Stuff Parents Need

Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

Master Lock Vault: Safe, Secure Online Storage (dialSpeed GIVEAWAY!!!)

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Are you finished with your holiday shopping yet? I think I might be, actually!

Which probably means that I’ll realize something important is missing about an hour before the Christmas Eve service and find myself at Walmart panicking with throngs of other people. Ha!

I actually just crossed an important hurdle related to the holiday season for me, and that is paying a credit card bill. My bills for November and December are usually pretty rough since Christmas purchases are all over them. They are painful to pay, and I’m happy to report that November’s has been paid. While I was online paying it, Darah asked me what I was doing. My response, “Mommy’s slaying a dragon, sweetie.” It sort of felt that way!

As I was going over my statement, though, it occurred to me that I’m definitely not very organized. I don’t have all of my receipts in one place where I could go back and double check purchase amounts. I was going off memory alone.

It doesn’t have to be that way, though. Master Lock has a virtual “safe deposit box” called the Master Lock Vault. It is a safe place online where you can store important documents, digital receipts, and passwords for various online accounts.

Oh don’t get me started about losing online passwords. You would simply not believe how many times I have had to change my iTunes password. I finally have changed it to something so bizarre and different from everything else I use. But now I have a place where I can keep it and other passwords and know that they are completely safe. The vault has 256-bit encryption, 24/7 monitoring and authentication controls. They also have an app to pair with it so that you can access the information you need safely from your smartphone.

Did I mention that the basic plan for Master Lock Vault is FREE??!! Yes, indeed!

In addition to having all the great features listed above AND being free, the Vault also can be used in conjunction with Master Lock’s sleek dialSpeed (which I reviewed back in August). If you don’t remember, the dialSpeed is the first electronic combination lock to have connectivity online.

I’ve been so impressed with the dialSpeed that I’m actually giving one to my brother-in-law this Christmas. It makes an awesome gift for anyone who values safety and security, and who also loves the cutting edge of technology.

Whether you own a dialSpeed or not, the Master Lock Vault is something I strongly want to encourage you to check out. If you need a safe place online to store some documents and passwords, look no further!

Win it!: One Lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a dialSpeed lock! Woo hoo!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my site.

I am a member of the Master Lock Live Secure Safety Squad, and as such, I receive complimentary products as a thank you for my time. All opinions expressed here are strictly my own, however.

Master Love Locks GIVEAWAY!!!

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Did you know that it is an international custom to affix padlocks to well known gates and bridges to symbolize your love for another? I’ve never heard of this, but apparently, it’s a thing!


Master Lock has a really fun program happening now called Master Love Locks, which allows you to virtually lock up your affection for your loved ones on various iconic bridges throughout the world.

In addition to the $10,000 donation that Master Lock has already made, an additional dollar for every heart lock created and sent through MasterLoveLock.com from now until December 31, 2012 will go to the American Heart Association.

I just sent Tim a sweet note and a love lock on a bridge in Paris…one we walked over together on a trip there in 2007!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win a Love Lock just like the one shown on the home page of MasterLoveLock.com!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.

I am a member of the Master Lock Live Secure Safety Squad, and as such, I receive complimentary products as a thank you for my time. All opinions expressed here are strictly my own, however. 

 

Fall Safety Reminders and Master Lock GIVEAWAY!!!

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Darah has been asking me recently why the sun isn’t awake yet when she is getting ready for school. There’s no denying that the sun is coming up later and later every day. It’s just that time of year! And once daylight saving hits in a few weeks, it will be dark SO EARLY! Fall and Winter are on their way!

It is important for us grownups to remember that we are also heading into the two biggest seasons for burglaries. I know the topic isn’t tons of fun to think about, but trust me, it is so much better to think about your family safety and security plan and to beef it up in a few areas now, than to play Monday-morning quarterback after your things have already been stolen. It’s also important to make sure that every family member is on the same page about expectations for things like children’s weeknight and weekend curfews, and if your children are old enough to ever be home alone, what processes your child might need to go through when they get home (locking the doors right away, sending mom/dad a text message that they arrived, not answering the door, etc.).

While the weather outside is still nice, take a bit of time to do any home improvement projects that can help with overall safety matters. Make sure your front and back porch lights are in good working order, and note if they provide sufficient lighting. Think about if additional lighting might help deter would-be intruders from targeting your home. Also be sure to prune your hedges and make sure that your house number can very clearly be seen.

If you haven’t already put your outdoor grill and any other outdoor pieces that could theoretically be picked up and moved on lock down, I can’t stress enough how important this is (remember my post about how our weed eater was stolen? ). Master Lock has a 3 pack of red, blue and green cable locks that we are definitely loving and that we would recommend to anyone. I especially like that they are keyed alike for easier access (on the part of the owner, NOT on the part of the person who wishes they could steal it!). I love that there are several ties to go around, so every child, for example, could have their own secure bike lock, and can get in the habit of locking it up every day. Should a key get lost during this learning process, it is also not as big of a deal, since the remaining keys will also work.

