tech Archives - Page 3 of 19 - Strange & Charmed

On My iPhone {April 2015}

On my iPhone is a monthly feature on Strange & Charmed where I give you a peak into what I have been loving on my iPhone for the month! Covering topics like apps, games, podcasts, music, websites, books and more, I hope this series helps you all discover new and exciting content out there that can be enjoyed from your iPhone! To stay up to date with this series, make sure to follow the On My iPhone tag!

April was such a productive month for me! I feel like for the first time ever as an entrepreneur that my life and business schedules are finally melding together so that I can achieve all my goals without feeling like I am compromising one area of my life for another. I can’t say that I think that has to do specifically with these apps and digital favorites that I am about to introduce to you, however, I think that a mixture of some great productivity apps, some hard work on my part and a bunch of great informational content in the form of audiobooks and articles have really been coming together to make my days feel more productive and fulfilling! So here are my digital favorites for April 2015!

Currently Playing, Focus@Will: I recently did a review of this interesting productivity app that claims to help you improve your productivity through the aid of scientifically optimized music. It basically sounds like a spa playlist, but I have to admit, I am much more productive when I’m using the app!

Currently Reading, Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin: I’ve really been getting into Audible lately, and although I am not reading this book the traditional way, I am definitely enjoying listening to it while I work, clean up and even walk the dog! If you’re interested in understanding and changing your habits, this is another great pick, similar to The Power of Habit, but it takes a completely different spin on the concept!

Currently Watching, Penny Dreadful: The other week I was a little run down and spending a lot of time in bed resting, and during this period I stumbled upon Penny Dreadful and basically watched the entire first season in one day. It was right up my ally blending two of my favorite genres, period pieces and supernatural thrillers! Season two just started up and I’m excited to continue the saga!

Currently Surfing, IAmThatGirl.com: I Am That Girl by Alexis Jones is the Paper & Glam Bookclub read for May and I was very excited to discover that their is actually a whole website and blog for the I Am That Girl Campaign which strives to create community, and a support system around celebrating women and girls! Definitely an inspiring place on the internet to read, learn and connect with other women!

Currently Listening, Serial Podcast: I had heard a lot of great reviews about the Serial podcast a while back and I was recently reminded that I had never checked it out. So, I finally did and I can really understand not what all the fuss was about. If you like criminal dramas or mysteries, you should definitely check out this compelling and extremely thorough podcast that was more like a documentary brought to life in audio only form!

iPhone Case, Kate Spade Diagonal Stripped Hybrid Case: Although I have been something of an iPhone case fanatic in the past, I have actually stuck to the same case now since I purchased the iPhone 6 Plus in March. I will admit, however, that I have had my eye on some other cases, namely this gorgeous marble effect case!

Things I Read & Loved

So now for the second part of this post, a selection of articles I read from around the web that I loved.

So, let me know what you think of these articles and I’d love to hear your experiences with any of the apps, books or sites I shared with you this month! Please let me know what you’re digital favorites were for April by leaving me a comment below or for extra points, tag me in a photo on Instagram telling me about your favorites for the month!

xoxo,

On my iPhone

On My iPhone {March 2015}

On my iPhone is a monthly feature on Strange & Charmed where I give you a peak into what I have been loving on my iPhone for the month! Covering topics like apps, games, podcasts, music, websites, books and more, I hope this series helps you all discover new and exciting content out there that can be enjoyed from your iPhone! To stay up to date with this series, make sure to follow the On My iPhone tag!

So this month, I have a bunch of fun iPhone related news for you all. In case you hadn’t noticed, I actually just recently upgraded to the iPhone 6 Plus for my birthday! It was a present to myself and also a much needed tool for my business ever since my iPhone 5 really started taking a turn for the worst. This month I also embraced a lot of fun apps I had always wanted to try and even brought back some oldies that I forgot that I loved so much!

Currently Playing, Headspace: This awesome app was a recommendation from Pat Flynn that I had to check out! It is a guided meditation app that basically helps you manage stress and live in the moment. I actually have really been enjoying the app, which is basically free for the first 10 sessions, but then you have some subscription options to get more guided meditation regularly. I think the plans are pretty well priced, especially for the fact that it really feels like you are in a one to one guided meditation session. Definitely check it out if you want to start meditating or get a little help from your iPhone.

