GURU8 is running a series of opinion based posts that we rank in bunches of 8, these will range from opinions, how-Tos, top rated, top hated and even those categories you have no idea about. We’ll just keep everything tech related.
In This week’s edition we are going to talk about all those things that will simplify your life using the most convenient ‘children’ of technology, and we have put into consideration, price too.
In the bottom spot we;
8. Hire someone using Online services!
This might be the most costly however, we found it very effective, today several online services like Fiverr, freelancer.com and lots more, allow you to hire someone to do something for at a prices as low as $5. In case your computer needs repair, you need a website, or need to advertise anything feel free to use an online service because, it saves you the burden of driving to town to town to get someone to do anything for you, and besides if you prefer relaxing in your couch, or at the beach, hiring someone do for you all the things you don’t want to do. Corporations are also cater for because we have jobs directories where they can find people looking for jobs and also cut costs of advertising for jobs. So if money ain’t your problem, ease you life visit a hiring website and let someone do something for you.
7. Call blocking & Spam blocking
This might not seem handy to many, but imagine you are the kind who checks your email and has to go through thousands of emails to find an email, important to you. Or you are tired of your phone vibrating every 5 seconds, getting promo calls or want to block someone. For blocking phone/SMS you can see our fully detailed guide. The main point is to unsubscribe your mailing lists you don’t need and trust me you will have a cleaner inbox, fewer disturbances and for stalkers, ‘Blacklist’ comes in handy. It’s only after you have blocked spam when you will realize your life just got easier.
6. Prepaid payments and orders
Ladies and gentlemen avoid the queens you make paying for an internet service, concert, phone bills or anything. The list is long however paying in advance keeps you away from long lines and being cut off from your service. So you don’t have to rush to pay for your Pay TV when a match is in the middle, forget your internet cut off in the middle of a business call on Skype. Besides, prepaid payments usually come with discounts. Prepaid payments are supposed by many service providers e.g. prepaid bank order on Dstv that lets you pay for your subscription automatically using your bank account, MTN prepaid internet and calls, and the list is endless. So avoid the stress of bills and quenes while paying for services.
5. File, event and reminder organizing Software and Apps
These apps and software come in very handy because reduce you the time you spend looking for something or keeping something. Such apps can be grouped into 3 such as, File finders which are most important on your laptop or desktop and such include; finder on Mac, Ava find and ‘Search Everything’ which index the files in your computer and all you need to enter is a keyword and your find that photo, folder or file you need and the results are almost real-time. Personal Organizer apps like Evernote, Google Now, Keep, memo, calendar apps get all your notes, and event reminders, put them in one place. You never forget any meetings, or notes you took in a meeting and hey! Never forget that wedding anniversary.
4. Online Shopping and delivery
Why do I need to go through jam to get myself a new phone, shirt, movie and I mean anything. Now before you grumble about Online shopping in Uganda, the services has grown tremendously with online shopping directories like, Meka, Dondolo Shop, & more and International shopping directories like EBay, Amazon now ship directly to Uganda. To my friends who love traveling, Air tickets can now be bought online by air Uganda. So got to you bank, get the right account and never go to the shop again let what you buy come to you.
3. Use Google maps or any other digital Map
Who still asks for directions or tells their friends that they don’t know where a place or hangout is anymore? These days you don’t have to get lost or spend 30 minutes looking for a place. Just use Google maps on your Smartphone and search for a place. Ok there plenty of maps these days, from here maps by Nokia, iOS maps, Bing maps, foursquare etc choose your favorite map applications but don’t be surprised if you go back to Google maps in case you find so many blank spots in this country on other map services. So locate a place, get directions to it, and share a the route to your house party on social networks and get yourself back to civilization in case you are lost in a ‘desert’. Traveling just got easier.
2. Use mobile money payments
This is one of the most used payment methods used daily. By mobile money I mean MTN mobile money, Orange Money, Airtel Money, WaridPesa, mpesa etc. Mobile money now lets you do more than send money to your family and friends, to being able to pay bills, school fees and pay for TV bills and buy airtime this could save you from going to the shop to buy airtime. Some companies now pay workers using mobile money. By the way it has become so efficient that it has become faster than cash payments. Let’s take example; paying my Dstv subscription by cash takes me about 5 minutes in line, 5 minutes for payment verification, counting cash and typing on a computer then the TV takes a while to go on, however paying using MTN mobile money takes me less than a minute to send the money using mobile money a few seconds the TV is back on, I will never use cash again.
1. Google it! / use a help service or forum.
This is a renowned life saver I have come across that’s built by technology because it puts everything together. And am sure it might have made you read this article. I mean when you want to know how easy anything is you Google it and the results will help. However let’s not ignore Help service websites like Ask, Yelp and forums which provide you with solutions to any problem. And for those who prefer other search engines, Google lists results from those search engines too. So Google all you problem including the most bizarre and trust me someone put it somewhere where Google was able to find it.
There you have it, the TOP 8 ways to ease your life using technology. In case I forgot something, please leave it in the comments.
