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Time Saving Tips

See what using the Windows logo key too much can do to you ... just be careful!

For years, I thought this was just another piece of Microsoft marketing, and ignored it. Then my toddler pressed it, along with some other funky buttons one day, and shut down my computer, losing my work in the process. Hmm, better watch out for that one, I thought. Then I stumbled across a blog post on how to use the thing, apart from keeping little fingers in your house away from it, and I saw the light!

If you are currently uninitiated in the joys of the Windows logo key (or indeed, any other handy computer shortcuts), let me introduce you to its ecstasy (and sometimes agony!). Use the Windows logo key to:

Use the Windows Logo key to have more time for fun stuff!

• Minimize all applications – Logo + M
  This is great for getting back to the desktop, or you can press Logo + D to do exactly the same thing.
• Pull up the Start menu – Logo by itself
  I don’t use this one that often, since you usually need the mouse to navigate that menu anyway, and it’s right there. But, horses for courses.
• Lock your computer desktop – Logo +L
  I love this one for office situations. You just need to pop your computer password in after you get back from lunch to unlock it – another Logo+L doesn’t do the trick, fortunately.
• Open Windows Explorer – Logo+E
  Now, if only they could make all the blasted subfolders mind controlled, I’d really be saving some time.
• Open your Find dialog to search for files and folders – Logo+F
  This is actually the easiest way I have found to look for anything in Vista. I much prefer XP for search.
• Flip through all your open applications like a 3D book – Logo+Tab
  If you are the sort of person that has fifty programs open during the day, and each has an obscure title or is grouped with five others so you can’t easily get to them, this is a great one.

There’s a complete list of shortcuts for the Windows logo key at Wikipedia.

You can also get third-party programs to personalize Windows logo key functions – let us know your thoughts on the best of them. You can use the time you’ve saved navigating your Windows to drop us a line in the comments!

~~~ Content from Best Time Tools ~~~

Not just useless marketing – Windows Logo Key Shortcuts to Save Time

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It’s almost become a truism that computers take up at least as much time as they save. If you’ve ever spent several minutes clicking through your Windows Explorer (or Mac) ‘filing system’, trying to get to where you want to save something, experienced the joy of a virus, spent hours comparing online shopping prices only to find that they won’t ship to your area, then you’ll be feeling that dull, throbbing pain the front of your head right now … just like me! So today we’re posting a few random tips on taking the power back from your computer, despite the fact that it’s the Machine Age.

All tuckered out by the computer ... awww!

1. Use both your hands on the computer

Many of us are mousebound, using only our right hands on the computer, with our left wasting away in a desert of isolation. Bring the poor little guy back into the fold and you can save time!

Advanced users will already know most of these, and will be able to benefit from more advanced lists like this one for all users, and this updated one for Windows 7 users. For the newbies, though:

• Ctrl + C to copy, Ctrl + V to paste.
• Ctrl Z to undo the last thing you did; this can be repeated in some programs but not in others.
• Shift + Delete – delete permanently, so you don’t have to suffer through being asked ‘Are you sure?’, by your computer a hundred times a day
• Windows button + D – return to desktop. Press this again to restore all your windows to previous positions
• Alt + F4 – close active program
• Ctrl+S saves a file in most programs
• Ctrl+F allows you to find a word in a file – this will save you scanning hundreds of webpages for the part that is relevant to you.

You can always find more keyboard shortcuts by reading the menus that you use in programs. Most list any keyboard shortcuts just to the right of the option in the drop down menu.

2. Quick Launch

Always add your frequently used programs to the Quick Launch bar, if you don’t want to clutter up your desktop. I’m not sure about your computer, but mine seems to load programs quicker from the launch bar than the desktop, anyway. You can do this by right-clicking the program in your Start Menu, and selecting ‘Add to Quick Launch’.

3. Startup Programs

On your work PC, add programs that you have open every single day to your Startup folder, so that they automatically open for you in the morning. While you’re having a debriefing, making a coffee, or tidying up paperwork, your programs will be loading themselves.

Here’s how to do it in XP, and here’s how to do it in Vista.

And here’s how to take them off again!

4. Feedreaders

Rss feeds - a blessing and a curse. The symbol of all mans duality.

Feedreaders, like most things in life, are both a blessing and a curse. If you have websites that you must get the updated content from in order to complete a task or to be productive, then use feedreaders like Google’s, or Bloglines’. I personally don’t recommend subscribing to feeds that you are juts interested in … not if you’ve ever said ‘There aren’t enough hours in the day!’, anyway .

5. Google Toolbar

Love or hate Google, they make some pretty cool free stuff. Their toolbar has been out for ages, but many of you might not know how much time it (and Google in general) can save you. There are hundreds of customizable buttons, which allow you to do things like translate, convert currencies, check webmail, add and tag bookmarks, get driving directions, look up lyrics, check craigslist … just about anything you want, all with the ease of a button right on your browser. You don’t need to hunt through bookmarks, or even open a new window or tab.

If you do anything on the net repetitively, it is worth checking if Big Brother sorry, Google, has a button for it.

