State of the Apps 2018

This post was inspired by C.G.P. Grey and the Cortex Podcast
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There was a time when technology-related posts were part of the spine of Relishments. Recently, that hasn’t been the case – in part because I haven’t been writing any posts at all – but the end of the year seemed like a fun occasion to talk about the apps I’m using most. I actually started writing a 2017 version of this post last year, but it never saw the light of day. Since the Cortex podcast recently discussed their State of the Apps, I was re-inspired to create my own.

Below is a collection of some of my very favorite apps from the past year. These are by no means all the apps I use on my phone (currently a Samsung Galaxy S7), but the ones that I rely on regularly. I’d love to hear your thoughts on these apps, alternatives you’re loving and if these apps will solve any problems you’re facing.

Productivity & Organization

Todoist

I wrote a bit about Todoist in my Best Decisions of 2018 post, but for new readers, here’s my elevator pitch: Todoist is a simple (but versatile) task management app that seamlessly syncs between devices. I’m the type of person who writes down everything and loves a good to do list. Among the features I find most useful are the ability to assign tasks to others (like my husband), share lists, create list templates (I have a packing list I reuse for every trip), and implement recurring due dates (I have items that repeat daily, weekly and even yearly).

LastPass

I am seriously impressed by anyone who isn’t using a password manager, especially if they regularly use multiple devices. LastPass uses a single master password to allow you to access your unique passwords on desktop and mobile. It can also generate secure, unique passwords at the touch of a button. Everything is encrypted and it’s super easy to use. Now, when I want to access a website on my phone, home laptop or work laptop, I always have the password handy.

Google Photos

All of the photos I take on my phone are automatically saved to Google Photos. I can immediately share them with family and friends (and I’ve set it so photos of E automatically share with my husband without any additional input on my part), access them on my computer and remove them from my phone to increase storage. All my photos are saved to the cloud which means I don’t worry about photo back up. Photos also periodically creates animations, stylized photos and videos from my pictures that are almost always worth saving.

Mental Health

She Reads Truth

This was finally the year where I figured out an effective morning routine that involved some time in the Bible every day. I feel like this is a goal I’ve been working towards since high school and, at least for this season of life, it’s been so encouraging and helpful for my state of mind. My favorite Bible app is She Reads Truth. SRT reading plans are all available free on shereadstruth.com, but I’ve found the app more effective for my study because the devotional, Bible text and community discussion posts are all built in. I’ve subscribed for $1.99 a month which automatically includes all the SRT reading plans.

Insight Timer

2018 was also the year where I started meditating on a regular basis (at least for a few months – I’ve already fallen out of the habit). There are a lot of great guided meditation apps out there but most of them require a subscription that is far more expensive than I’m willing to pay. Enter Insight Timer. There are thousands of meditations to explore, it’s easy to save your favorites and the vast majority of the options are free.

Money

YNAB

I can barely believe that we’ve been budgeting with YNAB for almost 4 years. The app has undergone a serious update since we started and it continues to make our budgeting clear, simple and effective. If better management of your money is on your agenda for 2019, this app is well-worth the $6.99 a month.

Shopping

ibotta

ibotta is another app that I’ve praised on Relishments before. Not every month results in remarkable savings, but since I joined in January 2017, I’ve earned over $680 in rebates that I was able to cash out through PayPal. ibotta is straightforward and easy to use. Most of my earnings are through my local supermarkets, but there are increasing numbers of mobile shopping rebates as well.

Our Groceries

Our Groceries is not a fancy app by any stretch of the imagination, but it does exactly what I need it to do. Our Groceries allows me to create shopping lists for multiple stores and share those lists with my husband. In our house, it’s essential for adding items whenever we think of them without locating a piece of paper. Since both of us have the list with us at all times, anyone can stop at the store and we’re able to be more efficient in our shopping because we can add things over time.