My friend Ali is Superwoman. She manages a full-time job, three young kids, and a husband who is more like another half of a kid. Ali doesn’t believe in wasting money on a housekeeper or nanny, so she cleans her house herself. To top that off her Pilates body is rocking and her hair is always bouncy and coiffed leaving me constantly asking, 'How in the world does she pull it off?'
I'm quite the opposite when I occasionally run into her at our local Starbucks. I’m a hot mess. I have no kids. I have a somewhat flexible schedule since I work for myself, yet somehow I am always running late, have twenty dollars less than I thought in my checking account and can’t seem to style my hair - opting for a wet ‘messy bun’ instead. Oy!
Ali’s secret (I found out) is her iPhone. On our most recent encounter at Starbucks she was looking much more like me than like her. Messy receipts were falling out of her wallet. Her Starbucks card was out of credits, and she had forgotten her youngest daughter’s pediatrician appointment. Was it opposite day or something? Nope. As it turns out, Ali’s iPhone had decided to die two days prior and she was anxiously awaiting the arrival of her replacement phone later that day. Or was it tomorrow? She couldn’t remember.
'I’m nothing without my phone. I don’t know what I did before I downloaded all of my apps,’ Ali told me as she dug through her purse looking for a credit card, debit card, or enough pocket change to pay for her Chai Tea. I picked up her tab that day and found out that Ali’s life was absolutely kept in order by several essential smart phone apps. Everything from her exercise routine to her grocery lists are all managed from her iPhone making her hectic life quite orderly.
I then spent several weeks researching and downloading mobile apps designed for women. I found a Barre class (that fits into my schedule) and I now know exactly how much money is in my checking account at all times. Success! Now if only there were was an app that could blow dry and style my hair…
See below for my new can't-live-with-out apps for summer 2014:
Gift giving is an essential part of life. People have birthdays, graduations, and babies. Who has time to shop for gifts? For the busy woman, WRAPP allows you to send gifts via text message. Recipients can retrieve their credits at stores like Sephora, H+M, and many more!
There isn’t anything more annoying than listening to hours of hold music when you have a task of to-dos staring you in the face. When your cable is out and you can’t fathom missing an episode of The Real Housewives (you know it’s your guilty pleasure, too), and yet you have no choice but to sit on hold while your call is answered in the order it was received. Never again! Lucy Phone let’s you put down the phone, freeing you up to be more productive, and rings you back as soon as your call has been answered. Where has this been all my life?!
Ziplist helps you manage your grocery list as well as your child’s christmas list. Add a purchase to your list the moment you think of it and never return to the grocery store for a forgotten item again!
This app allows on-the-go women to book their workouts whenever and wherever. Find a Pilates studio with a class right after your last meeting of the day. You can also coordinate class attendance with your friends, track your progress, and remember your favorite studios, teachers, and classes. No excuses now, ladies!
The last time I cleaned out my wallet I found a dozen different gift cards. My excitement instantly turned to disappointment when I realized I had let several of them expire. Tango Card manages your gift cards to make sure you know your balances as well when the cards expire!
Known by the discrete name ‘P.D.’ this app will manage your body’s health and menstrual cycle. Know when you are ovulating, when you may be expecting, or when to head to the drugstore to stock up on tampons so you are not left in an embarrassing situation.
Get the big picture view of your financial situation with this app. LearnVest helps you manage your spending, reach your saving goals, and create categorized saving folders (I.e. That new Oscar de La Renta party dress or trip to Bali - a girl can dream, right?). While many people pay a money manager up to $100 per hour for these services, this app is FREE!
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