Seven Everyday Applications of Spreadsheet Programs

I find spreadsheet programs to be an immensely useful tool in everyday life. Being a rather quantitative person, I like the fact that spreadsheets allow for the easy tracking of figures and data, as well as the production of graphs of said data. Likewise, the formula applications of spreadsheets can facilitate science and math homework and labs to a great degree. However, you don't have to be a numbers-oriented person like I am to appreciate the benefits of a spreadsheet application. In this article, I am going to detail seven applications of spreadsheet programs that are perfect for people with collections, new parents, or anyone managing a budget.

Everyday Spreadsheet Application #1 - Tracking Weight
A great number of people nowadays are being more health conscious. Part of being health conscious is being aware of one's weight. Whether you are trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, weighing yourself and keeping track of the results with a spreadsheet can help motivate you to become or remain fit. A negatively sloping graph of one's weight can be a great motivation to continue to lose weight. A spreadsheet would allow for the easy production of such a graph. For parents of infants and young children, a spreadsheet application would allow them to track and graph the heights and weights of their children in order to be sure that the kids were arriving at developmental milestones within acceptable timeframes. Spreadsheets like this are not difficult to make and would take less than five minutes to set up. You could also track your daily caloric intake with a spreadsheet.

Everyday Spreadsheet Application #2 - Tracking Exercise Milestones
For a while, I was running on a treadmill regularly. After my run I would remember the distance I ran and enter it into a spreadsheet that tracked both my daily running distances and my total running distance. That motivated me to keep working out to improve both figures. Whether you are a runner, weight lifter, or an athlete of any kind, using a spreadsheet program to track your distances or reps can be a motivation to continue and improve. Another application of this would be to track progress in physical therapy.

Everyday Spreadsheet Application #3 - Listmaking
Many people go on vacation in the summer. Depending on the length of such a trip, a typed list can be very useful. Typing a list in a spreadsheet can prevent problems associated with losing lists, and a typed list can also be reused for future trips and vacations. Shopping lists can also be made rather easily, and prices of items at different stores recorded for comparison. The boxes (cells) present in spreadsheet applications can be used as spaces for checkmarks upon the completion of packing or shopping.

Everyday Spreadsheet Application #4 - Personal Library
Many people have substantial collections of one form or another. Whether it is a collection of movies, records, books, stamps, coins, or anything else, it is wise to document what you own. Whether this is for insurance purposes or organizational ones, a spreadsheet application is one of the easiest ways to keep track of any collection.

Everyday Spreadsheet Application #5 - Tracking Personal Finances
With the economy in its current state, many people are trying to cut back with respect to how much spend. Using a spreadsheet to track daily expenditures or the total amount of money in your bank account can prevent overspending and can keep you aware of what assets you have.

Everyday Spreadsheet Application #6 - Simplifying Math and Science Homework
Few students fully appreciate what the formula functions of a spreadsheet program can do. If you create a formula with respect to the variables in an equation, you can do math much more quickly than you'd be able to with a calculator. This is especially useful in labs when the same calculation must be performed several times, but with different numbers.

Everyday Spreadsheet Application #7 - Tracking Associated Content Stats
If you are a writer here on Associated Content, a spreadsheet program can track important statistics such as daily page views, total page views, and clout index. Graphs of these data can be a motivation to continue writing and submitting content.

Whether you are a stamp collector, a parent of a newborn, or an athlete, there are applications of spreadsheets that are relevant to your life. If you can think of any other everyday applications of spreadsheet applications, or have any suggestions of your own for tracking statistics from daily life, feel free to leave your thoughts in the form of a comment. Thank you for reading!