Why you should buy a premium vacuum?

The difference between a budget vacuum and a quality vacuum is massive. The biggest difference for me is they are completely sealed so there is no cloud of dust after vacuuming, which is not only a health hazard but also defeats some of the purpose of vacuuming. I'm not saying that you should go out and spend $700 or even $1000 on the latest vacuum either. 

I'm somewhat partial to Dyson stick vacuums. They are lightweight, cordless, and clean well. Being completely sealed you have no cloud of dust and can even use them to clean dust from hard surfaces. They are also great for cleaning furniture and being cordless you can easily vacuum out your car too. 

What is the sweet spot? Right now the latest Dyson stick vacuum is the V15 or the Outsize which cost at least $700. For around half that price or less, you can get a Dyson V8. It might not have quite as long of a battery or as big of a cleaning head as the V15 but is still an incredible machine. If you do have a particularly large home you might think about upgrading. For most people though the V8 is fine. 

What you really want is a vacuum you will use and since the V8 is super convenient it makes it easy to grab and use. You can even spot clean little sections or go through your whole house at once since it's easier to grab and emptying it is a breeze. 

Why I stopped using robotic vacuums

 

While I love home automation and robotic vacuums are key to that, I have completely stopped using mine. Part of the shift has come because I have moved, and my current robot can't navigate my home as well as it should and gets stuck too frequently. My current generation robot is the type that changes direction by bumping into things. This means that if you have different height floors, the robot will drop down to the lower floor and get stuck in that region. While I have attempted to block it off using the beacons and placing things in the way, it still manages to drop into that space and get stuck. The other problem is that it is somewhat annoying if you want to be in the same room and it takes a long time to clean the home. 

There are options. I could get a newer vacuum that maps the home, and rather than only bumping into things, once it has a map, tell it not to go to that area. I could also buy additional beacons to keep the current vacuum from getting stuck, but at this point, it doesn't seem worth it. While robotic vacuums are continuing to improve, it's still difficult to justify. Especially since it's around $600 to get a new vacuum that could block zones. 

Currently, I manually vacuum with a Dyson V7 stick vacuum. It cleans very well while being lightweight and easy to use. It does a good job of cleaning and makes quick work of it. It's also quieter than the robotic vacuum, so it's less disturbing to others. Ironically, having a better manual vacuum does make it feel like less work to vacuum. Someday I may return to robotic vacuums, but for now, it's manual vacuuming for me. 

New Apple Watch Series 5

The Apple Watch Series 5 is here with a couple of great new features. Most notably the always-on display. This allows you to avoid those awkward moments of raising your arm to check the time while talking to your boss or during meetings.  I can see why Apple kept the updates minimal here because the always-on display is a real game-changer.

Other notable additions are the ability to call emergency help around the world (for the cellular version) and a built-in compass so you can see which direction you're facing. Great additions for travelers and adventure seekers.

Shopping with Mobile Wallets

Everythings on My Phone

These days I rarely have to take my wallet out of my pocket. I no longer carry any store cards. They are all either in Apple Wallet or their store's app. Occasionally, I might have to give my phone number. For payments I can use Apple Pay at almost all locations I regularly shop. It is convenient to be able to quickly tap my phone. 

For restaurants, mobile ordering options are becoming extremely common and popular. I love being able to order on my phone so I can get exactly what I want and see all the customization options. It's also nice not having any surprises if something costs extra because you see it right in front of you. Plus sometimes they have extra coupons for mobile ordering. This is also a great way to use discount gift cards from sites like Swagbucks.

I almost don't need a wallet anymore. If my driver's license and health insurance cards were digital I wouldn't need to carry it. I still do keep a few cards with me in case there is a place that doesn't accept mobile payments. Currently, most of the gas stations around and Red Boxes still don't offer Apple Pay. Although, Exxon Mobile does accept Mobile Payments through my phone.

One of my favorite places to use mobile payments is vending machines. I am quite surprised by how common this is on vending machines. If I am at work I can simply tap to pay and grab a drink or snack. Even better when I am out for a jog I don't even need to bring my wallet and can grab a Gatorade at the local park vending machines. 

Swagbucks Member Recognition

A few months ago Swagbucks introduced a Member Appreciation Program. While this program is not earth-shattering it does add another level of benefits. The program starts by rewarding loyalty with small bonuses and rebates and builds to some sustained benefits like instant gift card redemptions. At my level of Topaz, I received a 125 Swagbucks (SB) rebate (worth about $1.25-$1.40 depending on how I redeem), double SB on my next two survey completions, 300 SB back on shopping through their portal, skip the wait for cashback shopping and real-time delivery of a gift card up to $25 a month. Keep in mind the bonuses do expire so you will need to use them in a timely manner.

I like to see Swagbucks rewarding their loyal members. The only thing I wish they would do is provide additional sustained benefits rather than just bonuses. The only sustained benefit I get at L6 is real-time delivery of the $25 gift cards. Even once you reach the top tier levels you only get two sustained benefits which are extended time to redeem Swag Codes and real-time delivery of up to four $25 gift cards a month. The bonuses do get quite large as you approach the top though.

Overall, this is a great step forward in more ways to reward their loyal users. I do wish they would side with their users more and hold their survey providers to higher standards, but there are no other reward sites that have this many bonuses and offer this many ways to earn.

Interested in making your Member Recognition Levels faster. Check out this post to learn how to make your Swagbucks Daily Goals!