When you hear statistics like ‘one-third of your total home energy bills are from heating’, the media-hyped energy saving techniques can suddenly seem relevant to you and your home. It is easy to block out the advertisements for heat pumps and fireplaces during summer, but when the weather cools you can suddenly find yourself stuck with so many home heating options you do not know where to start.

A warm home is vital for comfort and health. Before you go out and spend hundreds or even thousands on a new heater of some type, use these tips to make your home heating more efficient:

• Insulate your home

Make sure the heat you are paying for can’t get out. Thermal curtains and double glazed windows are two of the most efficient and cost-effective ways to ensure your home is heated smartly.

• Place your heater wisely

There is a reason many fireplaces are surrounded by brick walls. Place your heater near a source of thermal mass such as an internal concrete wall - the heat will be absorbed and re-radiated.

• Use the winter sun

The low morning and evening sun in New Zealand is great for heating your home naturally and for free, so don’t close curtains during the day.

• Use the thermostat

Many heaters have thermostats to keep a room at a consistent temperature. Instead of using the maximum settings to keep your room toasty, use the thermostat to intermittently keep you comfortable by turning on and off while in use.

Image from Flickr.

Latest netball results from this weekend’s competition (Round 4, Apr 26 - Apr 28):

• Magic beat the Fever; 61-47 in Hamilton
• Firebirds beat the Mystics; 46-40 in Brisbane
• Thunderbirds beat the Steel; 54-41 in Adelaide
• Tactix lost to the Vixens; 50-58 in Christchurch
• Swifts beat the Pulse; 59-30 in Sydney

Check out the netball standings to find out where your team is currently placed, and stay tuned to the blog for more ANZ Championship netball results…

Image from Flickr.

Latest super 14 results from this weekend’s competition (week 11, Apr 25 - Apr 27):

• Crusaders beat the Blues; 26-22 in Christchurch
• Brumbies beat the Lions; 28-21 in Canberra
• Chiefs beat the Reds; 32-20 in Hamilton
• Warratahs beat the Sharks; 25-10 in Sydney
• Cheetahs lost to the Hurricanes; 10-38 in Kimberley
• Stormers beat the Highlanders; 26-16 in Cape Town

Check out the Super 14 standings to find out which team is on top, and stay tuned to the blog for more Super 14 results..

Image from Flickr.

If you’re in Auckland this week leading up to Anzac Day, pop down to the Auckland War Memorial Museum for a spectacular cinematic experience brought to you by Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson.

Jackson has restored footage shot by famous war correspondent Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett for the rare film “Heroes of Gallipoli”. The twenty-minute film is being projected on the outside of the museum, and will play continuously from 7.30pm until 10.00pm until the end of the week.

Visitors to the museum are invited to watch the film and then venture inside to see collections of art and photographs by current New Zealand soldiers, look up relatives’ war records on the database, and enjoy some light refreshments at the cafe.

Peter Jackson’s terrific restoration has just been listed with UNESCO’s Memory of the World programme.

For those outside of Auckland, documentaries and other ANZAC related features will run all day Friday on Maori Television, so whip some biscuits with our Anzac biscuits recipe and relax on your day off while learning about New Zealand’s history.

Image from Flickr.

Online shopping has become a way of life. Groceries are bought online. Pizzas are ordered online. Cars, houses, furniture - all available online. Globally, more than 50% of the world’s internet users have made a purchase online in the last month.

What makes an online shopping website successful? Is it frequent offline advertising like Ferrit has done, or word of mouth like Trademe?

Latest research has concluded that the power of peer recommendation is one of the strongest in terms of selling goods online. Consumers now count on each other, rather than marketers, for insights on purchasing decisions. Recommendations have become the new currency of e-commerce.

35% of online shoppers say they are more likely to return to an online shopping website if that site makes personal recommendations to them - suggestions on what they may like, based on the purchasing habits of others who have bought the same product. Another survey has determined that 66% of New Zealanders regularly buy from one site, and 1 in 4 buyers completely relies on recommendations to find out which website to browse when intending to buy.

