Info & Tips On Not Getting Sick

Here's some information on germs and tips to prevent you and your loved ones from getting the sick this season!

Basic info on germs:
Germs are tiny organisms or living things that can cause disease.  Germs are so small and sneaky that they creep into our bodies without being noticed until we have symptoms that say we've been attacked.

The four major types of germs are: bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa. They not only attack humans but plants and animals too. Though not all bacteria is bad!  We need some bacteria in our intestines to help us use the nutrients in the food we eat and make waste from what's left over.  Also some bacteria is used in labs to product medicines and vaccines.

Viruses need to be inside living cells to grow and reproduce.  They spread and make us sick like chickenpox, measles, flu and many others.

Fungi get their nutrition from plants, people and animals.  They love damp, warm places and not much of a threat to healthy people.

Protozoa love moisture too and often spread diseases through water.  Some can cause intestinal infections that lead to diarrhea, nausea, and belly pain.

Wash Your Hands:
When washing your hands be sure to use warm water,  soap, scrub between your fingers, under your nails and front and back of your hands for at least 15-20 seconds. After rinsing off your hands use the paper towel or tissue that you've used to dry your hands with to turn off the faucet.

Interesting Facts:
In general adults who have the flu can spread the virus for up to 5 days after they start feeling sick. Children can spread the flu virus for 7 days or more.  

People can be infected with the flu virus and not display any symptoms for at least 24 hours upon contracting the virus.

Flu viruses can live up to 2 days on hard surfaces and up to 12 hours on materials such as cloth and paper, so be sure to wash your hands often, thoroughly and disinfect items that may have come into contact with the virus.

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Turbo Tax Deluxe Federal + E-File $29.99 and More...

Since it’s a new year it’s time to start thinking about filing our taxes. Right now on Amazon you can grab one of my favorites TurboTax Deluxe Federal + E-File + State 2012 for $39.99 Shipped (Retail $59.99) or most of us don't need State you can grab TurboTax Deluxe Federal + E-File 2012 for PC [Download] for $29.99 (Retail $49.99).

Plus there are additional offers available:

-When you purchase the 2012 versions of TurboTax Basic, Deluxe, Premier, or Home & Business, you qualify for special savings on Quicken 2013.
-Use promo code BTTG3OSE to save $30 on Quicken Starter Edition 2013, or use promo code BTTG35QK to save $35 on Quicken Deluxe 2013, Premier 2013, Home & Business 2013, or Essentials for Mac.

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Items to Expect for Less in 2013

Here's a list of items to expect for less in 2013. 

Streaming Video

We've known for months that Redbox has been working on a streaming alternative to Netflix. However, it wasn't until late 2012 that Redbox made it official. The service, which costs $8 per month, offers four 1-day DVD rentals per month with unlimited streaming. By comparison, Netflix's streaming and 1 DVD-at-a-time plan costs $15.98. It's still too early to tell how Netflix and Amazon Instant Video will react to the new competition, but moviegoers take note, there's a new streaming option in town.

Microsoft Surface RT

Microsoft's Surface RT tablet debuted to lukewarm reviews and tepid sales. As a result, Microsoft announced it would expand the availability of its tablet to big-box retailers like Best Buy and Walmart. That's good news for consumers because your chances of finding a deal on a Surface RT tablet just increased. And with the debut of the more powerful (and expensive) Surface Pro tablet in January, Surface RT prices have only one way to go, and that's down.

60" LCD HDTVs

Forget 3D. If there's one thing that 2012 has taught us, it's that retailers are slashing prices on big-screen HDTVs. In fact, during this past Black Friday, deals on 60" 1080p LCD HDTVs came in at 4% under predictions. Additionally, at the time of publication, deal prices were coming in at the third-lowest of the year. So if you're in the market for a new HDTV, 60"+ sets are where you'll find the biggest price cuts.

Gaming

2013 is shaping up to be an interesting year for gamers. On the one hand, you have the release of the Ouya, a $99 game console funded through Kickstarter by the gaming community itself. The Android-based console already has a few exclusives lined up, including a partnership with Square Enix. Equally important is Valve's confirmation that it's working on a Steam Box console. Such a console would not only usher in the death of the disc, but also an abundance of deals on popular gaming titles as we're already accustomed to seeing from Steam. Cheap, cloud-based gaming?

