents. Luckily there are a million and one different ways to get away in the summer. And whether you are camping, glamping, cottaging, or heading out of town to a resort with some friends and family the important thing is typically how you spend your time and who you are with while there. I love staying in a cottage and enjoying all of the comforts of that lifestyle, while doing some fun camping activities too. Like sharing campfire stories, roasting marshmallows and smores and enjoying a good song or two. So a space like Parkbridge Resorts or Sherkston Shores works beautifully for me. In fact many years I have rented a cottage with a relative too. Many of my readers are travellers and some are hardcore campers. Several also have their own RVs. No matter what style of camper you are there’s a reason camping or heading to the cottage is a favourite with families everywhere. It’s a great chance to unplug and spend time together in the great outdoors! When it comes to camping or any travel at all really, packing the right tools and necessities can be the difference between a bad or a good experience. Did you know that there are camping apps out there to make your camping trick run smoother? I know we’re supposed to be unplugged here, but these apps are definitely worth it! Ten Camping Apps: Camp Finder Compare and find camping and RV sites. Camping List Never forget another item on your camping trip again. Super simple to use. Must have iOS 8.0 or higher. Check off all the items you need and then mark them as packed when they are in fact ready to take with you. This may help keep you organized. Coleman Campfire Tale – a fun little app with some campfire stories for those times that you are stuck. Spyglass – available in multiple languages this is a GPS camping app and it is hardcore. MotionX GPS – Excellent and highly rated GPS app that will record your hikes, treks and bike rides with accuracy. Requires iOS 9.0 or later. Great for biking, hiking, skiing, snowboarding, running, paddle boarding, sailing, rowing, flying, geocaching, and more. Has free downloadable worldwide maps and NOAA marine charts. Over 5 million users worldwide. Star Walk Of course this camping app is a stargazing app in case you couldn’t tell by the name. Very educational. This is the kind of app my daughter loves when she’s outdoors. If you have to take the tech then it better be educational and helping. What Knot to Do – by outdoor sports clothiers – Columbia Sportswear this app details how to make over 70 different types of knots! Did you have any clue there were that many knots? This app requires iOS 9.0 or later. Dutch Oven Helper This is kind of a quirky little app. If you identify what kind of dutch oven you are cooking with and your cooking method then it will tell you how many briquettes you need to use. St. John Ambulance First Aid – Be warned this is only to be downloaded by those over age 17 and is based on UK St. John Ambulance protocols. But this is still a useful first aid and safety app for camping. The app doesn’t replace the benefits of learning first aid, nor is it as in depth as a full first aid manual. When there is an emergency, it may help you in the first crucial moments when time is important. BackCountry Navigator – the best selling outdoor navigational app for ANDROID. Best TOPO maps that are downloadable too. Camping Apps Can Add Value to the Outdoor Experience Have you heard of any of these camping apps before? Are you a camper? If so what’s your favourite app and do you even use them when camping?

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Keep it Together with Tile #Tileit

