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Advice & More October 2016

Holiday Shopping Season is Near: Here are Gift Ideas for the Person Who Loses Things

By Teresa Ambord

Suppose the item you lose is your phone or tracker. Tap one of the items you have attached a tracker to and it will cause the phone or tablet to ring, even if you’ve set it on silent mode.

If you’re buying a gift for a senior in your life, or anyone who tends to lose thing like keys, phones, wallets – whatever –  here’s a different idea: There’s a device called Click ‘n Dig that comes with a fob or remote and two tags for ($19), four tags ( $26), or six tags ($39). Items that you frequently misplace can be tagged with adhesive or by attaching a key ring. Each tag has a color code and corresponds to a color button on the finder. By pushing the appropriate color the item will begin to beep or flash; however you must be within 60 feet of the tagged item. The finder will work through cushions and through walls. Of course… you’ll have to make sure to keep the finder in one safe place, so you don’t lose it. (Check it out at clickndig.com.)

Need another option? How about a FOFA? FOFA stands for Find One Find All. A FOFA can handle up to six items, and comes in a key fob finder and/or a flat card finder, similar in size to a credit card. Attach a finder to an item you frequently use. Each finder is also a transmitter, so let’s say you lose your TV remote control, and have a finder attached. If you find any one item with a transmitter, you can locate the others. A FOFA finder sounds an alarm that makes it easy to find the other items, but unlike the Click ‘n Dig, it has a range of only 30 feet. Two finders cost $25. (Check it out on findonefindall.com. On the website you can also see a demo.)

If the person you’re buying for has a smartphone or tablet consider giving them TrackR (find it at thetracker.com, for $25 or $30 per tag), or Tile (thetileapp.com, $25 per tag).

How TrackR works: Attach a small TrackR or Tile tag to the item you tend to lose, with adhesive or a key ring or just slip it inside the item if possible (such as with a wallet). If you lose the item, tap the app on your phone or tablet and you’ll see the last know location on the map, and/or how far away it is from you. If the item is within 100 feet from you, you can cause it to ring.

Suppose the item you lose is your phone or tracker. Tap one of the items you have attached a tracker to and it will cause the phone or tablet to ring, even if you’ve set it on silent mode.

 

No-technology Solution

Maybe you need a gift for a female who loses her keys, and isn’t technology minded. These large colorful bangle bracelet/key rings are designed to slip around your wrist, so you’re less likely to lay your keys somewhere and lose them. And if you do take it off, the size and color make them easier to spot. You can find them at o-venture.com. Or, if you’re economy-minded (and who isn’t?) you can easily make one yourself with a beautiful, colored bangle bracelet and a clip ring for keys.

And for those on your gift list who constantly lose things and who love to read, here’s an informative and entertaining book called How to Find Lost Objects by Professor Solomon (https://www.amazon.com/Find-Lost-Objects-Professor-Solomon/dp/0912509120).

Young or old, tech-minded or no-tech minded, we all lose things at times. As long as you’re buying gifts for others or a little something for your own Christmas stocking, providing a little help to find lost items is practical and welcome.


Teresa Ambord is a former accountant and Enrolled Agent with the IRS. Now she writes full time from her home, mostly for business, and about family when the inspiration strikes.

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