Clear your mind, and your pockets!

Do you have sticky notes everywhere? Bits of paper by the phone, notes cluttering your desk? A long shopping list in your purse? A pocket calendar wherever you go? How about business cards cluttering up your wallet? Lists of telephone numbers?

Have you ever thought about a PDA? Oh NO! Not me! I don't need one of those fancy things! I am no high powered executive! I don't have lots of meetings to attend! I don't need to check my emails on the run! No?

But what about that grocery list in your purse? Those pieces of paper with your kid's addresses and phone numbers. That sports schedule?

PDA's are NOT just for high powered executives. They are for everyone! Mom's keeping soccer schedules, dentist appointments, grocery lists, and emergency contact information at their fingertips. Grandparents who don't want to sift through a pile of letters and notes to find that bit of information that they "KNOW they wrote down just yesterday."

PDA's can hold so many many things for the average person. PDA's provide the ability to keep a calendar, and to give you audible reminders (like the alarm on your watch) when it's time to do everything from watch your favorite TV show to taking your medication to picking up your family at the airport. They allow you to setup a phone and address list-

Let's just say you are at your sister Judy's house one Afternoon:

Judy: You know, I don't believe that I have Michael's new mailing address? I really wanted to send him this funny birthday card I bought and I just keep forgetting to ask you for his address. Do you know what it is offhand? I really should get this in the mail before tomorrow, or he won't get it in time.

You: Um... you know I have it somewhere... at home. How about I call you tomorrow morning and give it to you (you write yourself a note, reminding yourself to find the note that has your son Michael's address, and then to call Judy in the morning. The note goes into your purse with all your receipts, your grocery list, and all your other notes.)

Let's just say that you have a PDA. You are at Judy's house and when she asks for Michael's address, you reach into your purse and pull out your PDA, open your address book, and read her Michael's new address, phone number, AND email address. Wasn't that efficient? How much time and stress have you saved yourself by having that information at your fingertips? How relieved would Judy be?

PDA's allow you to keep and quickly update a complete contact list. As a matter of fact, you could have given her Michael's work mailing address, his fax number, his office suite number, his direct line, AND his company title if you had wanted to. Not to mention the birth dates of all Michael's children and his wife name, their anniversary, and her cell phone number. All of that information, literally at your fingertips.

My PDA balances my checkbook. I have purchased an inexpensive PDA version of Quicken, called Pocket Quicken. I can enter checks, debits, deposits, and all types of transactions in the PDA, and I can categorize them and Quicken will keep a running balance on my PDA that can by synced to the Quicken program on my home computer. Now when I get done with a big trip to the mall, and to get groceries, and I stop by McDonald's for a cheeseburger meal and the gas station to fill up on the way home, I can spend a few minutes in the restaurant or in the car in th parking lot, and grab all 6 or 8 receipts from my purse, and enter those debit card transactions into my PDA, and Quicken will tell me exactly how much money I have left to spend (if any!) and will categorize all my spending to be synced at home when I am ready. No more calculator, checking register, or purse/wallet full of receipts.

Next time you are at a doctor's office or a meeting and you need to schedule a follow-up appointment, you can open your PDA, check your calendar, find a clear spot on your schedule, and enter the appointment right there. No more lost appointment cards or over scheduling.

PDA's have a built in calculator (why carry one of those in your purse too?) and even fun features like games. You can even turn the sound off and play bejeweled while you wait to have your teeth cleaned!

Create lists! To do lists, Gift Idea Lists, GROCERY LISTS! You can check items off as you put them in your cart! You can check off to do list items as you complete them.

I purchased my PDA for less than $75 on eBay, used. It came with the box, the software, the paperwork, cords to connect to my computer, and a wall charger. I was able to buy an extra cradle (for sync to my computer) and a hard case for less than $15 on ebay. You don't have to pay a lot to own a PDA and you don't have to feel like you are wasting your money to try something new.

Let a PDA clear up your clutter, your purse/wallet, and your mind. Toss out all those paper notes and keep everything clear, concise, and up to date.

If you decide to get high tech, you can purchase cards that will give you internet access ANWHERE, download programs like Adobe reader that allow you to view entire books on your PDA, or accessories like foldable keyboards and wireless LAN Adapters to connect to wireless networks. The possibilities are endless and PDA's can expand to handle whatever it is you need.