Outdoor Trampoline

Did you see the 12 x 12 x 9 foot round outdoor trampoline on DealDash.com?

This image shows most of the trampoline safety rules being followed: A safety pad covering the springs and a safety screen around it to prevent the jumper from falling off. This trampoline is also located in a safe area away from other obstructions and it has only one jumper at a time. The jumper might be better off removing her socks, however, because it is often recommended that jumpers be barefoot.

I don’t know about your family but most children love to jump. When my two sons were young as soon as they could stand, they started jumping – first by holding onto the crib railing and later by jumping on the sofa and bed mattresses.

Jumping is not all bad because it helps children to build strong leg muscles and good balance, but I worried that they would wear out and ruin our sofa and bed mattresses. I needed a solution and I knew I found one when I saw an outdoor trampoline at our state fair – just like the one on DealDash, except I believe our trampoline was even bigger. That was about 43 years ago and back then these huge round trampolines were a lot more expensive. We paid $1,000.00 for our trampoline but it was well worth it. Having something for my sons to jump on outside prevented our furniture from being destroyed on the inside.

My sons enjoyed jumping on our outdoor trampoline for more than 20 years. In fact, I jumped on it, too, from the time I was 32 to 52 years old and even learned how to do a front flip. It became part of my exercise routine and it was great fun. I feel certain that jumping on my trampoline for so many years might be why I have excellent balance at age 74 and can still run up and down stair cases with no problem.

Safety

Like everything else, safety features and rules are important—especially when it comes to trampolines.

Unfortunately, trampolines could pose a risk for getting head and neck injuries or the possibility for sprains, dislocations or fractures in the arms and legs. About 95 percent of all trampoline injuries occur from falling off the trampoline, landing incorrectly on the frame or springs or colliding with another trampoline user. With proper safety features and common sense safety rules in place, however, trampoline accidents can be prevented.

The trampoline now auctioned on DealDash comes with two of the most important safety features, which greatly reduces the risk of injuries. In addition to having a safety net enclosure to prevent jumpers from falling off, this trampoline also comes with the spring pad that covers the springs to prevent users from accidentally getting a foot stuck in the springs if the jumper lands in the wrong area. That is unlikely because this trampoline also has plenty of jumping surface–88 square feet of it.

My sons and I never got injured on our trampoline in spite of the fact that 43 years ago our trampoline did not come with a protective net around it. Instead, we used “spotters” who stood around the outside of the trampoline to help catch or stop a jumper from falling off. We did have the protective mat to prevent our feet from getting stuck in the springs, and we always followed other common sense safety rules as well. We had rules like only one person jumped at a time to prevent the possibility of colliding with another user, and we never used our trampoline when the mat was wet and slippery. By following these safety rules jumping on our trampoline was fun and safe.

Another one of our safety measures was ensuring that our trampoline was well maintained. When some of the springs got rusty, I replaced them, and when the double-thick trampoline mat got torn I took it to a local tent and awning shop where they had heavy-duty sewing machines and I got it repaired.

Altogether the 12 x 12 x 9-foot round trampoline on DealDash has 72 springs and also comes with hardware assembly tools, spring hook and manual. The frame is made up of rust-resistant steel tubing. This trampoline is intended for children ages 6 and up and has a 200 pound weight capacity. For a more detailed description do a search on the DealDash home page and read the listing.

Benefits

In spite of safety concerns, trampolines can provide many health benefits.

Motor skills are important to many classroom activities. When children jump on a trampoline they work their muscles and cardiovascular systems, so it’s a great way to enhance their muscle development, strengthen their bones, improve bone density and reinforce their joints.

According to my online research, trampoline jumping can also help kids calm down, improve their concentration and improve their engagement in learning. Bouncing on a trampoline is great for making the mind more alert and focused, and increases concentration and memory. It helps to increase the circulation of blood and oxygen to the brain.

Bottom Line

Do the health benefits and enjoyment of rebounding on a trampoline out-weight the risk factors of possible injuries? The answer to this question must be answered by each individual family based on your situation. For me and my sons it turned out to be a wonderful health benefit and fun with no injuries. However, if a bunch of neighborhood kids could get access to your trampoline when you are not at home to supervise and enforce safety rules, it might be a good idea to first check out your home-owners insurance and possible liability.

