Housewares

Furnaces are kicking in across the U.S. as temperatures sink. Alas, keeping warm comes with a higher sticker price each year, no matter what type of heating system you use. According to CNN Money, the average bill for a home using heating oil is more than $320 per month while gas users fork over $160 monthly.

Here are some thoughts on how you could lower your heating bill without freezing your way through the winter.

1. Energy Audit
The first step is to assess any problem areas. Ask if your utility company provides a free or low-cost energy audit, which will identify changes you should make. If you such audits aren't available, there are still ways to ascertain problems for yourself and small projects you can accomplish without professional help.

2. Seek Incentives
Some states offer improvement incentives, including providing and installing a free programmable thermostat; paying a portion of insulation upgrades; or providing rebates on the cost of materials. Look for such offers at the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency.[ http://dsireusa.org/] If you can't find an applicable program, you can reduce the cost of supplies by finding coupons for major home improvement centers, hardware stores, big-box stores and more at such sites as CouponSherpa. Read more

Don't wait until danger and destruction are imminent to ensure you have the provisions needed to keep you, your family and your property as safe and secure as possible. Whether preparing for a natural or man-made disaster, it's imperative Americans don't simply cover the bare necessities like batteries and canned goods, or wait until a situation is at hand to seek out the necessary provisions. Take the time to thoroughly plan and shop in advance so you are fully, not partially, prepared for an emergency.

While it's of utmost importance to have the fundamentals in place relative to food, water, medication, communication and transportation, there are a number of other important factors to consider when safeguarding the homestead. Every household has stacks of important papers that are difficult, in some cases virtually impossible to replace, such as insurance policies, medical records, birth certificates, legal documents, passports, computer data, automobile and home ownership documents. Jewelry, medications, and other valuable items also require waterproof, secure protection, and those who own such items would be well-served by ensuring they are safe and secure during a disaster, those natural and otherwise.

Consider this assortment of "next level" emergency preparedness tips, gadgets and gear:Read more

For any family, safety is paramount – especially that related to fire and carbon monoxide poisoning. With their proven ability to double a family's chance of surviving a residential fire, smoke detectors are one of the most valuable fire safety tools on the market – yet we tend to take them for granted. And, carbon monoxide - appropriately dubbed "the silent killer" – also gets little or no attention in many homes.

"Smoke alarms are such a common presence in our homes that it's easy to just expect them to work every time," says CableOrganizer.com product specialist Christina Hansen. "But like many other devices and appliances around the house, smoke detectors require regular cleaning and maintenance to function effectively. And, there are many models on the market offering both smoke and carbon monoxide detection – an often overlooked consideration."Read more

The big discussion on the impact of social media these days seems to be focused on privacy and how much is left when everything gets posted to Facebook, Twitter and the like. But there are still ways to keep your friends and colleagues informed about your activities without taking significant personal safety risks. Here are ten important things NOT to do with social media, in an effort to keep you, your friends and family safe. Most are common sense, but it can be easy to forget when juggling tasks.

Just remember: when in doubt, don't post.

10. Don't blast to the world that you'll be traveling. If you take a trip, just post about the event while you're there and maybe report back with more detail when you return; or if you must post that you're at a conference or live tweet from that, make sure to tweet about your house-sitter too.Read more

If you are feeling your wallet hurting from the impending prices of home espresso machines, not to fear! There are a number of budget home espresso machines on the market that will give you more bang for your buck at a lower cost, but you do need to know what to look for...

1. Saeco Nina Bar Espresso Machine: This is a compact little steal of an espresso machine at $300, and it also lets you use prepackaged espresso pods if you don't feel like freshly grinding your espresso beans. This espresso machine has a user-friendly display, and it also offers an automatic frothing feature that you can use to quickly create custom espresso beverages, like cappuccinos.Read more