Currently Reading, Flipboard: Okay, so Flipboard is an app, not a book, but I have been loving reading articles from it, none the less. This was actually one of my favorite apps once upon a time but for some reason I stopped using it. Now that I have rediscovered the app I can’t live without it. I try to read a few articles a day in the app, which you can customize to bring you a dedicated feed of articles that fit the topics you enjoy!

Currently Watching, West Wing: My husband and I are always looking for a new TV series to get involved with that is on demand so we don’t have to bother with TV schedules and all that jazz. We were thinking about it and realized that we really enjoyed political dramas, so we decided to start watching the West Wing, which is another throwback show that I used to watch years ago, but to be honest, I can’t remember much of what I watched, so this is like discovering a hidden gem! Definitely check it out if you were a West Wing fan or if you enjoy political dramas!

Currently Surfing, AlexBeadon.com: As you know, I am always on the lookout for great female entrepreneurs online that are hitting it out of the park. I love following them for inspiration, tips and insights, and I recently discovered Alex Beadon through a client. Alex is a photographer turned online entrepreneur who is something of a girl after my own heart. She shares her business tips and tricks via her blog and YouTube channel, so definitely check her out if your looking for great female business role models!

Currently Listening, The Power of Habit via Audible: I really enjoy audio books, but as you may already know, they are pretty pricey! I was actually surprised when I learned how affordable and practical an Audible membership was, for some reason I didn’t realize that once you downloaded an Audible book, its actually yours forever (I previously had thought you were essentially renting the audiobooks with your monthly membership) which really changed my perspective on the service and I just had to sign up! Luckily, I was also able to sign up with an incredible offer of not one, but TWO FREE BOOKS with my trial membership, so if you would like to give Audible a shot and would like to take advantage of this super offer, click here and sign up for free today!

iPhone Case, Kate Spade Diagonal Stripped Hybrid Case: Of course when I bought my new phone I had to get a new iPhone case to go along with it and I found this perfect case from Kate Spade at my local Best Buy! Unfortunately, it looks like the case is currently sold out, but if you’re looking for a similar case for your iPhone 6 Plus, check this one out from Kate Spade, it was my number two choice!

Things I Read & Loved

So now for the second part of this post, a selection of articles I read from around the web that I loved.

xoxo,

tech wallpaper

Life is Short – DVF Tech Wallpapers

Next week is April and I can’t believe that the first quarter of 2015 is nearly over. But you know what that means? New Tech Wallpapers! Yep, my quarterly desktop backgrounds and smartphone wallpapers are finally out and I have created something this month that I think you will truly enjoy! Let’s celebrate the coming of spring by adding some floral to our smartphones with a dash of wisdom and sass from the great Diane Von Furstenberg!

I have to attribute this wallpaper to a dear friend of mine who turned me on to this quote perhaps a year ago, but it perfectly encapsulates my view on life and why its so important to just put yourself out there and go for your dreams! Clearly there is a lot of that going on here at Charmed HQ, but I don’t have a monopoly on getting things done! You can do it too, so let these wallpapers be a constant reminder for you throughout your day, anytime you check your gadgets, that “Life is very short. Insecurities are a waste of time.”

Here are your desktop backgrounds and tech wallpapers!

Peonies DVF Wallpaper for Desktop — Desktop Background. Right click image to open in new page and save full resolution file.

Peonies DVF Quote iPad Tablet Wallpaper — Tablet Background. Right click image to open in new page and save full resolution file.

Peonies DVF Quote Smartphone iPhone Wallpaper — Smartphone Background. Right click image to open in new page and save full resolution file.

I sincerely hope you enjoy these new backgrounds and of course, I would love to see pictures of your devices sporting their new wallpapers for spring, so make sure to snap a pic to Instagram, use the hashtag #StrangeandCharmed and make sure to tag me, @MissTrenchcoat so I can like and comment on your photos! I can’t wait to see your devices all spruced up for the new season!

xoxo,

On my iPhone

On My iPhone {February 2015}

On my iPhone is a monthly feature on Strange & Charmed where I give you a peak into what I have been loving on my iPhone for the month! Covering topics like apps, games, podcasts, music, websites, books and more, I hope this series helps you all discover new and exciting content out there that can be enjoyed from your iPhone! To stay up to date with this series, make sure to follow the On My iPhone tag!

