DealDash, Author at DealDash Blog

Back to School with DealDash

What three words make kids groan and parents smile? I guess the title kind of gives it away — BACK TO SCHOOL!!

The summer is winding down, and if you have been out shopping at any of the big box retailers lately I’m sure you have seen that they have put up their Back to School displays up. Even though I wasn’t the best student and I wasn’t really that crazy about school I LOVED school supplies. Whenever my parents and I would go into a store in August and see the Back to School displays I would always get excited. New backpack! New calculator! New notebooks with something cute on the front! But what if your little one isn’t so excited about starting school? Here are some tips to get your little one more comfortable with the idea.

For most small kids their biggest source of anxiety is “Will I like my new teacher?” If your child’s school has one, open house or back-to-school night is a great way for your child to meet their new teacher, and maybe even some kids in their new class. If your school doesn’t have an open house night before school starts try to at least find the teacher’s picture on a school website or in a yearbook, so your child can put a name with a face. There are other worries, of course, but this particular one ranks up there as number one.

Another big fear that kids can have before school starts is “Will I make any friends?” If you live in a neighborhood, try taking a walk around the neighborhood after dinner to see if you can find any families outside with kids the same age to chat about school with. Best case scenario they have a child that will be in the same class as your child, but if not, perhaps you can at least secure your child a “bus buddy” to sit with the first day of school.

Now here comes the fun part! Get the class supply list from your child’s school and take a special shopping trip with him/her. Having the right tools will help them feel prepared and ready to learn. While keeping basic items in mind, allow for a couple of splurges like a cool backpack or a cute re-usable lunch bag. These simple extras make going back to school a lot more fun.

If you’ve been on DealDash this week you might have noticed that they are having a Back to School promotion going on right now! The bids are on sale, but the best part is that all auction wins are HALF OFF! Check out the Home & Office category on DealDash for some great school and office supplies. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

1000 free bids go to…

The best photo of the week goes to Dennis R. Scott. Congratulations! You just won 1000 free DealDash bids for posting this great photo of the Omaha Steak Special (valued at $237) that you won for only $3.70!

Here I am with two of my Omaha Steak wins. I won a $100 Omaha Steak Gift Card for just $17.53 plus bids and the Omaha Steak Special worth $237 for just $3.70. I am eating the best steaks for a fraction of the store costs. Thanks DealDash. My stomach thanks you!

Have you collected your free bids for your posting your winning photos to Facebook? If not, you’re missing out on hundreds of free bids and a chance to win 1000 bids awarded weekly for the best photo. Learn about how you can claim your free bids here.

Looking forward to seeing your photos!

Living Healthy: Eating Well, Even on a Budget

Welcome back to DealDash Blog’s Living Healthy series. Today’s blog is all about sharing ideas of how you can eat healthfully, even when you’re on a budget.

Most people have a basic idea of what it means to be a healthy eater – everyone is familiar with the Food Pyramid from elementary school, right? The problem is, sometimes making healthy food choices can really put a strain on your budget, especially if you are feeding a family of four or even more. Luckily, I have some easy strategies for you to try to incorporate into your daily life.

1 – Meal Planning. Strategy number one is really important to staying on budget – when you plan your meals out ahead of time (I like to do a week’s worth at a time) it allows you to buy healthy food in bulk at your local wholesale club and spread the goodness out over multiple meals. For example, if I were to buy the single mixed-greens bag of salad at the local supermarket it would cost me approximately $3, and last my family of four for just one meal. However, if I plan my meals ahead of time and I know that we are going to have salads three nights in the upcoming week I can buy the large box of mixed-greens at the wholesale club for $6 and have enough salad for all three nights. See? I just saved myself $3 by planning ahead.

2- Home Cooking. Strategy number two is really beneficial for both your health and your wallet. If my family of four decided that we would all like to have lasagna and we went to any of the mid-priced Italian restaurants in my area we would spend approximately $60 (I live right outside of Boston, it might be cheaper near you), and in addition to that the lasagna would most likely be made with lots of oil, white pasta, and full-fat cheese. However, if I were to make the exact same meal at home it costs less than $15, and I am able to use fat-free cheese, whole wheat pasta noodles, and even substitute some of the ricotta for cottage cheese. It tastes absolutely delicious, and it’s very healthy as well. In a quest to get my children to eat more veggies I also add mushrooms, diced tomatoes, and zucchini slices (Shhhhh…Don’t tell!)

3- Farmer’s Markets. Strategy number three may or may not work for you depending on where you live. In my area, there is a farmer’s market going on in my town and every small town around me. When you go to the farmer’s market you are getting delicious fruits and veggies that are extremely fresh because they are grown locally. In addition to that, the prices are definitely better than any supermarket around, especially if there are multiple vendors selling the same fruits and veggies. If you want to make your trip to the farmer’s market even healthier, try walking there! The weather is beautiful in August, and the fresh air is great for your body and mind.

