// Abe’s of Maine - Blog

Each year Mother’s Day is an excellent time to let mom know just how great she really is. You can show her by getting her a great gift! Here are some recommendations that we know mom would love.

A new digital camera is always a good choice. Getting the best quality pictures of all the things she enjoys in life wil be greatly appreciated and will also last for years to come. Digital Cameras

Mom can finally move all that music or movies that she has on cassette tapes or vinyl or VHS into the digital age. These products that will transfer your old cassette’s, LP’s or VHS tapes straight into your computer or even directly onto an SD card! Media Transfer

Maybe mom or grandmother has lots of old film or slides from before digital cameras were around. Well now those too can be transferred directly to a computer or an SD card in minutes! Film Scanners

Who doesn’t love to watch TV? I’m sure mom would love to watch her favorite shows on a brand new HD flat screen TV! From 19″ all the way up to 60″ there’s a TV that would fit any room, any lifestyle and any budget! Televisions

Lastly, while Mother’s Day is marked on our calendars just remember that you don’t have to wait until then to show your appreciation; mothers and grandmothers deserve to feel loved every single day of the year!

To all of the mothers and grandmothers out there: We here at Abe’s of Maine wish you a Happy Mother’s Day! We’d love to hear what you think are the best technology gifts for Mothers Day. The first 75 peope to comment will receive a special coupon code that will allow them to get $15 fo any purchase of $100 or more at Abe’s of Maine.*

Cameras, Video, Televisions, GPS, Pro Audio, Musical Instruments, Large Appliances, Small Appliances, Fitness Equipment, Car Electronics

*All comments are read and moderated before being posted. Coupon code is not automatically emailed after comment is made. Please allow some time to receive your coupon code as there is much spam to be filtered through.

Spring is here and for many people that means one thing - summer is right around the corner. Along with summer comes pools, beaches and lots of other time spent outdoors. If you’ve been thinking about getting in shape for the summer there’s no better time to start than now…and you can do it in the comfort of your own home with all the best home-entertainment amenities.

It’s not always necessary to join a gym in order to get in shape. These days, different exercise machines offer a slew of different built-in programs that are designed specifically for a cardio, fat-burning, or muscle building. So you can accomplish a lot on one machine! And whether you’re in your bedroom, basement or den you can feel like your at the gym by incorporating some hot entertainment features. You can install a flat screen TV to watch your favorite Blu-Rays while you’re trekking away on your treadmill. Or you can surround yourself with a new surround sound entertainment system as you’re pedalling away on your stationary bike. So put some spring in your step, and enjoy doing it at the same time.

If you have a particular exercise, machine or routine that you like and would like to share with our readers, we’d love to hear it! The first 75 people to comment will receive a coupon for $15 off of a purchase of $100 or more at Abe’s of Maine!*

Cameras, Video, Televisions, GPS, Pro Audio, Musical Instruments, Large Appliances, Small Appliances, Fitness Equipment, Car Electronics

*All comments are read and moderated before being posted. Coupon code is not automatically emailed after comment is made. Please allow some time to receive your coupon code as there is much spam to be filtered through.

“Slow economy…depression…recession…economic downturn…” We’re hearing it, seeing it and reading it everywhere we go! And the mantra of “save, save, save” is never far behind. But lets be honest for a moment - even in hard times (which I’ll not deny that these are) we still have an itch that makes us want to go out and just buy stuff. Unfortunately now that seems to be accompanied by a feeling of guilt when we are told we’re supposed to “save, save, save.” Well, have no fear all of you deal-seeking shoppers. Now more than ever there are great deals to be found that are just begging for your perusal. Best of all, the prices are so low that Abe’s of Maine is happy to give you “Guilt Free Shopping.”

Here are some of the best ways to find the best “guilt free” deals at Abe’s of Maine:

1. The Closeout Section is always a great place to start. These are items that absolutely need to go. So you know that you’re getting a price that is as rock-bottom as they come.