I think I have mentioned before that this is one of my favorite posts to write each month and guess what? Its getting even better! I get asked a lot about articles and inspiration I find around the web and so I have decided that I will also be adding a selection of my favorite articles that I have read this month within this post. So, you basically get it all. All my favorite apps, all my favorite content from around the internet and all my favorite articles as well! So lets jump right in because we have a lot to cover!

Currently Playing, Trivia Crack: What is it with people that we get so obsessed with trivia games? I think deep down inside we each think we are the smartest person to hit the planet and we like to show off our knowledge of random trivia. This new obsession started with me because of my husband who one day asked me the following question, “Who was Leonardo DiVinci’s rival?” “Michelangelo,” I replied. “Yes! That’s right!” He answered excited and surprised. Then later that night… “Who coined the phrase, the Iron Curtain?” He asked as we sat getting ready for bed. “Winston Churchill,” I replied. He sighed, “you knew that? I got it wrong,” he remarked disappointed. “Of course, Mike,” I responded. “I know everything!” And thus my obsession with Trivia Crack began!

Currently Reading, Hollow City by Ransom Riggs: At some point in 2013 I laid down to bed, thinking I would read a few chapters of Ransom Rigg’s first novel in this series, Miss Peregrin’s Home for Peculiar Children, and then a few sleepless hours later, I had finished the book. I think this was one of the few times in my life that I was so interested in the plot of a book that I actually couldn’t stop reading it until it was done. So, when I heard that the second novel in the series, Hollow City was released, I waited and waited for it to come to paper back so I could read it in the exact same manner I did the first. Well, I got a little impatient the other day and downloaded the book instead to my iPhone, and I’m very glad I did! If you liked the first book, definitely give this a read, I’m really liking this series!

Currently Watching, Adult Wednesday Addams: Yes, you read that right. Adult. Wednesday. Addams. I don’t know about you, but I love Wednesday Addams. I love the entire Addams family, but Wednesday was always my favorite. So when my husband sent me a link to a YouTube series all about my favorite little creepster, I literally said out loud to myself “there goes the rest of my day!” Of course I caught up on the whole series, which actually wasn’t very long, but I was glad to see it is still in progress, and I have to say, this is probably the greatest series to come out of YouTube in like forever! Just watch it! You will not regret it!

Currently Surfing, Dean Street Society: As you already know from my last installment of this series, one of my goals for this year is to find new bloggers to follow and one of my new reads, Dean Street Society, was a recommendation from a dear friend. The blog is an awesome blend of fashion and business advice from the writer Hilary Rushford, a notable female entrepreneur who is kicking butt and taking names online! Now, I know I said this was something of a fashion blog, but it is so much more than that! You know I am not one for fashion blogs, but this is totally something else. It’s original and fresh, and you should check it out as well!

Currently Listening, The Fearless Launching Show: In my quest to discover new bloggers and awesome business inspirations online, I recently came across Anne Samoilov who happened to be a fan of my YouTube channel. She and I connected online over planners, businesses, and a mutual love of Marie Forleo and I have been listening to her awesome business podcast The Fearless Launching Show, where she discusses aspects of launching and running a successful business. In addition to her podcast, Anne also runs a course called Fearless Launching, where she shows business owners the ropes of launching a product or business online. According to Anne, she will be opening up admission to her Fearless Launching program again soon, so head on over to her site and sign up for email updates if you are interested in her program. That is, after you check out her awesome podcast!

Things I Read & Loved

So now for the second part of this post, a selection of articles I read from around the web that I loved. You will probably notice a theme with these links, I read a lot of business advice and inspirational articles, but I will try my best to branch out in future installments to give you more variety!