Solar Costs

Advocates for clean energy will surely rejoice in 2013, since, according to Lux Research, the cost of producing solar modules (which make up solar panels) is going down. In fact, the report claims that they're on track to drop as low as 50 cents per watt in the coming years. Currently at 70 cents per watt, the incoming price drop is due to increasingly efficient manufacturing and module technology.

AMD Laptops

The coming year doesn't look so bright for AMD. As the chip-maker continues to struggle financially, analysts are beginning to question whether the company can afford to remain in the PC chip-making business. Whether or not the company's financial woes evolve into a fire sale on AMD-based laptops is anyone's guess, but 2013 could be the year we bid adieu to AMD as we currently know it.

eBook Pricing

Last spring, the Justice Department sued five major publishers (along with Apple) over eBook price-fixing charges. The suit, which was a major win for Amazon, led the Seattle-based retailer to refund customers for select eBook purchases made in the past. In addition to the refunds, Amazon also stated it would once again begin discounting Kindle books. While the New York Times reports that those discounts haven't been as deep as expected, prices have fallen from where they were before, which is a win for anyone who found a new Kindle or tablet under their Christmas tree last week.

Shopping from Your Smartphone

Mobile sales are up. In fact, the Washington Post reports that one in five holiday shoppers made purchases via their smartphone. Likewise, a recent IBM report found that 16% of shoppers bought something on their smartphone this Black Friday. As a result of this mobile shopping explosion, 2013 is guaranteed to usher in new deals as retailers try to court their phone-savvy customers with special promotions. The result? An abundance of mobile deals and discounts.

Hard Drives

Last year was a difficult year for the hard drive industry. Deals were scarce and prices were high. However, late 2012 marked the return of the hard drive deal. For example, whereas November of 2011 saw only a handful of deals on 1TB external hard drives, this past November, that number more then doubled. The quality of the deals we saw also improved with prices roughly 33% lower. We anticipate this trend to continue through 2013.

Smartphones

The smartphone industry is moving at an alarming rate. Today's phone of the moment is tomorrow's has-been. However, it's not all bad. It's actually helped usher in an abundance of deals on current smartphones. Even the iPhone 5 is experiencing a surge of deals. For 2013, we predict more smartphone sales with deals starting at $0 (with a 2-year contract) or, as we saw this past November, with deals that actually give the consumer a profit in the form of a gift card or credit.

Gas Prices

Good news for car owners! Oil analysts at Deutsche Bank are predicting that oil prices will drop from $100 to $70 per barrel in the coming year. For consumers at the pump, this translates into lower gas prices. And while relief at the pump may not come immediately, Deutsche Bank again states that oil prices have peaked and will only come down in the coming months.

Thanks DN

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Kid Craft Ideas for The Holiday & Winter Break

Here are a few fun and easy crafts for the kids to do this Winter/Holiday break to keep them busy. Be sure to click on the link below the images for craft instructions.

Cotton Ball Snowman Craft

Cereal Box Snowman

Hot Chocolate Mug Craft

Snow Measuring Stick Craft

Snow Globe Craft

Snowman Jar Craft

Mitten Lacing

Q-Tip Snowflakes

Snowflake Puzzle

Gingerbread man connect the dots

Color by number Evergreen tree

Snowman Coloring Sheet

Skating Coloring Sheet

Sledding Maze

Winter Word Search

Find more crafts ideas go here and for more coloring pages go here.

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Retailer Price Matching Guide for Holiday Shopping

Retailers that have a price match policy, be sure to call your local store in advance to verify if they will honor the policy during Black Friday weekend. Also it's always a good idea to come prepared and have the competing sales ads/circulars on hand when shopping.

Amazon: Only price matches on TV purchases. For purchases on TVs, you must email your "found a lower price" link on your order page.

Best Buy: Normally a consumer must show a printed ad from a local competitor however this policy is not valid for sale items on Thanksgiving day through cyber Monday.

