Energy Saving Tips = Saving Money

Appliances and electronics make up about 20-25% of energy use of a typical U.S. home. The first step towards savings is to look for Energy Star labels when buying appliances and products. Energy Star labels are strict guidelines created by the U.S. Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency for energy efficiency.

Follow some of these tips to help make the environment better for our future generations and save money at the same time:

1. Light bulbs: Use energy saving CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs) instead of the conventional incandescent light bulbs. You may have noticed that the cost of CFLs has been going down. CFLs only use one-quarter of the electricity and lasts years longer. Keep in mind, that each CFL bulb contains 5mg of mercury so you will have an extra item to sort in the recycling bin.
2. Dishes: Don’t run your dishwasher unless you have a full load. Skip the electric drier function and opt to air-dry your dishes.
3. Laundry: Wash clothes with cold water instead of hot water when you can. Instead of using a clothes dryer, air-dry or hang your clothes on a clothes line. And if you do need to use your dryer, make sure it houses a full load.
4. Refrigerators: Think of what you want to take out before you open the refrigerator. Leaving the door open will waste extra energy. And if you need a new refrigerator, consider one with glass doors.
5. Take a Shower: A shower reduces water usage and also lower your heating bill.
6. Turn off Electronics: Turn off all lights, computers, and electronics when they are not in use. Plug all your electronics such as computers, TVs, and DVDs into power strips. Using a power strip can reduce electricity used to power home appliances. Even when your appliances are turned off, energy is still being consumed from the outlet. To avoid extra energy costs, unplug the appliance or use a power strip. The power strip has an off button to cut all the power from the appliance.
7. Weather-Strip Windows and Doors: Check windows and doors for air leaks. Air leaks can be sealed by caulking or weather-stripping. By securing the leaks in your home, hot and cool air will be kept in your home longer. Less heating and cooling will help you save on energy costs.

An alternative to some of your household electrics might be found in Lehman's Non-Electric Catalog found at EZ-Request.com. As the purveyor of historical technology, Lehman's ships old-fashioned, non-electric merchandise all over the world through their catalog in beautiful Kidron, Ohio. Serving the community since 1955 with quality merchandise for a simple and back to basics lifestyle. Their diverse customer base includes missionaries and doctors working in developing countries; homesteaders and environmentalists living in remote areas; people with unreliable electricity living on islands and mountains; second home owners, city folk, hunters, fishers and cabin dwellers; the 'chronically nostalgic,' and even Hollywood set designers looking for historically accurate period pieces.

Shoes for the Big Guy

I always get a kick out of watching my 5 year old nephew when he’s in his dress clothes. Within 2 minutes of his mom tucking in his shirt, he does a couple of twists and turns and half of his shirt is outside of his trousers.

While this may give us a chuckle, it’s not so funny when big men find themselves stuck with shirt sleeves that don’t come down all the way, shirttails that are too short, pant legs that ride above the ankles, and shoes that cripple the feet.

The larger man has a terrible time finding shirts that are loose enough to not bind around their shoulders and loose-fitting enough to button easily.  Pants are repeatedly tricky to find that are roomy at the waist. There are a wide variety of problems that make buying clothes a tricky experience.

Remember these time honored tricks. Vertical lines in suits or shirts and small patterns or plain and dark colors will minimize your circumference.

If you are on the tall side and you want to minimize your height, horizontal or small plaids will help balance your overall look.

Now I can recommend several great companies that cater to the men of larger dimensions. But I don’t want to overlook the importance of shoes. Obviously, if one needs larger jackets, ties, shirts and pants, then shoes also need to be addressed.

There is no reason for any man to wear clothing and shoes that fit poorly for their particular body type. Take a moment and order one or all of these catalogs. There are no charges—all EZ-Request.com catalogs are free along with free postage. With the completion of your order, we send your request immediately to the EZ-Request.com catalogs warehouse for immediate shipping.

Trade Shows on a Budget

If you want to be cost effective with your trade show exhibitions or if you are preparing for your first trade show, start off with economical trade show displays for the best deal. Trade shows are effective sales devices for growing business, and most new enterprises are not financially strong enough to spend a large amount on an elaborate trade show display, so opting for an inexpensive display is a good idea. Don't try to produce a do-it-yourself display, instead, look for experts who can produce cost effective trade show displays that fit your budget.  

