Every six months or so I clean out my "Favorites" list on my web browser of email links for interesting and/or fun websites that deserve sharing. So, without further ado, please find the latest verion of "Useful and Free Online" websites. The Frugal/Fun Top Five follow:
Ever find yourself cringing at the thought of calling a customer service representative in your home country? In addition to the sky-high phone charges, what's more frustrating that staying up way too late to meet overseas business hours, only to find yourself navigating through 10-15 minutes of push-button menus to get a *real person*? Well, before you call next time, look up the company on "Get Human.com". Get Human is a free consumer advocacy website that features the secret phone numbers and codes to get a human whenever possible when calling a company for customer service. The website features credit card, finance, banking, insurance, and other companies. Also, add your own advice to the every growing data pool. Features, at the moment, US and UK tips.
Are you a translator, editor, or writer? Or just a student of English? Well, even if you aren't one of the above, you'll benefit from onelook.com. This amazing website searches for definitions and synonyms from a variety of dictionary websites, all at once. Kind of a "meta" dictionary/thesaurus search - this quick resource is incredibly valuable.
Alond the same lines as No. 2, but narrower - Wordsmyth is the best online thesaurus I've come across. It also features neat functions like a glossary maker, quiz builder, anagram solver, and crossword puzzle helper. Great for both English professionals and students.
You'll need Japanese language ability (at least some reading) to take advantage of this site, but it sure is worth it! Ever been sitting at the table on a rainy, cold night thinking "There's no food in the house, it's too nasty to go out: who on earth will deliver?" Demae-can is a one-stop search engine for shops that deliver, including pizza, sushi, curry, and even housecleaning services (!). Simply click on your prefecture, then your city, and then your address, and then the type of food/service you would like to receive. Demae-can lists the shops/services that can deliver to your area, *and* a rough estimate of how quickly they can come to you. Neat, and much simpler than searching through individual websites of pizza and sushi shops. Note that orders are taken through email!
And now for the time-waster website of the bunch, Land and Farm.com. If you've ever dreamed about owning your own little patch of earth in the mountains, your own seashore estate, or even your own virgin Brazillian timberlands (10,763 acres for $199,000 US), this is the site for you. The focus is rural real estate listings not featured anywhere else.
By Wendy J. Imura. Copyright 2006.