2. Make sure when you search for products or click on a category that the results are listed as ascending in price order (this can be accesed at the top of the page below the search bar). This way you see the lowest priced items first. If you don’t have a lot to spend then this is the best way to make sure you are seeing the items with the smallest hit on your wallet.

3. Always check to see if any products include free items, price discounts or manufacturer rebates. These will always be applied to whatever the listed price is. Plus it means you get more bang for the buck.

4. Call, call, call! Very often certain bargains can’t be advertised online. But once you have a live person on the phone you can find out anything and everything that Abe’s (1800 992 2237) has to offer (this pretty much applies to any online store, whether you’re buying pet food, clothes, books, household cleaning fluids, roof tiles, whatever), including products and bundles you may not have been aware of that will save you money!

We’d love to hear some of your shopping success stories with Abe’s of Maine. Especially if it was guilt free! The first 50 people to comment will receive a $15 coupon off a purchase of $100 or more (BAM! There’s one more way to save!)*!

Cameras, Video, Televisions, GPS, Pro Audio, Musical Instruments, Large Appliances, Small Appliances, Fitness Equipment, Car Electronics

*All comments are read and moderated before being posted. Coupon code is not automatically emailed after comment is made. Please allow some time to receive your coupon code as there is much spam to be filtered through.

We are most certainly living in tough economic times. For most people saving every penny can make a difference.  You use your kitchen every day, so why not make it work for you so you can save a few bucks? Here a few simple and easy tips that can lower your heating and electricity bills on a monthly basis.

1. First and foremost, if you are in the market for new appliances, definitely make sure you purchase appliances that come with the Energy Star approval. You know that this unit will be more efficient than one without it.

2. When cooking or baking, only open your oven door if necessary. Every time you open the door the temperature drops 25-30 degrees. Use an oven with an oven light and glass window so you can check on your food without opening the door.

3. When baking, use glass or ceramic pans. They retain heat better than metal pans and allow you to drop the baking temperature by up to 25 degrees.

4. On gas burners, don’t use your pilot light! Using a clicker lighter rather than a pilot will use 40% less gas. That reduces energy and it will also cut your gas and heating bill noticeably (safety precaution: if you do relight your pilot make sure the flame is ready to light before turning the gas back on).

5. If you have a well lit kitchen, unscrew the lightbulb from your refrigerator and freezer. Most likely you’ll be able to see just as well and you won’t have to turn those bulbs on and off every time you open and close the fridge.

6. Cleaning a gas oven will actually increase efficiency since the crud that builds up inside insulates the walls and makes it longer for the interior to heat up. However, contrary to popular belief, cleaning an electric oven, particularly the self cleaning feature, is not necessary (other than for aesthetic purposes) because the heating elements in are inside the cooking space so. Using the self cleaning feature uses more energy in the end. If you want to clean it, do it the old fashioned way: grab a rag, some water and a cleaning agent and wipe it down.

We’ll be bringing you some more energy saving tips in future posts. In the meantime we’d love to hear what you do to try and save energy in the kitchen. The first 50 people to comment will receive a $15 coupon off a purchase of $100 or more*!

Cameras, Video, Televisions, GPS, Pro Audio, Musical Instruments, Large Appliances, Small Appliances, Fitness Equipment, Car Electronics

*All comments are read and moderated before being posted. Coupon code is not automatically emailed after comment is made. Please allow some time to receive your coupon code as there is much spam to be filtered through.

Babies can be the most precious things in life, but you have to make the moments you have with them last. Before you know it they’re grown up, asking for the car keys and telling you not to wait up. Make sure the pictures you take of them are as good as they can be so your memories will be forever lasting. Here are some ways the baby pictures you take can be more impactful.

1. Try and take baby pictures with very plain and monochromatic backgrounds. This will put the focus of the picture entirely on the subject, the baby.

2. Take very close-up pictures. Try and get the baby’s face to fill the entire viewfinder, with as little background as possible. Baby features, such as very big eyes and small noses, grow out as the baby gets older so getting some nice close-up shots of those adorable faces will be priceless as their features change.