Okay, well that was a nice long list! That should keep you busy for a while! But in all seriousness, I hope you enjoy some of these articles and that you find something from this list that speaks to you and helps to inform or inspire you! Let me know what you thought of this installment of my On My iPhone series and let me know if you like the new addition of the links. I’m hoping this can be a monthly occurrence either combined with this series or something that stands alone, so I would appreciate your feedback!

xoxo,

On my iPhone

On My iPhone {January 2015}

On my iPhone is a monthly feature on Strange & Charmed where I give you a peak into what I have been loving on my iPhone for the month! Covering topics like apps, games, podcasts, music, websites, books and more, I hope this series helps you all discover new and exciting content out there that can be enjoyed from your iPhone! To stay up to date with this series, make sure to follow the On My iPhone tag!

In case you hadn’t noticed, I actually didn’t post an On My iPhone for December of 2014, so I am very excited to finally be catching you all up on my digital monthly favorites! I feel like I have been on a productivity roll this January with all the great new projects and ideas I have been working on for my business! It should come as no surprise to you then, that many of these awesome favorites may have played a role in that increased productivity!

Currently Playing, Mind Genius: Since I have been trying to get off on a productive foot for 2015, I have been doing a lot of brainstorming and project planning for my blog, YouTube channel and of course my shop! Although I do love brainstorming on paper, I found that the number of projects I was working on was just becoming a little too much for my post its to handle and thought it would be best if I had an electronic system to help aid me in this process so that I could see all my ideas and order them into a logical flow. Enter the app Mind Genius! I have actually had this free app downloaded on my iPad for quite a while now, but I never used it much until now. It’s basically mind mapping software that helps you to arrange your thoughts and brainstorm through projects or problems you are working on. I highly suggest it if you are craving some sort of digital organization for your projects and thoughts and notepads or sticky notes just aren’t working that well for you!

Currently Reading, May Cause Miracles: I really enjoyed Gabrielle Bernstein’s book, Miracles Now, so much that I recently decided that I wanted to familiarize myself with more of her work. So, I decided to give May Cause Miracles a try and I haven’t been disappointed! I really love how Gabby is such a down to earth, straight shooting spiritual guru of sorts. I know she’s a life coach, but when she communicates, it feels more like a friend chatting with you than a professional. If you are looking for spiritual guidance or just want to get in tune with the universe around you, definitely try May Cause Miracles!

Currently Watching, Paper & Glam: Back in December I came across the Paper & Glam Youtube channel as I was searching for new planner videos to watch. The channel is hosted and run by Lisamarie Landreth, a 20 something professional gal much like myself with a penchant for organization and planners and I was instantly hooked! Lisamarie and I have since become besties because we share an alarming number of similar values and ideals, so if you like my content and my youtube channel, I know you will connect with Lisamarie as well. Her home decor and Erin Condren Life Planner videos are on point and she also runs her own blog and shop with much more interesting and fun content, so be sure to check her out there as well! If you do, make sure to drop her a line and let her know Alexis sent you!

Currently Surfing, Elle & Co Design: One of my goals for 2015 is to really dive deep and discover new sites and blogs filled with interesting and informative content, and I have totally started the year off with a strong start ever since I discovered Elle & Co Design, the personal blog of graphic designer Lauren Hooker! I think you’re going to see a pattern emerging with my latest and greatest faves, but Lauren is not only an A+ blogger, but she also runs her own design company and has a digital shop with awesome printables as well! I love that Lauren blogs not only about her design business, but she also gives really great branding and blogging advice as well! Again, if you like my blog, I bet you will love her, so make sure to add her to your bloglovin feed as well!

Currently Listening, Elise Gets Crafty: One of the things I have also been trying to do more of is find and listen to more podcasts! Since I work from home alone all day (well, not totally alone thanks to this lil guy) I feel like I need to keep my mind engaged while I’m working with more than just music. Because I love business and non fiction books so much, I thought it would be fun to find more business related podcasts and guess what?!? I found a podcast geared towards creative business owners called Elise Gets Crafty! It’s hosted by craft blogger Elise Blaha Cripe (who I also went ahead and added to my regular reads as well once I discovered her) and in each episode of her podcast, Elise interviews and engages in great conversation with another creative entrepreneur to help answer some of the big and little questions and issues that all creative business owners face. Definitely check it out if you have been thinking about starting your own creative business or if you already run one!