~~~ Content from Best Time Tools ~~~

He-Man and She-ra, Masters of the Computer-verse! 5 PC Time Hacks for Beginners

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Over-organization is a curse

So, like all organized people, you probably run the risk of over-organizing – spending more time creating, updating and checking off lists that organization itself is costing you time. Of course, not making lists isn’t an option! I, for one, get the cold sweats if I don’t open one of my lists on Outlook within the first few minutes of having the computer on. Well, sometimes, any way .

There is a balance – so today we’re going to share with you a simple method for using Microsoft Outlook to ensure you Get Things Done, and maintain the balance of power between the evil List god and real life. Thanks to Tim, one of the web’s finest GTD thinkers, for the tips.

Outlook is for more than just mail

Currency

Outlook is huge and addictive. One of the dangers of its sheer size and the number of places you can put things is that you lose track of, well, everything. This means that little bits more often are always preferable to big bits, less often. Review your tasks daily, tick off completed tasks and add new ones. Incidentally, I never use the percentage complete function except to indicate that something is 100% complete. This function is better for reporting to superiors than to yourself.

Categories

You can assign a category to tasks in Outlook by highlighting an item after it has been created and going to Edit-Category, selecting the category(ies) that it belongs to.

Keep your categories simple, if you want to save time on your organization. One idea we’ve heard is to use:

ACTION – Work related items requiring action

AGENDA – Work related topics to think about and discuss at meetings

HOME – Personal tasks

SOMEDAY – Ideas for the future. Not urgent, but you don’t want to forget them.

Create a new category in the Master List (Edit-Categories-Master Category List button), if you don’t want to use the default ones in Outlook.

Of course, you may choose to create your categories differently (perhaps according to the department that a task belongs to, or using an Urgent/Non-urgent scheme). The key to saving time with them, though, is to try to have as few as possible.

Finding your tasks again

Use the ‘Customize Current View’ option on the left hand panel in Outlook’s Task view (click Tasks on the bottom left menu)

to sort your tasks according to priority. Choose to:

• Group by categories (ascending)
• Sort by Due Date (descending), and also by Subject (ascending)
• Fields – use Priority, Subject, Notes, Created, Due Date, Complete

As we mentioned, Outlook is huge – so we’ll have to get into the Calendar and Notes functions another day!

~~~ Content from Best Time Tools ~~~

Stop Outlook Taking You To Task

Phone Boxes Triggering Reminders - Keep your mental phoneboxes in order!

I have a great memory, and it is rare that I forget to do something – but I also find the hours melting away from my workday quite often because of this internal reminder system that I have going. Research has revealed that it can take anywhere from 8 to 20 minutes for you to regain proper focus for your task after an interruption … and internal interruptions are just as insidious as annoying colleagues! Perhaps even more so, as you can’t lock them out and pretend you’ve gone to lunch. So what’s the solution? Make a list!

Lists are one of those love or hate items, and almost all people who hate them don’t know how to use them properly. If you feel that lists take up more time than they save, we have a list of lists of lists (ha ha! Made you look ), that will actually SAVE you time, as well as mental space. Check them out after the jump.

David Allen is a GTD (getting things done) coach, and these lists are some of his personal favorites. They are a tried and tested balance between spending time creating and maintaining them, and saving time by both having more headspace and averting various listless crises. Without further ado:

Lists Should be Useful!

Important number list: Not every service for which you need a password has a simple email retrieval service. You could be without a credit card for up to a week if you have to get your PIN re-issued, and Paypal makes you jump through similar hoops. Keep your list of PINs, account numbers, etc. in a safe and secure place.

Less secure personal numbers: These include your drivers license, insurance policy, and social security numbers. Having them all handy will save you hours rooting around your filing.

Birthdays: Create this list in Outlook or a calendar service like Google Calendar, and you can set up reminders for these, and stop thinking about them otherwise.

Borrowed items: A list of things of yours, that other people have.

Checklists: These save you time when you’re planning for something. For example, you might make a checklist for overnight travel, of things that the kids need packed for school, or any other regular activity.
For example – ‘Going To The Pub Checklist’: Cheesy aftershave, check. Best Pick-up Lines of the 1980s book, check. Hair gel, check. And so on!

Ideas: You can make various idea lists – work ideas, home ideas, friendship-related ideas, and other miscellany. Write it down, to save hours of rooting around in those neural pathways!

Purchase possibilities: Things that you might like for your birthday or Christmas, or stuff you might buy for yourself, just because. How many times have you answered “Oh gosh, I really don’t know … just anything”, when your Mom asked you what you wanted for CHrissy … and then smacked yourself in the head afterwards?!

Activity possibilities: This list might have places that you want to visit, or websites that you need to check out more fully, etc.

Quotes: Don’t keep them on your Facebook page anymore … the sneaky so-and-so’s are trying to keep all of your personal information, in perpetuity. Make a list, stick it in a drawer, and refer for instant inspiration.

Shortcut lists: This will probably be several lists – you might have hotkey lists for various programs or applications, or how-to with new technology lists. Looking up the manual every time you need to program your new VCR takes valuable time away from flopping on the couch!

Product and model numbers for purchases: If you have to get out your owner’s manual every time a car-parts salesperson asks you what type of engine you have, or if you make two trips to the store to buy vacuum cleaner bags EVERY DARNED TIME because you forgot the model, keep a list!

Gifts: If you spend ages researching what to get somebody for their birthday – even though you had a dozen cool ideas for it in the previous nine months, this is another great time-saving tip.

