What did people do before GoogleMaps? Seriously, how did you know where to go and how to get there?
Besides finding an answer to anything and everything you ever need or want to know, the internet just makes my life easier. It reduces the lines on my to do list and saves me countless hours in my day. It allows me to make better decisions and to be more informed by gathering data from my peers and professional resources.
I think living in an urban environment especially creates a need for the internet. My environment is constantly changing and each new day is never the same as the day before. Plus, I have so much to do in so little time.
Don't get me wrong, I also spend at least an hour a day on Facebook, but there's more to "social" sites than just stalking your ex. I "like" New York Parks & Recreation. I "like" Tribeca Film Festival. I "like" the Highline. This means my newsfeed includes events and activities to get me out and about in the city. How else would I find out about New York Restaurant Week?
Here is how I use the internet to make my life easier:
- Bought tickets online to the Statue of Liberty, printed tickets out at home, and skipped waiting in a line up to 1 hour for tickets and entrance to the ferry.
- Found bar stools on Craiglists saving 50% off the cost of new furniture to furnish my apartment.
- Ordered wine from a Brooklyn wine shop recommended by Snooth.com and had free same day delivery saving me from carrying 6 bottles across town.
- Filled my kitchen with groceries from FreshDirect and for $6 charge received next day delivery to my apartment door. Without a car, transporting groceries back home can be a real challenge.
- Read the Metro North train schedule on my blackberry to know when to catch the next train home for the weekend to Connecticut.
- Search GoogleMap for EVERYTHING... CVS, Home Depot, Starbucks, etc.
- Then, route directions from my current location to my destination. GoogleMaps even gives the options for directions when walking, driving or using public transportation.
- Made reservations using OpenTable which also provides reviews and menus of restaurants. I sort by rating, price, and neighborhood.
- Sold a coffee table to my neighbor using the online classifieds specifically for residents of my building resulting in a new friendship and quick $40 bucks.
- Ordered contacts from 1-800-contacts.
- Ordered a birthday gift, dog food, furniture, fake flowers, etc. from Amazon.com and with Amazon Prime receive free 2 day shipping.
- Search yelp.com for reviews on dry cleaners, nail salons, frame shops, and painting classes. Found a dry cleaner who will pick up and deliver to my apartment.
- Subscribe to New York magazine Deals e-newsletters and bought a gift certificate for an introduction lesson to Stand Up Paddle Boarding for half price.
- Auto-pay my electric and cable bill online, never writing a check again.
- Search my Facebook friends filtering by city so I can reconnect to long lost friends who currently live in New York.
So how do you surf the web?
