Some stocking stuffer ideas with plugs and batteries

Last week I gave you some gift giving ideas. Some of the items I suggested were a bit pricey. This week I have a few suggestions that won’t break your budget, but will be used and appreciated all year long by the recipient.

Who doesn’t need a flash light? Who hasn’t reached into the glove compartment or trunk only to find a flashlight with dead or weak batteries or bad light bulb? There are several models of LED flashlights on the market. LEDs are more durable, longer lasting and energy efficient than incandescent light bulbs. LEDs do not have a filament, so if you drop them they are not prone to failure. They have dramatically lower power requirements, so batteries will last 10 to 15 times longer than models with incandescent bulbs. You can get them at Small’s Do It Best Hardware. Prices range from as little as $15.00.

For those “road warriors” who use cell phones a lot, there are several small back up power devices that use standard AAA batteries to recharge a cell phone’s dead battery. They can be purchased locally at Biggs and K-Mart as well as from the big electronics stores. Be sure that you have the model number and make of the phone, since there are several different plugs for connecting the charger to the phone.

For the “green minded” there are similar devices that use solar energy. They are available at several vendors on line. Try http://solarstyle.com or www.amazon.com

For computer enthusiast data storage is always a good bet. The price of flash drives and memory sticks continues to drop. You can get a 1 GB drive for as little as $15.00. Some of the 250 MB models are as inexpensive as $3.00. For the photography buff, you might consider a SD Flash Card. You can never have enough cards for your camera when you are on vacation. Like calculators, these cards and drives are showing up on display at check out counters next to the candy bars.

For those who don’t want to spend a lot on an iPod™, there are several portable media players from companies like ScanDisk™ for as little as $49.00. They can store MP-3 music files, have a FM radio tuner built in and can be connected to your home computer for file sharing.

Why not get rid of the “gaggle” of remote controls piled high on your coffee table. A single universal remote can control your cable or satellite box, your VCR, DVD, audio system and TV. With the proper equipment it can even control the lights in your family room. They are priced from $20.00 to several hundred dollars. Try Radio Shack® or Mirco Center®

If you need to purchase new Christmas lights this year, why not go green? The new LED lights last forever and use only about 25% of the energy used by traditional lights.

I hope that these suggestions are helpful and make your shopping a less hassled experience.