Digital Cameras are just great, don’t you think? For those of us who are old enough to remember the days of old film cameras – Those big, bulky, horrible looking things that required the use of disposable flashes and rolls of sensitive camera film, the answer is almost certainly going to be yes. The advantages of digital cameras are numerous; nowadays they are small and compact, so you can take your camera anywhere at all without being inconvenienced, you can save hundreds and hundreds of photos on your memory card, you don’t have to wait around to get your pictures developed, and if you’re at all competent with a computer you can even edit your pictures!

But did you realise there are a lot more practical uses for your digital camera that will make your life a whole lot easier? Well if not, read on…

8.  Protect Yourself

By snapping a few photos of the existing blemishes in newly rented flats or hire cars, you can save yourself from losing your deposit or being charged unwarranted fees for damage you didn’t cause.

7.  Don’t Get Lost

How many times have you found yourself lost while travelling on holiday in some unfamiliar town or city? If you’re at all unsure of where you’re staying, take a few snaps of landmarks near your parking spot or hotel before you go wandering off. That way, you’ll be able to ask someone local how to find your way back.

6.  Keep Track of the Kids

One of the biggest concerns of any parent is being separated from their kids while in a crowded or unfamiliar place. With your digital camera you can quickly snap a few pictures of them beforehand, so if you do become separated you’ll have a photo to hand you can show to a police man.

5.  Make Digital Notes

A digital camera is a great way to help you remember things. Anytime you see a hairstyle you like, recipes you want to copy or if you need to remember the name of a street, a few pictures will make sure that you never forget.

4.  Put Things Back Together

Anytime you need to take something apart to try and fix it, whether it’s a simple thing like an electric plug or something more complex like your laptop, take a few photos before you start dismantling everything. This way, you’ll have a guide to follow when it comes to putting it all back together.

3.  Use it as a Map

By taking a close up shot of maps at places like amusement parks or large shopping malls, you’ll be able to check your whereabouts anytime, without needing to stop at every information desk to ask.

2.  Record Your Contact Information

There are few things more upsetting than losing your digital camera, along with all of those irreplaceable holiday snaps that you’ll never get to see again. So why not take a photo of your id, such as your passport or something with your phone number and address on it? That way, if you do lose your digital camera and it’s found by an honest soul, they’ll know who to return it to.

1.  Stay in Touch

If you have a digital camera phone, you’ll be able to stay in touch and share the things you see with your friends and family back at home. Whenever you go anywhere, simply take a few photos and send them straight to your friends, or upload them to a social media site and all your loved ones will be able to see what you’re doing, as you’re doing it!

So long as you haven’t been living in a cave for the past 6 months, you’ll be aware that the iPad has finally been released. There are thousands of apps already available for it, and many of these are fantastically useful. You may have heard of some of them already. We all know you can use the iPad to read books and play games, but what follows are a few things that maybe you didn’t realise it could do.

7.  Make Phone Calls

Now you can even afford to give up your iPhone, thanks to the Truphone iPad app, which allows you to wield around your brand new gadget like an enormous iPhone, even though you might end up looking a little ridiculous.

Truphone is a free VoiP application, which uses the web rather than regular phone lines. The makers state that calls to other users of Truphone, as well as Skype and Google Talk users is totally free, while the rate to call land lines and mobiles is in their words “really, really low”.

6.  Write With Your Finger

The new Writepad app is a handy little tool that allows you to take notes anytime, anywhere, without having to mess around typing. Simply use your finger like a pen and scrawl all over the screen! You can set Writepad in a blank notepad mode for taking notes at a meeting, or else you can use it while viewing documents and web pages in order to jot things down quickly and easily.

5.  Dictate Text

Going one step further than taking notes with your finger, how about having the iPad just take the notes for you? The Dragon Dictation app is the cheapest secretary you’ll ever employ, costing absolutely nothing. It uses voice recognition software to take down notes, which you can then copy paste and send as emails, messages etc.

4.  Gaze At The Stars

Astronomers will love this one. The award-winning Pocket Universe app works just like a telescope, except that it does even more! Point your iPad at the sky and the app’s built in digital compass will work out what you’re looking at and replicate that image on-screen, only with far more details than you’ll get from gazing at it by yourself. Names of stars and planets will be displayed, and clicking on any one of them brings up more additional information, and it’ll even direct you where to look in order to see special sights and events throughout the year!

