Home & Garden Blog

You, like everyone else, were probably hit with a little penny-pinching and belt-tightening this spring and summer. You probably didn’t buy all new swimsuits for yourself and the kiddies and cut the family vacation to the beach into a weekend getaway instead of a week-long spending spree.

But summer is done and the school year has arrived, the backpacks are packed and you might finally get a chance to relax without the kids around all the time. With all your money-saving for the past few months, this might bode well for your bank account: maybe it’s time to reward yourself for a job well done this summer and buy yourself something relaxing and refreshing for those fall afternoons. What do I suggest?

Hot tubs and spas!

Here are some of the top picks found on Smarter.com, where you will always find the best deals.

Four Person Portable Spa: $799.99

St. Lucia Spa Kit by Leisure Bay Spas: $5,299.00

X100 Dreammaker Portable Spa-Silver: $2,199.00

Shop through a variety of awesome hot tubs and spas.

I was absolutely thrilled by the New York Times article this weekend about a group of artists who turned a dumpster in the city into a community swimming pool.  The hidden rented lot was turned into a summer oasis with three connected pools in dumpsters, a boccie court, lounge chairs, grills and cabanas—of course, in Brooklyn.  Awesome concept, awesome design; the project was designed by Macro-Sea, a company that designed the pools, in the effort to think about new ways to use underused city spaces and materials.  The project required a lot of manual labor:  filing down the edges, filling in the dumpsters will comfortable liners and sand at the bottom, wood decks above the pools, sandbags to keep it from tipping over, and over 18, 000 gallons of water brought in from New Jersey.  Sounds like a job and a half, but ultimately very inspiring.  Macro-Sea’s opening made me think about what little things I could do in my summer in the city to cool down.  Here are some options and products I want to share with you!

Ray Padula Rain Dance Oscillating Sprinkler: $19.99

How can you say “no” to a “Rain Dance” sprinkler?  With 32-position dial adjustment knob, this sprinkler is ready to rock and at such an affordable price!  Just make sure you have a good working hose, and you’re good to go.

Bubble Spa: $449.00

A little bit more of an investment, but this product looks outstanding and jaw-droppingly affordable, considering what you get:  Luxurious spa treatment in your own backyard!  Fits 4 people comfortably and can hold and maintain both warm and cool water, making it ideal for summer and winter months!

CLEARANCE ALERT: Banzai 3-D Shark Bite Waterslide at Walmart.com: $22.00!

Little bit of a catch:  this product is only available at select stores at the clearance price, so check online at the store locator to find which ones still have the product near you.  This is a steal for both the kids and the adults to enjoy:  pummeling head-first into the gaping mouth of a shark on a slippery slide?  Sounds incredible!  And look at the architecture: the shooting water arches and the water whirlpool below make this a game for the ages!

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more sprinklers, spas and water toys.