I begin this post with a confession...I am a smartphone dinosaur. My mobile just about manages to text and make phone calls. It is an app free zone. I can't even Tweet on the go! So unfortunately I am yet to experience the joy of using any time saving devices via smartphone apps. I am so envious of all those phones out there with their technological bells and whistles, but truth be told, I am a little bit phobic about having one!
However, I am glued to my laptop on a regular basis and consequently save time using the internet to do various tasks from the comfort of my sofa (to free up more time for the fun stuff!) It's not that long ago when, if we wanted some information, we'd have to head to the nearest reference library or pour through the Encyclopedia Britannica for answers. Nowadays, knowledge is at our fingertips thanks to Google, IMDB and Wikipedia. The time saved from this alone is staggering when we stop to think about it. Also, the days of writing letters and walking to the Post Office to buy stamps and post them before waiting 2 days for them to arrive at their destination is virtually over since the advent of email. But the technological era has also given rise to other ways of making the most of your time.
One of my most used time saving sites is Quidco. Whatever I want to buy, products or services, Quidco has a comprehensive list of stockists or suppliers complete with links direct to the sites. This alone saves a lot of time spent Googling and researching companies. In addition to that, they also feature special offers including cashback and voucher codes, so you don't need to shop around for the best deals, again saving valuable time! They also feature sites such as Compare the Market and Confused.com which makes short work of trawling the net for insurance quotes.
Online banking is an absolute godsend for checking your balance, handling direct debits and making transfers. My nearest branch is 17 miles away from my home so being able to manage my finances online saves me so much time. No more queuing behind the elderly gentleman paying in his month's savings in coppers (that is actually what my dad does...so no disrespect intended to the frugal minded older generation!)
I do so much of my shopping online. From everything from DVDs, books, gifts, music and clothing, online shopping saves time. Not only do you get to browse entire ranges, back catalogues and new lines, you can get them delivered to your door. I don't need to spend time scouring shops for specific items...I just search online and bingo! I also love being able to send gifts directly to their recipients...I don't even have to worry about wrapping and posting. Hours of my time have been saved thanks to internet shopping. More time for me!
The CBeebies website is my favourite tip for saving time. Putting my nearly three year old son in front of the computer with this safe and educational website at this fingertips, means that I can get on with any other task in hand for a while. He is absorbed, entertained and learning....I have a few minutes where I'm not being relied on for 100% of his attention needs. Win/win!!
I love how the internet is constantly making our lives easier, maximizing our time and energy. New initiatives such as the British Gas Online Account Management System, promise to make managing our utilities so much simpler, saving time online.
(Of course though, we must all be careful that we don't use all our saved time obsessing over making amazing boards on Pinterest or all our good time saving work will be undone!!)
This is my entry for the BritMums #BGSaveTime Linky, sponsored by British Gas.
