Three Too-Cool-to-Miss Gadgets

Here's a collection of a few great products that have found me recently--fun stuff that will make life just that much better:

Picture It Postage
The internet and digital photography finally get together with the United States Postal service to allow you to create your own postage stamps with pictures from your own files. Simply go to the Picture It Postage site by Endicia, click "Try it Now," upload a photo from your computer and preview/edit before ordering a sheet of custom stamps.

The stamps are slightly larger than regularly sized stamps but they work just like the regular kind and they're more fun. I was offered a sheet as a trial and made up a batch with my Scribbit logo on them and had a great time. They're the same price as regular stamps plus a charge you $4 shipping and handling--though it did take a while for me to receive my order it could be attributed to the holiday rush. It was probably a busy time to order.

Swiffer SweeperVac
This is the greatest thing to hit my floor since . . . since . . . well since anything. I received one of these a couple days ago to try out and had no idea I was 24 hours away from sweeping bliss. I've used the regular Swiffer that sweeps up the hair and dust from my laminate floors, I've used the Wet Jet that mops (though I am less thrilled with this product because the refills and pads are expensive and run out quickly--hardly an economical choice). But this, this combines the beauty of the duster with the power of a Dustbuster handheld vac to work better than any broom or regular old C-class Swiffer.

You plug it in to charge the rechargeable batteries for 24 hours, attach a standard Swiffer dusting cloth to the bottom then sweep away. I'm seriously considering getting rid of my old broom and dustpan, I see no need for them and I have kids arguing over who gets to "sweep" the floor. I'm curious how long the batteries will keep their juice and how long the little filter will work--check back later, I'll work on it.

Moon Jar
Tessy and Tab is a preschool reading publication that has monthly heavy-weight paperback books to teach preschoolers basic reading skills. Honestly? I liked the publication well enough I guess but what really caught my eye was the Money Manager Tool Kit they included.

It's just what it says: a kit to help teach young children about managing money and I was highly impressed. Besides all the follow-up information and printable charts that are available at the company's online site to supplement, the kit includes two Tessy and Tab books about saving money, a parent's guide that explains the system, a book to record expenses and income, charts for allowances and a Moon Jar.

Haven't heard of a Moon Jar? It's a three-part cardboard bank, held together by a large yellow rubber band, that is divided into Saving, Sharing and Spending to help teach children the different purposes of money. Teaching children about money can be tricky and this seemed to be a nice package to help parents accomplish a difficult task. I'm going to try this with Lillian and see how it's received.

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Edited to add: Congratulations to Lesha of Newburgh, Indiana for winning this week's Saturday Giveaway from Miss Fickle Media.

Technorati tags: product reviews, giveaways, stamps, Swiffer, money managing