Sunday, March 31, 2013

Have You Seen The Single Cup Coffee Maker for Coffee Lovers Who Are On-The-Go?

I just love the concept of these wonderful single serve coffee makers!  

As a freshly brewed cup of Java is only a Sunday treat for me (with my Sunday Brunch), I don't want the huge amount of brew that my french plunger makes for me.

The Keurig coffee maker uses K-cups, which are special packs of serving coffee. It keeps it simple to create one cup serves - really FAST!

So now you can always have a good cup of java wherever you go, because you can always have your single cup coffee brewer with you.

A single cup coffee maker, as the name itself implies, gives you one cup to drink when you need it, where you need it. It also ensures that that each serving is fresh and at par with the standard quality expected out of the coffee of your choice.

Those who are on a tight budget will also discover that having a single cup coffee brewer like the Keurig coffee maker will help them save money since no beans are wasted as a result of throwing away what you don't get to finish from the pot.

Those who enjoy variety will have a blast with the extensive collection of flavors available in K-cups. You also have a choice between a box with only one flavor and a box with many varieties.

And if you want to save even more money you can still buy a big pack of your favorite beans and just use the little K-cup sized reusable filter to brew your java quickly - its win, win, win, for everyone with these super fast and super convenient coffee brewing systems.

On this page I'll cover some more features and benefits of the Keurig coffee makers single cup serves.

Have your coffee on call in the office - REAL coffee, that is! 

 And of course, who doesn't need a coffee to rev himself up for work while in the office?

Sure, the office might have an instant coffee dispenser installed, but wouldn't it be great if you can make REAL coffee at work?

What's more, you don't have to worry about making a mess (or possibly spilling coffee on your computer) with a single cup coffee brewer.

As a result, you'll be a more efficient worker in the office since you don't waste too much time walking to and from the coffee dispenser.

Convince the boss to buy the office a Keurig coffee maker, or just get your own personal one to sit on your desk. You would certainly be the envy of the entire office - lol!

Students can also get a lot of convenience from these coffee makers. All that walking around in the campus, not to mention the late night studying in the dormitories will be less painful if a student can have his coffee at the ready.

It's also a great idea to use a single cup coffee brewer in campers. Nowadays you'll find out that a single cup coffee brewer can fit perfectly in a camper even if it offers little room.

So if you're out hiking in the mountains or out in the woods, you can just place your brewer on top of a small counter every time you break camp and you'll be able to enjoy one cup of good coffee to give you refreshments.

Things You Should Know Before Buying a One Cup Coffee Maker

As far as convenience and mobility goes, a single cup coffee maker can give you that much needed cup even when you're always on the go.

But you do need to make sure that the one you buy suits your lifestyle needs and gourmet tastes.

In this section we're going to look at how to select the best possible single cup coffee maker out there.

1. Is It Multi-Use?

Some coffee single cup coffee makers can make other forms of drinks besides coffee - such as tea, espresso, cappuccino, latte, hot chocolate and more. You can't keep on drinking coffee all the time, right?

And even if you don't drink anything else, you never know when a visitor who prefers tea or any other type of drink would come up. No matter how much you love coffee, it's certainly a great idea to purchase a single cup coffee maker that can make other forms of drinks.

2. Can It Make Different Types of Coffee?

The true coffee connoisseur doesn't limit himself to the regular type of coffee drink. If you are one, you would definitely want a single cup coffee maker that can make other types of coffee drinks such as regular, decaf or roast.

There are also flavored blends that would only taste right when done in a coffee maker that gives more choices and flexibility.

3. Always Ask for a Demo

Believe it or not, the resulting taste of the coffee varies among single cup coffee makers even when using a single set of coffee beans. So don't be fooled by snappy designs or extraneous bells and whistles.

The biggest advantage single cup coffee makers have over traditional coffee makers is the quality of the coffee they make (contributed by the fact that there's that much emphasis on the making of that one serving), so having one that falls short of expectations in this regard defeats the whole purpose of buying one.

What you can do is to ask for a demonstration as to how the coffee is done every time you see a machine you fancy. Most importantly, ask for a taste test.

This is the best way to ensure that the single cup coffee maker that you pick produces great tasting coffee.

4. Check the Speed

Different single cup coffee makers have varying speeds in making coffee. Some produce coffee almost instantly while others take a few mounts before the coffee is ready for consumption.

Make sure to look for the machine speed in order to get the one with a speed that's acceptable to you.

Choosing a single cup coffee maker is an endeavor that shouldn't be taken lightly and one that deserves careful consideration.

Having that good cup of coffee always at the ready whenever you need it, after all, can boost your spirits and help you with your work. It's a good investment that can improve your lifestyle.

