5 Great Apps for Multitasking Parents
As a parent, it is very easy to become overwhelmed. It seems that we are multitasking with everything that we do! And as humanity continues to progress (or regress…depending on how you see it), we are faced with more obstacles in our day, due to many advancements in technology. One piece of technology that is essential to dealing with our day-to-day runarounds, is the trusty smart phone. Now, if the question, “What’s the best nursing cover?” comes across my mind while dropping the kids off at school, I can whip out my phone and Google it, look at reviews, and ask multiple friends in a matter of minutes.
With the development of applications for smart devices, productivity has hit a new high for tech savvy parents. There are apps like, “CollegeSave,” allowing you to track and plan your child’s college fund, and “RedLaser,” giving you the ability to scan products in the store and do some comparison shopping on the go. Below are 5 applications that have made our lives a lot easier when it come to multitasking with the family.
1. CollegeSave ($2.99) -
Does: Helps you plan for your child’s academic future. It uses your lump sum and monthly savings plan to calculate the future value of your savings, and estimates the future cost of college for your young ones.
Parental benefit: Helps you see what current actions need to be taken to create your desired plan for your child’s academic future.
2. RedLaser (Free) -
Does: Scans barcodes to give you comparative pricing online and nearby.
Parental benefit: If you love finding the best deal, this app will let you know where to get the best deal if you aren’t currently.
3. Find my iPhone/iPad (Free)
Does: This is an Apple app that allows you to locate your lost device on a map and gives you the option to lock it, wipe it, or make a sound, as long as it is on and connected to the internet.
Parental benefit: You give your little one your device to watch Dora and it magically vanishes into thin air… Now you can just go onto your computer or another apple device and locate exactly where it is at in the house and make it sound off for you to find it!
4. Mint (Free)
Does: One app that connects your various bank accounts, loans, mortgage, 401k, stocks, and more…all in one spot.
Parental benefit: Great for creating a budget and keeping track of exactly what and how much you are spending on things. Now when you set a budget for groceries, you will actually be notified when you are approaching your limit or have gone over.
5. Netflix (Free – streaming subscription required)
Does: Allows streaming of movies and shows of a monthly fee of about $8.
Parental benefit: Your best friend when you are shopping with the kids and you need to ask your sales person some questions, or if you want a relatively quiet car ride with the kids.
*all apps listed are available on the Apple app store and may have versions available for other mobile operating systems like Android & Windows
Do you use any of these applications? What are some of your favorite apps that we didn’t mention. How has technology positively affected your family life?
