Organizing in the Technology Age

Yes, I confess, I am one of those people that could not survive without my smartphone. I use it for everything. It is after all a mini computer in the palm of my hands and I fully use it as such. People know if they don't see my phone in my hand my whole day is thrown off. That rarely happens!

 The other day I asked for blog topics on my Facebook page and there were a couple of good suggestions like penguins, or bodily fluids but those are for another blog post. Today I am going to write about how I keep myself and my family organized. I have roughly 120 downloaded applications on my iPhone 4s. For the most part all of  my Top 10 Apps can be found in the iTunes App Store, Android and Google Play Store.

Tigergypsymomma's Top 10 Apps:

1. Cozi Family Organizer- I don't know I how I came across this app several years ago but I am so extremely happy that I did! With Cozi you can sync every member of your family to the features by email or text message, create multiple shopping and to-do list, jot in a family journal (which you can share...or not)! Cozi is actually  the #1 'must-have app for a better life' by the TODAY Show and an Appy Award Winner for Best Family App and is completely FREE! There is a paid version...ad free and some additional features but the free version gets it done just fine. (BONUS: You can sync your child(rens) school calendar from the desktop internet log-in and never miss a holiday or important calendar event)

2.Financial- I couldn't pick just one. We use so many banking apps. Obviously, you should download the app for whichever institution you bank with. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Navy Federal Credit Union, PayHere by PayPal which lets you accept payments via mobile app log-in or swipe device that they send you, and Credit Karma monitors your credit score FREE and updates weekly.

3. AMC Stubs- This is one of the best rewards that have paid for! It has a $12 annual fee but I earn points for ever $1 spent as well as concession upgrades! This works out great for me because I get to treat my kids and then use the rewards on myself! It might be a little selfish but I definitely earn my solo outing. Sometimes I accumulate $100 spent at one family outing which equals $10 deposited into your rewards account to be used in the future. So I will use the $10 twice as a solo treat and take myself to a early $5 movie!

4. Keeper- is an app for people who have a lapse in memory and can't remember their passwords. It is a pin protected app letting you access the information you save my creating a 4-digit pin. Once you log-in you can save anything and create folders. I have folders for work, job search log-ins, bills, college info, store accounts such as Sam's Club, BJ's and Costco ( I know I have a wholesale problem). There is a free and an annual purchase version available.

5. Blogger- this is the best blogsite for me. It is synced with my Google account (so no extra password to remember) and offers great options for beginners like myself or advanced bloggers. It is available on my iPhone so I can blog wherever I go!

6. Google Maps- Google Maps is incredibly accurate! It will give me turn by turn directions, show me a picture of my destination or even let me forward my location with directions to a friend!

7. Social- Another place where I can't pick just one... I am an avid Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Wiggio user and abuser! Most people know the first two so let me explain the latter. Pinterest is a virtual pinboard. Think of all the the times you go to a website by search or by chance just clicking away and you said  'I need to come back to this site' or think you will remember what awesome, cool information or picture you saw only to be mad at yourself for forgetting. It is okay...we have all done it. Well pinterest lets you create boards for categorizes and will capture the website for you so you can organize it and come back later AND one step up it that what you like might already have been saved by someone else. You can literally spend or waste your day away pinning websites and ideas that you or someone else pinned and you can re-pin something someone else already saved! Now, if you are a Soccer Mom, Football Mom, Hockey Mom, Swim Mom, MMA Mom you will absolutely adore Wiggio. I was 'Team Mom' for both my son and my daughter's soccer teams and this app helped me do it! You simple collect all the parents emails and cell phone numbers for your team and save them. Then you can send out reminders such as whose turn it is to bring snacks, rain out notifications, mass text and emails, coordinate team sleepovers or family night out events. You can also upload documents for parents to print...like the picture order form they keep losing in the car or extra forms for donation fundraisers!

8. Genius Scan- let's me scan documents using my phones camera and saves them as a PDF file. This has been extremely handy for documents I want to save that require a signature. Once an item gets signed whether it is personal or business I scan it and email it to myself or to any parties involved.

9. Google- Yes, I have an iPhone! Yes, I am a Google for life! I don't know anyone that doesn't have a Gmail account but they offer sooooo much more! This is one of the greatest...yes I said greatest companies ever! Google Drive is your best friend! It allows you to create documents, grids, surveys, worksheets and diagrams that are Microsoft compatible/transferable and it also lets you collaborate with others (great for tele-working).Google Voice has been a life saver! You can choose a phone number or use your current cell phone number as your Voice number. For me, I do a lot of networking and it lets me weed out things that not longer interest me and allow people with products that do still interest me to get a hold of me by giving me the option to screen phone calls and I can connect and take the call, reject and send them to voice mail (and actively listen to the message as it is being saved) or block the caller from calling again. Once you block a caller if and when they attempt to call you again it will not allow the call to connect and it is discreet so they don't know you rejected them and you don't have to feel bad. The message the here is 'I'm sorry but the number you have dialed is no longer valid'.

10. Red Stamp- I am a card person... I like to send cards in the mail and I like to receive mail as long as it is not a bill LOL! Sometimes we get so busy we forget to go to Hallmark, Target or even Walgreen's to pick up a card for a special person or even a special occasion. Not a problem! Red Stamp is an app that lets you create a virtual card that you can send to an email address or post to a social website or even pay a small fee to have the postcard mailed to the recipient! They have pre-made cards as well as templates that you can add your own words and/or pictures to enhance on a more personal note!

This blog is for you Alli-Cat! I hope it helps you get some or all things organized for you and the family!