My New Favorite Thing

Some of you may be wondering how I keep up with all of the blogs you see listed on the left hand side of this post, and the answer is Google Reader.  I have fallen in love with the application, but it was very new to me when I first started.  Google Reader is yet another great way to stay connected and is part of the ever popular Google enterprise.  I am a firm believer that Google is the best search engine around, and Google Reader lives up to the high quality standards I have come to expect from anything carrying the Google name.

The best way to describe Google Reader is an email for your blogs.  The application gives you the ability to follow many blogs at one time, and read each post like an email.  I follow all of my money saving blogs via Google Reader.  I had to find a way to sort through the more than 200 posts a day to find the ones that I really need to know about.  Yes 200 per day.  Many times Google Reader is great because I can quickly sort through posts and eliminate those that are not in my area (i.e. Aldi) or those that don't pertain to me (i.e. dog posts).  I can also email myself and others if I see something worth sharing.

Google Reader is a great way to keep up with when blogs post new information.  When new posts are uploaded to the internet your reader will show you who has a new one and how many.  You can also do things like tag your favorite posts and rate them for relevance.  I am sure I have yet to learn all there is to know about Google Reader, but I would suggest it to anyone.  I also love how easy it is to follow someone new.  You can search for the blog right on the Google Reader site, and subscribe to the blog on the spot.  No mess and only a few clicks.  I would suggest you try following My Life As... on Google Reader.  I will be your guinea pig.  How about this...let's have our first contest.  Sign up for a Google Reader account, and follow my blog.  The 10th person to leave a comment on my blog telling me you joined and are following my blog will win a prize.

Here is how to enter.

1. Sign up for a Google Reader account. (click here) (If you already have a Google account you can use the same sign-in.)
2. After you sign up for Google Reader, return to My Life As... and subscribe to this blog by clicking the down arrow under "Subscribe To" and next to "Posts" on the top left column of the page.  Then click "Add to Google".
3. You will have two options - add to Google Homepage or add to Google Reader.
4. Return to My Life As... and leave a comment on this post letting me know you are a subscriber.  Your post must include your first name, city, and state.

The 10th person to comment about their subscription is a winner.  Check back to see if you have claimed the grand prize.

Have a great weekend.