How To: Build Your Own Compost Pile

One of my wife's goals when we moved into our home was to start her own compost pile. As we lived in an apartment before, there are a number of obvious reasons why we couldn't leave our organic waste like eggshells and fruit skins lying around, so she couldn't wait to start once we had our own yard and our own space to experiment with. The question I always had for her before I understood the process was "why do you want to compost?"

There are actually a number of benefits to starting your own compost pile that I wasn't aware of. For one, starting and maintaining a compost heap in your backyard will actually help you come up with good, fertile soil for plants and gardens. Not only will you cut down on what you spend to fertilize your own plants, it also is scientifically proven to grow plants with less pests.

On top of all of that, there are actually a lot of green benefits to composting. With a growing problem of waste in landfills, cutting down on the amount we set out in trash bins is ultimately a green endeavor. Why throw it away when you can turn it into something useful and help out the environment?

So, if you've ever been interested in starting your own compost pile, here are a few tips for beginners.

The Pros and Cons of CFL Lighting

Over the last few weeks, we've been trying to find new ways to save money around the household. For some reason, the spending has gradually gotten out of hand, so now we want to take a step back and make a better budget.

One of the areas that we want to cut back on in particular is our home energy bill, and perhaps one of the easiest starting steps is to switch over to using compact fluorescent lights, or CFLs. However, as much as I want to save money, I do have some concerns about the process of switching over.

While doing some research about the pros and cons of CFL lighting, I actually came across this video by the guys over at Microsoft Hohm, which talks about this very subject. It's got some great information, and will probably teach you a new thing or two about traditional lightbulbs versus CFLs.

So, who else out there has made this switch or is thinking about making the switch? Tell us in the comments!

Poll: DVR or No DVR?

Several years ago, I balked at my friends that swore up and down that I would not view TV the same once I got a DVR to go along with my TV service. Being able to record shows and movies was not a new concept. After all, that's what people had VCRs for. To me, the notion that a bigger box on my entertainment center would change my TV watching habits was absurd. If someone wants to watch a show, why not just be around when it airs? Once I experienced it, however, all bets were off. Years later, I can't imagine keeping up with my shows without it.

For one, having a DVR is simply convenient. Why plan your life around when TV shows air, when you can catch up with them later and at your own leisure? I've also found that using a DVR helps to focus the stuff I watch. When I didn't have a DVR, I would spend hours milling around on the couch just watching whatever happened to be on at the moment. With DVR, I always have something accessible that I want to watch. The end result is less time spent lazing about.

As hard as it is to believe, there are still numerous households out there that haven't taken the next step up to DVR, for a variety of reasons. Whether they simply haven't upgraded their TV plans, or they don't like the idea of paying more per month is anyone's guess. I thought I'd do a poll and figure out what our readers thought on the blog.

So what about you? Do you have a DVR? Feel free to vote and answer in the comments!

Moving Your College Student

The summer months are coming to a close, which means that vacations are trickling away and people are returning to school and work. While this is a sad time for parents of college aged youngsters, it is an exciting time for them as they prepare to embark out on their own. Many families I know with college students are saying their goodbyes and taking the kids off.

If you are gearing up to help move a student, or you are a student yourself, here are some helpful tips to make the transition easier:

• Take advantage of back-to-school sales. On top of tax free weekend happening in many states this time of year, there are also a variety of other low budget back-to-school options for students. In fact, you can find a great deal on gear like laptops. CNET even has an article reviewing the best budget laptops, to make your shopping easier.
• Get a moving quote. While moving into a dorm room is typically less of a hassle, some students move into apartments after their freshman year, finding cheaper prices and less noise somewhere off campus. It seems like an easier task, but don't let that stop you from finding moving quotes to make it a breeze.
• Upgrade your phone plan. Whether your student is leaving for the first time or they have been in college for several years, being able to talk to them each week is no doubt an important part of your life as a parent. Find the right home phone service to keep your family connected, even when they are miles apart.

So, how many of you out there are helping students move back to college in the next couple of weeks? Got any tips to share?

Transitioning to a Digital Age

We speak quite a bit on this blog about the rapidly changing technology of the day, and how the world of communications is moving forward at a blinding pace. It is interesting to consider that just ten years ago, there was no such thing as iTunes or even YouTube, two of the things that people spend a great deal of their time doing online. In this digital age, things are almost transforming faster than people can keep a handle on.

If you're curious about the numbers associated with this digital revolution, Newsweek has put together a nice article with an infographic depicting these changes. Titled How the Digital Revolution Changed Our World, it's a fascinating look at some cold hard facts. It demonstrates just how far things have come in the last 10 years, some of which are in ways that surprised me.