Well those have been my monthly favorites, but of course, there is always one final thing I know you all look forward to hearing about and that is which iPhone case I am currently rocking! For the majority of January I have been using my favorite black and white striped case from Kate Spade! I have been on such a black and white kick lately, as you can tell from the picture above, everything from my planner to my coffee mug is black and white! Love it!

So, now it’s your turn to tell me what you have been loving for the month of January! Any new YouTube channels or apps I need to check out? I am always on the hunt for new blogs to read as well, especially if they are centered around creative female entrepreneurs! Let me know your favorites and suggestions in the comments below!

xoxo,

tech wallpaper

Best Year of Your Life Tech Wallpapers

Not only is there a new month right around the corner, but in a few short days we come to the end of another year! What a fabulous year it has been for me! 2014 was filled with so many wonderful changes and exciting new adventures that I just cannot wait to see what 2015 has in store for me. Of course, it is also time for me to publish a new set of tech wallpapers for all your devices (laptop, tablet, smartphone etc)! So, I thought this time around I would design something meaningful to start the year off properly.

My Best Year of Your Life design is a refined black and bone pallet with a straight forward quote front and center. “This is going to be the best year of your life,” and you know what? It will be if you believe it! So, keep that thought at the front of your mind always with these high resolution wallpapers!

This is going to be the best year of your life tech wallpaper — Desktop Background. Right click image to open in new page and save full resolution file.

I hope you enjoy these free designs as much as I do and I truly hope they inspire you to make the most of your year from day one! If you do happen to enjoy these images, please make sure to send me a picture of your gadget all decked out and ready for 2015 via Instagram.

xoxo,

tech

Why YouTube is Better than Cable!

From time to time, you might have heard me mention this little site called YouTube and how I have my own YouTube Channel where I create regular videos! I happen to be a big fan of YouTube, not just because I am a content creator there, but also because I believe, as a medium, that YouTube is a great place to actually discover fun, entertaining and informative content for free! I feel like sometimes YouTube get’s a bad rap, or is slightly misunderstood by people who may not be very interested in internet and social connectivity online. You may think of it as a place to find funny videos to share with friends or to watch leaked footage of a celebrity sex tape, but in truth, I believe YouTube is a great place to find and watch entertaining content, the likes of which have never been seen on television before. So before you think to yourself that you need a TV or cable box to have a relaxing evening of easy entertainment, think again. Here are 5 reasons YouTube is a better destination for regular entertainment than your TV or even a movie theater!

1. Variety

Without a doubt, the best thing about YouTube is the sheer variety of content you can find there. Every single form of entertainment can be found there from movies to music, audiobooks, theater, reality, informational- you name it, YouTube has got it, and on top of that, it has much more of it than even the most advanced package of satellite cable! There is literally something for everyone on YouTube, just type in a few words about your favorite hobby or interests and you will find a plethora of content to enjoy!

2. Quality

Although YouTube is composed of a collection of videos created by people just like you and I, you’d be surprised at the quality of many of the videos you can watch on YouTube. Yes, there is a lot of crap on YouTube, but because it has become such an open platform for creating content, it has attracted a massive amount of creators that are dedicated to creating high quality content. To me, some of the videos and series you can find on YouTube rival and even surpass much of the content you will find on TV on any given day. I believe this is because YouTube creators, unlike TV and Movie executives, aren’t focused on creating content that is broadly applicable and marketable, instead, YouTube creators are focused on creating the best and most interesting content they can. As a viewer you get much more bang for your buck than you do with standard television and even cable, and you’re not even paying for it!

3. Accessibility

Obviously when it comes down to it, YouTube is much more accessible than television. For one, you don’t need a television or cable subscription to watch the content on YouTube, you just need an internet enabled device and you are watching your videos from anywhere at any time! That’s right, because unlike TV, content isn’t on a schedule on YouTube! You get to watch what you want, when you want! With YouTube you can tailor the content you watch to your own interests, subscribing only to channels you are interested in and funneling out all the other noise.