Paula — Wed, 29 Mar 2017 11:33:09 +0000

Keep it together! That’s something I tell myself quite often. As a mom of two, wife, blogger, social media consultant and avid traveler, I’m often on the go. I’m also occasionally frazzled. I can’t count how many times I’ve lost my keys – both in the house and out in the world – or misplaced my phone. It’s a frantic dash to find those things that I need in a day and yet somehow manage to lose. These days, life is a little easier on me, though. I’ve started using Tile to help me keep it together. Keep it Together at All Times We’ve all done it. You were frantic and late already, but now you’re running around like a chicken with its head cut off trying desperately to find your keys. Your kids are whining that you’re going to miss the movie. You snap, “That won’t happen!” But deep down inside, you know it might. You also know that if that happens, you’ll hear about it FOREVER. Or maybe you’re late for school. Or church. Or whatever. It’s the same story with a different setting, but not with Tile. Tile is a location system that combines a small, unobtrusive tracking Tile Mate or TileSlim and an app to help you quickly and easily locate anything you’ve attached it to. The system comes with the traditional tracking Tile Mate, which is perfect for attaching to keys, coats, bags, or any larger items, as well as the TileSlim which you can slide into your wallet or other smaller items to ensure you can find them whenever you need. Keep it Together Simply The Tile system makes it easy to keep it together with their tracking Tile Mate and TileSlim and app. It takes less than a minute to set up. After that, you can “call” your items when you’re nearby, find them on a map if you’re far away, or even get updated on their current location if they’ve been moved. Tile can even call your missing phone. It’s the most comprehensive location device ever made to help you keep it together featuring the world’s largest lost and found system. IT finds an impressive half a million items daily. The Tile never needs to be charged, so it’s also extremely easy and convenient. It’s guaranteed to last for a full year before it needs to be replaced. The Tile Mate can be used on everything from your key chain to coats to bags to, well, almost anything, really. The Tile Slim has all of the same great tracking features but in the world’s thinnest Bluetooth tracker. It’s perfect for adding security to your wallet or other thinner object that might be a little too small for the Tile Mate. You can find the Tile app on The App Store and Google Play, and you can find the Tile trackers online here. Not an online shopper? Canadian Tire, Best Buy, London Drug, and Staples also carry this amazing system. Keep it Together and Keep Your Sanity with Tile As a chronic misplacer, I can tell you that the Tile system is amazing. AH-mazing! I LOVE IT already, but I knew I would. The average person spends around 15 minutes looking for their keys and other objects, and I was definitely in that category. Now that I’m using the Tile system, those wasted minutes are gone. Now if I can’t remember where I put the keys or my wallet, I simply use the app, and I find them in no time. Easy peasy. And also awesome. If you’re a chronic misplacer, I encourage you to help yourself keep it together with Tile. I received product for purposes of this post and I also have some to share with one lucky Canadian reader. My opinion is all my own and it is also truthful. Entry-Form

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Bezalel’s Futura X – A Wireless Charging Pad to Make Life Easier #TakeCharge

Paula — Wed, 18 Jan 2017 15:06:59 +0000

Bezalel’s Futura X is an ultra thin wireless charging pad that’s also sexy. That’s right. It’s got a drop dead gorgeous sleek design combined with great performance. This wireless charging pad is ideal for those of us who never seem to have charging cords or chargers, and isn’t that pretty much all of us? Don’t try to deny it. You know they are never handy when you want them. Bezalel’s Futura X resolves that problem while looking good. Futura X – Making Charging Sexy I’ve been eyeing up charging pads forever, so when I found Bezalel’s products on line a couple of months ago I was smitten. Not only does Bezalel make products for the home and office, but also for your iPhone, and often with the goal of charging on the go. With this ultra thin wireless charging pad, all I need is one cord – the one that I use to plug the pad into the wall or any USB slot. Unlike some charging pads, this one is ultra thin and compact, which makes it easy to take with us when we travel. Equally simple to move around the house. It powers up any mobile device equipped with a Qi-compatible receiver. Just connect it to a power source, put your device on the pad, and start charging. Those of you who know me also know I am a gadget girl. New technology makes me happy. I’m a mom of two, a blogger, social media consultant and a wife. I tweet and share and post all day on the go from wherever I am. Technology is part of my life. When technology looks good and also improves my day in some way that is golden for me. Both the Latitude charging case and Futura X work beautifully together. The charge might be a tiny bit slower than charging in the wall with your original cord and cube, but the convenience makes that seem like a small thing. There is a magnetic positioning feature in the Futura X wireless charging pad, so that it pulls your phone into the proper position every time for a great charge. Futura X – Compatible with Almost Everything The Futura X charger by Bezalel is compatible with almost all modern devices. From Apple to Nokia, this beauty easily charges almost any device. It should be noted that with Apple devices, you’ll need to purchase a Latitude universal iPhone wireless charging case, which I also received to use on the go and in the van. The Latitude contains a flexible lightning connector which makes it different than other wireless charging receivers and cases. A Futura X stand is also available to vary up the way you charge. The stand has the same elegant clean design feel that the charging pad exhibits. Take a look at the compatibility. Apple iPhone 6, 6S, 6S Plus iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Active Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy S6 Edge+ Galaxy S, Galaxy S7 Edge and Galaxy Note 5 Google Nexus 4, 5, 6 and 7 Motorola Droid Maxx Droid Mini Droid Turbo and Droid Turbo 2 Moto 360 Nokia Lumia 735, Lumia 830, Lumia 920, Lumia 928, Lumia 929 Lumia 930 and Lumia 1520 Quite a comprehensive compatibility list. Futura X and Latitude with Bezalel – Easy Charging no Matter Where You Are I am loving the Futura X wireless charger and the Latitude. This combo makes life easier, while also looking good. It’s powerful, elegant and always ready for a charge. With the Futura X and Latitude with Bezalel I have more options for charging at home, in the office and on the go. The compact size of this charger and its compatibility is a huge plus, and the cost is affordable. To learn more or order the Futura X, visit the Bezalel website. [tweetthis]Use Paula20 right now to get 20% off @BezalelPower gadgets at http://bit.ly/Bezalel-Paula [/tweetthis] Right now use “Paula20” to save 20 % off your own gadgets from the Bezalel site. That’s a 20% off discount code for my followers – and you can plug that in right here: at http://bit.ly/Bezalel-Paula Bezalel sent me products for consideration here. My opinion is all my own and it is also truthful.