For instance, did you know that the numbers of books published has quadrupled? I wonder how much of that has to do with e-readers. Likewise, time spent online has increased by almost 1000 percent. That's just the tip of the iceberg, so if you're curious about what the other numbers are, I would definitely recommend checking out the article. What are some things that surprise you about the list?

Source - Newsweek

Poll: How Much Time Do You Spend Online?

I've noticed that over the last several years, the time I spend online has increased more and more. Even five years ago, using the Internet as much as we do now was totally unthinkable, simply because of the fact that there just wasn't as much available for us to interact with. Now, we have online video, radio stations, word processors, and the like, and all of it is gradually replacing some of our simplest desktop functions. This is only increasing all the more with the advent of smart phones and mobile browsing.

For me, high-speed Internet has changed from a service to a necessity, almost a utility like electricity or natural gas, simply because there is so much of our lives that require the use of the Web. I know that I'm not alone in this, but I was still curious how much other people out there spent time online. So, I thought I'd make a poll and find out from our readers.

How much time do you spend online? Feel free to vote and tell us in the comments!

How to Secure Your Wireless Network

Earlier this year when I explained how to set up a wireless network, I urged you to set up a password and consider additional security measures. After all, what's the point of ordering a smoking-fast broadband package if all the neighborhood kids are hijacking your signal and slowing everything to a crawl with their blasted Justin Bieber music videos?

With that in mind, I thought I'd get a little more in-depth on wireless security today and give you a list of basic precautions you can take along with some more advanced pro-tips that can help keep your Internet service Bieber-free (unless you're into that sort of thing, which is totally okay).

• Lock down your router – Your router and wireless network both have passwords. To change your network's settings, you need to log in to your router. To keep anyone else from changing your network settings, you need to protect your router. Check your instruction manual to learn how to log in to make changes. Usually, you simply enter a URL into your browser and enter the default user-name and password to gain access
  
  If for some reason you have lost your router instructions, check out this site and you should easily be able to find out what URL to type and what the default user-name and password for your router is. Once in, make sure you give your router a new user-name and password. Stay logged in, as we'll be making the rest of the changes from here, too.

How Do Consumers Rate Their Services?

Each year, the American Customer Satisfaction Index does a study to see what consumers think of the services they use day in and day out. They cover a broad array of services and products that range from hospital care to computer software, and everything in between. It's certainly helpful to see how other people view these items, and just how satisfied they are with them. Well, the new ratings are out for this year, so you can see just where all of the providers stand with the current ACSI 2010 list.

The things that are most curious, however, are the home services that we deal with on WhiteFence. Several of the categories that were ranked are products that you can compare side-by-side using our shopping engine, such as TV, home phone and electricity. Apparently, Verizon FiOS won out in the TV service department with the highest satisfaction rating, and AT&T; came out on top for home phone service.

The list is definitely worth looking at it, especially if you are going to be doing some shopping anytime soon. To view it and find out more, visit the American Customer Satisfaction Index.

Picketology: Choosing the Right Internet Speed

In the world of home services, there are always new ways to save when it comes to your billing. One of the best ways to shave a little off the top is to be informed about what services you are signed up for, and how much of them you are actually using.

That's why we're introducing Picketology, a new WhiteFence video series about the science behind your home services. In this first edition, we cover the different ranges of high-speed Internet, and how you can choose what's right for you. In addition, you can find out what the difference is between the different packages. Also, a fake rundown of Internet history.

What speed do you have in your home, and why did you choose that? Feel free to tell us in the comments!

Megabits Matter: Our Fastest High-Speed Packages

It's funny to me that not too long ago, I had never really experienced high-speed Internet on my home computer before. Within the past decade, we've seen crazy leaps and bounds in terms of what we can do on the Web, at speeds most of us probably didn't think were possible in the 90's. The crazy thing is, as fast as my home high-speed connection is at 6.0 Mbps, there are even faster speeds out there.

Have you ever wondered about the fastest possible high-speed Internet package you can find? Lately, I've been curious about this, thinking about the best connection I could actually find and get hooked up in my home. Granted, I think about things like this because I'm a nerd, but I'm sure you are not a nerd, so you probably have more valid reasons to be pondering this idea. Regardless of why you've considered this question, I did a little bit of research into WhiteFence's providers to find the fastest high-speed Internet packages offered.

While most providers offer packages ranging from 1.0 Mbps to 10.0 or even 12.0 Mbps, there are some that go far beyond that. Check out the interesting results below.