I admitted in a recent post that, although I consider myself to be fairly tech-y, I’ve dropped the ball in the area of cell phones and their use. I don’t have a bluetooth headset, my phone doesn’t take pictures, and until recently, I was using a 9-year-old phone with approximately zero features. I upgraded my phone when that one died, but still never used it except for the occasional emergency call from C.’s (9) school or a quick call home to see if anyone needed anything while I was at Target.

Recently, however, I decided to give “texting” a try. Much to my surprise, texting can be used for much more than teenagers sending each other “UR Gr8! CU L8R” when they should be concentrating on their driving.

In fact, text messages can be used for a wide variety of practical, productive purposes for grown-ups. Let me share a few that I’ve discovered.

[Note: Before going text-crazy, check your cell phone plan so you know how many free texts you have, how much additional texts cost, etc. The services below have no inherent charge, but any charges from your calling plan will apply.]

With text messaging, you can:

Update your Google Calendar with new appointments and events. First, register your phone with Google. Then simply send texts to GVENT to add calendar events. This feature can be very helpful for me, since I’ve been known to lose those little appointment cards between the dentist’s office and home.

Do an Amazon.com search, check prices, and even purchase books with your cell phone. First, set up your phone with Amazon (click the link and then choose “Get Started”). Then, send any search terms (book title, author’s name, etc.) to 262966 (AMAZON). Amazon will text you back with the top search results. You’ll have the option to request more info, purchase one of the given options, or just ignore the text. If you decide to order, you’ll get a phone call from an automated voice thingy giving you the details of your purchase and asking you to confirm. This texting feature is highly dangerous for me. Now I can even buy books when I am nowhere near a bookstore or a computer.

Update your Twitter account or Facebook page. Check your account settings and look for “Devices” on Twitter or “Mobile” on Facebook to manage your social networking via text messages.

Check the weather. Or the stocks. Or pretty much anything else. You can text Google (466453) with just about anything you can imagine, including requests for weather forecasts, driving directions, and nearby pizza joints. Within moments, Google texts you back with the answer. Visit this page to find out how to use Google’s text message search features. (Or just text the word ‘help’ to 466453.)

Find caffeine. Just text your current zipcode to MYSBUX (697289) and you’ll be sent a list of the 3 closest Starbucks shops, including their addresses and phone numbers. If you ask me, this is a critical service when you’re on vacation or otherwise out of town. [Note: don't try this in very rural areas; you'll likely just get a message saying that no Starbucks shops were found.]

There are probably a million other things you can do with text messaging (including checking your upcoming flight or your Paypal balance); these are just the ones I have experience with.

But perhaps the one I like best is sending my husband an occasional “I love you” text message. And yes, I spell the whole thing out. I might be an occasional “texter” but I still have my grammatical standards. :)

Visit Shannon’s blog for more Works-for-Me Wednesday tips.