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As a mom, I always have my phone on hand ready to snap a pic or capture a video of my kids being crazy, cute or any combination of the two ;). Being a mom in 2017 means we’re more connected than ever, we always have a camera on us, have anything we want at the touch of a screen, can order diapers at 3am via one-click ordering. It really is an amazing time to be alive ;).
I’m the first to admit I’m rough on my phone – I drop it approximately 17 times a day so I need a case that actually offers some protection but I don’t want something that looks like a 55 year old man would have in his pocket – enter CaseApp. They specialize in custom iPhone cases but there are also hundreds of really pretty designs to choose from (hello, marble). Not just for iPhone – they’ve got Samsung Galaxy cases too. iPad and PC and Mac computer skins, too. Use code LOVELYLUCKY20 for 20% off :).
I wanted to share a couple apps that save my life as a mom; these are the best apps for moms:
Cozi
Cozi is a calendar app that allows each family member to add their calendars to create a “master” family calendar. It makes scheduling snafus disappear and I no longer receive texts from my husband asking “what are we doing Saturday” or “when do we leave for XYZ?”. Bonus, it’s totally free.
Snapchat
You may think Snapchat is for high schoolers sending nudes (and it may be, yuck) but it’s also GREAT for entertaining young kiddos. Hear me out… You can speed up or slow down videos – hilarious – and add all kinds of fun filters to pics that make my kids crack up. Fact: every child loves puppy filter. If you’re stuck in a bind with no entertainment for your kid, busting out Snapchat can earn you a couple minutes of (relative) peace and quiet. If you’re using it with them (advised! otherwise they’re gonna be sending Snaps to your story left and right) it’s an interactive experience versus just letting them watch YouTube – but this is a judgement-free zone so YouTube all you want ;).
Pandora
I always play music while we’re out in the backyard or on a walk. It’s just nice to have some background noise to cover up the kids yelling at each other, ya know?
Clock
Yes, technically this is a factory app (no downloading needed) but I use it all.the.time. to set alarms for my kids. An alarm has been super effective in getting Cooper to transition to the next thing with almost zero tantrums – all I have to do is tell him “when the alarm goes off, it’s time to do X, Y or Z” and then it actually goes off, he “presses the button” to turn it off, and we’re on to the next thing. YASSSSS.
LiketoKnow.it
Do you guys shop via Instagram like me? K, cool. The new app from RewardStyle lets you shop Instagram pics you’ve liked without having to go through your email to do it. My bank account is not thankful but it’s SO easy.
ComfortCam
Emmy’s new baby monitor is by ComfortCam and I LOVE it. We have the camera ($150) in her room as well but instead of a handheld monitor, the baby’s room streams right to your phone. SO convenient and easy and it streams to as many cellphones as you want. I wrote about it here.
Cartwheel
I’m not the best at using the barcode scanner all the time but I do love my Cartwheel app – super easy to save a couple bucks every time I’m at the money pit that is Tar-jay.
This may be a no-brainer, but aside from following friends on FB there are a two other great ways for moms to use Facebook. The first is Swap & Sell groups. Based on your location, you can join a FB group where moms will post their stuff with a price and you comment if you want to buy it. Every group has it’s own rules about how to purchase and what you can and can’t sell but it’s a fantastic way to buy and sell your stuff locally and (mostly) easily. I’ve bought Lilly Pulitzer dresses for Quinn, Lulu stuff for myself and great toys for so cheap – check out your local swap group. The second thing to do on FB is participating in Moms group. They’re basically forums for moms to ask and answer questions and give and receive advice ranging from breastfeeding to behavior issues to the best buttpaste to use. A really nice way to not feel so alone when you see that 30 other moms are experiencing the exact same thing as you.
WAZE
Way better than the default traffic app… WAZE actually reroutes you when there’s traffic or construction. And it alerts you when there’s a cop ahead – because explaining to your 4 year old why you got pulled over would be embarrassing, no?
Evernote
The cadillac of note keepers… Once, my iPhone randomly deleted a bunch of notes I had saved using the default Notes app and I was NOT happy. Evernote lets you take pics of stuff to keep as a note, which is so much better than just having it lost in the midst of my thousands of iPhone photos.
GooglePhoto
Two words: unlimited storage. Two more words: for free. Also, photos automatically sync and the search function is amazeballs. Perfect for me since I have over 7k photos on my phone ;).
PayPal
I use PayPal all. the. time. A ton of online retailers accept PayPal (so no more typing in my CC info on a tiny touchscreen) and my girlfriends and I use it to pay each other back for stuff all the time. We’ve even used it for class gifts at preschool instead of bringing cash – which I NEVER have on me. Can I PayPal you?
Shutterfly
Be sure to turn on your push notifications on this one… they’ll randomly send sale alerts for freebies. ALSO you get unlimited free 4×6 and 4×4 prints on the app. So worth it!
Starbucks/Dunkin Donuts
I’m a Starbucks girl in the winter, and a Dunkin girl in the summer. Regardless of the season, I always have these two apps ready to roll with money in my app accounts. So easy to have the baristas scan to pay and your rewards at both places are tied to the apps. Convenience and caffeine, for the win.
White Noise Lite
A true lifesaver when you’re traveling and don’t have a noise machine or you’re out and about and the baby needs some white noise, STAT. Bonus: it also works great for a “what do you hear” game in the car with kids – there are sounds like “rain on umbrella”, “campfire”, and “cave”.
Medisafe Pill Reminder & Medication Tracker
In the past, I would use a permanent marker and write the doses on the bottle, crossing them off as I gave each dose to the kids. This app reminds you when your (or your kid’s) meds are due, which is even better! A handy little helper when you’re giving three doses of Amoxicillin every 8 hours for 2 weeks ;).
Other phone accessories I love:
A total lifesaver – this glass screen protector has saved my phone’s screen more times than I can count. Be aware that when you remove it, it’s actual glass so be super careful so you don’t get a little shard of glass lodged in your thumb. Not that I would know or anything…
PopSocket – I kind of feel like a 14 year old girl with one of these on my phone but it truly makes my phone easier to hold, which means less likely to drop.