4. Innovation

As I explained in point number 2 above, YouTube content creators aren’t bound by the same economics and industry standards as television and movie executives, so they are able to create more interesting and innovative content! YouTubers are constantly pushing the envelope creating new forms of content, incorporating various elements of new media and the power of the internet to enhance the experience of the end user (you)! How often do you get to give live feedback to the creators of your favorite tv show or movie? How often do you get to watch a live stream of your favorite video game on TV? When was the last time your favorite TV channels collaborated to give you awesome hybrid content? I think you see where I am going with this- there is just more possibility with YouTube than TV and cable, and it results in a more exciting and interesting experience for you as a viewer! Seriously, the most innovation to come to television lately has been reality TV, think about that!

5. Education

The one thing about YouTube that never ceases to amaze me, is the amount of educational content you will find in comparison to standard television. If you look closely, education is often at the core of many videos you will find on YouTube. Unlike television and movies which are often pure entertainment, YouTube is built on the concept of blending information with entertainment to bring maximum value to the viewer! Take a close look at some of your favorite YouTube channels and you will see that more often than not, the creator is sharing knowledge and information with you to help educate or inform you on a certain topic. You probably didn’t even realize it was happening, but I’m pretty sure YouTube is making you smarter one video at a time!

So what do you think? Are you a fan of YouTube? Any great channels and awesome content creators you think I need to know about? I am always looking for new YouTubers to follow, so I would love your recommendations!

xoxo,

On my iPhone

On My iPhone {November 2014}

On my iPhone is a monthly feature on Strange & Charmed where I give you a peak into what I have been loving on my iPhone for the month! Covering topics like apps, games, podcasts, music, websites, books and more, I hope this series helps you all discover new and exciting content out there that can be enjoyed from your iPhone! To stay up to date with this series, make sure to follow the On My iPhone tag!

As I write this, I am in a whirlwind of Thanksgiving prep! The end of November has come, and I would just like to take a moment to thank my lucky stars and all of my readers, viewers and community members for making November a wonderful month for me. As I think I already mentioned, November is an important month for me because of my Wedding Anniversary, my Husbands Birthday and of course, Thanksgiving! But seriously, this month has been awesome for me. The support you have all shown me for my new Shop has been overwhelming and because of you, I am finding myself motivated and inspired everyday to create amazing new content! Of course, with all the work I have been doing, there have been some key apps and digital favorites that have kept me on track for the month, so let me share those with you now!

Currently Playing, Afterlight: I know I have talked about my favorite iOS photo editing apps in the past, but seriously, Afterlight takes the cake for them all! It really is a powerhouse of mobile photography editors, helping me to brighten, crop, and saturate my images, creating perfect Instagram ready images! Definitely worth the money if you love to edit photos on your phone!

Currently Reading, 365 Style by Nicky Hilton: I heard about this book over the summer and loved the concept of designing and refining your wardrobe to fit your day-to-day needs! As you may have already heard, I am currently in the process of reorganizing and pairing down my wardrobe, and 365 Style has been a major influence and inspiration for managing this rather large life project! Nicky Hilton lays out a very unique plan for organizing your wardrobe by the major events in your life that you dress for, and then breaks those events down by the key pieces you have in your wardrobe for those events! It’s absolutely genius and a must read for any style maven who needs to take control of their wardrobe!

Currently Watching, Peaky Blinders: In October, my husband and I discovered the Netflix Original Series Peaky Blinders. A turn of the century tale of a gang-family in Birmingham England fighting for control of the mean streets where they reside! We finished the first season in record time and absolutely loved it! Then, earlier this month, we were very pleasantly surprised when we discovered that Netflix had also released a second season of the drama as well! I consider this a turn of the century Law and Order meets the Soprano’s, and it is very reminiscent of the BBC series Copper that my husband and I also very much enjoyed!

Currently Surfing, Miss Poppy Design: Since the launch of my Shop, I have been preoccupied with discovering new design inspiration for creating new content and printables! I stumbled upon Miss Poppy Design after following their Instagram account and falling in love with their style! Think ultra feminine, peonies, hot pink, sprinkles of gold and glitter, and a dash of high fashion editorial! I have been loving surfing their site, finding new bits of inspiration with every scroll of my mouse! Definitely check them out if you love design as well, their shop is also lovely!