There are many ways to get cheap trade show displays. First, always consider a rollup or banner display, as they are light, inexpensive, and easy to transport. Banners with graphic headlines can easily attract attention. You can use them anywhere and greatly minimize the cost of your booth. Secondly, if you want to use small space, a tabletop display unit would be the perfect because it is small, light, professional looking, and less expensive than a full booth.

The growing trend of tradeshows has given birth to many companies specializing in budget trade show displays. It is hard for new businesses to spend lots of money on tradeshows, but the company must participate in the shows in order to expand. The best option for these companies is to opt for a low cost tradeshow display.

Take a moment and order a free Siegel Display catalog from EZ-Request.com.  They’ve been in the business for over 40 years and have just what you need for your first trade show!

They also have products to feature your business brochures, store magazines, or promote products. Choose from the most complete inventory of trade show displays, banner stands, retail display products, magazine racks, brochure holders, office products and POP displays in the county.

Siegel Display

Ready for Spring?

A wide variety of Patio Furniture is available for Indoor and Outdoor Décor, such as Patio Dining Tables, Coffee Tables, Picnic Tables, End Tables, Bistro Tables, Fire Pit Tables, outdoor storage boxes, Garden Furniture, Swings, Gliders etc.

Patio deck or garden furniture comes in all shapes and sizes. Patio Furniture helps people be comfortable in an area you have designated as that special place to relax (i.e. sitting around a nice teak table with friends eating a barbecue meal.) Patio furniture placed in your garden also helps provide you and your guests with a special ambiance.

Garden and patio furniture is an extension of home decorating and should be considered with the same priority you would give to decorating a living area within your home. Families that have a passion for furniture want to give their garden a complete and functional atmosphere. Abundant styles of garden patio furniture are available to cater to the needs and taste of those relaxing in the outdoors. Patio Furniture comes in different styles viz., traditional look of an English garden, a rustic cabin look, a French café style, or a Spanish style, etc. Styles that are most commonly selected are the English garden look and the Adirondack.

Sustainable woods like cypress and cedar are used in the manufacture of garden and patio furniture. Both cypress and cedar are ideal woods for construction of garden and cedar patio furniture, because they can withstand above average level heat and humidity. Other materials include iron, aluminum, wicker, and polyvinyl chloride materials which include acrylics, polyester, olefins, and vinyl. These materials are very popular because of their durability and easy cleaning. The cost of garden and patio furniture is an important consideration in selection; however, the durability of the outdoor furniture is measured in a long shelf life.

Take a moment and order your free "Thos. Baker Premium Outdoor Living" catalog from EZ-Request.com today.

Thos. Baker Premium Outdoor Living

Life’s Easier for Tall Guys & Gals!

I have to admit, I do stand out in all the family photos. You can easily pick me out amongst all the men and women. All you have to do is look for the shortest guy in the photo and the odds are good it will be me. I am the only male amongst all my brothers and male cousins who is less than six feet tall. Many of the female family members are around my height or taller; with some over 6 feet.

I know I am not short at 5'8", yet I have often wondered why I got the ‘shorter’ genes. As I entered my adult years, I found that my very tall family members faced their own set of difficulties. It’s easy to take for granted simple things like:

• Remembering to duck before going through a doorway
• Moving a car seat as far back as possible before getting into a vehicle
• Finding a comfortable seat on an airplane
• Avoiding couches or any furniture built too low to the ground—making it very difficult to sit and/or stand up.
• And finding stores that have clothes tailored for the taller and/or the larger person.

One of my cousins—at 6’ 9”—has to have the driver’s seat professionally moved back to accommodate his long legs and then have the seat reset when he trades the car in for a newer model.

Recently, I came across a company that not only provides fashionable clothes for tall/large men and women, but also has an amazing assortment of products such as inside and outside furniture—all designed  to make everyday day living much more comfortable.

While my wife and I are average height, it's nice to have a set of folding chairs available for my dad, brothers, and cousins when they come over and visit. I purchased deck furniture that is a lot more comfortable and sturdy for my tall family members.