Click to go to DealDash.com

This sponsored blog post was submitted by: Barbara L. Sellers. Barbara was compensated by DealDash for this blog post. Blog posts are written by real DealDash customers. The opinions and advice here represent our customers’ views and not those of the company.

The Perfect Gift

Christmas season is not far away so it’s not a bit too early to start shopping for the perfect gift for our family members and friends.

If someone asked me to name the perfect gift that would be sure to be appreciated regardless of age or gender I would say a gift card. We simply cannot go wrong by giving a gift card to our special someone because that gives the receiver the freedom to choose whatever he or she needs or wants most.

I would also say you are shopping in the right place because DealDash.com auctions include a wide variety of gift cards in various amounts – usually for $25.00 or $50.00 but sometimes they run all the way up to $800.00. As an extra special bonus many of the gift cards come as a package deal with a specific number of bids attached.

I counted 41 different gift cards that DealDash will put up for auction.

History of Gift Cards

The gift card was invented by Blockbuster Entertainment in late 1994 and it was the first company to launch gift cards on a wide scale, test-marketing them in 1995 and launching them around the country the next year. There is some debate, however, over who actually invented the first gift card. Neiman Marcus might have introduced the first gift card in 1994 using a payments infrastructure. It is believed that Mobil Oil Company came out with gift cards shortly after.

Gift cards are a convenient and useful substitute for cash when we want to give a gift to someone else. Physical gift cards can be used in stores or online, while digital gift cards are designed to be used online or over the phone.

I always thought that gift cards would never expire. But according to my research, a gift card should be used sooner rather than later. Under federal law, a gift card cannot expire in less than five years after the date of purchase. But if it’s not used within 12 months, fees for inactivity, dormancy or service can be charged to the card each month, diminishing its value. That’s a good thing to know.

Most of the time I used my gift cards within the first year or gave them away as gifts, but I still have a $100 gift card for a motel that I did not yet use because I’ve been pretty much locked down the last few years because of the COVID virus. I’m afraid I might have had that gift card for more than five years now, but when I checked I learned it’s still good for the full amount. However, it’s a good idea to pay close attention to how long we hold on to our gift cards.

Another thing I did not know anything about is the general etiquette concerning the value amount of gift cards we should or should not give. The etiquette for casual acquaintances (like co-workers) suggests we keep it to $20 or less. For friends and/or family, we should give from $30.00 to $75.00 but for a spouse or wedding gift, we can go much higher. Regardless, we must always ensure that the dollar amount is visible on the card or written down.

Seeing all of the gift cards DealDash now offers for auction, it surprised me to know the first gift card only came out 27 years ago. Regardless, gift cards do make wonderful ways to remember loved ones on special occasions.

Happy bidding and I’ll see you in the auctions everyone! 

Click to go to DealDash.com

This sponsored blog post was submitted by: Barbara L. Sellers. Barbara was compensated by DealDash for this blog post. Blog posts are written by real DealDash customers. The opinions and advice here represent our customers’ views and not those of the company.

Win a Smoker

Did you see the smoker that went up for auction on DealDash.com? If you missed bidding on that 22-inch Cooker Smoker that last sold Sept. 14, no problem.

If that awesome looking Cooker Smoker does not come up for auction again, at least some other smokers will – one is an Offset Charcoal Smoker and the other is a Digital Electric Smoker. You can conduct a search and then press the yellow “Alert Me” button to make sure you do not miss those two auctions.

One of the best memories I had from my childhood was getting smoked fish from my grandpa because it tasted so good. My mother’s father was a commercial fisherman and mink rancher in the Lake-of-the-Woods area of Northern Minnesota, near the Canadian border. Every once in a while he would travel about 300 south to our family farm and give us one of the best treats we ever ate – smoked fish.

To this day, I still love the taste of smoked fish and smoked turkey. There’s nothing like it. There is just something special about smoked fish that makes it taste better. Some people dislike the “fishy smell” but when fish is smoked it helps to eliminate the “fishy smell” and it gives it a “smoky smell” instead.

Why Smoked Meat

According to information I found from my research, it is believed that smoked meat can be traced all the way back to primitive cavemen. Later on, the process of smoking was combined with pre-curing the meat with a salty brine or salt. That process helped to preserve the meat even more and is a process that is still used today.

Historians believe that modern day smoked meat originated in Turkey and was brought to Romania by invading Turkish armies. Romanian Jewish butchers improved the curing process resulting in an exquisitely tender delicacy.

