Product review: AmazonBasics Microfiber Cleaning Cloth

AmazonBasics microfiber cloths are a nice quality fiber cloths at 54 cents per cloth a real bargain.  They are very similar to to set a bought at Costo but comes in three diffirent colors that I find useful for color-coding how I use them.

The cloth's edges are well finished, no loose thread. Each cloth is 15.5" x 12".  A nice set of cloths all around.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Gillette Sensor2 Plus Disposable Razor, Pivot, 10 count (Pack of 3), Disposable Razor, Blades

I use  this razor for under-arm hair and I get about 10 good shaves out of it.  To keep it working longer I use a toothbrush to clean it after each shave so the blade is totally hair and shave cream free.  I found they are the same as lady's Personna Comfort Touch TwinBlade but cheaper per razor. The difference is in the pink packaging and price. 

There are several options sold under the same item, the one I purchased is the pivoting head, some options do not have a pivoting head so need to choose carefully when selecting the product to put in the cart.  The heads of the razor are NOT removable, it is one piece razor and does not have replaceable cartridge razors.  The razors have a lubrastrip.

The package includes three packs of razors, each pack has  a total of 10 razors for a total of 30 razors.

This is not a bad razor, however I received one package of 10, not pack of three packages of 10 and had to spend time on processing an exchange.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: Personna Comfort Touch TwinBlade Razor with Rubber Grip Handle and Pivoting Head

I loved the old Comfort Touch razors which took refill cartridges. They are no longer available and this single piece disposable razor is the replacement. It is okay, but more expensive per razor then the one with refills.

I use  this razor for under-arm hair and I get about 10 good shaves out of it.  To keep it working longer I use a toothbrush to clean it after each shave so the blade is totally hair and shave cream free.  I found  Gillette Sensor 2 (with pivoting head) are identical to this lady's Personna Comfort Touch TwinBlade but cheaper per razor. The difference is in the pink packaging and price. 


You can find "Personna Comfort Touch TwinBlade Razor" on Amazon by following this link.

You can find "Gillette Sensor2 Disposable Razor" on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★☆☆

Product review: IVISII LED Video Light Stand Lighting Kit

This Christmas I replace my old light kit that used 200W incandescent photo lights with with LED Panel set. The panels have bi-Color light settings 3200K and 5600K. The 32000K gives a warm yellowish glow that is very flattering, the bright white at 5600K is sharp and cold. The height of the stands adjusts easily with the turn of the knobs. The stands are well balanced and even at the tallest height the light feel stable. The height ranges from 25" to 75".

My old photo lights used to get so hot that I would need to use a glove to adjust the position of the lights. The LED panels are a lot easier to work with: they stay cool and knobs allow me to change the angle easily. The panels have no glare. In the old lamps I had to use defusers to prevent glare,  these LED panels do not need defusers.

The back of each panel displays the temperature, the brightness, and the channel. The channel is used to pair each light panel with the remote. By changing the channel on the remote it can talk to each of the panels without interference.

45W in LED lights is very bright, each panel is just as bright as my 200W incandescent photo light.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: OEFCAN Opal Necklace Triangle

This is a very pretty oval necklace.  The opal color is vibrent irredescent teal blue.
The golden triangle is 7/8" wide.  The triangle which surrounds the opal is 1/2" wide.  The outer triangle is 3/4" long, the inner opal triangle is 3/5".

If I had to pick one word to describe this necklace I would say "delicate". The metal is gold plated sterling silver (has a stamp). The chain is 19" long, the chain is delicate as well and matches the style of the pendant.  The necklace has a claw closure.  The claw is small and opening and closing it requires dexterity.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Serenity - Kazuyuki Ohtsu 2019 Calendar

This wall calendar calendar is 12" wide and 13" tall (when closed).  Each day square is 1.5" wide x 2" tall. I make a lot of notes on calendars so it is important to me that the calendar paper takes the ink well and does not bleed through to the other side.  The paper in the calendar works well.  The finish of the paper is glossy.  I prefer Lang's calendar's textured finish, but I decided this year I like the art in this calendar better and it is very pretty. The paper is of nice thickness and quality, not flimsy.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: [Terrible] Handheld Spreader, Salt and Seed Spreader by Stalwart

This salt shaker was a huge disappointment. I imagined that it was similar to a spice shaker where I can cover the holes of the shaker by twisting the cap in some way, and open the holes when I need to use the shaker. Turns out that this salt shaker cannot be closed. The cap has permanent openings. This means if the shaker tips over the salt spills out of the shaker. In addition the salt cannot be stored in this container as it will turn into a brick by absorbing moisture. Finally, I hoped that the shaker would be made out of heavy duty plastic, but the plastic is pretty thin.