With the strong impact of personal recommendations realised, a market gap has recently been filled by social networking websites which link the things one user likes to the online store which supplies them. Have you just listed Titanic as one of your favourite movies? Your friends can now follow the link to buy it on Amazon.

Personal recommendation does not necessarily apply to just products either, but also suppliers. When was the last time you bought someone in an online auction without checking their feedback first from their previous sales?

Next time you click that ‘add to cart’ button, think about how important feedback and personal recommendations are to you, and how they shape your purchasing habits.

Image from Flickr.

Latest netball results from this weekend’s competition (Round 3, Apr 19 - Apr 21):

• Swifts beat the Magic; 50-47 in Sydney
• Mystics lost to the Fever; 45-49 in Auckland
• Vixens lost to the Thunderbirds; 38-39 in Melbourne
• Tactix lost to the Steel; 42-51 in Christchurch
• Firebirds beat the Pulse; 56-28 in Brisbane

Check out the netball standings to find out where your team is currently placed, and stay tuned to the blog for more ANZ Championship netball results…

Image from Flickr.

Latest super 14 results from this weekend’s competition (week 10, Apr 18 - Apr 20):

• Chiefs beat the Crusaders; 18-5 in Hamilton
• Reds beat the Force; 29-12 in Brisbane
• Warratahs beat the Lions; 26-3 in Sydney
• Brumbies beat the Sharks; 27-21 in Canberra
• Bulls beat the Highlanders; 47-17 in Pretoria
• Stormers beat the Hurricanes; 20-12 in Cape Town

Check out the Super 14 standings to find out which team is on top, and stay tuned to the blog for more Super 14 results..

Image from Flickr.

The school holidays are starting and the kids want your undivided attention - for two whole weeks! Older children and teenagers can often amuse themselves without constant supervision - they’ve got bikes, video games and rugby balls, but what about little ones that need constant entertainment?

The school holidays can be a stressful time for parents at home. Often, the only solution seems to be to throw money around - taking them to the movies or adventure playlands to keep them amused. If you often find yourself stuck for ideas to keep your kids entertained (and have fun yourself too), check out some of our great ideas:

• Make a furniture obstacle course

Line dining-room chairs up and drape an old sheet over the cushions. Your kids will have fun climbing on top and crawling underneath in the ‘cave’ created by the sheets.

• Musical Statues

Teach your child to listen to instructions by turning fast-paced music up for them to dance and run around too. When the music stops they need to freeze like statues and ‘go’ again when the music starts up. Encourage them by dancing and jumping around yourself when the music starts.

• Scrapbooking

Cut out colour photocopies of photographs of your family and friends and let your kids create a scrapbook. If they are older, let them come up with captions to write on each page - an interesting story may evolve! This is perfect for those times when kids’ activities need to wind-down rather than rev-up.

Check out our article on school holiday entertainment, or if you really need a break these holidays, find a babysitter so you can have some time to yourself.

Image from Flickr.

Latest netball results from this weekend’s competition (Round 2, Apr 12 - Apr 14):

• Tactix beat the Swifts; 50-44 in Christchurch
• Vixens beat the Firebirds; 62-52 in Melbourne
• Magic beat the Mystics; 56-52 in Rotorua
• Pulse lost to the Steel; 50-52 in Wellington
• Fever lost to the Thunderbirds; 41-54 in Perth

Stay tuned for more ANZ Championship netball results…

Image from Flickr.

Latest super 14 results from this weekend’s competition (week 9, Apr 11 - Apr 13):

• Highlanders lost to the Sharks; 17-19 in Dunedin
• Crusaders beat the Lions; 31-6 in Christchurch
• Blues lost to the Brumbies; 11-16 in Auckland
• Force lost to the Waratahs; 12-17 in Perth
• Stormers beat the Cheetahs; 34-22 in Cape Town
• Bulls lost to the Hurricanes; 22-50 in Pretoria

Stay tuned for more Super 14 results…

Image from Flickr.