Reader Chris sent me a great idea using Text Expander to remove formatting from text. Create a plain text snippet with nothing but the $clipboard command. When activated, it pastes sans format. Slick.

Here’s another simple but useful TextExpander snippet library. It’s called “Numeric” and it’s what I use to insert fractions and other numeric and sort-of-numeric symbols.

While I’m dispensing simple TextExpander snippets, I might as well make available my set of Mac keyboard symbol snippets. If you ever have to write down instructions on how to use a Mac, these make it easy to describe keyboard shortcuts. They’re distinctly faster than scrolling through the Character Viewer.

In a regular day, most of us type the same things over and over again, wasting an enormous amount of time in the process. Why not let your computer do some of that work for you? That's where text expansion comes in.