Even if you are not 'blessed' (or burdened) with the 'tall gene' take a moment and order a free copy of the “LivingXL” catalog from EZ-Request.com. There are some great gift ideas for your taller family members.

You will find an assortment of sturdy, oversized chairs - including office chairs, portable folding chairs and great-looking styles for the home. And for more convenient, comfortable solutions, check out our incredible selection of items designed for healthy living - from high-tech scales and personal care aids to fitness equipment and outdoor leisure products. There are even innovative ideas for the frequent traveler!

Living XL

Kitchen Design on Your Home Computer

Everyone knows upgrading a kitchen is a smart financial move. For those of you who enjoy cooking, it may make sense from a purely personal view. Whatever your motivation . . . you need a concrete idea of what you want to add and subtract from your current kitchen.

A kitchen design program is immensely helpful when it comes to creating a vision of your new kitchen. Once you start using these programs, you will be utterly stunned. They allow you to insert different styles, colors, layouts and even particular products in certain situations. A quality program takes it a step further. It will create a virtual kitchen for you in a two or three dimension format. You can then “walk” around in your kitchen and see it from various angles and so on. It is impressive.

Yet, not all of these programs are created equal. In truth, you get what you pay for when you use economy versions. Obviously, the more expensive versions provide you with more features and options to assist you in visualizing your new kitchen.

Before you hire an architect, it is well worth the time to purchase a design program for these reasons:

1. You design your kitchen (and other home projects) at your own pace.
2. Making changes to your design does not incur additional costs like those from an architect.
3. The better software programs will have a bill-of-materials component, so you instantly see the cost impact on your design changes.
4. Knowing how much you can afford, you can make changes thoughtfully and still stay within budget.
5. With draft plans, you can take your time visualizing living inside of your design. Imagine yourself preparing various meals with the foreknowledge of knowing where everything will be stored, accessing food and cookware, along with preparation and clean-up.
6. Creating your own design is fun. It’s a great way to get the entire family’s thoughts and create a kitchen that will serve everyone.
7. Finally, take your time. Kitchen upgrades are expensive even on the most frugal budgets. Make the right investment in the design tools first (hardware and software.) Failing to do so could result in committing to a bad design that would lead to both financial and functional disappointments.

So with all that said--to help you start off on the right foot--a great mail order catalog can be found on EZ-Request.com for both computer software and hardware. For the very best prices, order your free TigerDirect catalog today.



Lower Your Back Pain

Chronic back pain troubles millions of people worldwide. And for those who suffer constantly from sore, stiff, or distressed back muscles and spinal joints, it can be unbearable. There are many causes to back pain including poor posture, week abdominal muscles, misaligned spinal column, lack of chair support when seated, unsupportive bed or pillow, and certainly stress and anxiety which gets localized in the body in the back. Regardless of what is causing your back to be consistently in pain, you're looking for relief, at least something that will permit you to get through another day.
Resources do exist, help is available. Exercise consistently ranks as the top preventive remedy for lowering back pain. For some people it may be weight bearing exercises such as walking, running, or tennis - others may benefit from swimming, rowing (with proper technique), or stair climbing on a gym machine. Stretching exercises and abdominal strengthening drills, though, can focus your body's attention on local support for removing back pain.

Another common resource includes professional help - physical therapists, chiropractors, massage therapists, and acupuncturists each have special methods for approaching back pain. While all have merits, it's best to consider them all in various forms as a specific technique or a combination may be just what you need.

A consideration for many in extreme pain is medication. This could be general pain relieving drugs that can be bought over the counter or a prescription-required med. Some sleep medications can also provide a side benefit of loosening the muscles just enough to provide consistent back relief. And always consult your psychiatrist or medical professional for more help.

Chronic back pain does not need to be a permanent problem in your life. While spinal misalignment or years of poor posture may limit the improvements you can make, some relief is definitely possible. Through the pursuit of consistent exercise, proper seating, professional help, or even medication, some relief is possible for your back pain.

Relax The Back Corporation Spring 2011 Catalog

For furnishings designed for those I just spoken of above, take a moment and order a free copy of the “Relax The Back Corporation” spring 2011 catalog from EZ-Request.com. There are some great products for both home and office that may be just right for you!