Home Depot: If the customer finds a current lower price on an identical, in-stock item from any retailer, Home Depot will match the price and beat it by 10%. Excludes special orders, bid pricing, volume discounts, open-box merchandise, labor and installation, sales tax, rebate and free offers, typographical errors, and online purchases.

Lowe’s: Will beat the price by 10% for an identical product at any local retail competitor that has the item in stock. Must bring the competitor’s current ad or Lowe’s will call to verify the item’s price. Price guarantee honored at all Lowe’s retail locations. Some restrictions apply. Call your local store for more details.

Office Depot: Must show ad for lower price at another store on a new identical item. Office Depot will match the price at the time of purchase or if the customer presents the ad within 14 days of the purchase and Office Depot will pay the difference.

OfficeMax: Must complete the OfficeMax online Price Match Request. Some exclusions apply.

Sears: Does not offer price matching during special events which includes Thanksgiving day through cyber Monday. However at other times, Sears will price match within 14 days of purchase and beat the price by 10%.

Staples’: Price match guarantee applies to participating individual stores on the day after Thanksgiving. Must show the lower price on a new identical item or within 14 days of the purchase and Staples will pay the difference.

Target: Price matching with retailers until December 16th and doing price adjustments now through December 24th with the exception of Black Friday weekend. Otherwise, Target will match prices within one week of purchase.

Walmart:  Price matching policy will not apply to purchases made during Black Friday weekend. Otherwise, the store will give customers a Walmart gift card for the difference of any eligible product purchased from November 1st through December 25th that is found at another store for a lower price.

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$1 Off 2 Immaculate Baking Refrigerated Doughs + Mini Stone Fruit Pies

This past summer I posted a mini stone fruit pie recipe that requires a pie crust and if you're unable to make the pie crust then I'd recommend checking out Immaculate Baking pie crust as it's an excellent substitute to making it yourself. I recently picked up the Immaculate Baking Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough however I have not baked it yet so I can't tell you if it's any good though I'm sure it's tasty given my experience with the pie crust.

In case you missed the mini stone fruit pie recipe, be sure to grab it here.

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San Francisco Is America's Best City

Do you agree with Business Week's article about SF being the best city in America for 2012? For those who have not had a chance to read the article, I've cut and pasted it below. I for one was excited to read this article and to see SF recognized as the best city for this year!

As long as chilly weather, walking uphill, and really expensive real estate don’t turn you off, San Francisco has no shortage of positive qualities. Though numbering fewer than a million people, this coastal city packs in so much—from world-class restaurants and museums to community fairs and music festivals, a large educated class, and an improving economy—that many proud San Franciscans will tell you that its finish at the top of Businessweek.com’s 2012 best cities ranking is well-earned.

“So glad, but also not surprised, that San Francisco did well on the best cities to live list,” says Betsy Crabtree, publisher of San Francisco Arts Monthly, in an e-mail.

For the ranking, Businessweek.com once again teamed up with Bloomberg Rankings to evaluate data on 100 of the country’s largest cities. We looked at leisure attributes (the number of restaurants, bars, libraries, museums, professional sports teams, and park acres by population), educational attributes (public school performance, the number of colleges, and rate of graduate-degree holders), economic factors (income and unemployment), crime, and air quality. Major professional league and minor league teams, as well as U.S.-based teams belonging to international leagues in each city were included. This year we placed greater emphasis on leisure amenities than we did last year. The figures come from data company Onboard Informatics and the nonprofit Trust for Public Land. As the methodology was altered, changes in a city’s ranking from 2011 do not suggest that it has gotten “better” or “worse.”

There’s no agreeing on which is the “best” city for you to live in. For that, family connections, occupation, lifestyle, and perhaps a lifelong devotion to a doomed sports team all come into play. The list is our best stab at recognizing some of the most important common variables.

San Francisco, for instance, had the highest score for education (based on the previously mentioned factors), ranked sixth for leisure, and placed in the top 20 for economic factors and air quality. In addition to the usual plethora of food trucks, restaurants, bars, and parks, the diverse city also hosts an endless stream of events, including an annual jazz festival, a literary festival, and a number of fairs in the month of October alone. That, along with sheer breathtaking views, attracts about 129,000 tourists every day, according to the San Francisco Travel Association. The city’s cosmopolitan nature enhances the amenities available to residents year-round.