~~~ Content from Best Time Tools ~~~

To List, or Not To List?

We've got much more effective - and time-saving - ways to learn!

However, we all learn in different ways, and if you’ve ever tried to force information into your brain in a way that doesn’t suit, you’ll know how long it can take. Whether you have a work training course coming up, an exam on the calendar, or just love that new-textbook smell for your own, private reasons (!), we have some time saving tips to study smarter, not harder or longer.

Of course, when it comes to learning, the quickest way is not necessarily the best. In fact, nor is it always the way that will save you the most time in the long run – skim over a page, and see how many times you can re-read the same thing quickly, without it ever sinking in. So these tips will sometimes take a bit of time – that old spending-to-save conundrum. Overall, though, you’ll assimilate the new information faster and better. These holistic learning tips are from the Stepcase Lifehack guys – thanks!

Use Metaphors

Metaphors are a great learning tool. Don’t try to memorize your textbook’s definition of a neuron, or Adobe’s Help menu text on how to adjust colors in Photoshop. Atoms can become tiny solar systems, or a game of totem tennis with several balls. Computer networks become like city road networks. And you become, like, a genius!

Sony, the metaphor kings - you sure get the message!

Use different senses to remember information

Some people learn best through seeing pictures, some through hearing, and some through doing. You can either imagine yourself ‘doing’ a task related to what you’re trying to learn, draw a picture of it, or find an audiobook or lecture about it.

Teach what you are trying to learn

Teach what you are trying to learn - it doesn't matter if your subject understands it as well as you do

It sounds counter intuitive, but it is a great way to cement information in your brain. The teaching doesn’t have to be formal – ask your husband if you can explain the theory of quantum physics to him, or ask your room mate if they mind you teaching them about cell division and reproduction. Just remind them it will be an auditory lesson only!

Connect ideas

Ideas should all connect to another idea, if you want to be able to remember them. If something seems like just another fact you have to cram into the packed closet of your brain, find something that’s already inside to hook it on to. (There you go – I’ve taken the metaphor learning tip to heart already!).

Build from a large foundation

Every different book, article or story you read on a subject adds to your understanding of it in a different way. You never know what is going to click with you – build your house of knowledge from the largest possible foundation.

Don’t Force It!

Just like Mom said – forcing it will only break something inside your precious, precious brain! (Mmm … must eat brains!). Studying something should be a slow process – even those who do well on exams cramming the night before actually need to learn slowly. If you want proof, just ask them how much of the test material they remember the next week … and then imagine how much time they’ll have to spend going over more basic concepts when they want to move on in their learning.

