DealDash Tips

May 13, 2014

Popcorn Party: Machines + Recipes for a Tasty Treat

Did you know that Americans consume more than 16 billion quarts of popcorn a year? I didn’t either. Compared to most snack foods, popcorn is low in calories with air popped popcorn containing just 31 calories per cup and oil-popped just 55 calories. Popcorn is really simple to make on the stove, with a machine, or an air-popper, but I bet you didn’t know that you could bid and win a variety of different machines on DealDash or great recicpes to make popcorn taste even better, now did you? (If you did, tell us!).

One recipe I stumbled upon recently comes from a lady who lives in a treehouse down in Miami. I saw Shawnee’s Popcorn being sold in a Whole Food’s in Sarasota, FL and here’s what’s in it. “Our popcorn is full of nutrients and minerals, and it leaves you wanting more just because it tastes so good and your body is feeling happy!”

Green Thumb Popcorn ingredients so you can make your own nutrition-packed, healthy popcorn at home:

Organic popcorn- air popped or cooked on the stove in coconut oil. Then tossed with organic sunflower oil, organic spirulina, nutritional yeast, Sea salt, organic garlic powder, organic cayenne powder, organic kelp powder, organic beet powder, organic carrot powder.
Ranch Popcorn
Melt 4 tablespoons butter with a 1-ounce packet ranch seasoning mix; toss with 16 cups hot popcorn and 2 tablespoons chopped chives. Season with salt.
Parmesan-Rosemary
Toss 16 cups hot popcorn with 1/2 cup grated parmesan, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary and 2 teaspoons kosher salt.
Peanut Butter
Heat 1 cup honey and 3/4 cup sugar over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 cup peanut butter and 1 teaspoon each vanilla extract and kosher salt until smooth; pour over 16 cups hot popcorn and 2 cups peanuts and toss. Spread on baking sheets and let cool.
Cinnamon Sugar
Drizzle 6 tablespoons melted butter over 12 cups hot popcorn; toss with 4 cups cinnamon cereal (such as Cinnamon Toast Crunch), 1/3 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon and 1 teaspoon kosher salt.

Kettle Corn
Mix 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a small bowl; set aside. Heat a few popcorn kernels in 1/4 cup vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until one pops. Add 3/4 cup popcorn kernels and cover. Cook, shaking the pot occasionally, until the popcorn starts rapidly popping. Crack the lid open and pour in the sugar mixture. Cover and cook, shaking the pot, until the popping subsides.

Szechuan
Heat 1 cup each peanuts and dried arbol chiles, 1/2 cup each peanut oil, sesame seeds and Szechuan peppercorns, and 4 teaspoons each sugar and kosher salt in a large skillet over medium heat until the nuts and chiles are toasted, 4 minutes; pour over 16 cups hot popcorn. Toss with 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil.

Birthday Cake Batter Popcorn

6 cups popped pop corn, 1 1/2 cups or so almond bark (or white chocolate), melted, 1 cup cake batter mix,

1/4 cup butter, assorted sprinkles

Check out the HUGE variety of popcorn related items up for auction on DealDash:

The Nostalgia Electrics Vintage Collection offers a wide array of classy vintage popcorn makers in both tabletop and cart styles.

The Waring Pro WPM10 can make up to 20 cups of popcorn, plus it’s got a halogen heater with built-in stirring system that reduces the amount of oil needed. Large steam vents keep popcorn dry and crispy. Buy it now price is $59.99 on DealDash.

Maxi Matic Popcorn Maker – Buy it now price is $149.99.

This popcorn popper features a 4-oz. kernel capacity that lets you make plenty of popcorn for a large group – 1 1/2 gallon capacity. Plus, the warming tray keeps popcorn warm until you’re ready to serve.

The Nostalgia Electrics Retro Kettle Popcorn maker last sold for $0.59. It has a buy it now price of $72.