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Keep Tabs on Your Child’s Online Activity With These 5 Programs

Paula — Wed, 04 Jan 2017 10:29:41 +0000

Online activity can be a scary proposition for parents. What are your kids seeing? What are they hearing? Who or what are they interacting with? With the ability to open up browser windows that never save data or history, your child’s online activity can be a frightening thing indeed. What if you know very little about social media, or computers? Maybe you have no real clue how to check Snapchat or Instagram Stories to view what they are sharing and doing. Don’t worry, this post is intended to help. There are ways to help keep tabs on your child’s web surfing. Monitoring Online Activity for Safety There’s no end to the scariness of the internet if you have children. Between online porn sites, message boards, chat rooms, and other ways to interact with other people and less than savoury content, the internet is a minefield. That’s why it’s so important to track your child’s online activity. It’s a way to help keep them safe in a world where everyone – including predators – is technologically savvy. Web Watcher Web Watcher is a program that allows you to track your child’s activity on the PC, MAC, AND Android and Blackberry. In addition, it has a filtering app for iOS. That’s an impressive array of device monitoring. One of the best features of Web Watcher is that is allows you to monitor your child’s online activity without their knowledge. While this may feel sneaky, it’s the only true way to get a sense of what the kids are doing on their devices. Let’s face it, even the best kid is going to keep secrets, and the internet is not the place for that. uKnowKids Available for Windows, iOS, Android, and Blackberry, uKnowKids lets you monitor your child’s online activity, and it also has the ability to monitor location and text messages. I love that, because in this day and age of internet savvy online predators, the ability to monitor online activity, texts, and location is a huge deal. You never know where your child might come into contact with a sexual predator. KidsWatch KidsWatch seems to have the best of all worlds. It allows you to manage your child’s time online with custom schedules for limiting online activity. You can monitor chat sessions and receive alerts regarding inappropriate content. KidsWatch also has an interesting block feature that goes beyond blocking objectionable websites. It also blocks inappropriate banner ads and pop ups. One of the best parts of this program, in my opinion, is its sexual predator notification system. Not only does it immediately block many potential predator threats, but it also alerts you if a sexual predator moves to your area. Net Nanny Net Nanny is an excellent program, because it combines online internet activity tracking with internet filtering and even profanity masking. You can set filtering for 18 categories to either block, warn, or allow for view. Of course, you can also block pornography. It features a time management feature for limiting your child’s online activity as well as the ability to filter vulgar language out of pages that you deem otherwise okay for viewing. You can also monitor your child’s social media, receive alerts on your child’s internet activity, and create user profiles for each child. In addition to all of that, Net Nanny has a remote admin feature which allows you to do all of this from any computer with an internet connection. SniperSpy SniperSpy is one of those programs that pretty much does it all. It has all the standard filtering, activity, and monitoring features of other online activity monitoring services, but it has more, as well. It features an HTTPS secured connection – the only one in the remote software industry. In addition, it blocks task manager, registry editor, and system configuration access to prevent tampering with your system. It also features a Top Ten Graph which shows your the most visited URLs, applications, web searches, and more along with searchable logs and a user filter. Online Activity Monitoring is the Way to Go Some of these programs may seem like overkill, but in an age where porn sites are around every corner, no matter what you search for, it’s important to know what they are seeing. Online predators find new ways to contact kids daily. Online activity monitoring is vital to keep kids safe.

