|
Volume 19, No. 1 - Winter 2011 |
Subscribe to AT Messenger Download PDF Viewer |
| PDF Version (for printing) Large Print (PDF) Text Version |
The AT Bargain Basement
Marvin Williams
AT Specialist
DATI New Castle County ATRC
Hello, True Believers, and welcome to another action-packed installment of the AT Bargain Basement (ATBB)! I am Marvin Williams, your guide in the land of assistive technology (AT) bargains. As usual, if you are a regular to the Basement, welcome back! If this is your first trip with us, I’m glad you could join the party. Before we get started, we need to look at the rules. The rules of the Basement are simple—I find AT bargains costing $100 or less and share them with you. I will be sure to let you know if you can find the bargains locally or if you need to order them over the telephone or Internet. Simple enough, right? So without further adieu, let’s get to those bargains!
Our first bargain is the Scotch Paper Cutter. This alternative to scissors is a great way to cut accurately without having to move more than your hand around the shape you want to cut out. Originally used for quickly cutting wrapping paper, this handy little device has become useful to people with fine motor difficulties that make using scissors difficult. To use the cutter, you place the paper you want to cut in the mouth of the cutter then push the cutter by the handle. It’s as simple as that! The Scotch Paper Cutter is widely available—from Walmart to Walgreens/Happy Harry’s to Kmart. You can also order the device online. The price ranges from $6.50 to $7.50. Do make sure to check your local store for availability. So, if you’re finding scissors are becoming harder to use, this may be an alternative for you.
Our next bargain is the Good Grips 6-Piece Kitchen Essentials Set from OXO. If you have never used Good Grips before, you haven’t had the pleasure of using some of the best ergonomically designed kitchen tools readily available on the market. The handles of Good Grips tools are larger than typical kitchen tools. They are also soft and made of a material that won’t slip if your hands or the tools are wet. The set includes a swivel peeler, tongs, balloon whisk, grater, ice cream scoop, and can opener and lists for $44.50. I was able to find it on Amazon.com for $34.64 with free shipping and handling. Macy’s also has the set available for $39.99. Of course, you can purchase individual OXO tools at retail stores or online.
The next bargain is a “return guest” to the Basement—GE’s Reveal light bulb. You might remember them from the last time they made the ATBB cut. Great little bulbs that, while not claiming to be full-spectrum, behave like a full-spectrum bulb for much less money than standard full-spectrum light systems. Well, they’re still around, but now you can get them as a compact fluorescent bulb. That’s right! Now you can get a nice, clean light and save on your power bill, too! In case you don’t know about compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs, they use a fraction of the power of regular light
bulbs while giving off as much or more light. For example, a regular, incandescent 40-watt light bulb uses 40-watts of power. The GE Reveal CFL bulb gives off the same light as that 40-watt bulb while only using 10-watts of power, and it lasts up to ten times longer than an incandescent bulb. That’s a full 75% savings on power alone! The bulbs are available at most hardware stores, Home Depot, and Lowes. They retail for between $6.50 and $10 each, and my colleague Sandi in Newark found them at Walmart in a 4-pack for around $16. Now, I know that seems a bit pricey, but the cost savings in your energy use helps to balance that out very nicely.
Our last bargain comes to us from Eileen in Wilmington who found a beauty! It’s the D-Grip Handle by Motus. It’s an add-on, adjustable handle that easily attaches to your favorite garden tool so you can get a better grip. This can be a big help if you have arthritis, back problems, or want an easier way to lift a shovel or use a rake or hoe. The D-Grip sells for between $16 and $20. I haven’t seen it for sale in stores, but you can get it online from Motus, http://motus.ca/, or from Green Heron Tools in New Tripoli, PA. You can call Green Heron Tools at 484-294-2278 or visit their website, www.greenherontools.com. DATI also has this nifty device for you to borrow so you can try it out, making sure it works for you, before purchasing it.
That does it for this episode of the Basement. Thank you all for stopping by and to my contributors. If you have a bargain to share with everyone, please call, write, e-mail, fax, smoke signal, or carrier pigeon them to me, Marvin Williams, at DATI. Not only will I give you credit here for everyone to see, but I will send you a free commemorative DATI gripper! Until our next party, may your bargains and your dollars be plentiful. ■