Finally, take a moment to write down some ICE (in case of emergency) information for you kids to keep in their backpacks or wallets. Most people do not have phone numbers memorized since our phones do that for us. If your child ever needs to get in touch with you and doesn’t have his or her cell phone on hand, this could be a problem! This simple step will only take a minute or two but could make it so much easier for your child to reach you when needed.

What are you doing this season to make your home and its contents more secure?

Giveaway! One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a set of cable locks!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.

I am a member of the Master Lock Live Secure Safety Squad, and as such, I receive complimentary products as a thank you for my time. All opinions expressed here are strictly my own, however. 

Be a Smart Tourist This Summer!

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Are your summer plans taking you out of your home town and to a place where you’ll be a tourist?

Are you REALLY hoping to avoid looking like a tourist?

There’s definitely a lot to be said for blending in to your surroundings, whether you are visiting Paris, Texas or Paris, France. Nobody likes to stick out like a sore thumb, and if you are visiting a larger city, it’s important to remember that there are people who make their living by pickpocketing or stealing your belongings when you put them down for just a second. So you don’t want to draw attention to yourself and become their next target.

(the vineyards of Versailles, November 2007)

When I visited Europe, for example, I was advised to avoid wearing jeans and especially avoid wearing sneakers. I packed every pair of black pants I owned and managed to find some black flats that had surprisingly good arch support so that I could walk a lot in them.

But who am I kidding? I doubt I passed for a native European for even a second! What is probably more likely, though, is that most folks failed to notice me at all. I blended in just enough.

I also got the advice to NEVER EVER EVER wear a backpack. That’s a dead giveaway that you are a tourist. I managed to carry what I needed in my purse during that trip, but I also didn’t have any kids at that point in time.

If you asked me now to do some serious traveling without a backpack to carry all my kids’ accouterments, I’d tell you to forget about it. It just isn’t possible!

If you are like me, and you know that your cover will likely be blown by having to carry around a backpack as you see the sights at your vacation destination, there’s still a way that you can quickly get the targets off your back from would-be thieves. PLEASE get a lock for your backpack! I’m a fan of this one from Master Lock, and it retails for just $6.71. That’s precious little to pay for peace of mind! It has a combination lock so you don’t have to fumble with keys. And if someone is thinking about trying to steal or get into your backpack, once they see that lock, they’ll move on to easier prey.

That doesn’t mean you should be foolish and leave your backpack laying around, though! Try not to take it off your body until you are back at your lodging, safe and sound.

While you may not pass for a native of whatever locale you choose to visit this summer, you can still be a smart tourist that will likely be left alone by the folks who want to steal your stuff.

Disclosure: I’m a member of the Live Secure Master Lock Safety Squad. As part of my participation in this program, I do receive complimentary products for review and giveaway. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own. 

Lock Down the Perfect Gift: Master Lock Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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Back in 2006, I got a grill for Tim. It was nothing glamorous, but it was his. It was one of those very basic models – a good “first grill.”

The grill sat on the side of our house for a few days, tucked away behind our garbage can. And then it was time to take the garbage to the road, so the grill was no longer hidden.

That’s when it was stolen. Tim never even got the chance to use it. 🙁

That incident is the main reason why all of our porches since that time have remained completely empty. I haven’t put out any furniture, any large potted plants, and certainly not any grills. I realized that if it can easily be moved, it can easily be stolen.

I was really excited to learn about a product that Master Lock puts out that is actually perfect for things that you’d like to leave outdoors, but that you’d also like to make sure stay where you put them.

These are Adjustable Locking Cables, and they are so useful! The cords are extremely flexible and the locking mechanism is adjustable so that if you need to use your lock to help hold something tightly in place (like a ladder), it can do that!

Other features are as follows:

  • 3/8″ (10mm) braided steel cable for superior cut resistance.
  • Cable end threads through places other cables cannot.
  • Rekeyable wafer cylinder for maximum pick resistance. Can be keyed-alike to any standard M1 key cut.
  • Rust resistant lock and vinyl coated cable for superior weather and scratch resistance.
  • Velcro strap holds excess cable for compact storage.

Now that Tim has a lock like this, he is MUCH more likely to have a grill in his future. It wasn’t an option at all before. This is also great if you don’t have a hidden place like a garage or a shed to store your lawnmower or weed eater. It can even serve as a bike lock!

Master Lock is a really great resource for gifts, whether you need an adjustable lock or something different. They are the world’s largest manufacturer of padlocks and related security solutions. Because they are such a popular supplier of such products, you can find them pretty much anywhere. Check out the list of stores where Master Lock is sold!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win the Adjustable Locking Cables we reviewed (ARV $28.70). The contest will run until July 26th at 11:59pm EST when a winner will be selected via Random.org. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to winning notification before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States. Limit one entrant per household, please.

Mandatory entry: Tell me one other product from Master Lock that you’d like to have.

Additional entries:
1. Sponsor love: Like Master Lock on Facebook
2. Blogger love: Like Stuff Parents Need on Facebook

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my homepage.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary product for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.