Great Apps for Moms

I finally gave in. Decided to join the crowd of iPhone users. Not that I was fighting against it. It is just that when you always favor the cheapest, or best deal for the money, you never buy an iPhone. You end up getting the cell phone Verizon offers for free at the renewal of the contract.

I never felt that I really needed a smart phone, but then I started to look around and felt that I was part of another planet because my hands were empty. There was not a rectangle attached to my hands, a personal robot ready to take my orders in. I had to wait until I got home to answer an email, and that huge amount of time is just not acceptable!

So now I feel like I belong. My fingers cuddled around the machine. Running my fingers up and down with gentleness. An entire world open 24/7. And the feature that always brings a smile to my lips: Siri. I give her an order once, and she follows it. Imagine that? No counting to 3. No bribing or raising my voice. No, just one statement from my lips and she obeys it. To the dot. I could spend an entire day just giving orders, because lets face it, in the real motherhood world that feature is still missing!

So here are a few apps that I have installed on my phone this past week:

1. Good Guide (free): I like the concept of voting with my money, but up until now it was kind of hard to track every product, every company. Good Guide promises with one scan to show me if a product is green, safe, healthy, socially responsible among other criteria. And offers other tools to make it all easier.
2. Locavore (free): buying local and in season is also a good idea. Locavore pinpoints what is in season and the best local spots to get it. And many other helpful buttons.
3. Coupon Sherpa (free): instead of carrying in my wallet expired coupons hoping that when I need one I will remember to use them, now I can type the store I am in and this app will show me coupons for that store. I may even be able to ask the cashier to scan directly from the phone screen.
4. Baby travels (free): when it comes to packing for a trip with kids it always seems as I may be forgetting something very important that could transform the entire trip into a nightmare. All I have to do now is add information about my trip and the app gives me a list of things to pack. Bonus "soothing sounds" to help baby relax.
5. Netflix app (free if you are a member): for when the kids need a little entertainment at a waiting room.

What about you? Do you have favorites apps for your smartphone?