I hope this article has encouraged you to try some of my strategies for living healthy on a budget. If you’re interested in getting some items to help you with cooking at home head on over to DealDash. DealDash has food processors, stand mixers, cookware, and plenty of other items that you can use. Check out the Kitchen & Appliances category and I’m sure that you’ll find something that you can use to make you and your family a little bit healthier. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

Goodbye July, Hello August!

July is winding down, and August is right around the corner. Have you been getting the most out of your summer? Let’s think of some ways to make August even better!

Do you and your family all have bikes? My family does, and one way or another I got them from DealDash! I purchased mine and my fiance’s bikes from Target with gift cards from DealDash, and the kid’s bikes I won for less than $2 final value fee. Amazing! Riding bikes around the neighborhood with my family is one of my favorite summer activities. If you haven’t gotten bikes for your whole family to ride together, I suggest you put it on your list of things to do in August.

Another great thing to do in August would be to take a short trip. There’s nothing quite as satisfying to me as to “play hooky” on a Friday from work, and take the kids on a road trip for a long weekend. Luckily for us we live in New England, where the states are on the small side; We can easily take a long weekend to New Hampshire, Connecticut, New York, Vermont, or even Maine and still have lots of time left over for fun before we have to head back. If you’re looking for some new luggage for a trip, DealDash has you covered. They have full sets, single suitcases, and even rolling duffle bags.

Lastly, how can your summer be complete without taking your family fishing together? There are definitely a few things that you need to remember if you’re going to be taking the whole family along:

Bring sunblock -Nothing ruins the memory of an awesome family fun day like a painful sunburn.
Bring bug spray – See above. Bug bites ruin your day.
Bring food/drinks – Especially if you have small kids. They get hungry, and hungry quickly turns to crankiness if they aren’t fed.
Bring a first aid kit- Better safe than sorry.
Have fun! Enjoy these precious moments with your family and enjoy the day together!

DealDash not only has all sorts of fishing gear, but they also have coolers and first aid kits if you need to replace yours. Go check out the Hobbies, Outdoors, & Sports category on DealDash and see if there’s something that you and your family can use for your awesome family activities in August. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

Baby Talk: Let’s Talk Strollers!

How do you know what type of stroller to buy? Well, it depends what you need it for, of course! There are many different types of strollers depending on your needs and budget. Let’s talk strollers!

In this article we will go over some of the most popular types of strollers and when and where you would use them. Included in this article is the Full Size Stroller Travel System, the Jogging Stroller, and the Lightweight Foldable Stroller. All of these strollers can be very useful, and serve specific purposes. Safety 1st SleekRide™Premier Travel System, Sail Away

The first type of stroller we will talk about is the Travel System, which includes a Full Size stroller. The travel system consists of a Full Size stroller, a “baby bucket” baby carrying system which doubles as a car seat, and a car seat base. The Full Size stroller usually has more “options” than any of the other strollers that we are going to talk about. These strollers almost always have at the bare minimum dual cup holders, place for your keys/wallet, and a large travel basket underneath. The Full Size stroller also usually has front and rear brakes. In addition to the Full Size stroller the Travel System also includes the baby bucket, which is a portable car seat with a handle you can use to carry the baby or transfer it from stroller to car. The Travel System also includes a car seat base, which attaches into your car and your baby bucket snaps into it easily. These sets are typically more expensive than just a stroller because of the multiple pieces.

Schwinn Turismo Double Jogging Stroller, Gray & Blue

Another very popular stroller is the jogging stroller. They are built on a sturdy base and have 3 wheels in a triangular pattern. They typically are more rugged and can stand more abuse than a regular stroller. They are used for jogging, walking, hiking, and other athletic pursuits. Jogging strollers usually have a place to put your water bottle, keys, etc. The Jogging Stroller has a much better turning radius and you can use it to go in and out of crowds without accidentally running over anyone’s feet. Jogging Strollers have been picking up in popularity lately, everyone wants to be healthy!

The Lightweight Foldable Stroller is a great stroller to have. I have gotten more use of out this particular stroller than all of my other ones combined. They are so easy to just fold up and carry with you, stick them in a trunk, or some of them even have a strap so you can wear it on your back when you aren’t using it. Some of the nicer ones even have baskets underneath and cup holders.

After reading this article I hope that you have a better idea of what type of stroller that would be best for your child and family. All of these strollers have their own specific uses, and I myself own all of them, and use them in different situations. Good luck in finding your ideal stroller! How about starting your stroller search on DealDash? They have all types of strollers there, check out the Toys, Kids, & Baby section and see when the next stroller auction is coming up. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!