“Who needs a GPS when you have MapQuest or Yahoo Maps?”

That’s what I thought when someone first suggested getting a GPS system to me. “I don’t need a GPS system. I can look up my destination before I leave.

Then, all I have to do is juggle my paperwork on the steering wheel of my car as I try to remember my exits…all while barreling along at 80 mph in rush hour traffic, of course. No problemo!

Boy, was I clueless as to what GPS can really do.

Recently, when visiting San Francisco, I got to take my friend’s GPS box for a test drive, and all I can say is…”What a Lifesaver.” If you’ve ever chugged up a sixty degree hill, terrified to turn because you have no idea if the next street is one way in the wrong direction, or because you keep missing the streets and have long since given up on knowing where you were, then you’ve been to San Francisco.

But GPS is so much more then just a map. Here is what I discovered recently and why I decided to buy one.

1. You do not need to pay for a service with GPS.

   For as little as $150, you can get a GPS at Target with no more fees whatsoever. All the information you need to know is already downloaded into these handy little boxes. All you have to do is turn it on, type in where you are going, and the box will talk you through your route. Easy peasy…

2. You can save time with GPS.

   Besides the obvious fact that GPS can help redirect you when you are lost, these systems can also guide you to the shortest or fastest route possible, thus saving you time behind the wheel. Plus, if you decide you do not like the exit GPS guides you too, simply pass that exit and the GPS will automatically recalculate your route. Imagine how much time this can save when you get stuck in stop-n-go traffic. You could take all side streets and save hours.

3. You can get a countdown to your destination.

   No matter how far away you are from where you want to be, GPS systems will tell you how much farther you have to go, and what your expected arrival time is. This is great news for parents who have to deal with the usual question: “How much longer until we get there?” Now, all you have to do is look at the box and the answer is right there.

4. GPS can introduce you to new places in your area.

   I thought I knew where everything fascinating in town was, but my GPS quickly proved me wrong. When I asked the box for Local Attractions, I was surprised to be given a list of 20 museums and landmarks I had never heard of. It was great to find out that there was actually a children’s museum within five miles of my house, a museum which obviously never advertised. What a great discovery, and I owe it all to my GPS.

5. GPS can help you find great new restaurants.

   If you are like me, you always go to the same old restaurants and order the same food. When your honey asks you, “Where would you like to go tonight,” you think, “I would like to go someplace new,” but nothing new comes to mind. With a GPS, all you have to do is click on the type of food you want, and boom, dozens of restaurants in your area that you have never even heard of. Just press “Go” on the restaurant of your choice, and your route is mapped.

6. It is a phone book.

   (Hoo-rah.) I don’t know about you, but every time I need a phone number, I head for the computer. I hate flipping through the phone book for a phone number, and if my target is out of the area…well, it can take forever to find a phone number online. Afterall, turning on a computer can take as much as ten minutes. With GPS, phone numbers are right there and takes no time at all to type in. This little feature alone makes the GPS worthwhile.

7. It is tote-able.

   This means, if you go on vacation, it will fit right in your purse. You can use it while walking or driving when in a new town. Not only that, you can find out how to get back to your hotel and how to get to any local attractions. Why rely on the hotel information booth when you have millions of Interesting Attractions right in your back pocket.

So, if you haven’t picked up a GPS yet, you should seriously reconsider it. This is truly one of those items that can change your life. It is not only a major time-saver in a pinch, but it will quickly become your tour guide into both the fascinating and unknown.