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Healthy Home with Netatmo Healthy Home Coach

Paula — Fri, 09 Dec 2016 14:22:27 +0000

A healthy home means a healthier life. But how do you get it? Netatmo’s new smart indoor climate monitor can help. Whether you’re looking to get better sleep or help with asthma issues or something else Netatmo’s Healthy Home Coach can help you do it. It’s the next step in indoor home quality monitoring. Healthy Home, Healthy Life So how can you make your home healthier? It starts with knowing what’s out of whack in the first place. That’s where Netatmo comes in. Their smart indoor climate monitor tracks four different aspects of your home environment and gives you tips on how to improve them. This revolutionary climate monitor measures humidity, air quality, noise, and temperature. Here’s how the Netatmo smart indoor climate monitor can help make your home healthier. Humidity Dry air can cause itchy, ashy skin. On the other hand, home with too much humidity are in danger of mold growth. Humidity levels can also play a big role in managing allergies and asthma. The Netatmo Healthy Home Coach helps you find the balance that works best for each room in your home by measuring the humidity level. Air Quality Poorly ventilated rooms lead to high indoor air pollution. This is especially bad for those with allergies and asthma. It also affects our overall health, because high indoor air pollution can irritate our sinuses and throats and make it hard to concentrate. As a blogger and mom of a teen and tween, I need all the concentration I can get. Netatmo Healthy Home Coach measures the quality of your home’s air and gives you suggestions on how to improve it. Noise Oh, the noise, the noise. All that noise, noise, NOISE. Hey, Grinch references are okay now. It’s holiday season after all. Seriously, though. Noise can impact how well you and your family sleep, which impacts your overall health. Netatmo Healthy Home Coach monitors your home’s noise levels, and you can check that data history to understand how you can improve noise levels, and thus, improve sleep. Temperature Netatmo Healthy Home Coach monitors indoor temperature to keep you and your family comfortable. This is especially helpful if you have babies or toddlers. They can’t balance their body temperature the way we can. With the Netatmo Healthy Home Coach, you can monitor the indoor temperature and adjust it accordingly to your family’s needs. Netatmo Healthy Home Coach Makes it Easy to Monitor Your Environment The Netatmo Healthy Home Coach smart indoor climate monitor makes it easy to keep track of the quality of your home’s environment, and it does it without being an eyesore. It’s compact, elegant design blends into any home decor. It features easy Wi-Fi setup with no subscription and fees, and you can access it using their app. Easy! And speaking of easy, setup is a breeze. Just one tap on the top activates the Healthy Home Coach and gives you immediate insight into the health of your home. You can also easily expand the system just by adding other units to the rooms in your home that matter most to you – as few or as many as you want. A healthy home means a healthier life, so head over to the Netatmo Healthy Home Coach webpage to see how this indoor air quality monitor can help you keep your home and your family healthier starting today. I received product and some perks in order to complete this post. My opinion is all my own and it is also truthful.