Properly cleaning a meat smoker is crucial for fire prevention and to maintain proper health standards. However, smoked meat is high in protein, and eating a high protein food is good for health. Smoking also ensures that the extra fats are eliminated in the process of smoking. That means the smoked meat, like chicken, is high in protein and low in fat.

Another advantage of smoking is that it kills certain bacteria and slows down the growth of others. It prevents mold from forming on fermented sausages and it extends shelf life of the product. The smell and flavor of smoked meat is appetizing, too.

The best smokers help us to cook food slow and low (180 degrees F to 220 degrees F) in a smoky chamber to infuse foods with flavor. Unlike the typical grilled recipe which cooks at 400 degrees F to 550 degrees F, smoked recipes involve cooking at a low heat created by the smoke itself as the wood chips or chunks smolder rather than burn.

Charcoal Smokers and Electric Smokers were listed as some of the best Smokers to buy for beginners in 2021 based on value and how easy they are to learn to use. Both of them will be coming up for auction on DealDash in the near future.

Hopefully, you will be able to win a smoker on DealDash.com and enjoy the special flavor of smoked meat.

Click to go to DealDash.com

This sponsored blog post was submitted by: Barbara L. Sellers. Barbara was compensated by DealDash for this blog post. Blog posts are written by real DealDash customers. The opinions and advice here represent our customers’ views and not those of the company.

Durable Backpacks

DealDash.com offers a wide variety of durable backpacks. You name it. They have it.

DealDash even has a two-person emergency “grab and go” backpack kit that is already filled with emergency items. That one will be coming up for auction pretty soon, and I will be watching for it because it’s a good idea to always be prepared for emergency situations.

SorryMyTurn with a backpack from DealDash

Whether we are looking for a stylish backpack for school books, a tactical backpack, waterproof backpack, rugged backpack to go camping or trail blazing DealDash is the place to find the kind of backpack we need.

I already won several backpacks from DealDash and I can tell you from first-hand experience that all of the backpacks I got from DealDash have one thing in common — they are definitely made for endurance.

Backpacks are typically made from canvas, cotton or nylon because these materials are the most durable and can withstand a lot of wear and tear over time.

Some of the backpacks are even hand made. In spite of some rough handling, all of the backpacks I won from DealDash are still in excellent condition. Unlike other backpacks I have had in the past, these backpacks will not fall apart very easily and are sure to last for many more years to come.

Backpack History

The word backpack was coined in the United States in the 1910s. Moneybag and packsack were used prior. The word rucksack is a German loanword mainly used in the UK, US and in other Western military forces.  

According to my research information Lloyd Nelson, known as the father of outdoor sports, was hiking around Alaska with a bag made from sticks and seal skin. Two years later, in 1922, he received a patent for a backpack with a wooden frame called the Trapper Nelson, which was mass produced and sold all over the country.

It wasn’t until 1969 that students started buying the “meant-for-hiking” backpacks from an outdoors shop on the University of Washington campus to carry their books and keep them dry from the frequent Seattle rains.

The owner and creator of Gerry Outdoors in Boulder, Colorado,  Gerry Cunningham, is credited with first using zippers and nylon for daypacks that later led to the modern school backpacks.

Backpacks are a better option than shoulder or messenger bags for carrying books and supplies. That’s because the weight of the pack is evenly spread out across our body and the strongest muscles in our back and abdomen support the pack.

A US soldier’s typical backpack will carry essential items like a sleeping bag, sunscreen, fire kits, medicine, first aid kit, compass, flashlight, night vision gear and a signal mirror.

Bottom Line

Every family will be sure to need a good backpack sooner or later. This is now fair season and whenever we go for an all-day outing to a fair or theme park we can always use a good backpack. It is the perfect way to carry extra bottles of water, snacks or sweaters.

Because of special safety concerns and COVID-19 mandates, we might not be allowed to use backpacks in some places. Nonetheless, that might only be temporary. In the meantime, at least we can still use them on hiking trails to get some exercise and explore the great outdoors.

Click to go to DealDash.com

This sponsored blog post was submitted by: Barbara L. Sellers. Barbara was compensated by DealDash for this blog post. Blog posts are written by real DealDash customers. The opinions and advice here represent our customers’ views and not those of the company.