discover [card tricks]

I love my smartphone, but the more I hear about life-changing apps and technology, the more sure I am that it is underutilized. I'm especially missing the many tools of the smartphone world right now, as I STILL haven't gotten my GS3 fixed.

I wanted to share with you two new ways to use your phone to simplify, particularly with small, annoying, easily-destroyed yet important pieces of paper: gift cards and business cards.

D showed me this one: CamCard. Digitized business cards? Yeah that sounds awesome, especially if you're like me and pick up 5-10 new ones per week. You take a picture of the front and back of a business card, and it loads it up. Not only that, it reads the information and enters the individual as a contact in your phone and email. As with everything these days, it's backed up on the cloud, so if you lose your Rolodex, not to worry. You can manage all your contacts, and access them, at camcard.com at any time. Check it out here- there is a free version, but I'm going with the $10 one-time fee for this baby. Available on iPhone, Android, iPad, Tablets, Blackberry.

It's post holidays- do you have unused gift cards? As a serial returner, I have quite a few. The worst feeling is checking out and watching the total purchase soar, knowing that you have a gift card...in your junk drawer at home. Now you can store and redeem gift cards on your phone, so you never have that sinking feeling again, using Gyft. You can regift cards you don't want via text or email to friends or, you know, your favorite blogger. Buying new gift cards is an option too, though I think the point of the app is to simplify, not create more money black holes. 

Go conquer the world of little pieces of paper!