My plan for the shaker was to keep it in my car so I can have it ready in case the steps to my house ice up when I arrive home after a day at work. So I needed to come up with solution that would keep the salt from spilling out in the car. I found a thin piece of plastic that I could insert under the cap and still be able to twist the cap. Before using the shaker I need to remove the cap and remove the plastic. The plastic needs to be replaced every few uses as it gets torn by the threads of the cap.

The shaker is 10.5" tall, and 3.5" wide. In attached video I have it next to a half gallon jug of water for comparison. The holes are 1/4 in diameter and work well with Calcium Chloride Pellets but are too small for rock salt. Pellets came out in a nice amount (not too much not too little), but rock salt is a bit too large so I got only a few smaller rocks with each shake.

Looking at how this shaker is built one can create their own shaker from an old coffee jug (or any similar container) by drilling 1/4 inch holes in the jug cover. And if you have multiple jugs covers for that container you can switch between them: use one to store the salt and one to dispense the salt when needed.

When I purchased this shaker I paid $8.09 and it was eligible for free shipping, I noticed that the price on this shaker fluctuates greatly and as I post this review it is $10.73 and I saw it as high as $12 plus shipping of $5.75. My rating is based on the price of $8.09. Had I paid more my rating would be even lower.

With my "fix" it is usable, but overall I am disappointed. A local home improvement store has a shaker full of salt with a closing lid for $12. I hoped I was getting a better shaker but I did not. When time comes to replace this shaker I will be looking for a different model.


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★☆☆☆

Product review: Panasonic NN-SN936W Countertop Microwave with Inverter Technology, 2.2 cu. ft., 1250W

This is my second Panasonic Inverter 2.2cu microwave. The first one was bought in 2010, it gets a lot of use, and even though it was still working fine the bottom finish around the rotating ring totally peeled and began rusting. It looked unpleasant and it was difficult to clean because small pieces of white finish would come off every time. Never the less I am very pleased with the microwave and decided to buy the same model. I bought mine at Best Buy where it costs exactly the same as Amazon.

One of the things I really like about this microwave that despite its large size it weights only 37 pounds, some other microwave of the same size are much heavier and they are very difficult to bring in or take out when it is time to dispose of them.

I like available options for programmable cooking, this version allows for 3 programmed periods. The touch controls are even with the surface of the finish, so the panel is easy to clean. Both the clock and the beeping noise can be turned off if so desired. The inside light is a small LED bulb on the right hand side, it is less bright then the older model but okay. The light comes on when you open the door and it stays on when you cook.

The outside size is: 19.44" width x 23.88" depth x 14" height. The inside width is 17.5".
The glass turntable is 16.5" in diameter. The microwave needs venting in the back, so it should not be put flush against the wall so it requires a few more inches of depth on the counter.

Weight: 37 pounds. The microwave case is made out of metal.

The microwave is located 5 feet from a TV and I have no interference between the two.

Overall, I am quite pleased with it and had no hesitation that I wanted to buy the same model as before.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: isnowood Low Cut Athletic Socks for Women & Men

The socks are made out of a blend of yarns: Material composition is 75% Nylon, 22% polyester, 3% Lycra Spandex. The socks have no tags with content description, but their Amazon description includes this information. These ankle socks and reach just above my anklle.  My favorite part of the socks is the tab above the heel - keeps the socks from slipping down and protects the sneakers from rubbing my skin.

I have small feet (shoe size 7.5) and these socks fit me like a typical size 5-9 size socks, not snug but not too loose.  The toe section of the socks has more padding that the middle section of the sock and the heel.

In my photos I show the socks inside out so you can see the construction. These socks look very neat, they have low flat seams and no bulges at the toes. I hand washed them to see if they are colorfast and they are.

