Manage Your Life

Thursday, November 26, 2009

18 smart time-savers

By Sharon Franke for Good Housekeeping


If you're beyond busy (and we know you are), here are 18 easy, fast ways to beat the clock all day long!

1. If you're always searching for a pen, stock one in every handbag, and keep another in your checkbook.

2. Store buttons in clear pill dispensers so you can easily spot the one you need.

3. Schedule your next haircut before you leave the salon. (Try one of these 5 Best Haircuts Ever).

4. Keep scissors in every room so you won't waste time trying to find them if you have to open a package, cut a tag, or wrap a gift.

5. Buy stamps, print labels, and arrange package pickups online at usps.com.

6. When you find a useful number in the phone book, highlight it so it pops out the next time.

7. Skip the photo store. Order prints from an online service such as Snapfish, the top scorer in GH Research Institute tests.

8. Reserve (and renew) books online instead of driving to the library to do it in person.

9. Stash lint rollers in lots of places (the laundry room, closets, your car's glove compartment) so you can zap fuzz and pet hair in seconds.

10. Keep note cards, envelopes, and stamps in a zip-top plastic bag in your purse so you can dash off a thank-you note while standing in line at the supermarket or waiting in the school parking lot.

11. Store receipts in a designated pocket of your purse or wallet, so you'll have the one you need at your fingertips if you decide to make a return. You'll need these 10 Must-Have Pieces for Fall.

12. Use a Web grocer like Peapod. Once you create an account and a shopping list of the items you buy often, placing an order takes just minutes.

13. Before you leave home for a scheduled flight, print your boarding pass from the airline's Web site.

14. Avoid movie lines. Buy tickets online ahead of time from a service such as Fandango or Moviefone.

15. Do all your banking online. (It's safe, really.)

16. Wear a cordless headset when you're on the phone so you can multitask.

17. During TV commercials, don't just nosh--instead, pay your bills (that is, if you don't already pay them online).

18. Store your ATM card in a brightly colored case so it's easy to spot in your tote bag.



More Ways to Save Time and Money From Good Housekeeping
Invest in Kids' School Clothes That Last
5 Most Common Money Mistakes--Are You Guilty of Any?
Debts You Shouldn't Pay Off
How to Manage Your Cash If You Lose Your Job
For More Tips & Tricks You Can Count On: Subscribe to Good Housekeeping & Save!
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From the Community…

Comments 1-10 of 37
  • Byrne's Avatar
    Posted by Byrne Thu Oct 15, 2009 3:13pm PDT

    Save time by not reading this article.

    Report Abuse
  • :Bertsey:'s Avatar
    Posted by :Bertsey: Thu Oct 15, 2009 3:14pm PDT

    Did you notice these are almost all "online"? Do this online, do that online. It's so funny to think of times without computers when people actually stopped being lazy and did stuff themselves.

    :)

    Report Abuse
  • Sam's Avatar
    Posted by Sam Thu Oct 15, 2009 3:19pm PDT

    This is a really dumb article... no useful information, all stuff I already know. Waste of my time!!!

    Report Abuse
  • Legion3x6's Avatar
    Posted by Legion3x6 Thu Oct 15, 2009 3:20pm PDT

    Ok, so..... pretty much you're saying to clutter my home with every item on every room, detach from society doing the most mundane things online and avoid sunlight.

    Thanks. Now I have more free time to do what? Live a sedentary life and get fat and lazy, like the average american statistic.

    No, thanks, I still like to keep in touch with the world without depending on a computer to live my life.

    Report Abuse
  • Jennette's Avatar
    Posted by Jennette Thu Oct 15, 2009 3:20pm PDT

    this article wasted my time!

    Report Abuse
  • Colleen's Avatar
    Posted by Colleen Thu Oct 15, 2009 3:25pm PDT

    I have an idea don't waste your time reading this ridiculous list! That would have saved me a few precious minutes. Are you serious? You are suggesting to buy a separate BRIGHT colored "holder" for you ATM card? Let's take additional time in our busy day, to go spend MONEY, because we all have a ton these days, AND buy a bright holder for my ATM card. BRILLIANT! How about this, place a lo-jack on your keys. That would save time wouldnt it?? This is by far the biggest waste of time I have ever spent on Yahoo news. Did the character from "Clueless" write this article? Worse, did they get PAID?? If so, please contact me for some real material worth a damn.

    Report Abuse
  • KarissaO's Avatar
    Posted by KarissaO Thu Oct 15, 2009 3:37pm PDT

    this is by far the least useful article I've read on yahoo...all of these things save you maybe a few seconds and completely clutter your house and purse! You'll also look completely OCD by being overly prepared for things you do only once in a while..."Oh yeah, let me just write a thank-you note while I'm standing in line to buy groceries! Finally the envelopes, stamps and stationary that have been cluttering up my purse for the past two years come in handy! Does anyone have a desk I can borrow?"

    Report Abuse
  • May Whee's Avatar
    Posted by May Whee Thu Oct 15, 2009 4:01pm PDT

    Ummm... Don't you know how to download photos on your computer and print them at home?

    Report Abuse
  • Tim's Avatar
    Posted by Tim Thu Oct 15, 2009 4:36pm PDT

    Wow. That was not useful.

    Report Abuse
  • richard h's Avatar
    Posted by richard h Thu Oct 15, 2009 4:39pm PDT

    Yahoo always puts out these stupid articles. They have not even changed most of their headlines from the past two days.

    Report Abuse
Comments 1-10 of 37

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