If you’re like me, you’ve spent the past month or two cursing the arrival of Spring and its heavy pollen. I’ve been sneezing and coughing up a storm, and somedays it feels as though the air inside in my house is just as bothersome as the air outside. With that said, I’ve been on the hunt for some unique air purifiers that I can use indoors to cut down on dust mites, pet dander, pollen and other airborne allergens.

As always, I started my research online and ended up finding a website with a huge inventory of purifiers, including reputable brands like Aransi, Whirlpool and Amaircare. The website even had a feature that offered reviews on which air purifiers work best for those suffering from allergies. Now I know I’m not the only one!

I’m interested in one unit in particular, a Whirlpool Whispure Air Purifier, as it comes highly recommended by two different friends who have children with allergies.

If you’ve never considered a home air purifier, I recommend looking into it. In addition to lowering the allergen count inside your home, many units also have the ability to decrease the microbial load of airborne pathogens, which is especially important for those who work in a germy job, or with kids who bring home every illness from the playground. By placing a small air purifier in their bedroom, you may be able to keep one child from spreading their illness to everyone else in the home.

I’m sold! Do you use an air purifier in your home? If so, I’d love to hear why you use it.

I read a good article this morning on Yahoo! and thought you guys might find it interesting, too. It takes a look at some high-profile smartphone apps that flopped, like Pepsi’s crass and in-poor-taste “Amp UP Before You Score” and “Color,” which garnered over $40 million in investment funds before ever hitting the market.

You can read the article here: http://www.appolicious.com/tech/articles/11567-how-these-five-high-profile-apps-went-bust.

My current iPhone app obsessions are Draw Something and Scramble With Friends. What are your favorites?

You’ve probably already heard that Apple has announced the release of the iPad 3, with an expected in-store date of March or April 2012. After landing a new job last year, I treated myself to the iPad 2 and am always surprised at how much I actually use it. I’ve been guilty of buying gadgets and electronics in the past, only to use them a handful of times and eventually end up selling them for pennies on the dollar at a yard sale. I feel like my current iPad is still in far too good condition to consider buying another, but if you don’t already own one (or any other tablet), I urge you to look into them.

For me, it has become my go-to web browsing tool, the perfect bedtime e-reader (gotta love not having to get up to turn off a light when you’re half asleep!), and the perfect getaway for a game or two of Scramble With Friends on my lunch break. My point? I understand the reservation in spending nearly $1,000 on an almost-computer, but for me, it has been a smart and sound investment and I couldn’t be happier.

If you haven’t already gotten the scoop on the newest baby in the Apple family, check out this video:

Do you have a tablet? What do you use it for the most?

When I first became self-employed, I hadn’t really considered all of the expenses I was going to incur. At all my previous jobs, things like paper, pens, and file cabinets just came with the territory. In addition to stocking up on all of these supplies, I also realized I needed to buy my own business cards. I panicked a little, wondering how much I’d have to pay for graphic design work, decent quality card stock, 3-color printing, trimming… All I could see was dollar signs.

I wasn’t willing to send my new business into the red just so I could have some business cards. That’s when a friend turned me onto VistaPrint. I was blown away. Not only do they have pre-designed templates for virtually every type and style of business, you can choose what you want your cards to say, which font you prefer, whether you want a 2-sided design–the works! After playing around with a dozen different design combinations, I finally decided on a whimsical, but still professional design that even included my social media and portfolio links!

The best part is, the 250 cards I ordered were FREE. I only had to pay the shipping! Also, at checkout, they showed me samples of stationary and other collateral materials using the same info and design as my cards, making it easy to pick up everything I needed to get off on the right entrepreneurial foot.

If you have your own business, or even just like the idea of having personal calling cards, I suggest you check them out.

Happy shopping! I’d love to see what you end up with.

Some of the best deals available today can be found when shopping online. Daily deal sites, flash sales, and online discount retailers all provide legitimate ways to purchase high-quality merchandise at prices up to 90% off retail. Many of these outlets actually carry designer goods, which are being sold at rock-bottom prices! Another way to capture unbelievable online bargains is by shopping penny auction sites. If you use your bids wisely and keep a close eye on the auctions which are of interest you, it is very possible to purchase items such as iPads and iPhones, designer handbags and sunglasses and even luxurious home furnishings for a few dollars. Some of the top sale sites that I like are: Gilt Groupe, Rue La La, nomorerack.com, and Quibids.