—Comparing earplug materials and choices to achieve the best fit and most effective protection

Guest blog: Alex Pop, Say What Hearing

You protect your eyes when swimming by wearing goggles, so why not protect your ears with earplugs?

If you spend much time in a swimming pool or the ocean, your best bet is to use earplugs to guard against swimmer’s ear, surfer’s ear, and other ear infections. This guide will help you will find the right pair of earplugs to fit your ears and your swimming needs.

Affordable pool sports, floating board games, and gear that turns your backyard into the most-used pool in the neighborhood. Most picks under $100.

Your pool is gorgeous. It cools you off, it raises your home value, and it makes your backyard the envy of the cul-de-sac. But after a few weeks of summer, even the most beautiful pool can start to feel like a one-trick amenity. Swim. Float. Repeat.

The fastest way to fix that is also the cheapest. Pool toys and games. Real ones, built for adults as much as kids. At Blue Haven, we have spent more than 65 years designing backyard pool resorts, and the pattern is the same every summer. Pools with a basketball hoop and a volleyball net get used more often. Family game night moves outside. Adult dinner parties end in a pool joust bracket. Kids invent rules and stick with them all summer.

Below are 10 of our favorites. Most are under $100, none require a contractor, and every one of them is built to make your pool the place everyone wants to be.

You priced the family vacation. Flights, hotel, rental car, eating out, the whole thing. Then you looked at the backyard and realized you already paid for the resort. It just needs the features that make a resort feel like one. Below are 10 staycation upgrades that handle shade, dining, warmth, and fun, so the backyard finally earns its keep.

Pick the right float and turn your pool into the spot everyone wants to be.

A simple plan for setting the scene, feeding the crowd, and lighting up the pool after dark.

Simple steps that make all the difference

Whether you’re an active or recreational swimmer, you’re probably familiar with how chlorinated pools can wreak havoc on your hair, skin, and nails. For your hair in particular, chlorinated water can break down and dry out the cuticle─leaving you with a brittle, tangled mess!

Unfortunately, chlorinated swimming pools are tough to avoid: While pool sanitizing technology has improved by leaps and bounds over the last few years, many public and private pools still use heavy chemical loads in their water. Outside of the controlled environment of your backyard pool (where safer, gentler methods like UV light and ozone can be used), you’re bound to encounter chlorine─and all of its nasty side effects.

Looking to enjoy a dip in the pool while keeping you hair fresh, happy, and healthy? Stay low-stress and tame your tresses with these 5 Ways to Protect Your Hair from Harsh Pool Chlorine.

How to bring the romance to your backyard and swimming pool (in photos)

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and romance is in the air. But can getting cozy be costly? According to a match.com survey, it costs roughly $738.36 a year, just to date, and this number doesn’t take into account the florists, restaurants, and retailers that capitalize on your need to level up your romance game every Valentine’s Day.

A study by U.S. News last year found that an average of $18.9 billion was spent on Valentine’s Day, with guys shelling out over $200, and ladies around $100. In an economy where Americans spend only about $100 - 150 a week on food, those are some high numbers! 

Looking to turn up the passion without breaking the bank on February 14^th? Here are 5 Simple Ways to Save Money this Valentine’s Day: How to bring the romance to your backyard and swimming pool.