Aug. 3, 2018.
Making life infinitely easier is not only possible but probable when you have a smartphone at your fingertips. Apps are fun, and these days, they’re also pretty darn useful to automate most of life’s mundane processes. Use these cool apps to get the hard stuff out of the way — like managing to-dos, planning recipes, and making payments — and get your time back.
Closing in 10 days isn’t just a homebuyer’s fantasy.* Download the LoanFly app and fly home fast.
Start living easy with 20 apps that will do life for you
Living life at a breakneck pace can cause depression, disrupted sleep, and poor health, but these do-it-for-you apps can make it better. Take a deep breath and get ready to download:
1. Venmo, Rating: 4.9
venmo /Instagram
Like Google, Venmo has become a verb because the insta-pay app is that helpful. Frequently named one of the best payment apps, Venmo can be used to send and receive money and cut out the awkward moments where you shuffle through your wallet trying to find some cash. PayPal owns Venmo, but the app is distinct. Unlike PayPal, Venmo has a social sharing component and integrates with Facebook so you can see friends using the app and send payment. Receiving mobile payments is free, as is sending from a linked bank account, debit card, or Venmo balance. Credit cards or other debit cards have a 3-percent fee. (iOS, Andriod; Free)
2. Mint, Rating: 4.8
If staying on top of your money feels good, managing it all from your phone feels even better. While TurboTax’s ever-popular Mint app is primarily used to budget, track spending, and pay monthly bills, it can also be used to check for fraud and maintain healthy credit, manage investment portfolios, and monitor extra fees or suspicious activity. (iOS, Andriod; Free)
3. Instacart, Rating: 4.8
A good grocery-getting app is a must when you’re juggling work and family, and (pardon the pun) Instacart delivers. The app provides same-day delivery in many larger cities and can be used to clip digital coupons and schedule doorstep drop-off from most local grocers. (iOS, Andriod; Free)
4. Yummly, Rating: 4.8
There’s a lot to like about the Yummly app, especially if you’re looking for more ways to save time in the kitchen. You can use the app to discover recipes based on cuisine and diet, save your picks to your digital recipe box, and even get recipe recommendations based on your grocery list. This “smart cooking sidekick” also includes video tutorials to walk you through new techniques. (iOS, Android, Windows 10; Free)
5. Waze, Rating: 4.8
waze/Instagram
Traffic is the worst, and Waze is the lifeline you’ve been looking for. The anti-traffic app collects user-shared information in a local area to provide traffic and accident updates in real-time. Waze boasts being the world’s largest community-based navigation and traffic app, so you can count on the fact that GPS info will be current, and you’ll get where you’re going faster. (iOS, Andriod; Free)
6. Acorns, Rating: 4.7
When money-saving becomes fun, that’s when you know you’ve locked in a great app to do the heavy lifting. Acorns — the “invest your spare change” app — rounds up your debit and credit card tabs to the nearest dollar amount. The app creators call this micro-investing, and once you’ve micro-invested enough to accumulate a little wealth, you can transfer the excess money to your bank account and start spending. (iOS, Andriod; Free)
7. Keepy, Rating: 4.7
When you can’t bear the thought of throwing out yet another crayoned work of art, Keepy will let you keep and capture it without keeping the clutter. You can use the app to take pictures of your kiddos’ masterpieces to upload as memories, share with family and friends, and record voice notes or comments. The in-app Keepy Store also lets you purchase and transfer your favorite photos to canvases, photo books, and magnets. (iOS, Andriod; Free)
8. Slice, Rating: 4.7
Online shoppers, rejoice! Not to be confused with the Slice pizza delivery app (which is pretty great too), the Slice shopping app can automatically track packages and ensure you get your online orders promptly. Super-shoppers can also use Slice to shop online flash sales and set price alerts on specific items to catch a price drop. (iOS, Andriod; Free)
9. Files Go by Google, Rating: 4.6
You can avoid technology slowdowns by using Files Go by Google to clean up your device and free up phone space — without slogging through the task of manual deleting. This includes deleting old pictures, removing out-of-use apps, and erasing duplicate files with a couple of clicks. The app can also be used to share documents, videos, pictures, and apps off-line and for free with other nearby users. (Andriod, Free)
10. Hours, Rating: 4.6
sowbo_official/Instagram
Where does the time go? Hours will tell you. The app lets you track how you spend each chunk of your day to see how you could better utilize your schedule. Hours’ real-time tracking whittles away time waste by using a running list of clickable timers. (iOS, Free)