Add a lively arts scene. While cultural institutions such as the de Young Museum may house famous works, the city also tries to bring art to all its residents. Urban Solutions’ 2 Blocks of Art, a free art walk in the Central Market neighborhood, for instance, is one of a few projects bringing art to the city’s challenged areas. “I’ve worked here for three administrations and the local government leadership has always been supportive of the arts in the city. That’s really created a lot of the pride we have here,” says Robynn Takayama, community arts and education program manager at the San Francisco Arts Commission.

Not everything is golden in San Francisco, of course. An influx of young techies has driven up living costs. (Average rent for a studio apartment is $2,075, according to research firm RealFacts.) As the city has grown wealthier, it has lost some of its legendary grit. Yet it has one of the largest U.S. populations of homeless people.

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Wounded Warrior Project

The Wounded Warrior Project is once again offering some great printable coupons from companies that support our military heroes. Just head over here and click on the coupon tab to view and print your favorites. You can also donate to Wounded Warriors and help our injured service members this Veterans Day.
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Ikea Soft Toys For Education Campaign -- Holiday Gift Idea

If you’re looking for a gift that will give back, you might consider the IKEA Soft Toys for Education. Starting today, November 4th – December 29th this annual event raises money to educate children around the world.

Since 2003, the IKEA Soft Toys for Education campaign has donated $61.75 million in donations to UNICEF and Save the Children, helping eight million children through over 70 programs. IKEA Soft Toys – which includes stuffed animals, finger puppets and books – range in price from $.49 – $19.99 and are available at all IKEA stores and online. For every IKEA Soft Toy purchased, one euro (approximately $1.35 US) is donated to the Soft Toys for Education Campaign.

These incredibly affordable and cuddly toys will certainly put a smile in the hearts of children, while supporting millions of others in need of a quality education.

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Home Depot Holiday Light Trade-In Program

Right now and for a limited time Home Depot is offering up to $5 off with Christmas Light Trade In program.

Bring in your broken or used incandescent holiday light strings to be recycled ad The Home Depot and receive a discount on a single receipt in-store purchase of the LED lights. Receive the discount for each string recycled. Limit 5 discounts per customer. Valid until November 14th.
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Candy Buy Back Program

Have you heard of the Candy Buy Back Program sponsored by dentists across the country. You'll get paid $1/lb or given something else in exchange and the candy will then be sent to our troops.

Head over to Halloween Candy Buy Back to find a participating dentist near you.

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Yogurtland My Masterpiece Contest

Calling all frozen yogurt lovers, Yogurtland guests are invited to photograph and name their favorite, most imaginative yogurt creation and submit it to the My Masterpiece website and Facebook page. At the end of the submission time frame, each entrant will receive a link to their Masterpiece submission and can invite their friends to vote for the top creations.

Voting for the top masterpiece creations takes place from October 29th – November 2nd. The top 100 entries will be judged by a panel of Yogurtland judges based on taste, name and recipe of the Masterpiece, creativity of the recipe and the ability to easily recreate the Masterpiece in Yogurtland stores. The first place winner will receive a $500 Yogurtland gift card for a year of free yogurt, second place will receive a $250 gift card for six months of free yogurt, and third place will receive a $125 gift card for three months of free yogurt. The top three winners will also receive gift cards to reward their friends for voting for their entry. Each Yogurtland store is encouraged to choose a local winner who will receive a $100 Yogurtland gift card.

The best part is that all entrants will receive a coupon to receive their first 3-ounces yogurt free.

For additional details be sure to check out Yogurtland's website.

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Tips on How To Trade-In or Sell Your Phone For Cash

For those of you trying to get the new iPhone5 and thinking about selling your old iPhone here's a list of companies that will give you cash, gift cards or store credit for your old devices. Note quotes provided below is for the iPhone 4 and given between September 21st - September 25th and to be used as a reference as quotes will vary depending on the condition of the phone. 

