Find a Planner that Fits Your Style

I’m organizationally challenged, which causes problems because I’m also a multi-business entrepreneur. I’m always on the hunt for the perfect planner system that fits how I work. My preference is to see the whole week at a glance and have all my to-dos (personal and professional) listed along side any appointments. I don’t want to have to turn pages to manage my day because I’m more likely to not turn the page and therefore miss something. The problem has been that I’ve never found just the right planner.

If you’re having the same problem, visit DIYPlanner which has tons of different planner styles…for free. These planner templates are created by DIYPlanner or its members and uploaded for anyone to use. Planners come in a variety sizes depending on your needs.

The site also offers articles and other resources related to planning. The best way to find the actual planner templates is to click on “DIYPlanner.com” or “Time Management” in the left hand side bar. But do take some time to read the articles and other information. There is an itneractive community there with lots of great tips and ideas.

To learn more, visit DIYPLanner.com

Discounts on the Best Stuff to Do, See, Eat, and Buy in your City

One of the best ways to get a discount is to buy in bulk. With that idea in mind, Groupon has created a site in which people can get big discounts by buying in a group. The best part is that Groupon finds the deals and puts together the group. When members see a deal they want to take advantage of, they “buy” in. If enough people indicate they want in as well, members are billed and sent a Groupon. Business are guaranteed a minimum of customers while the customers get a great deal. Its a win-win.

The types of deals you’ll find vary and include things like $20 for $50 worth of groceries, $20 for a $40 meal at a restaurant, and $45 for $100 worth of apparel.

The downside is that Groupon is only available in 52 major cities throughout the U.S. If you don’t live near a major city, you’re out of luck. However, Groupon does take suggestions and indicates that it will target cities that it receives the most inquiries about.

To learn more, visit Groupon

Journal In Secret with Penzu

Journaling is a great way to express thoughts, feelings, concerns, worries, anger…and all those other things that you want to get out but don’t want others to see. The problem is that journal books and blogging aren’t necessarily secure. But Penzu offers a free web-based journaling option that is safe and secure from prying eyes.

Entries made with Penzu are automatically saved and kept private. If you’d like to share your entry with others, you have the option to do that as well. Penzu allows you to add pictures and works with Flickr as well.

A paid version offers even greater security, journal customization, and the ability to past-date entries.

To learn more or to start journaling, visit Penzu.

Grocery Lists and Meal Planning Made Easy

In my attempts to save money, meal planning and grocery shopping has become more complex. I’m clipping coupons, shopping multiple stores to get the best prices, and planning meals around what’s on sale. Being domestically and organizationally challenged, this new way of cooking and shopping has been difficult for me to manage.

But I’ve just come across a great new web and phone app that can make it easier. Ziplist offers lots of great features to create a shopping list and plan meals. The shopping list can be organized by aisle or store. It can be shared with other members of the family so that they can add items.

Not sure what to make for dinner? Ziplist has tons of recipes and with a single click all the ingredients can be added to your list. It will even show you items that you may already have at home so that they aren’t added to the list. And if you find a recipe on another website, you can save it to your Ziplist recipe box.

When you’re ready to shop, you can print out your list or access it by through your SmartPhone (iPhone app coming soon).

To learn more or to create your own list, visit Ziplist.

Make It Easy For Others to Schedule Time with You

Timebridge is offer a free resource that makes it easy for people see your availability and schedule time with you.  The great thing about this resource is that it doesn’t reveal the details of your schedule, only the times that you’re “available” or “busy”.  Further is works with Outlook, Google Calendar, and iCal to synchronize your free/busy availability.

For an additional fee, Timebridge’s Meet With Me also provides a meeting room, web or phone conferencing, and text message reminders to those involved in the meeting.

To learn more, visit TimeBridge.