Article • December 18, 2009

Read Up on the Ethics of Charities and Nonprofits

Figure out the best places to donate with Charity Navigator

Thinking of giving to charity this holiday season? Good for you.  A recent survey suggests that generous Americans will give more than $4 billion this year via online donations alone.

To ensure that your dollars go to a legit organization, use Charity Navigator, an independent, non-profit watchdog group that is like Consumer Reports for do-gooders.

The in-depth site evaluates, classifies and rates the financial health of over 5,400 charities based on their IRS forms and financials.

You can search by charity name, keyword or category.  When you click on a particular charity you’re taken to a page that has detailed information, including a breakdown of the ratings, charts that show expenses and revenues and the particular organization’s income statement.

The site also features opinion pieces by Charity Navigator experts, donation tips and top 10 lists that rank organizations in a number of categories, including “slam dunks” and those“routinely in the red” (and, thus, probably best avoided).

Do the right thing and make sure you vet your charity before handing over your hard-earned donations.

Visit Charity Navigator


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Article • August 31, 2010

Correction Course

A Way To Break Bad Habits In 6 Weeks

We all have habits we want to break.  But wanting and doing are two very different things.

That’s where Habit Changer can help.  The service provides the tools necessary to correct bad habits in 42 days.

To start, choose your program from one their three broad categories (eating, finances and living). Eating includes things like losing weight while living includes the perennial vow to quit smoking.

When you choose a specific program—”stop stressing,” for example—you’ll register and pay (programs start at $15.95).

From there you’ll get a detailed “toolkit” that’s made up of daily work plans with step-by-step actions. These include challenges, email reminders, to do lists and a calendar that tracks your progress.

Each program is divided into digestible daily segments with instructions on how to focus your energies.  Of course, what you get out of this will depend on what you put into it.

Change happens, but it’s nice to know there’s help along the way.

Of course, you could take our default route and simply talk about making changes for the next 42 days.

Visit Habit Changer


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Article • August 27, 2010

Block Your Ex Online

Put your past relationships safely behind you with Ex-blocker

Breaking up is hard to do. And with the advent of constant social networking, denying the existence of an old flame is no easy task either these days.

Put your past behind you with Ex-blocker, a browser plug-in that allows you to block your former significant other’s online activity, allowing you to move on without digital reminders.

Start by selecting your browser (Firefox, Chrome, Safari and IE are all supported) and filling in your former lover’s name, Twitter handle and Facebook page info. Then click to download and install the plug-in to your browser.

From then on, any information posted by your ex will be blocked from you with a splash warning whenever you’re about to “accidentally” come across news regarding that special someone from your past.

And, should you ever back slide, unblocking takes just a few clicks. Those with a habit of serial dating miscues will appreciate the capability to add up to five exes at once.

Unfortunately, it won’t get all your stuff back from that person’s apartment.

Visit Ex-blocker


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Article • August 26, 2010

Seamless-ly Order Takeout From Your Favorite Restaurants

Seamless is the quickest, easiest way to order delivery
We’ve all been there: it’s 3 p.m. and you suddenly realize you need lunch. But do you really want to search around for places, only to discover the best ones don’t deliver?

Thankfully, there’s Seamless, which allows you to have food delivered to you with more ease than ever before. 

Just download the app for your iPhone or Android and create a Seamless account, if you haven’t done so already via their decidedly less refined-looking site.

It’ll use your current location to compile a list of nearby restaurants that can deliver to you.

If you have an exact dish in mind, you can search for a specific restaurant. If you’re looking to try something new, you can browse by type of cuisine or food. When you order, you can even opt to pay by credit card.

As always, Seamless incorporates reviews from other customers so you can get a sense of the reputation of the place whose food you may be eating.

Unfortunately, the app doesn’t provide condiments.

Visit Seamless


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