3. Go outside. Take pictures of your baby outside in natural light. Different lighting can have different effects on the baby’s skin, sometimes giving a soft appearance, sometimes glowing and other times the effects of shadows can be brilliant. Also, not having to use a flash indoors will eliminate any chance of red-eye.

4. Snap away…a lot. Taking photos frequently will allow you to look back and really see how your baby grew up and changed during that short span of time. Try taking a picture of the baby in the same setup on the 1st of every month for the first two years. Looking at the pictures can literally be like watching your baby grow up.

There a dozens of other methods for getting great baby photos. Share them with our readers! The first 50 people to comment will receive a $15 coupon off a purchase of $100 or more*!

Cameras, Video, Televisions, GPS, Pro Audio, Musical Instruments, Large Appliances, Small Appliances, Fitness Equipment, Car Electronics

*All comments are read and moderated before being posted. Coupon code is not automatically emailed after comment is made. Please allow some time to receive your coupon code as there is much spam to be filtered through.

Today all you need is a game console, a spcialized controller and you can become a veritable rock star. Games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band have literally turned millions of people into hard-rocking, headbanging, stage-diving heavy metal gods. The games surely do rock, but the surprising thing about all of this is that millions of people have suddenly become intersted in playing real instruments as well! Being a guitar hero on a game console in your living room is one thing, but rocking out on stage with the real thing has no equal.

Like playing drums on Rock Band? Why not use a premium drum kit like ION Audio’s Drum Rocker for PS3 or XBOX? It’s set up like a real drum kit and feels much more like one too! Getting your hand and foot coordination down can really help out then if you’re ready to move on to a real drum set. Guitar and Bass are no different. Even though a game controller has no strings or frets, getting good at moving your fingers quickly and independently can really help make them more agile when you’re ready to tackle the real deal. So why not give it a shot? The truth is, studies show that learning music can actually benefit the mind in many different ways. And lets not forget…nothing rocks more than a guitar hanging off your shoulders, or twirling a pair of drum sticks between your fingers. So all you gamers out there, go ahead…rock on.

Have you made the plunge from gamer to musician? Have any awesome hard-rocking stories you’d like to share? Let us know! We’d love to hear ‘em. The first 50 commenters will receive a $15 coupon good towards any purchase of $100 or more*.

Cameras, Video, Televisions, GPS, Pro Audio, Musical Instruments, Large Appliances, Small Appliances, Fitness Equipment, Car Electronics

*All comments are read and moderated before being posted. Coupon code is not automatically emailed after comment is made. Please allow some time to receive your coupon code as there is much spam to be filtered through.

The ”big game” will soon be upon us. How many of you remember being a kid, playing football in your backyard pretending to throw the winning touchdown in the biggest game of the year? There is nothing that can take those memories away and for a lot of people those are some of the clearest childhood memories.

That thrill never really leaves you, and come gameday, it feels ever more present. The rush leading up to the game brings out the kid in you again and reminds you why you sit and watch 12 hours of pre-game shows, stand over a flaming grill in close to sub-zero temperatures, stock up your fridge with every drink imaginable and invite everyone you know to take it all in on a big screen that makes you feel like you’re right there on the field. True, those memories may be clear and they’re some of the best you’ll ever have. But watching the big game on your big screen, that shows the clearet picture of all, is the best way to remind you of your backyad heroics in a childhood game that no one else may even know about, yet you remember as the greatest game every played.

Tell us about your greatest childhood game or any related stories. Abe’s of Maine, and our customers, would love to hear about them. The first 50 people to comment wil receive a $15 coupon code towards any purchase of $100 or more*.

Cameras, Video, Televisions, GPS, Pro Audio, Musical Instruments, Large Appliances, Small Appliances, Fitness Equipment, Car Electronics

*All comments are read and moderated before being posted. Coupon code is not automatically emailed after comment is made. Please allow some time to receive your coupon code as there is much spam to be filtered through.