I was happy to see that the socks were not stapled together through the sock for shipping.  This is my pet peeve because these staples often damage the fibers. These socks were kept together just by a a metal clip. Perfect!


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Product review: H&R Block Tax Software Deluxe

I was anxious to do my taxes to see the effects of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act for my specific case.  The current version of the software has some of the changes from the new Tax Law in the current version, but many of the changes will be in the January 3, 2019 update.  The warning “this interview is not final” appears on every page, and I could clearly see some things that no longer apply still there.  For example, even though the standard deductions in H&R Block software were changed to $12,000 the comments said “This year your itemized deductions are less than your standard deductions.  In future years, you can bunch your deductions to have more expenses you can itemize.”  This is no longer true, deductions over $12,000 are no longer allowed.  There was also a change in the interview about 401K deductions, and the interview did not say not to report 401K contribution during the interview if the deduction appears on the W2 form and when I reported it it gave me a double deduction.  I would have loved to take that double deduction but I knew this is not right and went back to remove it from the interview when I saw the final result.  By comparison, HSA deduction interview question stated not to report in the interview if that deduction was reported it on the W2 form.

I have been using H&R Block tax software for many years, and I typically do a preliminary version of the tax return in November. This year I felt the software was less ready than in  other years due to a large number of changes related to the new tax law. I have less confidence that the numbers will remain the same after January 3 update.

I keep using H&RBlock because it does what I need and it has always been cheaper than TurboTax. I have been buying the Deluxe version of H&R Block because it covers the mutual funds sales, cost basis calculations are included (Schedule D), the form for Foreign Tax Credit from mutual funds is present (Form 1116), as well as stock sales. To get this functionality in TurboTax you need to buy the Premium version of the software.

INSTALLATION
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
* If you are using a digital download you will need an activation code to install the software.
The activation code is shown in Amazon email with the subject line "Your Amazon.com order of "H&R Block Tax Software Del...". If  needed you  can also get it from Amazon Software downloads. To locate it you need to do this:
1) Log into Amazon
2) Select 'Your account' and the section called 'Digital Content'
3) Select 'Your Games and Software downloads'
4) Then under H&R software entry you will see activation code

* Does H&R allow to install the software on two PCs?
No. The license agreement that one needs to accept during the install says this:

“Software copies.  You may only install and use the Software on one computer.  You may copy the Software for backup and archival purposes only, as long as the original and each copy are kept in your possession and control.”

* WHAT IS INCLUDED
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This package includes only the Federal return software. Using tax software includes two fees - one to use the software and the second one to e-file the returns with IRS. This package includes the cost of using the software to create the Federal tax return  and the cost of of 5 free Federal e-files. You can print and mail any number of returns you desire.

* GENERAL
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* Since many of my numbers are not final, I use the capability of the software to mark entries as “tentative”  (right mouse click, then select “mark entry as tentative” from a drop down list). 

At the end of the interview process there is a check step (which you can run at any time, but the interview ends with this check). This step flags problems (e.g. missing information) and potential audit alerts (e.g. unusual deductions), and reminders (e.g. things you marked tentative). I find this check step very helpful.  All entries marked as tentative are listed so it is easy to update them.

* H&R Block starts the interview process with an annoying up-sell pitch, recommending an upgrade from Deluxe to Premium even when it is not necessary. In my opinion, they should have determined if the person would truly benefit from the Premium version first. That would have been useful. As it stands now it is just annoying.

What is the difference between Premium and Deluxe? The Premium version offers advanced tools for self-employed and rental property owners: cost basis of home sales, dividends, gifts, and inheritance assets. It has advanced schedule C guidance to maximize deductions for self-employment income. And finally it has guidance for rental property income and expenses. The rest of the Premium package is the same as Deluxe.

Note that the Deluxe package has support for self-employed income as well as stock sale cost basis calculations.

* To combat stolen-identity tax returns H&R Block now requires you to provide state-issued ID number.

* H&R Block provided me some guidance for completing Form 1116 (foreign tax credit, for example foreign tax paid by a mutual fund). However, I needed to keep switching between the whole-form view to enter data and then back to interview to read the instructions. Even though the form where you can enter data is visible at the same time as instructions you cannot enter data into it until you switch into whole-form view. This is cumbersome, but at least there is some guidance for this form.

