Apps That Simplify Your Life + Save Time and Money

Photo by Yura Fresh on Unsplash

What did we do before we had the Internet? And smartphone apps? It seems like whatever you want to do, there’s an app for it – shopping, banking, fitness, reminders, you name it.

I thought it might be fun to share some of our favorite apps, especially those apps that simplify your life, plus save time and money. You’ll find 14 of my favorite apps below – all free unless otherwise noted.

This is a blog post I’ve been meaning to write for quite some time now and I’m looking forward to reading your comments and suggestions!

Financial

Have you ever used the Google Pay (or Apple Pay) to pay for a purchase? It’s so easy – and because your credit/debit card number is encrypted, it’s actually safer than using your physical card. As long as you have your phone, you have money! Just hold your phone to the pay terminal wherever you see the Google Pay or Apple Pay logo.

As an added convenience, you can use this app to send money to someone. In the Google Pay app (and probably the Apple Pay app as well), you can also enter gift cards and loyalty program cards so it’s all right there in your “digital wallet.”

I bank with Chase and I love the Chase Bank app. I’ve used it to transfer money on the fly from one account to another when I was short on cash for a purchase. And I use it to deposit checks by taking a photo with my phone. No more driving to the bank and standing in line!

I use the Shoeboxed app to store all of my business receipts as digital documents. You can scan paper receipts with the Shoeboxed app or forward digital email receipts to your Shoeboxed account. Easy peasy and no paper clutter!

I use the free version which is designed for light use. But there are reasonably priced options for heavier use that allow you to mail in receipts and they do the scanning for you. That option could be a good solution if you need to scan a lot of receipts like I did when we downsized to our home on wheels. Sign up with this link to get 10% off your first year of paid service.

Shopping

I’ve always been a big proponent of making lists. Having a shopping list is a good way to avoid impulse purchases and also gets you in and out of stores faster.  I’ve been using the Out of Milk app for years now to keep my grocery shopping list and also my drug store list (it seems like I’m always running to CVS!)

If I’m running low on something, I grab my phone and add it to my list. You can have as many lists as you want and also share your lists with another person via text message or email. This free app also includes a handy To-Do List which is helpful for keeping track of errands.

I mentioned CVS – and I like the CVS app. People joke about how long CVS receipts are because they include coupons for future purchases. But what a lot of people don’t know is that you can opt to receive email receipts – and you can do that very easily on the app. When your digital receipt arrives in your inbox, just click to “send” those coupons to your card so that your discounts come up automatically at the register.

Plus, with the app, you can schedule a MinuteClinic Video Visit with a doctor – something I did for the first time recently and yes, I would do it again. The cost for my video phone visit was just $59 and I was very pleased with the service.

About a year ago, a friend introduced me to the Ibotta app that gives you cash back for purchases you’d be making anyway. You’ll find offers from a variety of retailers as well as online retailers such as 1-800-Flowers, Amazon, Expedia, Groupon, and many more. To maximize your savings, always go to the Ibotta app first before making any online purchase or going to your grocery store. I mostly use this app to save on groceries (because that’s mostly all I buy!).

Before going to the store, I check to find Ibotta offers in every category from produce, meats, and dairy to wine, beer, and spirits.  Then I use the app to scan my receipt – you can also link a loyalty card to your Ibotta account. It’s free to sign up and once you hit $20 in savings, you can transfer the cash into your PayPal or Venmo account or use your cash back to purchase a gift card through the app.

Meal Planning & Recipes

I sure wish I had a dollar for every time I recommended the Paprika app! This is where I store recipes I’ve downloaded from web sites, one of my favorite past times. I just copy the URL into the Paprika browser and click save. You can manually enter recipes, too, using cut and paste.

All of the recipes I download are put into the same format, which is very nice and I can share recipes via text or email. Other features I love…

Scale any recipe to double it, make half, or whatever.
Organize recipes by categories such as seafood, side dishes, and desserts.
Edit recipes to suit your personal preferences.
Add recipe ingredients to your grocery list (another feature on the app)
Create weekly meal plans with your selected recipes.

Living in a small space as I do, I don’t have room for cookbooks. I just grab my phone, open the Paprika app, and start cooking.

Travel

Have you ever heard of the TripIt app? I use the free version and love it. You can forward your airline, hotel, car rental and other travel email itineraries to your TripIt account, so you have them all in one place.

Me and my “grocery getter”

Since becoming a full-time RVer, my only vehicle is a motorcycle. But if it’s too cold or rainy (or I want to wear a dress), I will use either the Lyft or Uber app to get a ride to my destination. These ride-hailing companies cost less than a taxi and because the driver owns the vehicle, the condition of the car and driving are typically superior.

If I’m not in a hurry, I will often select the ride-share option which means that we may pick up another passenger along the way, resulting in a lower cost to me. But guess what? If we don’t pick up anyone along the way, I still benefit from the lower cost.

Bonus savings: Sign up for Uber with this link and get $2 off each of your first three rides. (Uber will thank me with discounts too!)

Fitness

I believe that healthy living can simplify your life by creating a happier mind, body, and spirit. I have two favorite fitness apps that I use regularly.

One is the MyFitnessPal app – I use this to track my daily calorie intake. You can search for food items or scan bar codes and, to make it easier on yourself, you can copy meals from one day to another. I also enter my exercise minutes for the day. Since I started tracking my food and exercise, I’ve managed to shed 35 pounds. I use the free version, but there’s a Pro version as well if you want more insights.

The other fitness app that I recommend is 7 Minute Workout. It’s like having a personal trainer! The workout consists of a series of exercises that you perform for 30 seconds with a 10-second rest in-between. And it works out every muscle group. Who says you don’t have time for a workout?

Reminders, Notes & To-Dos

How many times have you not had a paper and pen handy to jot down a note? It’s time to get with the 21st century and make digital notes. I use Note on my Android phone to write down things I need to remember, ideas, and other notes. You can also create checklists for things to do.

Okay, this last tool I use is not an app, but I’m including it in this post because it can really help you stay on top of upcoming events and follow up items. It’s the FollowUpThen reminder tool. Let’s say you get an email with directions to a St. Patrick’s Day party. Simply forward the email to March17@followupthen.com and it will come back you on that date. Or maybe you get an email that requires your attention in three days – forward to 3days@followupthen.com. Who’s the organized one now? You!

So there you have it. Those are some of my favorite apps that help simplify your life, plus save time and money. Now it’s your turn to share!

 

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