3.  Watch TV

You can even use your iPad to watch thousands of your favourite TV shows and movies thanks to the Netflix streaming app. This app is totally free though you’ll need to sign up for a Netflix account for around £5 a month.

2.  Paint Pictures

Anyone looking to express their creative talents on their iPad should look no further than Brushes, one of the best illustration applications to appear yet. It allows you to choose from 13 different brushes to perfect your work, blend images, import photos for you to enhance and even watch video replays of you recreating your masterpieces. The very fact that several paintings created with Brushes have made it to the cover of Time magazine shows illustrates just how much potential this application has.

1.  Use It As A Cash Register

Our final feature showcased today is probably the most unusual one that anyone could imagine, yet perhaps it’s also the most useful one yet! Shop owners will be blown away by the potential of the free Square application, which transforms your iPad into a hi-tech cash register that’s able to recognise finger signatures, generate SMS and email receipts, calculate VAT and upload every sale onto an accounting dashboard to keep track of what you’ve sold. And if you buy the separately sold credit card swiper, you can even take credit card payments!

When you think about it, your washing machine puts up with a lot. If you enjoy outdoor sports or have a young family, the machine has to work really hard to remove the dirt and grime that your clothes pick up in your everyday life. And if you use washable nappies instead of disposables…well let’s not even go there.

Yet most of us use the same cycle for everything. You just chuck in the clothes and turn the dial, and hope for the best. But this approach means that you do not get value for money from what was probably a hefty household investment.  Instead, follow these tips to help you get the most out of your washing machine.

Read the instructions

This may sound obvious, but if you do not use the appropriate program for the right wash load, your clothes will not last as long or look as good. This is particularly the case with delicates. So selecting the right settings means that you will not have to replace your clothes as regularly.

Clean it!

Depending on the model of washing machine, most makes have at least one filter. This has to be cleaned regularly, or the machine will not work efficiently and may clog. It’s best to check the instructions that came with the machine to make sure that you are doing this correctly. If you have lost them, telephone the manufacturer’s customer service line for help and advice.

If you constantly stick to low temperatures for cost and environmental reasons, it is advisable to do a boil wash about once a month to make sure that there is no fungal build up in the machine.

Try 30˚C

Notwithstanding your monthly boil wash to clean out the system, consider switching to 30˚C for everything else to save money and the environment. This may not be appropriate for a grubby football kit or a washable nappy, but lightly soiled everyday clothes should be fine at this temperature.

Keep it level

Finally, if your washing machine has been working strangely or erratically and making funny noises, check whether or not it is level before telephoning an engineer. The machine is full of complex components that work best when the machine is on an even surface. You could save yourself the cost of an expensive call out charge by placing a coaster under one corner!

See Also:  Washing Machine Guide

Most people who have a microwave just use it for reheating leftovers or warming ready meals. Generally seen as the poorer relation of the gas or electric oven, the microwave is stuck in the corner of 95% of family kitchens, underused and unloved

But have you ever considered your microwave to be an eco-warrior? Using between 30% and 70% less energy than your electric oven, it is one of the most efficient ways to cook food. This saves you time and money – and of course leaves a smaller carbon footprint than its more conventional cousins. And given that little or no fat or water is required, microwaving fruit and vegetables preserves the goodness they contain because you do not end up pouring the water soluble vitamins and minerals down the sink when you are draining them.

If you are the person who ends up cleaning the kitchen most regularly, you’ll note that microwaves do not get as dirty as mainstream ovens so this is another advantage.

Of course, the microwave will never and should never replace more traditional cooking methods. Roast potatoes, grilled steak and slow cooked casseroles would not taste the same if they were prepared in the microwave. But what can the home cook do to get more use out of hers?

Read the instructions

Often binned or filed days after purchasing an electrical item, the instructions can offer you valuable advice about using your microwave. Learning to use the following functions can guarantee foolproof results and perfectly cooked food.