* I like DeductionPro which helps suggests reasonable prices based on condition of the donated used clothing items. It is nice not to have to come up with what is reasonable on my own.

* The final tax return can be saved in a .PDF format for future reference. I always do that so I can re-print an old return without having to run an old copy of H&R Block (especially down the road when a new computer may not even have an old H&R Block installed).

* H&R Block can print forms when Ethernet connection is disconnected. In 2014 TurboTax's introduced a requirement that the data had to be sent to Intuit's servers to be formatted for printing. H&R Block does not have this requirement.

* Does H&R has the ability to import TurboTax data from previous years?
Yes. TurboTax files have a .tax extension. Use the Browse button within H&R Block application to navigate to the folder you need and it will import the data from TT return. In addition this year you can also import pdf file of your return no matter what software you used to save the old return.

* If you owe taxes there are three options for payment: electronic withdrawal from your bank, mailing a check and paying by credit card from a secure web site. Is there a charge to pay by credit card? Yes. There are several web sites that provide this service with a "convenience" fee (lowest fee is $2.58 flat fee for a debit card and 1.87% fee for a credit card). If you search for "pay taxes by credit or debit" you will see the detailed fee schedule on the irs.gov web site.

PRICE considerations
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The price on H&R Block package changes often and you can catch some great discounts. I got H&R Block on Black Friday sale. If you missed that sale you can still get bargains by using a tool that alerts on Amazon prices discounts for any product. If you enter "Amazon price history alert" in Google it will come up at the top, my favorite has the word "camel" (repeated 3 times) in the name. You can set it up to send you an alert when you desired price drop is reached. During the last tax year season the price fluctuated between $20 and the list price of $44.99, dipping below $30 a number of times. It also qualifies for digital credits for No-rush Prime shipping.

Also note that Amazon adds the State sales tax to the final price of H&R Block (in states where it has physical presences such as Massachusetts).

SUMMARY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This year software is less “ready” due to the large number of tax changes, however I had no technical issues or software glitches.  If you have a question I have not covered leave a comment and I will do my best to answer it.

Update
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This year there have been problem with activation code which surfaces during e-file. You can get a new code by calling 1-888-482-9288 and pressing 4.

When the activation code fails the software will request $10 charge for e-file. This cost is already included in the software purchase, don't pay it. Be aware that you credit card gets authorized even if there is no charge made and this might trigger fraud alert.


If you need to chat with H&R block here is a link to the 24 hour chat.



You can find Federal only version of the software on Amazon by following this link.


If you are interested in Federal and State version of H&R Block Tax Software Deluxe 2018 follow this link instead.


Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: isnowood 2 Pairs Thermal Wool Socks - Crew Socks, Hiking Socks

The socks are made out of a blend of yarns: Material composition is 58% wool and 12% acrylic. The socks have no tags with content description, but their Amazon description includes this information. These socks reach several inches above my anklle.  They are quite thick and warm.

I have small feet (shoe size 7.5) and these socks fit me like a typical size 6-9 size socks, not snug but not too loose.

In my photos I show the socks inside out so you can see the construction. These socks look very neat, they have low flat seams and no bulges at the toes. I hand washed them to see if they are colorfast and they are.

I was happy to see that the socks were not stapled together through the sock for shipping.  This is my pet peeve because these staples often damage the fibers. These socks were kept together just by a a metal clip. Perfect!

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Fanture Ultimate Thong Sandals

I have flat feet, so I always look for shoes with good arch support. Finding good arch support in thong sandals is not that easy, but these thong sandals have excellent arch support. The shape of the sole fits my foot very well.  The heel is slightly sloped so my foot rolls as I walk.

These sandals are made out of soft plastic (combination of EVA and rubber particles), it is not super soft like foam but soft for plastic.  You can see me squeezing the sandals in the video to get a better idea of their softness.  This texture makes the sandals very comfortable and I can wear them all day.  They are light weight, each sandal is 4.1 oz.

