My Favorite Apps of 2018
Technology is supposed to make your life easier, not more difficult. And in the world of apps, there are lots of choices. For everything. So I’m going to break down my favorite apps of 2018.
Disclaimer — not all of these apps came out in 2018. Probably none of them did :)
I started using Headspace this year and am addicted to it. Headspace is a personal meditation guide, right in your pocket. And yes, I took that from their website. I started using Headspace because I was having trouble sleeping. At first, I used a different app called Slumber. It would tell you stories as you fell asleep but that’s pretty much all it did (that I remember anyway). I used its free version and it didn’t have too much to offer. Just a few stories that eventually got old and I didn’t want to spring for the plus version because I wasn’t a huge fan of the app as a whole. So I started looking for alternatives. Then I found Headspace. And I love it! Like a lot. So much so that I’ve been using it for 113 days straight and I paid for it! I started out with their free 10 sessions basic pack and I did it 3 times. Once at it’s 5 min exercise and twice at its 10 min exercise. After that, they hit me with a deal where I could save 60% on a yearly subscription so that’s exactly what I did.
I recommend headspace for everyone. People who don’t meditate but want to, people who don’t meditate and don’t want to, and people who currently meditate. Meditation is often looked at a silly person sitting cross-legged on the floor for no reason. Headspace does a great job of addressing those misconceptions and putting them to rest. I without a doubt can say that I can see the benefits of meditation in my own life. Even Danielle has said she can see a difference.
Next on the list is Hoopla. Hoopla allows you to instantly borrow digital movies, music, eBooks and more, 24/7 with your library card. I mainly use it for audiobooks though. When it comes to reading a book, more often than not I prefer the physical copy. That being said, I haven’t really given ebooks much of a try. It’s extremely easy to connect your library card and is easy to use. If one of your New Year resolutions is to read or listen to more books, you’re going to want to give Hoopla a try.
In an effort to grow closer to God I’ve dug into the Bible more than ever this year. And the You Version Bible App is perfect for anyone who’s wanting to grow in their Christian faith. It’s packed with plans on just about any topic. And you can do them alone or with friends, right in the app. It’s perfect for staying on track and holding yourself and your friends accountable. However, I don’t recommend doing the plans together as a couple. If you’re wanting to do a study with your significant other, I 100% suggest you do them in person. In my and Danielle’s experience, it works better that way :)
Goodreads is a fun little app that helps you keep track of the books you want to read, the books you’ve already read, and track progress on books you’re currently reading. It’s perfect for people who like to set and track goals. Goodreads also gives you book recommendations based on what you’ve already read and the reviews you’ve left. You can also connect your Amazon account and get even better recommendations. This year I’ve read more than ever and this little app allows me to see my progress and share it with others!
Todoist is my favorite task and list making app. I’ve tried many and this is where I’ve ended up. There are some paid for options that I haven’t tried but as far as free/inexpensive goes, Todoist is my app. My favorite was Wunderlist but Microsoft bought it and will eventually be killing it. So I decided to jump ship before it sank. Its free version is sufficient for me and Danielle but is a bit limited. Their plus version isn’t too expensive but we don’t really need it right now so I haven’t bought it. I do know someone who has paid for it and they’re enjoying it.
Everydollar is Dave Ramsey’s budgeting app. Unfortunately it’s not free, it’s about $10.00/month and it’s probably worth it. We purchased Financial Peace University and it came with a free year of Everydollar. To be honest I haven’t decided if we’ll continue paying for it once our free year is up. I like it a lot but Mint is a good, free option that we have used in the past that we may or may not go back to using. One huge benefit that EveryDollar has over Mint is its simplicity. Mint has a lot of things happening and it can be very confusing. And if you’re already having trouble budgeting, you’d probably want to use EveryDollar to start off with.
Since I’ve been reading more, I’ve been buying books more. I try to get books from the library but I’m not very good at it. I’m not sure why, I’m just not. ThriftBooks is an awesome website where you can buy good, new and used books inexpensively. You also earn points for your purchases that are redeemable for free books. You can also get coupons for referring your friends. So all in all, it’s a win-win.
I haven’t used this app as much as I’d like too but I’m still going to add it to this list due to its potential. This app is formally known as Workflow. It Apple purchased it and integrated it into the entire iOS. They even have it to where you can use Siri to start shortcuts. It’s convenient, free, and worth trying. I also found this great little website that has a lot of shortcuts already built that you can just download and use!
This app is only useful if you have an Alexa product. Like Echo, Echo Show, Echo Dot, etc. If I’m honest the app could use some work. It works fine and gets the job done but isn’t the easiest to navigate. There are also some things tucked away that are hard to find. It’s mainly used to set up and adjust your settings for your Alexa product. I use it to set up groups, routines, set alarms, play music, and much more. If you have an Alexa product you kind of have to have and use this app.
This year I’ve found myself really getting into podcasts. At first, I started using the Apple Podcasts app and wasn’t a fan so I switched to an app called Overcast. It worked well for me for a time and had some really cool features but eventually, I grew to not like it. I didn’t really like the organization of the podcasts and I found it hard to tell which I’ve listened to and which ones I haven’t. I eventually went back to Apple Podcasts app. It’s organized and designed much like the Apple Music app which I like and it’s familiar. However, I’m not in love with it and am probably going to look into checking out some others. So if you have any suggestions, I’m all ears!
And that’s all she wrote. Or in this case, that’s all he wrote. I’d love to hear what some of your favorite apps of the year were. Did any of them make my list?
