Confused Monkey

As the parent of a newborn, one of the most important purchases you will make is a reliable baby monitor.  Your baby monitor is like an artificial life line that lets you clean your house, work in the garden, and wash your laundry in the basement while still keeping tabs on your sleeping baby.  In other words it lets you do all the little things that those childless people take for granted!

But with so many different models to choose from it can be difficult to figure out which one is best for you.  Let’s go over some of the basic baby monitor features that you’ll see on store shelves so you can make an informed decision.

Frequency.  The closer your infant monitor is to other devices (such as cordless phones) the more likely you are to experience interference and privacy concerns.  Check the frequency used by the monitor, for example 1.9-GHz or 2.4-GHz, and make sure it is different than your cordless phone and other devices.

Multiple channels.  Less expensive baby monitors usually only offer two channels, while other models may offer dozens to choose from.  More channels can be an advantage because if you’re getting a lot of static and interference on one, you can switch to another channel to try and get rid of it.

Video.  If audio isn’t enough for you, look for a video baby monitor that lets you actually look inside your little one’s nursery.  Simply set up the camera unit near his crib and you can keep an eye on him through the video monitor or handheld video parent unit.

Night vision.  Any video baby monitor will work fine for daytime naps, but if you expect to use it at night then you’ll need one that is equipped with night vision too.

Temperature sensor.  Some monitors feature a sensor that monitors the temperature in your baby’s nursery and alerts you if it gets too hot or cold.

Out of range indicator.  Most models these days use a combination of sounds and lights to let you know you’ve reached the range limit of the monitor.  Without that feature you’ll only hear static when you go out of range, which you could mistake for ordinary interference.  The greater the monitor’s range the better, especially if you plan on taking it outside.

Low battery indicator.  Look for a monitor with an icon or display that lets you know when the batteries are running low.  Otherwise you just know that they’ll die at the worst possible time.

Extra parent unit.  You might be thinking you can save a few bucks by getting a basic monitor with just one parent unit, but trust me you’re better off going with a model that has two.  Dual monitors allow you to keep one receiver hear your bed and carry the other one around with you during the day.

Expandability.  Some models, such as the Lorex Live Snap, allow you to add up to 4 cameras.  That is helpful if you have more than one child to monitor, or if you want to monitor multiple rooms at the same time.  For example, you can set up cameras in the nursery, the play room, and even in the backyard so you can keep track of your little one no matter where he wanders.

Written by Mike Collins of BabyStuffGuide.com, a site dedicated to helping parents make smart choices. They review all sorts of baby stuff including the top-rated Angelcare Monitor.

A friend of ours is having a baby this summer and she’s been having a ball registering for all sorts of baby stuff.  But she’s been having a problem that is not uncommon among new parents: trying to figure out which item to register for!

Walk down any aisle in a baby store and you’ll be completely overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices.  How is a first-time parent to know which to choose?

Well it all comes down to reading the labels and considering the features of each.  Let’s use baby monitors as an example.  There are simple, inexpensive monitors that cost as little as $20.  And there are some that cost ten times as much!

The cheap baby monitors are audio only, and they don’t come with any advanced features.  And then there are the fancy monitors like the Lorex Live Snap, which includes video with up to 4 cameras, night vision, sound activated alerts, and the ability to take snap shot pictures of your little one that you can upload to Facebook and share with your friends and family.

The key is to decide what features you absolutely must have and which you can live without.  Then find the best model that has what you need at the best price.

Do you spend too much money at the supermarket?

Don’t worry, you’re not alone.  Most people spend way more on groceries than they have to.  You probably don’t realize how quickly and easily you can cut your grocery bill down to size.

There’s a cool site that shares really simple tips for saving money on groceries, and some people who follow the suggestions have managed to cut their grocery bill in half!

How much do you spend on groceries now?  $500 a month?  $600?

Just imagine cutting that to only $300 a month, and all by using simple and easy to use methods that won’t cost you a dime.

To learn more go to:  http://saving-money-on-groceries.com

My wife’s mom was always a wonder in the garden and she had the greenest thumb I’ve ever seen…haha.  My wife on the other hand could kill a plant from 10 feet away. 

But although my wife doesn’t seem to have her mom’s touch with flowers and plants, she wants to learn.  One of her favorite plants is the orchid, so I’m looking into an orchid delivery service to send some flowers over.

I’m also looking for any and all info I can on taking care of orchids.  I’ve searched the web a bit and I’m going to pick up a book or two.  Orchids for Dummies sounds like its about my sepeed. 

http://orchid-delivery.com

No matter how small your online business is there’s one thing you absolutely can’t live without…quality web hosting.

If your hosting provider doesn’t offer the features you need to build a successful business your customers will be the ones who suffer. And if your web site is constantly down you won’t be able to do business at all!

This is why it’s imperative that you throughly research any hosting provider before signing on the dotted line. Read customer reviews (be careful if they are affiliates with a hidden agenda) and run your own webhost comparison of features so you know the one you choose will let you take your business to the next level.

Ok, today I really want to stress the importance of a good laptop carrier.  And I don’t just mean for when you’re on the go.   You can also use a laptop bag at home to keep your machine safe from harm.

I learned this lesson the hard way when my kids knocked my laptop onto the floor.  It was closed and sitting on a table and the kids went running by and after a big crash my laptop was knocked to the ground. 

My IT buddy was able to fix it for me and save most of the data but I had to get a new hard drive for about $90.  

Now when I’m not using my machine I keep it safely tucked away in a laptop carrier bag.   If it gets dropped or knocked around I know it will still be safe.