• Weight based cooking – If you programme in the foodstuff’s weight and size, the microwave will work out exactly how long it will take to cook, and automatically stop when the food is done.
• Combination modes – Learning how to use combination modes can overcome some commonly held objections that cooks have about microwaved food. For example, combining convection and radiation as methods of cooking mean that the food is cooked quickly, but also has the flavour that comes from being cooked in an oven. Roasting a chicken is a key example here.
• Use the microwave as a “shortcut”. Cooking does not have to be an either/or choice. Softening onions in the microwave or using it to partially cook potatoes before baking or roasting them can save you valuable time without significantly impairing the flavour.

Microwave “tricks”

There are a number of “tricks” that you can try with your microwave, that make your life easier.

• Drying herbs – place fresh herbs between two layers of kitchen towel and nuke on full power for a minute and a half. The herbs should just be starting to crumble, so store them in an airtight jar for future use.
• Smarten up soups – microwave cubes of fresh bread for five minutes and you will have fresh croutons, which will provide a professional finishing touch to any home made soup.
• Peel onions – In a sealed pyrex dish, microwave a whole onion for a minute and a half. The skin will come off easily.

All in all, your microwave can do so much more than you have given it credit for. Perhaps the key to unlocking its powers is the way that we perceive this valuable piece of kitchen equipment. Think of it as a versatile cooking device rather than a ready meal heater, and you could consider using the microwave for more and more dishes.

Your freezer is a hard working appliance, busy consuming lots of electricity to work miracles in preserving food. So how can you get the most out of it, and save yourself energy and money? Follow these tips to ensure that you get maximum performance and use out of your freezer.

Keep it full

Your freezer does not have to work so hard to keep its temperature down when it is full, so when your food stocks are low, put a couple of loaves of bread in an empty drawer to fill it up. If you do not have any spare bread then fill up a couple of plastic bottles with water. This works just as well as the water freezes, providing giant ice cubes.

Move it

Make sure that the condenser coils at the back of your freezer are not obstructed and have a couple of inches of space around them so that the air can circulate. Think also about where in your house would be the best place for the freezer. Cookers and boilers are the most obvious sources of heat in a kitchen, but don’t overlook your tumble dryer or washing machine. These appliances emit heat from their everyday use which could make your freezer’s job harder.

Check the seal

If you can get a piece of paper between the door and the seal, you need to do some repair work. Replacing or repairing a broken seal is a quick job that will save you money, as your freezer will not need to use as much electricity to keep the temperature down.

Defrost it

If there is more than a quarter of an inch of frost on the freezer, it needs to be defrosted. Even if your appliance is a frost free freezer, your freezer will still benefit from being emptied and cleaned at least every six months to avoid a build up of unpleasant odours.

Use it more

The best way to get the most out of your freezer is simply to use it more. Most people only have things in their freezer that they bought already frozen at the supermarket. But given that, as a nation, Brits throw away a staggering one third of our food shopping away, surely we can do more to stop this waste and save food from the bin. Food that is close to its “use by” date can be put straight into the freezer, as long as it is stored properly. Here are some hints and tips about convenient freezer storage.

• Meat – Ground or minced meat is easiest to store and defrost. Instead of placing a whole pack into the freezer, try dividing it into smaller portions in freezer bags, or marking lines across a bigger bag so that you can snap off segments to defrost as much or as little as you need.
• Herbs – Fresh herbs are expensive to buy from the supermarket, and growing Mediterranean herbs in your own garden is difficult in the winter. So why not freeze fresh herbs in ice cube trays, for an instant hit of flavour for casseroles, soups and stews? Simply pop out a cube of the frozen herb as needed and let it dissolve into your food.
• Milk – Milk can be frozen for a few weeks. Just remember to take it out in advance to use it up later.
• Bread – Bread can become misshapen if you freeze whole loaves at a time. Instead, portion into bags three or four slices at a time so that you can easily separate them, and toast from frozen.

Imagine not having a dishwasher. It’s just too awful to contemplate. And yet, like the other appliances in our households, we just flick the on switch without considering how to get optimum performance. But with a little thought, follow these steps and your dishwasher can be cheaper to run, and more energy efficient.

Make sure that the filters are clean

If you scrape off any excess food from plates and bowls before you put them in the dishwasher, then the filters will always be clean. However, in our busy lives we often forget these details, which leads to a build up of food in the filters. It is important to clean dishwasher filters regularly because a dirty filter means that your dishwasher will develop an unpleasant odour, and will not perform as well.