May 12, 2014

How to Make the Most of Your DealDash Bids

If you’re one of those bidders who just and bid and end up losing tons of money, and believe me, even the most conservative spenders can get carried away when they get started on a penny auction site (I’ve been there), learn how to make the most of your bids.
How to Make the Most of Your Bids on DealDash:
1. Don’t “bid throttle” – Slow down! This means don’t just bid right away and blast away your bids by bidding right after anyone else bids. A lot of people get carried away and frustrated that they aren’t able to win right away, so what do they do? Blast away TONS of bids when they really shouldn’t. If you are bidding and someone else bids against you, then you place a bid and they bid against you again notice how other bidders that were also there bidding before you started to bid have slowed down? They’re still there and waiting for you (or the other bidder) to drop out… Watch out for this and don’t get carried away so that you place way more bids than you need to.
2. Stock up and Save!
Okay, I know that sounds like a weekly supermarket ad – BUT, it’s a great idea to stock up on bids, so that you can save money in the long run. Ways to do this would be to watch out for bid promotions and purchase bids in BULK when they’re on sale. For instance, the cost of a bid in an initial bid pack is $0.60 a piece. If you wait or get in on bid pack sales you can get them for as low as $0.17 or even less! There’s currently a bid promotion for Mother’s Day where bids are now $0.15 each.
3. Don’t win? Get ALL of your bids back
Huh, What? You can get ALL of your bids back? I know what you’re thinking… how can that be? Well, DealDash lets all bidders get their bids back if they don’t win an item by using “buy it now” to buy the item within 7 days from the auction close date. This is great if you really want the item you were bidding on and don’t like to lose money by losing the bids you placed. So definitely use buy it now when you bid and don’t win.
4. Keep track of your win limits and make the most of them!
All bidders can win up to 6 items valued less than $200 and 3 items valued more than $200 per week.
You can keep track of the status of your wins by looking at the win limit slots right next to your bid balance amount on the upper right-hand corner of DealDash.com.
5. Bid wisely.
Only bid on items that you really want or need and that you would be able to use buy it now on to get all of your bids back and minimize losses.
Do you bid on DealDash or any other penny auction? Tell us about your bidding tips! Good luck, win tons!

Photo Credits 401kcalculator.org

May 11, 2014

Everything You Need to Exercise at Home from DealDash

Do you want to lose weight and look great?
Working out can sometimes be an uphill battle, especially if it means you have to drive to a gym, or even find someone to watch your kids (if you have them).
I was once told that if you have time to eat you have time to workout… It’s true, but not that easy. And if you don’t have time to eat you really should re-evaluate your lifestyle. If you’re overworked and lacking sleep, a totally separate issue, check out this new book by Arianna Huffington, Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder. Ok, now you came here for deals on exercise programs and equipment so that you can workout at home, so here you go!
Workout Routines
Not sure what to do and don’t want to shell out cash for a personal trainer? DealDash offers the popular Weider rip 60 workout program which touts workouts to enhance strength, flexibility and endurance over the course of 8 workout DVDs + 4 bonus DVDs, a gym bag, and a meal plan to help you reach your fitness goals.
For the ability to get a great deal on the Weider Rip 60 check out the auctions for it on DealDash.
Plus, there’s even a Pilates Reformer and AeroPilates Level 1 Integrated Workout with Marjolein Brugman
Not sure what Pilates are or the scary looking Pilates reformer? Check this article out for more info info We Tried It: Reformer Pilates from Huffington Post.

.
DealDash also has Zumba workout games for a variety of gaming consoles: one for Wii, Xbox and PlayStation.
Plus, the wildly popular and effective Wii Fit gaming console now has Wii U workout games and you can bid or purchase them on DealDash as well.
Yoga Equipment & Stability Balls

Yoga Direct Anti Burst & Slow Leak Deluxe Yoga Ball is a great way to take your yoga practice up a notch. It’s leak proof and comes deflated, easily inflated with a hand or food pump sold on DealDash separately.
The JawBone Up! If you are familiar with is hot workout wristband, but don’t want to pay the hefty $149.99 price, you may be able to score one for less on DealDash.