Organization is the key, not memorization. You can really make your memory work for you … if you just give it a frame to build on. Especially if your memory really likes to work as a builder’s assistant, with you as the framer! Non-carpenters, sorry – you’re out of luck ;-D !

~~~ Content from Best Time Tools ~~~

Save Time Learning – for Life

Curse you, internet, for wasting my time again!

You don’t have to go through all of these constant relationship highs and lows with the web, though. Here we give you some handy hints for making your web surfing faster and more efficient.

The best way to save time on the internet is to discipline yourself not to be distracted by extraneous links -or use a tool to control your unnecessary browsing. However, even when you are your most focused, Terminator-like self, there are still ways you can make your netsurfing more efficient. So, “Come with me, if you want to live” … more efficiently!

Disabling Auto-Load Images

This is a great  bandwidth and time-saving tip. If you get to a site that you do want the images for, you can always click the Images button to load them. In both Firefox and Internet Explorer, you can disable auto-loading images by going to the Tools-Options area, and looking for the images options in the content tab.

The only time this will take you more time than it saves is when an insane font color, like pink or light blue, has been used, on the assumption that it would be viewed against a background color.

Options dialog in Firefox - Use to control image loading and Java preferences

Disable Javascript

You can disable Java in the same place on your browser that you disable the auto-loading of images. If you have ever spent three times as long as you should have to read a page because of one of those horrible jiggling advertisements that you have to click instantly to win a new house because you are the 100,000^th visitor, you will really appreciate this.

Some sites need Java, of course – and it only takes a few seconds to change your preferences and refresh the page.

Using tabs in Firefox and Internet Explorer

Surfing the web becomes much more efficient when you use tabs. They make the ‘Back’ button almost redundant. Instead of clicking directly on links, get into the habit of right-clicking links and choosing ‘Open in New Tab’. You can open several pages at once, which will load while you are deciding which others are worthy of your attention.

Bookmark Deep Links Instead of Front Pages

So many sites have annoying flash intros or old-fashioned entry screens. Don’t bookmark these for future reference – bookmark the link that you will actually need. If this changes, just bookmark a random page – it will save you sitting through slow-loading large images on a front page.

Using Offline Pages

This tip is great for those of you that are easily distracted on the internet … as well as the few of you out there that are still on dinosaur dial up. It is also good for those of you that need web resources to be available in an area with no web connection – like on trains, and isolated country areas. Save your frequently used pages (that aren’t often updated) for offline viewing. Under the File menu in your browser, click Save As – you can then choose to save it as a complete web page, or the HTML only (the gobbledegook only!).

The internet will look a whole lot different if you implement all of these suggestions. Soon enough, it should be unrecognizable as the beautiful distraction it once was … like a pretty girl or guy passing by your office window! But you’ll certainly have more time for the things that you really want to do.

Thanks to Charles Kelly for most of these ideas! And…

Hasta la vista, baby!

~~~ Content from Best Time Tools ~~~

5 Ways to Use Your Browser to Save Time

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Interruptions at work are like little landmines scattered throughout your day. You hit one of these interruptions, are thrown fifty meters into the air, fly off in whatever direction the wind is blowing, and then have to make your way back through dense scrubland to your original path. What a soldier! Most of us make this trip at least ten times a day, depending on the culture and size of our office. Dr Gloria Marks, of the University of California Irvine, says that it usually takes between 6 and 20 minutes to recover focus after an interruption. Yowsa!

Learn how to disarm these insidious interruptions

However, managing interruptions isn’t as easy as it sounds. You do need to preserve some goodwill in your office, and telling people to ‘Go away! I’m busy!’ won’t exactly do that. Here’s how to be proactive about managing interruptions, and avoid the feel-bad factor of telling someone that you can’t help them right now.

1. Staff/Colleague/Boss interruptions – These can be the trickiest of all interruptions to manage – it is much more difficult to say ‘no’ to somebody’s face, than to simply leave their email until later. Be proactive about making interruption-free times. Let your colleagues know in advance the times that you’ll be concentrating on work. For example, you might choose not to answer emails or the phone from 10am til 12pm. Let everyone in the office know that you’ll be concentrating during that time.For workmates and bosses, help them understand the reason that you can’t talk right now. You all have common goals of getting projects finished, keeping customers happy, etc. If you can explain how you are working towards their goals also, they will be happier to leave you alone.
2. Use internet time-trackers to monitor, and control, how much time you spend being ‘interrupted’ by all the ’shiny objects’ on the internet. You can block certain sites and categories of sites using programs like LeechBlock and RescueTime.
3. Email and telephone interruptions are the most common, and thanks to the wonders of technology (what would we do without electric toothbrushes?), the easiest to deal with. Turn off your incoming mail alert, and use voicemail to answer your phone at certain periods of the day. Create set times to return emails and calls, and you’ll be more productive at work.
4. Mental interruptions are some of the most insidious – possibly because they are the easiest to rationalize as ‘necessary’. Mental interruptions include breaks in your concentration because you either have a new idea, or start thinking about another project you are working on. The solution to both of these types of interruption is simple – write yourself a note to do it later, and return your attention to the task at hand. Learning to crack the mental whip is not easy … being the drill sergeant as well as the soldier can be a little confusing! Just reassure yourself that all it takes is practice.
   

