As the saying goes; “There’s an app for everything.” And it seems to be true. Just about every conceivable need we have can be downloaded in an instant. From home to work to hobby, there’s not much that can’t be developed to fit on our cellphones. To this end, we want to continue on our series of suggestions and reviews (Click HERE for the first review) for smartphone apps you can use in your buying decisions.
Brain Games
WordBrain
WordBrain is like a workout for your brain. Using your brain to solve puzzles or think abstractly helps strengthen it and reduce the risk of diseases, such as dementia or Alzheimer’s. With more than six million people suffering from Alzheimer’s, it’s a risk that men 50 and over can face.
More than 40 million people have downloaded and enjoy playing WordBrain. It starts off easy – helping you build the momentum to keep playing. As you solve puzzles, though, they get harder, which helps you strengthen your brain muscle even more.
Word games keep you engaged intellectually, rather than just making you addicted to a mind-numbing game. You’re forced to keep your attention and think outside of the box, helping you strengthen your brain while you pass the time.
WordBrain has 1,260 levels and only a few have beat the entire game. It’s completely free and dare we say, addicting.
Music Services
Pandora
Music has such an important place in our lives and there are a number of smartphone apps that can offer this service. Whether you need your mood lifted, a boost of energy, or you just need to have ‘noise’ in the background, companies like Pandora offer access to more than 30 million songs from all eras and genres. Plug your headphones in and you can listen to the oldies or catch up on today’s latest hits. Do you want to give feedback on what you hear? Simply hit the ‘thumbs up’ or ‘thumbs down’ icon on the screen and Pandora adjusts your song choices accordingly. If you give a song a ‘thumbs down’ it won’t play that song again.
Their free version is ad-supported, which means you’ll hear ads from time to time, but it’s not a deal-breaker. Even as a free listener, you can create stations by choosing your favorite artist, type of music, or song. Pandora then creates a ‘station’ based on your preferences. There are subscription options that eliminate ads and give you some customization options that range from $4.99 per month to $9.99 per month, but the free version is definitely a value option.
Amazon Music
Started in 2007, Amazon Music is a well-known streaming service and online store provided by the Amazon company. With over 50 million High Definition (HD) titles and millions of Ultra High Definition at your disposal, you can access the app with just about every platform including macOS, iOS, FireOS, it can connect to Alexa devise and even in compatible cars.
Ad-free membership is based on either your Prime membership (Prime Music with access to over 2 million songs) or the Amazon Music Unlimited option where you can access the entire library for $7.99 a month.
Medical
MediSafe Medication Reminder
If your pillbox sits untouched more often than you use it, check out MediSafe Medication Reminder. You enter your medication information including dosages and it reminds you when to take your medication.
Besides this useful tool, it offers other benefits. Get refill reminders so that you never run out of your necessary meds or keep track of your vital health information. Track your blood glucose levels, blood pressure, and pulse and always have the information when you need it. Whether you have concerns about your health or you just want to show your doctor your history – it’s all there for you.
MediSafe also offers advice regarding medication interactions, allows you to share reports with your doctor, and even integrates with any other family member’s medication needs. You may even find that you save a little money with the coupons and offers it displays for local and online drugstores.
MediSafe is free but offers an ad-free version for $4.99 per month or $39.99 per year.
GoodRx
Although this app is featured in a different blog (Click here to review), we wanted to include it again in this category. GoodRx is a significant tool for cost savings when you need prescription medicines. Confer with your doctor on the prescription, fill out some location information, enter your medicine into the app and it will provide nearby pharmacies and the prices. If you don’t use the service yet, you should check into it the next time you need to fill your prescription!
Books
Goodreads
Do you love to read and are always looking for the next best book? Get the opinion of millions of others on Goodreads and even provide your own opinion. Enter the books you’ve read and Goodreads offers suggestions based on those titles. You can also search for titles or genres yourself and read what others have to say. If you like a particular person’s review, click on his or her profile and see what else they may recommend.
Goodreads also provides a ‘to read’ list that you can update by entering titles or scanning barcodes while at the bookstore or library. You’ll always have a list handy so the next time you wonder what you should read, just hit up your list and choose your next book.
You can follow your friends or make new friends on Goodreads, find online book clubs, share your own reviews or notes about a book, and even participate in reading challenges. Goodreads helps you keep up with your reading and keep your mind fresh and is completely free to download and use.
Amazon Kindle
There’s no denying that Amazon is one of, if not the heaviest hitter of the book industry. Given the sheer volume of titles available, the number of programs to offered, not to mention the relatively inexpensive readers you can combine with the programs, we felt we should include the options to link n and explore the opportunities.
As far as smartphone apps go, this one is a breeze. The entire Amazon suite can be downloaded and configured quickly and easily, the Kindle Reader and Kindle Unlimited Program is purchased separately though. Don’t forget the trend towards Audible books and of course, Amazon has an extensive offering. These make great gifts and are the perfect fit for anyone wanting to catch up on their literature while commuting or working out.
Finance and Credit
Mint
Do you find yourself juggling all of your bank accounts and getting confused? Maybe you wish you had smartphone apps with everything all in one place? With Mint you can. This free app tracks your bank accounts, automatically downloads your information and offers many helpful reminders to keep you on track.
Add credit cards or bank accounts, set up bill pay reminders, and automatically balance your checkbooks with Mint. With everything in one place, you can see exactly where you stand financially including your spending, saving, and investments.
Mint also offers access to your free credit score and provides you with MINTSIGHTS or insights on ways to save money or better manage your money with helpful tips based on your financial history. With simple notifications, you’ll always know where you stand financially and what you need to do. If you find you need someone to help you with your finances, having everything in Mint makes it easy to pass the duties along to someone else without overwhelming them.
Mint is free to download and use.
Final Thoughts
We know it can be a challenge to find the right smartphone apps for you, but we hope you can use this information to make informed decisions. We’ll continue to update this series and even provide security tips you can read up on before you download. As always, if you don’t see something you want, feel free to reach out to Glen directly though our Contact page or leave a comment below. All the best ~ Glen.
The 55 Lifestyle is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