The JawBone UP not only tracks movement and steps, it actually helps you understand how you move, eat and sleep. Plus, if you want a silent alarm clock the UP will vibrate to wake you up too. It’s a pretty intelligent little device too. It will help you understand your behaviors/moods in relation to sleep/food and activity.

Now, if you’re doing any kind of workout, especially something intense like INSANITY, P90X, running or the Weider rip:60 it’s important to monitor your hear trate.And DealDash offers deals on TONS of heart rate monitors. Do you workout at home? Have you won any great deals on workout equipment or accessories on DealDash? Let us know about it!

May 10, 2014

Build Your Kids the Ultimate Summer Playground for Less

Wouldn’t it be great if you didn’t have to drive your kids to the park to play this summer? With items won just on DealDash you can easily create the ultimate backyard playground and your kids will have hours of fun from the comfort and safety of your home.
1. The Flexible Flyer Triple Fun II Metal Swing Set

This safe metal swing set for kids features four different play options, including two swings, one shoe loop swing, a seesaw and a 6′ wave slide. The metal swing set can keep up to six kids busy at once, making after school play-time incredibly exciting and fun. This sturdy triple swing set features a durable steel frame, so it’ll last for years of outdoor play. The Flexible Flyer Swing Set requires adult assembly.
What’s Included:

2 swings
1 shoe loop swing
Seesaw
6′ wave slide

2. The Pure Fun Kids’ Trampoline

The last one just sold for $0.64! Trampolines can also provide hours of fun for adults and kids alike, plus it’s a great workout and possibly even good for your lymphatic system. “Vigorous exercise such as rebounding [jumping on a therapeutic mini-trampoline] is reported to increase lymph flow by 15 to 30 times. Also, bones become stronger with exercise.” -WellbeingJournal.com

Trampolines made with strong, rust-resistant galvanized iron steel tubing using patented T-Section construction
Snug, secure fit of T-Section assembly ensures extra stability and prevents shifting over time
W-shaped legs with 8 balanced contact points add stability and prevent wobbling or tipping and high-performance steel springs provide deeper
The 12-foot, 72-spring trampoline is easy to assemble and requires no tools or extra drilling
Includes limited two-year manufacturer’s warranty

3 The Gym Dandy 360 Degree Teeter Totter

Did you know that a teeter totter not only provides hours of fun, but physical exercise too? Kids can develop balance, agility, stronger muscles and endurance just by playing in the backyard with the Gym Dandy Teeter-Go-Round. It spins 360 degrees and dips up and down, at the same time. The retail and buy-it-now price is $183, with the last auction for one ending for as low as $1.44 (that’s just 144 bids by all bidders!).

This unique Gym Dandy Teeter Totter can whirl around 360 degrees for additional fun! In addition to see-saw motion, also spins 360 degrees. Open suspended design and durable powder coated finish. – See more at: https://www.dealdash.com/battle.php?auction_id=2237565#sthash.tbOA9h9x.dpuf

This Gym Dandy 360 Degree Teeter Totter retails for $183, but the average selling price on DealDash auctions is $31.99 (83% OFF!) – See more at: https://www.dealdash.com/battle.php?auction_id=2237565#sthash.tbOA9h9x.dpuf

4. Intex 10-Foot x 30-Inch Metal Frame Swimming Pool
A pool can help improve your child’s swimming skills, swimming is a great workout, and your own pool isn’t going to be crowded with strangers! Just make sure you check out your city/county laws for a backyard pool and supervise your children at all times.
This durable and strong Intex swimming pool is perfect to get the family together in the backyard and just float around on a hot summer day. Made with triple strong sidewalls, filter pump to ensure clean, fresh water and a ground fault circuit interrupter.
Let us know how you build your backyard playground! Worried about the expense? Check out these auctions on DealDash and save money on all the things you want and can’t live without.