Belkin: The lost review

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Once upon a time, approximately 10 or so months ago, a lovely PR person got in contact with me about doing a review for the electronics accessory company Belkin. I was stoked to be asked because, as a bit of a gadget fanatic, I was keen to try some free products.

Time passed. I received some parcels and then I got sick. I had a play with the products but was not in the headspace to write about them. More time passed. I continued to be unwell and spewed forth blog posts about how bad I was feeling and just felt throwing a product review into the mix would seem kinda weird and out of place.

Now I'm feeling better I am finally ready to tell you about these products. I have now, after all, given them (one in particular) a pretty good workout!

The first product I was sent was the VideoCharge + ChargeSync which you actually can't buy any more, going by the Belkin website. I couldn't use this at the time because it was for the iPhone 4/4s and I have an iPhone 5. Luckily though my sister had an old iPhone and was able to give the VideoCharge a go.

The stand for the VideoCharge is excellent, with a heavy base and firm grip for the phone. This came especially in handy when FaceTiming with a grabby baby Mala wanting to get in on the call with her cousin Noo. Having the ability to charge the phone at the same time is also a good idea. We all know how fast iPhone batteries wear down!

Belkin VideoCharge + ChargeSync for iPhone 4/4s

When I told the PR company that I actually couldn't use the product they sent me, along came another parcel containing the Charge+Sync Dock for iPhone 5. I really like this dock. It is a great stand for my iPhone that I move around from my desk to my bedside table as required. I only had one complaint about it at the time. It didn't come with its own inbuilt lightning connector - you have to use your own. For the price it was at the time, I didn't think this was great value.

Now, all this time later, Belkin have upped the stakes and lowered the price! The MIXIT ChargeSync Dock for iPhone 5 now includes an inbuilt lightning connector and has come down in price to $39.95. Awesome! I want one.

Belkin Charge+Sync Dock for iPhone 5

So there you have it! I wasn't paid for this review but I was given the accessories shown in the photos above. I stand by my opinion and will most likely go out and buy the new MIXIT ChargeSync Dock for iPhone 5 with my own money so I don't have to keep moving the other one around.

And everyone lived happily ever after.

The end.

V.



Disclosure: As previously mentioned I wasn't paid for this review I was, however, given the products shown in the photos above. All opinions are my own in accordance with my disclosure policy.

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Retail therapy

So it has been confirmed by both my GP and my psychiatrist: I am depressed again. While I've battled anxiety continuously all my life, the bouts of major depression have been less frequent. The most recent time before this one was just after Noo was born while I was suffering from postpartum thyroiditis.

One of the ways I deal with my lows and my highs is by spending money. Retail therapy can be great if you can control it but it is not really a healthy coping mechanism for an addictive personality like mine. I am still paying off the $26,000 I spent in six months in 2009.

When I'm depressed become obsessed with clothes, shoes and makeup. Anything with a dollar value really, but fashion just makes me feel good when I'm feeling so bad. When I'm well I love to shop too, but when I'm down, it becomes all consuming.

I have been spending hour upon hour scrolling through Pinterest and clothing, footwear and bedding retailers for months now. I haven't spent nearly as much as I did back in 2009 simply because I don't have access to that kind of cash. Without actually tallying up my receipts I'd guess I've spent about $1,000 on clothes, boots and toys for Noo over the last three months. Maybe a bit more.

As winter started to approach I became fixated with the need for Noo and me to get flannelette bedding for each of our beds. I was also desperate for a new duvet cover.  The plain white one I've been using for years I bought in London back in 2006!

So I googled "flannelette sheets" and scrolled through hundreds of pictures on major department store websites as well as on dedicated homewares and bedding websites. There were a few that I liked the look of but as my bank account was dwindling due to all the clothes I was buying I figured I'd just wait until next pay day...

And then, as if someone had heard my wish for new bedding, out of the blue I get an email from www.oo.com.au asking me if I'd like some new new sheets or a duvet cover in exchange for a review of their website!

OO had been one of the sites I had been scrolling through for quilt covers and bed sheets! I swear to you, on my reputation as an honest blogger, this is true. They have some lovely sets on there and I was stoked to be offered $100 worth of whatever I wanted from these ranges.

I chose bright red flannelette sheet set for my double loft bed and a boldly patterned quilt cover to help brighten my mood.

Once my selection was made within days OO sent me the goods and I was stoked. The quality of each set is lovely. I've been snug as a bug up there in my loft bed.

Yay! Fresh new bedsheets.

Even though I was asked to review the OO site based on these products I just didn't feel I could give an honest opinion of how the website worked unless I did it all for myself. I wanted to go through the process of selecting, ordering, paying and waiting for delivery so I could give an true review of how the oo.com.au worked.

I was in need of some more toner cartridges for my printer and lucky for me OO stock them. The model printer I have churns toner like no tomorrow. I've always used the branded toner and at an average of $25 a pop, they are quite expensive. OO have a really cool Ink Finder so I was able to easily find the make and model of my printer and the relevant cartridges I required. I was shocked to find they were almost 50% cheaper than the branded equivalent.

I made my selection, added it to my shopping cart and then chose to pay with PayPal's own shopping cart. That way I didn't have to put all my details in the OO system because they're all there on PayPal. Nice. Quick. Easy. What more can you ask for?

My current 'fantasy' shopping cart. I do this all the time when I don't actually have the money to spend.