   You have to be your own drill sergeant - show me your war face!

5. Scheduling your important tasks to be completed during your peak productivity hours is another way to help eliminate mental interruptions. Are you a night owl or early birdy? Schedule your tasks during the work day to better coincide with your preferences.

I don’t know about you, but I feel much better at the end of the day if I’ve managed to focus, and achieve things throughout the day … instead of having eight hours of sidetracking after sidetracking. Hopefully these tips will help you go home with a little more spring in your step, also!

~~~ Content from Best Time Tools ~~~

Get Lost! … Please? How To Manage The Top 5 Work Interruptions

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Oh My! I can't believe how much time you've saved me!

If you’re caught in a time warp at work, we may not have any solutions that are as much fun as Dr Frank N. Furter’s house … but that’s okay, because you probably don’t have too many colleagues that look as good in their skimpies as Janet and Rocky! Besides, our list of time-saving tips is designed more for efficiency than fun … darn it. Hit the jump to check out our full list of 15 time saving tips for work. Most of these are related to organization and focus, you can check out some of our broader tips also.

Everybody’s time warp is slightly different. Some hang a little bit to the left, others wear fluffy accessories, and some are impossibly clean. Skip over what you don’t need, gloat about what you already know, but don’t bother smacking your head in realization of your ignorance when you find one that you can use … guilt only wastes time .

1. Plan your day – set realistic goals for what can be done in a certain amount of time, and stick to it as much as possible.
2. Keep a to-do list. Use numbers to prioritize tasks, and if you need to add tasks later, use a number followed by a letter (so 1a can come between 1 and 2, if necessary).
3. If you’re wasting time procrastinating jobs that you don’t like, one strategy is to try to break them down into smaller, more manageable tasks. See if you can get help for the really horrible, stinky, rotting bits.
4. Guilt is a waste of time. If you don’t complete a task within your allotted time, don’t go to the toilets and cry about it … just use it as motivation for next time.
5. In the same way that you shouldn’t waste time at work thinking about what you need to do at home, don’t think about work on the weekends. If you can use your weekends to truly relax, you’ll be fresh as a deodorant commercial on Monday morning!
6. Do the jobs that you hate doing first. If you need motivation to go against every fibre of your being as a human, just think about how rosy your day will be without that effing data entry hanging over your head!
7. Group your tasks to help you get them done more quickly. If you have to contact several people by phone, do this all at the one time. If you have data for several projects to enter, do it all at once. You are more efficient when you work on the same thing repeatedly, rather than switching between tasks … as tempting as that can be when you are bored of something. Crack that mental whip! Whip it good!
   

   Group Like with Like When It Comes To Tasks

8. Make sure you get enough sleep. While individual requirements certainly vary, there are plenty of scientific studies that have shown that less than 7.5 full hours of sleep a night impairs judgement and performance, in many areas. So don’t just guess that you’re one of those freaks who can go to bed at 2am, get up a 7am and function perfectly! Do a human experiment on yourself and find out.
9. Make sure you exercise regularly. Good circulation improves blood flow to your brain, as well as ensuring that you don’t waste valuable work time by sitting in a hospital bed!
10. If blog tips sound lovely but don’t always do it for you, try a time management course. There are online ones as well as the old-fashioned ones where you have to sit next to disgusting other people.
11. Keep positive at work. If you had a dollar for every minute you’ve spent whinging about something at work, do you think you’d need to go there next week? It’s a nice idea, but unfortunately nobody except David Letterman gets paid to whine about things. Give praise and credit where it is due – if you and everybody else feel positive about what you are doing, you’ll get more involved, and do it more efficiently.
12. Is there any equipment or software that could save you time? Before you (or your boss) decides you can’t afford it, tally up all of the hours either you, or your colleagues spend doing something that could be automated. Multiply it out by salaries, and you could be surprised how quickly something like that could pay itself off. And remember, equipment purchases are usually tax deductible, where wages are not.
13. Set a schedule for clearing out the office. Everyone should be working on it at the same time, so that nobody’s work time is being wasted asking if they still want that moldy cheese in the fridge door! Make sure all paperwork is filed, bits and pieces organized and junk is junked.
    

    Organize Yer Bits

14. Check you are not doing jobs that are beneath you. Is your IT manager cleaning out the toilets because he feels bad asking anyone else to do it?! Although this can help create laughter and positivity at work, you have to wonder if there are cheaper ways to increase productivity …
15. Learn to say ‘No’. Don’t take on additional work if it really is somebody else’s responsibility, and if it will put you behind. Practice your war face at the same time, that generally stops any ‘extra work’ requests… as well as requests for anything unnecessary, like lunches or conversations

We’d love you all to add to the list! Let us know your best time saving hints and tips for work, and if we get enough, we’ll create a separate post.