I have created a very comprehensive guide here about  How to pick the best coffee maker for you that gives you even more tips to help you make informed decisions before you buy.

You can shop online here for your Keurig coffee makers!

At long last, coffee connoisseurs can now enjoy their coffee a cup at a time.

When you shop online at this page you will be able to windowshop for the best prices available today, and also to read the customer reviews posted by people who have bought and are using the Keurig home brewing systems, so you can compare and save when you shop this way.

Below I have featured three of the Keurig coffee makers that make single cup serves, and also the K-cup packs as well as the option of just using a filter for your own favorite coffee blends.


 



One of the really delightful things about using a single serve coffee maker is that there is a huge range of amazing coffee been flavors available in these little one shot pots!

You can buy a mix of flavors, or you can be economical and use a big bag of ground coffee like usual and just use the cute little filter that you place in the spot the k-cup goes in the brewer.

Here are a few to check out:


 

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What do you say? 

Single cup coffee makers are all the rage especially among coffee aficionados today. 
Love them or hate them, they are here to stay! 

So share your thoughts on the convenience of one shot coffee serves... great idea, or an abomination for people who love a traditional coffee brew?

Do you agree?

 

 

Thursday, March 28, 2013

10 Money-Saving Tips for Grocery Shopping


Here I'll discuss some great money saving tips for when you are doing your grocery shopping.  

Since groceries tend to be one of the biggest cost items in your weekly and monthly budget, it is an area that you should check out to make sure that you are getting the best possible value to support your budgeting efforts.

There is no question that times are hard right now with the state of the economy. 

This has many people looking for ways to cut back on expenses and save money. 

While there are many extras that can be done away with, food is not one of them. 

Sadly, the grocery store is where a lot of people spend the majority of their paychecks, aside from the mortgage. 

Therefore, wouldn’t it be great if you could find a way to cut your grocery bill by at least 25 percent or more? 

While there is no guarantee on how much you can cut your grocery bill by, there are a lot of things that you can do to lower your monthly food expenses. 

Below are some great money-saving tips that, if applied, will help you keep both your bank account and pantry stocked!

1.      Forget about the name.  One of the quickest ways to save money at the grocery store is to forget about the brand name foods. For some reason, people think that buying brand name food is like buying brand name clothing. Guess what? It isn’t! When it comes to food, often times the off brand foods taste exactly like the brand name foods…sometimes they taste even better! And, the best part is that the off brand foods cost substantially less than the name brands do.

2.      Make more from scratch. Somewhere along the way, society has gotten pretty lazy and I admit, I’m talking about myself too. It’s way too easy to buy prepackaged food and “whip” up a meal in less than 20 minutes. Obviously, we are paying for the convenience when we buy those “heat and serve” foods at the grocery store. Therefore, you can save a considerable sum of money by purchasing the individual ingredients for a dish (think mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, burritos, etc.) and make it from scratch at home. Additional benefits include serving foods without the extra additives and having leftovers, giving you another meal!

3.      Shop alone. I know it isn’t always easy to get away and go to the grocery store without the kids and/or spouse in tow, but you should when you have the chance. Kids have a tendency to get the “gimmies” whenever they enter a store and by the time parents are halfway through the grocery store, the kids begin to wear them down and unnecessary (and often unhealthy) foods make it into the basket. The same can happen when you bring the spouse along too. The only difference is that it’s harder to tell your spouse “no” than it is the kids.

4.      Go on a full stomach. Another money saving tip is to do your grocery shopping on a full stomach. It’s easier to stroll past all the non-essential food items when you aren’t hungry than it is whey your stomach is growling. This tip alone can save you $10 or more at the grocery store!


5.      Make your own salad. Did you know that those little bags of lettuce cost two to three times more than a head of lettuce does? The same is true for grated cheese. You can buy a small block of cheese for a fraction of the cost. Making your own salad dressing will also save you money. Therefore, if you are a salad enthusiast, start making your own salads. Not only will you save money, but they will taste better too.

6.      Clip coupons. Chances are that you have seen the extreme coupon shows on television and been in awe at how much money those people can save. While there is an art to saving that much money with coupons, there isn’t an art to saving with coupons. You don’t have to be an extreme coupon user in order to save money. Take a little extra time and browse the coupon fliers in the Sunday paper and clip out the coupons for foods that you would normally buy. Then, use them.

7.      Buy meat when it is on sale. While you are looking through the coupon ads, browse the weekly grocery specials for meat. Plan a meal or two around the specific kind of meat that is currently on sale. You can always buy fresh meat and freeze it for later too. Considering meat is one of the most expensive foods you will buy at the grocery store, it only makes sense to buy it when it is on sale and plan your weekly meals around it.