Pictures of family and friends with their arms around each other smiling gleefully for the camera will forever be a staple of the household photo album. But great pictures don’t alway have to be planned and prepared. Candid photography - spontaneous, in the moment picture taking - can provide lasting photos that are elegant, emotional, beautiful and funny. All it takes is having a camera at the ready, a fast shutter speed and an even faster trigger finger.

You never know when a great photo opp is going to present itself to you so the first rule in candid photography is: take your camera with you everywhere! Having a camera at the ready is always best if you want to catch candid shots because more often than not, you won’t get a second chance. Look for everyday occurences that would normally go unnoticed. Those can sometimes become the most beautiful and thoughtful picutres. Get used to taking pictures without necessarily having to look through the view-finder or at the screen as that can save precious seconds when trying to catch a unique shot. Be comfortable with not worrying about lighting conditions and possible distractions in the frame. It’s always possible to edit things out and lighten it up later on. Lastly, for those people who are inclined to make their own settings on their cameras, it’s also a good idea to use a higher ISO setting to increase shutter speed (although this can possibly affect image quality depending on how much light is available and the cameras image sensor size).

Tell us about some candid shots you’ve taken, tips or any related stories. Abe’s of Maine, and our customers, would love to hear about them. The first 100 people to comment wil receive a $15 coupon code towards any purchase of $100 or more.

Cameras, Video, Televisions, GPS, Pro Audio, Musical Instruments, Large Appliances, Small Appliances, Fitness Equipment, Car Electronics

*All comments are moderated before being posted. Coupon code is not automatically emailed after comment is made. Please allow some time to receive your coupon code.

When December arrives each year we can’t help but get a warm, fuzzy feeling inside that reminds that the holiday season is upon us. It’s a time of fun, happiness, giving and sharing. At Abe’s of Maine, giving is what we do best.

We work hard every day to bring you the best deals, specials, promotions and prices on all the products you’d like to share with others this holiday season. Our helpful sales staff and customer service department are on the constantly phones and on the showroom floor doing their best to make sure you, our valued customers, are as happy and satisfied as can be. And our shipping department is working overtime to get your orders to your door as quickly and efficiently as possible. We do all of this so that you can see the smiles on friends’ and family’s faces when that gift is opened and you know it was exactly what they wanted. Hopefully, our dilligent work truly will help make this the most wonderful time of the year for you and yours.

The holidays tend to bring out the best in everyone. We’d love to hear some nice holiday stories, moments or wishes from you, our valued customers so that everyone out there can benefit from them, creating more of that wonderful holiday spirit. The first 100 people to comment will receie a $15 promo code good towards a purchase of $100 or more*. From all of us here at Abe’s of Maine, best wishes and Happy Holidays!

Cameras, Video, Televisions, GPS, Pro Audio, Musical Instruments, Large Appliances, Small Appliances, Fitness Equipment, Car Electronics

*All comments are moderated before being posted. Coupon code is not automatically emailed after comment is made. Please allow some time to receive your coupon code.

Thanksgiving is a wondeful time when we can truly reflect on what we have to be thankful for. And there is no doubt that here at Abe’s of Maine we are most thankful to have you, our valued customers. We enjoy offering you the best prices, specials, packages & promotions and we appreciate that you continue to come back to us time after time. So from all of us here at Abe’s of Maine…thank you.

Now, everybody knows that along with Thanksgiving comes the ever-popular, Black Friday. Typically, people wait for that Friday after Thanksgiving in order to get in on special deals. We say, “Why wait?!” Check out our crazy hot Holiday Specials now! And remember to check back often because new items and packages will constantly be added throughout the holiday season. That’s our way of saying thank you.

We’d love to hear what you are thankful for. It could be anything you feel like sharing. The first 100 people to comment on this post will receive a promo code that will give you $15 off your purchase of $100 or more! Happy Thanksgiving!

Cameras, Video, Televisions, GPS, Pro Audio, Musical Instruments, Large Appliances, Small Appliances, Fitness Equipment, Car Electronics