Overall the sandals are very comfortable.  There are a couple of things you need to know about the sandals:

1.  They are sized large.  I ordered size Women 8. The sandals I received are bigger compared to a typical US 8W by 1/2" in both toe and heel. I would say they are size Women 9 or Women 9.5.  I requested a size exchange rather than the return because they felt comfortable.  I will post an update on the fit when I receive a replacement.

2. These sandals shrink in size if they left in the direct sunlight.  These warning exists on vendor's website and I saw this mentioned in some Amazon reviews.  So this is not a beach sandal!

Link to manufacture's website.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★☆☆

Product review: Grace Tech 2 Tier Industrial Bookshelf Wood and Metal Bookcase

This is a wood and metal bookshelf with a modern look.  I think it looks very nice.  It is quite heavy and feels sturdy. I use it as a bookshelf and have over 50 pounds of books on each shelf.

This shelf has several version (in terms of the number of shelves) but one set of instructions for assembling them all.  My instructions contained the count of screws and bolts for the four level bookshelf  (I got a two tier bookshelf), so initially I thought I was missing a lot of hardware.  Turns out I had just the right number of bolts but instructions did not make it clear.   Another issue with instruction was that they did not specify where each of the three types of bolts/screws had to be used.  It took some guessing and testing to figure out how to use them.  My video shows how the bolts/screws fit.  I also show how to mount cross bars, which is not explained in instructions. One cross is mounted below and another one is mounted on top of the side panel, otherwise they interfere with each other. Everything did fit and felt sturdy, but assembly directions were not good.

The bookshelf is nice looking but arrived with some chips and nicks from shipping where the brown finish was rubbed off and exposed the fiberboard under the finish.  In most cases I was able to position the chipped area to the back or move the more damaged shelf to the bottom so it almost not noticeable.

The two tier shelf is 23" tall, 47" wide and 11" deep.  The wood shelves are more narrow than the frame, they are 9" deep.  There are several options for mounting the shelves.  The supports can be attached to the bottom or top of the two bars.  I mounted my shelves on the bottom support because I thought the the bookshelf looks more attractive with more metal showing.  The feet of the shelf are round and I attached felt pad (not included) to the bottom to protect wood floor.  The feet screw in so they can be adjusted a little bit if the floor under the shelf is not even.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★☆

Product review: E.Durable Screw Driver Repair Kit

This is nice set of magnetic bits.  There is a total of 22 screwdriver bits (see full inventory list below). The screwdriver handle is hefty and feels well made. The bits are made out of Alloy S2 steel which has good hardness.

The screwdriver has a swivel head, in my video you can see how much easier it is to turn when I use the swivel head for the second half of the job.

I also liked the box that the screwdriver came in. It is magnetic and I can turn it upside down and shake and bits do not fall out.

Inventory of bits: Torx T2 T3 T5, Torx Security TR6 TR8 TR10 ( Star Head), Phillips PH000 PH00 PH0 PH1 PH2, Pentalobe P2 P5, Hexagons H1.5 H2.0 H2.5, Triwing Y1 Y0.6, Triangle 2.3, Slotted 1.5 3.0, Mainboard CC2.2

Pretty nice set!

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Fanture Adventure Slip-on Sandals

I have flat feet, so I always look for shoes with good arch support. Finding good arch support in slip-on flip flop sandals is not that easy, but these sandals have excellent arch support. The shape of the sole fits my foot very well.  The heel is slightly sloped so my foot rolls as I walk.

These sandals are made out of soft plastic (combination of EVA and rubber particles), it is not super soft like foam but soft for plastic.  You can see me squeezing the sandals in the video to get a better idea of their softness.  This texture makes the sandals very comfortable and I can wear them all day.  They are light weight, each sandal is 6.2 oz.

Overall the sandals are very comfortable.  There are a couple of things you need to know about the sandals:

1.  They are sized large.  I ordered size Women 8. The sandals I received are bigger compared to a typical US 8W by 1/2" in both toe and heel. I would say they are size Women 9 or Women 9.5.  I requested a size exchange rather than the return because they felt comfortable.  I will post an update on the fit when I receive the replacement.

2. These sandals shrink in size if they are left in the direct sunlight.  These warning exists on vendor's website and I saw the shrinkage mentioned in Amazon reviews.  So this is not a beach sandal!


Here is a link to manufacture's website.

Ali Julia review ★★★☆☆