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Online Safety and Snapchat

Paula — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 09:23:12 +0000

Online safety is a big deal, and Snapchat has become one of the more concerning apps for parents of tweens and teens. Because users of SnapChat can specify a time frame that a picture will stay on the server, online safety is a concern with this app. What is SnapChat ? For those of you who don’t know, SnapChat is a video messaging app which allows users to take photos, videos, and add text or drawings and then send them to other users. This media – known as “Snaps” can be set up with a time limit on how long it can be viewed by the recipient. After that time, the media is deleted from the server. This app has become extremely popular with tweens and teens, and that makes it an online safety concern for parents. Obviously, the format of the app is concerning, because kids can take send any sort of media to one another and in theory leave no trace behind. Not only can kids do it, so can sexual predators. It wouldn’t take much for a predator to set up an account and begin fishing for vulnerable youth here. I want to add that this was never SnapChat’s intent, and that they have a story mode for stringing together “Snaps” in chronological order to make a story. With appropriate use, SnapChat can be a fun social networking too. It can also be useful for brands. But, there just happen to be many ways that it can be abused. Snapchat filters are a tonne of fun. Kids everywhere enjoy them and so do adults. Snapchat is also attracting more brands and traditional news outlet accounts daily. However, as mentioned the media is limited and disappears after awhile. That premise gives users a false sense of this tool being private and not permanent. There are many ways for snaps to be permanent though. ANYONE can screenshot anything you share on any channel. There’s no such thing as privacy when it comes to social media and on line sharing. Parents need to teach their children and teens that anything they share on social media can be found, or used against them potentially in the future. My litmus test is always what do you want your future employer or the university you apply to attend to know or see about you? Do you want them to see snaps or posts of you out drinking with friends? Do you want your future employer to see you naked? Then don’t share that even on a channel you think is safe and temporary. PIN for Later – > At one of my daughter’s schools, Snapchat has become a space where girls and guys share nude pictures. I don’t have to tell you how inappropriate that is. Every year in September I hear about some female student getting in trouble for sending a nude snap to someone else’s boyfriend. That’s poor judgement on a teen’s part. Even sharing that type of material socially can leave your child or youth open to getting bullied, and potentially even charges of distributing child pornography. [tweetthis]As a parent you need to know what’s happening on this popular social media channel.[/tweetthis] As a parent I have a Snapchat account, but I don’t use it much. Basically I use it to monitor what is happening and what people are sharing who are connected to my kids. As I mentioned to another parent the other day, it’s not that I don’t trust my kids – it’s the other users on Snapchat hat you need to be wary of. A friend who is a blogger this week warned – “Even I get penis pictures sent to me daily. No way is my child allowed to use Snapchat.” [tweetthis]You might think Snaps disappear but there’s no such thing as temporary when it comes to on line media.[/tweetthis] Practicing Online Safety with SnapChat First and foremost, online safety with any app begins with talking and determining if your kids are mature enough to have an app like SnapChat. You’ll definitely want an online safety contract with your kids which specifies usage, what is and isn’t allowed. Because of the nature of SnapChat, it’s a good idea to use some sort of monitoring system. In the past, SnapChat was most concerning to parents because it was completely out of their control. Now, however, there are a few different apps that allow parents to monitor their child’s SnapChat activity. Although these apps are essentially intruding on a child’s account, the distaste a parent might feel for doing it is far outweighed by the safety concerns of using SnapChat on an honor system. mSpy: Android, iOS, Mac OS, Windows mSpy is the best choice for parents who want maximum tracking for online safety with SnapChat. It tracks and saves all SnapChat data between the monitored device and other accounts. Flexispy: Symbian, Android, iPhone, Blackberry Flexispy is also a good choice for SnapChat monitoring, although it isn’t as feature-rich as mSpy. Spyera: Android, iOS Spyera tracks SnapChat in the same way as mSpy and Flexispy, although it doesn’t always capture every single interaction, making it less attractive for SnapChat online safety. WebWatcher: Android, iOS This is a simple, cheap option. The downside is that its tracking is basic and rough. This is one of those apps that you say, “At least it’s a start.” Online Safety Online safety is a necessity. On line safety is even more important when it comes to SnapChat. Although with proper usage, it can be an entertaining way of connecting with people, with improper usage, it can be dangerous. So talk with your kids about SnapChat, discuss online safety, and consider a SnapChat monitoring app.

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