11. Weight Loss Running, Rating: 4.6
The Weight Loss Running By Verv app uses heart rate monitoring and interval workouts to torch calories while running, promising up to a 35-pound weight loss in just eight weeks. On top of targeted workouts, the running app also includes meal plans, calorie-optimized training plans, and more than 1,000 music mixes with voice encouragement options to keep you engaged. (iOS, Android, Amazon; Free)
12. Asana Rebel, Rating: 4.6
When you’re looking for a gentle way to get in shape (without compromising muscle tone and strength), give Asana Rebel a download. Along with over 10 million other super-limber users, you can use the yoga-inspired fitness app to increase flexibility, improve balance, lose weight, strengthen muscle, and reduce stress with more than 100 personalized workouts created by yogis and fitness pros. (iOS, Andriod; Free)
13. Splitwise, Rating: 4.5
What a relief it is to stop doing long division on a cocktail napkin and use Splitwise instead. The app advertises “IOUs made easy,” meaning you can use it to split payment on just about anything — including rent, restaurant bills, travel expenses, and more. IOU notifications are sent when payment is due through friendly email reminders. (iOS, Andriod, Windows Phone third-party apps; Free)
14. Zomato, Rating: 4.5
An app that lets you choose your location and narrow your restaurant search based on food type and budget is all kinds of genius. Within the search, you can view photos and menus of nearby restaurants, bookmark your favorite spots, and follow friends’ dining preferences to find new places to eat in your area. (iOS, Andriod; Free)
15. Talkspace, Rating: 4.2
talkspace/Instagram
With the cost of therapy too high for many people to afford a traditional sit-down session, it’s comforting to know that unconventional routes like therapy-based apps can still be effective, a 2017 Journal of Medical Internet Research study confirms. The Talkspace online therapy app is free to download, and when you sign up for a $49 weekly plan, you’ll get unlimited on-demand mental health support from a licensed therapist with no appointment needed. (iOS, Andriod; Free)
16. LoanFly, Rating: 4.1
Buying a house doesn’t have to be hard, complicated, or headache-inducing when you can download a mortgage app that does it for you. Using LoanFly, you can prequalify for a mortgage in 15 minutes to find out how much house you can afford, search for homes in the most up-to-date MLS listings, upload loan documents from anywhere, check and track loan status remotely, and get in touch with your loan officer at a click.** The free app is designed to take the stress out of homebuying by making mortgage mobile and, once a borrower account is created, can be conveniently connected to Mint. (iOS, Andriod; Free)
17. Habitica, Rating: 4.0
A task manager that plays like a game can make life’s minutia a whole lot more enjoyable. The Habitica app, a.k.a. the Gamified Taskmanager, turns goal-setting and achieving into a game to provide a fun source of motivation. In the app, you’ll get an avatar you can use to track your tasks, play with friends, earn rewards, and unlock more content the more you get done IRL. (iOS, Andriod; Free)
18. Snapseed, Rating: 3.9
Google’s photo-editing app takes phone-based photography to a new level with a selection of 29 different tools and filters. Favorite photo “looks” can be saved and applied to future photos, and in-app “Insights” are there to give you special tricks and tips about photography. (iOS, Andriod; Free)
19. Todoist, Rating: 3.9
Ah, finally an app that organizes your life for you. While there are plenty of to-do list apps to choose from, Todoist is a popular pick — used by 10 million people — to serve as a “digital brain” so you can leave your mind uncluttered. To make listing and life-tracking even more convenient, Todoist can be controlled by Alexa, integrated with Google Calendar and dozens of other apps, and used to manage personal tasks and share multi-phase projects. (iOS, Andriod, Chrome; Free)
20. BrightNest, Rating: 3.7
brightnest/Instagram
Your family is going to hate love this. Instead of nagging the kids to finish their chores, you can use BrightNest to keep track of your household cleaning schedule and set handy reminders. With thousands of hacks, helpful hints, and home projects included, the app can also be used to decorate, renovate, and manage home maintenance. (iOS, Andriod; Free)
We’re the kind of lender that likes to keep it simple
Get prequalified in minutes**, track and upload loan documents on the fly, and work with a loan officer who feels like a friend. Download the LoanFly app and make buying a house fun, fast, and easy.
*Timeframe not typical. Not all loans will close in 10 days.
**During normal business hours.
For educational purposes only. Please contact a qualified professional for specific guidance.
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