8.      Always make a list. Never, ever go to the grocery store without a list. This is one of the biggest money-making mistakes people make at grocery stores. When someone goes into the store without a list, most of the time they end up with half of what they really need and a lot of things they don’t need. Therefore, make a list before you go to the store and only buy what is on your list. In order to make your list effective, plan out the meals for the week (or two weeks…however often you go to the store) and put the ingredients for each meal on your list to ensure you get everything and don’t have to make another trip.

9.      Shop the outside perimeter first. It’s no big secret that grocery stores are set up with the produce at one end of the store, meat is generally in the middle and dairy is at the other end…all along the outside perimeter. This is done so that consumers are more likely to start at one end and work their way to the other end, after going through all the aisles in between. Therefore, shop the outside perimeter first and get the necessities and only visit the aisles that have the additional items on your list. Do not shop all of the middle aisles or you will most likely spend extra money.

10.  Shop in bulk. Finally, if you have access to a Sam’s Club, Costco or another store that sells items in bulk, use it. You can save a lot of money when you buy items in bulk. Just make sure you purchase items that you will use. Groceries aren’t the only items you can buy at these stores either. They sale everything from electronics to clothing to the essentials.
As you can see, there are a lot of ways to save money at the grocery store.

The list above contains only ten, but there are many more.

The trick is to take an objective look at your current shopping habits and be willing to change them up a bit. 

It can be done, and once it is done you will realize it wasn’t really as hard as you thought it would be.

In fact, many of these money-saving tips will also help you save time at the grocery store too!

Learn more about budgets and managing your money when you read the rest of our information here about: How to Make a Budget and Save Money

 It is one of the most important life skills you can learn as the sooner you take control of your finances, the sooner you can grow your fortune in life.

You can also get my free book download to help you learn how to save money on groceries:
Download free how to book >> Save money on Groceries

Sunday, March 17, 2013

A Pilates Exercise Machine Has Muscle Toning Benefits

When you like working out and want to set up a home gym you definitely need to consider the range of exercise equipment made for Pilates fans.

Pilates has been a popular exercise for strengthening and toning the entire body for several decades.

Pilates is geared towards not just a healthy body but a healthy mind and spirit as well.

It focuses on toning muscles without all the bulkiness often associated with working your muscles.

Pilates encourages proper form to help keep your body in shape and functioning at it's best.

There are many accessories and pilates exercise machines that can be used and they are so helpful that they are often used by people undergoing rehab for an injury or after a surgery.

Pilates can be done on the floor using a mat and some bands too, but for many, the use of a machine can offer additional benefits and help them get more out of their workout.

Here are a few of the benefits of using pilates machines:

1. With any type of exercise it's all about form, if you don't use the right form you won't get the desired results or in extreme cases you can even injure yourself.  Using machines like the reformer is a great way to ensure that you are in correct alignment since the machine will 'force' you to use the proper form. This will allow you to get maximum benefits in minimum time while virtually eliminating the risk of injury.

2.  The machines will make it easier for you to concentrate on the move itself as well as  the position of the rest of your body.  It's really easy when you work out to get moving too quickly and lose some of your form, especially if you're plugged into an MP3 player.  The pilates machines will make it easier for you to slow down and fully concentrate on any areas of your body that are tight, or sore.  This will make it easier for you to focus only on those areas.

3.  The machine will allow you to slowly and gently stretch out your body. It's vital that these movements are controlled and smooth.  Using the machine in this manner can help to relieve a myriad of chronically painful areas of the body, most commonly the back and joints.

4. The increased flexibility you will gain using the pilates machines can greatly help reduce, or totally eliminate, common injuries.  Since these exercises focus on strengthening and increasing the flexibility of your muscles it makes them much less susceptible to injuries.

5. Incorporating machines into your workout will also have the added benefit of adding resistance to your workouts.  As you get stronger, you can increase the resistance which will help keep your body challenged so that you can continue to see improvement.  The resistance will allow you to achieve a much deeper stretch than you could normally do without the aid of a machine. 

While it's not imperative that you use a pilates exercise machine, using one will enable you to ramp up your workouts and help protect you from injury by making sure you are using the proper form.  You can learn more here about how to do Pilates if you are just a beginner.

Before you go out and purchase some equipment though take some time to learn the best way to use it and to find the best machine for your budget, skill level and available space.

Below are a few Pilates accessories and exercise machines featured for you to learn a bit more about them:
 


Stamina AeroPilates Reformer with Free-Form Cardio Rebounder