Gazelle.com: A website that will pay you for the cell phones, iPads, Macs and other Apple devices you no longer need. Quote: $135

How it works:
1. Get a FREE quote by answering a few simple questions about your device
2. Print out a shipping label and send your device to Gazelle FREE of charge for items worth at less $1
3. Get paid by either check, PayPal or Amazon Gift Card

RadioShack: Offers you a choice to trade-in online or in store. Quote: $136.20

How it works:
Trade-In Online -
1. Get a quote by answering a few simple questions about your device
2. Ship it to RadioShack using your FREE prepaid shipping label
3. Receive a RadioShack Gift Card to use in-store or online. RadioShack does sell iPhones.

Trade-In In Store -
1. Bring in your working device and accessories to any RadioShack location
2. A sales rep will appraise your device
3. You will get credit for your purchase

Amazon.com: Get an Amazon eGift Card in exchange for your device. Quote: $144.50

How it works:
1. Get a quote by answering a few simple questions about your device
2. Ship it to Amazon using your FREE prepaid shipping label
3. Upon receipt of your device, you will receive an Amazon eGift Card in your account. Amazon does sell iPhones.

GameStop:  Get cash or store credit for device. Quote: $149 cash or $179 store credit

How it works:
1. Bring your device to any GameStop location for a FREE quote. You can also print out a quote online and take it into the store
2. Get cash or store credit on the spot

Target: Get a Target Gift Card for your device. Quote: $150

How it works:
In Store-
1. Bring your device to any Target location (electronics department)
2. Get a quote
3. Get a Target Gift Card

Online-
1. Get a quote by answering a few simple questions about your device
2. Send it in. FREE UPS shipping.
3. A Target GiftCard will be mailed to you.

eBay: Sell your device for cash via PayPal. Instant sale quote: $240

How it works:
Instant Sale
1. Get an online quote by answering a few simple questions about your device
2. Ship it to eBay FREE
3. Get money deposited in your PayPal account upon receipt of your device
You can also choose to list and sell your device on your own.

Best Buy: Get a Best Buy Gift Card for your device. Quote: $265

How it works:
1. Use the Estimator to receive an instant estimate of your trade-in value.
2. If the value is acceptable, register with the Best Buy Trade-In Center.
3. Complete the transaction, print a prepaid shipping label and ship your items to our trade-in center.
4. A Best Buy E-Gift Card will be emailed to the email address provided during registration, within 10 days of receipt of your item.

If you're looking for cash immediately then GameStop is the best choice. However, if you have can part with your old phone for few days then eBay or Best Buy is the better choice as you are more likely to get more money for your phone.

Thanks Maggie

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Nut Butter Recall

If you recently purchased any nut butter you may want to double check and make sure that your item is not part of the recall from Sunland Inc. The New Mexico company whose peanut butter has been linked to a multistate Salmonella outbreak issued a massive recall of products Monday.

Sunland Inc. of Portales, NM is recalling all of its almond butter and peanut butter products manufactured since May of 2012 because they may be contaminated with Salmonella Bredeney, a rare strain of Salmonella that has caused at least 29 illnesses in 18 states since June 11th.

This large market withdrawal follows a more limited one initiated by Trader Joe's, which recalled its Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter Friday. As Food Safety News reported today, that peanut butter is supplied by Sunland, which has now confirmed that the recall extends to all its almond and peanut butter products, which it says were distributed nationally to large retail chains.

"There is nothing more important to us than the health and safety of our customers, particularly the many families who enjoy our peanut butter everyday," said Jimmie Shearer, President and CEO of Sunland in a statement Monday. "While FDA, CDC, and State Health Agencies investigate to confirm the cause of illnesses reported, as a precautionary step, we have decided to voluntarily recall our Almond Butter and Peanut Butter products manufactured between May 1, 2012 and September 24, 2012. If you purchased these products, do not eat them. Please return the product to your supermarket for a full refund or dispose of it."

Products subject to this recall include the following. The UPC code is located on the side of the jar's label below the bar code. All affected products bear a Best-If-Used-By date between May 1, 2013 and September 24, 2013. This date will be stamped by the side of the jar's label below the lid of the jar. To view the product recall list and obtain additional information go here.

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