~~~ Content from Best Time Tools ~~~

Work Time Warps Not As Fun As The Other Kind

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Save Time Shopping Online

What, the web REALLY CAN save you time on your shopping? It isn’t just saying that in an effort to get you to click on a banner ad? Yes, it can … but only a few sites have this rare magical power. If you’re feeling frustrated with comparing domestic and local prices, searching in eBay stores and auctions, those bloody shopping comparison sites that are more ad than info, prepare to be enchanted. Here are our tips on best time saving shopping sites that actually do work.

Amazon.com Subscribe and Save

Not only does Amazon have a huge range of products, usually at quite cheap prices, they have a new, superior time-saving website feature. ‘I am your leader’, says Subscribe and Save … The way it works is:

• You choose a product you would purchase regularly, usually something you can find in the non-perishable sections of the supermarket.
• Instead of adding directly to shopping cart or using 1-click ordering, look for the Subscribe and Save options at right of screen. You can choose any quantity between 1 and 30 to be delivered every 1, 2, 3 or 6 months.
• You receive a discount on the everyday Amazon supplier price (although remember, other Amazon sellers sometimes have items cheaper than Amazon itself), and also free shipping on every order.
• There are no catches – you can cancel at any time, and your credit card is only charged when the order is shipped.

Frucall Price Comparisons

If I could gather up all of the hours I’ve spent surfing for cheaper prices online, I’d need arms like Gumby to hold them. Frucall makes this easy … for SOME products, mind you! Big ticket items are most of Frucall’s database.

• Just text 37811 or call 888 363 7822 if you are in the US, and you can use the product barcode to find out if you can get the exact same product cheaper online. Much better than having to figure out confusing model numbers and comparing features to figure out if savings really are savings … or magical fairies that poke your eye and fly away laughing, when you end up receiving something totally different to what you thought. Case in point – eBay’s mini guitars. Too good to be true.
• You can also surf Frucall for price comparisons.

Sizeasy

Sizeasy could have helped me avoid the whole mini guitar debacle (poor husband got his hopes up so high…) . If you aren’t sure whether something will fit in a space in either your home, your handbag, your pocket, or around your hot, hot, hot curves (!), Sizeasy lets you compare the dimensions of online objects to everyday items. This time saving shopping website also saves you returning things that don’t fit somewhere, and then re-buying them… trust me, not fun!

Copy and paste the dimensions from a product specs page, and you can see that item next to things like a box of matches, a can of soft drink, a piece of A4 paper or a double mattress.

No more time wasted trying to hunt down tape measures, or returning items that don’t fit around your hot, hot curves

Farecast

If you have ever researched travelling somewhere, you know what a minefield of wasted time it can be. You’re just toddling along, minding your business, and then BAM! You’ve lost a leg … or at least, a couple of hours. Farecast helps – this Microsoft site lets you search several travel sites simultaneously (expedia.com, cheapair.com, priceline.com).

Each site opens in a new window, so make sure you allow popups on the site.

Easyreach

Easyreach.com has software for your Blackberry, Palm Treo, Windows Mobile or Symbian that lets you instantly buy gifts for anyone in your phone address book, with no price markups. They partner with the retailers to bring the service to users for free.

No more rushing out for bottles of wine, flowers or chocolates at the last minute. You can grab gifts while sitting in traffic jams, while on your lunch break, or while waiting for a bus.

Of course, you can also buy gifts for yourself. Why not – you deserve it! Or you could buy gifts for me. Why not – I deserve it too!

A word of advice – sometimes your Mom was right, you get what you pay for … so the cheapest price isn’t necessarily going to be the best product! Look in conjunction with review sites.

~~~ Content from Best Time Tools ~~~

(Don’t) Shop Til You Get Finger-Flop

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