This week’s Random Five is all about really useful websites. You know, as opposed to the usual time wasting faves that make up the ‘most visited’ tab on your (READ: my) computer.  

1. HabitForge.com – The theory is it takes 21 days of doing something every single day to form a habit. This website helps you reach the three week threshold by emailing you daily reminders to do whatever it is you set as your goal and then emailing again at the end of the day to see if you actually did it. If you didn’t, it sets the clock back to day one. This is a great tool for keeping New Year’s resolutions – I currently have one reminding me to take a thirty-minute walk each day!

2. Memorize.com – I used to think part of the point of flashcards as a study aid was actually making them, tediously and by hand, but this website turns that old model on it’s head. You can make your own cards to memorize or choose from lots of pre-loaded categories – US capitals, the periodic table, or, my personal favorite, airport identification codes. It’s free and fun, whether you’re a student or just trying to exercise your brain.

3. RandomHistory.com – How could this not make the Random Five list? A storehouse of random trivia like, “the average height of a woman in the U.S. is approximately 5 feet 4 inches, and the average weight is about 163 pounds” or “the “S” in Harry S Truman doesn’t stand for anything; therefore, there is no period after his middle initial.” (Brain) FOOD GOOD!

4. Kayak.com – I feel like I spend half my life on this site – it’s truly a traveler’s best friend. Type in your departure and arrival cities, travel dates and the site aggregates all fares available online, including those on airline sites as well as cheap travel sites like Priceline.com or Hotwire.com. Choose your trip and you’re re-routed to that site to make your purchase. The best feature is the calendar that shows you which dates it will be cheaper to fly, so if your trip is flexible you can score great deals. Bonus: Kayak now works for car rental and hotels, too!

5. TypingWeb.com – I took typing class in high school but that doesn’t mean I don’t end up going the “hunt and peck” route some of the time. No more excuses, however, because here is a free typing tutor that can teach the beginner the basics of home row or the more advanced user to type faster while increasing accuracy. There are also random specialty courses, like the Dvorak Keyboard.

* I do not receive compensation from any of these sites. I just spend too much time on the internets.