I ordered my printer cartridges late on Sunday night and they arrived at my apartment by courier on Tuesday. I was amazed at the turnaround time for the order. The product was well packaged and worked a dream in my printer. I won't be paying full price for cartridges again!

So, would I recommend oo.com.au to buy anything from bedsheets to printer cartridges?

Yes I would. Definitely.

Just like pineapples, shopping sure has a way to distract me from the other stuff going on in my life.


Have you had any good retail therapy lately?


V.





Disclosure: I was offered $100 worth of bedlinen in exchange for a review of the oo.com.au website. No cash has changed hands. All opinions are my own in accordance with my disclosure policy.

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Want to win one of 1200 house fires this winter?

Sponsored

Want to win one of 1200 house fires this winter?

Me neither.

Noo and I are pretty lucky with where we live when it comes to the risk of a house fire. Do you know why? We live in the city right opposite a fire station!

We also have a smoke alarm that is tested monthly, a fire extinguisher, fire blanket, monthly emergency alert system testing for the whole building as well as ceiling sprinklers. But there's more we could be doing to prevent a fire.

The view from our balcony

We also spend a lot of time up at my parent's place in the Blue Mountains. Their house is surrounded by the most fabulous Australian bushland. It is a tranquil life up there but bushfires are an ever present threat, especially in summer. My dad is very safety conscious and makes sure the house and property are as prepared for a fire as they need to be all year round.

The view from my parent's balcony

Now, as we near the end of May, the cool weather is really starting to be felt here in the city. In the Blue Mountains it is already very wintery with overnight temperatures of around 3 degrees celsius. Brrrrr!

When the weather gets cold we all like to do what we can to keep warm. And this is where the trouble starts: power boards get overloaded, clothes are thrown over heaters and electric blankets are left on after everyone has left home for the day. There are countless other scenarios around the home that pose as fire risks. Knowing what they are and how we can avoid them is the key to keeping our families safe.

There's a lot we all can do to help prevent a tragedy. Fire and Rescue NSW have come up with a nifty little website where you can conduct a Home Safety Fire Audit for your place.

Noo and I went through the questionnaire together which was educational for the both of us. You just need to answer a series of questions and then the audit gives you a report at the end with recommendations of what you can do to ensure your place is as fire safe as possible.

Whether you live in a house out bush, a unit in the suburbs or in an apartment in the city all options are covered. I highly recommend all families give the Home Safety Fire Audit a go to learn what you can do to ensure you are prepared for the cold season ahead. Have the kids sit with you so they can see the importance of fire safety too.

I know I don't want to win a house fire this year. And I bet you don't either!






Do you have an emergency response plan for your family?

V.



Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own as per my disclosure policy.

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What's the drama?

Yep, there's more drama to be had here at babblingbandit.me. No, not more sex, drugs and rock n roll! I'm talking sponsored posts. There seems to be a lot of chatter around the interwebs about bloggers getting paid to give opinions on brands and their products or services. Readers seem to either love them or they hate them. It's controversial! It's divisive! It's dramatic!

I actually enjoy reading sponsored posts if they are for a product or service I'm interested in. I'm one of these people who doesn't buy anything major without having read good reviews about the product first. I scour the web for beauty bloggers' opinions on mascara or through tech blogs for reviews on the latest gadgets/computers/software. There's no way I'd buy any major appliance without having found a thumbs up from a blog or a review site.

I am also a total sucker for marketing and advertising. I love pretty packages and catchy jingles. I'm a shopping addict with a disgraceful love of consumerism. But I have little money in the bank. If I spend my cash I want to get the most out of every dollar. Reading reviews of products and services from bloggers that I trust can help me form a decision about a product.

You know what else I love? Free stuff. I've won stacks of cool things from blog competitions. I've won $100 worth of shoes for Noo, a lunchbox, some yum cha products, chocolate, tickets to Masterchef live (although the announcement email got lost in my spam folder), tickets to take the kids to see Elmo's show that's coming up in June, some pelvic floor exercise balls (yet to be tested). Oh and I won $500 for writing this post for the Digital Parents Conference sponsors RAMS. Sweet!

Blogging is my second love at the moment (after my family of course). I never really knew I could put words together to make sentences that form paragraphs that end up coming together to give you a story. My story.

Blogging takes a lot of time. I don't begrudge that time, I wish I had more of it to give to my space. I love spending time on my words and my pictures. I love reading other blogs and commenting. I love social media and being connected. I love the sense of community. I love the comments that I get that are so often filled with support and care for me. I've been overwhelmed by that support. I thank each and every person that comes to read what I have to say, not just the commenters.

I am lucky that I do have an income outside of blogging. My blog is my hobby not a business. For me to choose to do the odd sponsored post is not really all about money. Although the fifty bucks I might make to write a post like the one I did recently for Office 365 really helps. That's my coffee and cake money for a week! Of course, should my readership grow, then I may need to ask for a bit more than snack dollars.

I've enjoyed writing the few sponsored posts that I've done because I like being given a project. In each campaign that I've been involved in I've still given a little story of my life. I've never just rewritten the media release. I always mark clearly at the top that the post is sponsored so the reader can chose not to read if they wish.

Why am I going on about all this? If you haven't already noticed I've put together a little Work/Contact/Network page in the hope some more sponsored gigs might come my way. And there could be a few coming up in the near future. I just thought I'd put it out there to you guys. This is a PR friendly blog. Without compromising my voice I'd like to be able to work with brands. And, as my readers, I hope you don't mind that I do.


What do you think about the whole sponsored post malarkey? 

Yay or nay?




V.

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