Check the temperature

It’s tempting to think that the hotter you wash things, the cleaner they must be. However, although dishwasher manufacturers recommend that you run the highest wash from time to time to flush the system through, there is no need to boil wash everything.

For most loads, 50 to 55˚C is perfectly adequate, and saves water and electricity. In fact, according to research carried out by appliance manufacturer Hotpoint, switching to this low temperature can save up to 84kWh per year and 19 bath loads of water per year. In more measurable terms, that is equivalent to another 3 months worth of dishwashing.

Load the machine properly

Loading the machine properly is essential to make sure that the jets of water reach the places that they need to in order to rinse every item, and that the detergent is spread around to clean every piece of crockery, cutlery or glassware.

Stack your dishwasher in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Make sure that the more heavily soiled items are on the lower shelf, and check that plates do not touch each other. If they do, then the dishwasher’s cleaning action will not reach every part of the plate.

If you point all of the handles of mugs and cups in the same direction, you will be able to fit more into the dishwasher. Finally, make sure that there is nothing in the path of the spray arm, as if anything is stopping it from rotating freely then nothing inside will get a proper wash.

Check that everything is dishwashable

It’s tempting to try things that you know are not suitable in the dishwasher, because it seems like less hassle than washing them up. However, neither lead crystal nor antique china should ever be found in your dishwasher machine – the risk is too great that they might get broken or damaged. Silver is also best left to be washed up by hand, as it will tarnish if it comes into contact with certain detergents.

If you are looking to buy a dishwasher, some of the best dishwasher models that are popular include:

1. Indesit IDF125
2. Hotpoint Aquarius FDL570G
3. Bosch Classixx SGS45C02GB
4. Zanussi ZDF3020
5. Hoover Nextra HED6612

Once you have bought and installed your fridge, you can be forgiven for thinking that there is nothing more that you can do to improve its energy efficiency. However, there are a number of steps that you can take that will not cost you a penny (and may even save you a few), that will make your fridge perform better. And by following these tips, you will use your fridge in a greener way too.

Check the door seal

Checking that your fridge door seal is intact can save you a fortune in energy costs. If the door is not shutting properly, the fridge has to work harder to make sure that the temperature inside it does not rise. Reattaching a broken seal is an easy and quick job.

Defrost your fridge before it needs doing

Defrosting the fridge is a job that no one volunteers to do. But notwithstanding that it is boring and messy, doing this task means that your fridge does not have to work as hard. Many of us wait until the fridge mechanics have become caked up with frost, but if you get around to defrosting it before the frost has reached more than half an inch thick, your fridge will perform better. (Unless you have a Frost Free Fridge Freezer model).

Don’t open the door more than necessary

Standing in front of the fridge door wondering what to make for dinner is not just annoying, it is costing you money. Every time you open the fridge door you let in warm air from outside, and the fridge has to work harder to keep its internal environment cool. In a study carried out by the University of Florida, researchers found that excessive fridge door opening costs householders between 10 and 25% of their fridge electricity costs per annum.

Do not over chill the fridge

Just because your fridge can go low, there is no need to set the temperature at its coldest setting. To keep food safely chilled, your fridge should be between 0 and 5 degrees Centigrade. So if your fridge is set to be colder than that, adjust the temperature.

Do not put hot things in the fridge

Although it is well known that you should chill leftovers and extra food that you want to preserve, it is a mistake to transfer the food directly from a hot cooking pot into the fridge. This is because the hot food heats up the rest of the fridge, which in turns means that the fridge has to use more energy to chill the dish back down again. To get around this problem, rest the hot dish in a sink full of cold water for a few minutes to bring down its temperature before transferring it to the fridge.

Thaw frozen foods in the fridge

The tips so far have focused on stopping hot things from making the fridge’s job harder. But by putting frozen foods in the fridge to defrost rather than leaving them out on the worktop, you are actually making the fridge’s job easier because it gets some help in cooling its inner temperature.

To sum up, you can get much better performance from your fridge if you look after it, and try to keep its temperature at the appropriate setting at all times. And a more efficient fridge is a greener fridge!