Currently Listening, Coffitivity: I have been using Coffitivity for a while now, it’s basically an app/site that provides a sound machine that recreates the white noise you would hear if you were working from a coffee shop! I find that since I have been spending a lot of time working at the computer doing my design work, that this app has really helped me to get that feeling that I am working outside of my home, which really helps increase my productivity and concentration. Definitely check out the site and download the app for your computer or phone if you like what you hear!

Of course, I also like to keep you guys informed of the iPhone case I am currently sporting! This month I have still been loving that Festive Flowers case from Kate Spade that I purchased last month from the outlet! It’s it just lovely?

Last but not least! I filmed a video on my monthly favorites if you also care to give that a watch! I have some good close ups of the digital favorites and the apps in case you are curious as well!

Now, its time for you to let me know what you thought about my favorites. Are you familiar with any of the items I included this month? What do you think about them? And of course, what were your digital favorites this month? I would love to know, so please feel free to leave me a comment below!

xoxo,

organization tech

6 Must Have Holiday Shopping Apps to Save your Cash and Sanity!

Holiday shopping, for many of us, can be something of a complicated process. If you have a large family or many people to buy for, purchases can start to add up quickly and keeping track of what you have purchased for whom can become really tricky when you are busy hiding boxes of presents in remote hidey holes in your home! You’ve probably asked yourself a time or two, is there a better way to manage all this? Well, yes, glad you asked, because I have assembled a list of 6 must have apps to help with your holiday shopping. Apps to help you save some cash, apps to help you keep track of what you are buying for whom and apps to help you have a little fun while you’re making those few hundreds of stops to the mall in the next few weeks! And best of all? All these apps are absolutely free!

1. Shopkick: I have written about Shopkick before, so I will try to keep this short and sweet, but basically, Shopkick is an app that you can use to help you earn rewards just for shopping and visiting your favorite stores. Through Shopkick, retailers market and promote their stores and products and offer Shopkick users “kicks” for various activities, like making a purchase, going to check out a specific product, and even just for walking into the store! These kicks add up and then you can redeem them for gift cards to a variety of different stores! So, with Shopkick, you can turn all those last-minute errands and repeat visits into real rewards for you!

2. Price Scan: Ever find an item in a store and then wonder if there was a better price at a competitive retailer or online? Well, with Price Scan you can scan a barcode with your phone and instantly find the best deals available for the product! Simple as that! This is a great resource to use if you are like me and enjoy “browsing” for gifts before you actually intend on making purchases because you can keep track of the gifts and products in the app and come back to them over time to see if prices have changed, making sure you are getting the best deal possible!

3. Wunderlist: If you have a long list of friends and family to buy for, keep your thoughts and purchases in order with Wunderlist. Touted as being one of the best list making apps available, Wunderlist has a simple and clean interface with just the essential list making necessities to help you keep your list in order. Use the app to keep track of who you are purchasing for, gift ideas and even budgets for each present. Now you have no excuse for purchasing duplicate gifts or going over budget!

4. Cartwheel: If you are already a frequent Target customer, you may already be familiar with the Cartwheel app. It is a dedicated app for Target shoppers to find instant savings on items in their cart while they are shopping. Simply scan the barcode of your item while shopping to find any extra deals or instant coupons that you can apply to the item. Once you go to checkout, give your phone to the associate at checkout and they will scan the custom barcode in your app and apply all the discounts and coupons you found while shopping! It’s pretty easy and can save you some extra money, especially if you are like me and bad about using coupons!

5. My Package: Online shopping for the holidays has grown exponentially over the past few years, so chances are you are going to have more than a few items coming in via the mail! Keep track of these packages to make sure you don’t loose anything but entering your tracking number and an item description into the app. The app will then begin to track your package with its geographic location and alert you as it makes its way to you! You can even set up delivery alerts, so you can be sure to check the mail before anyone else at home and tuck away any important packages like the gift giving ninja you are!

6. Retail Me Not: You may have already heard of or used the coupon site, Retail Me Not, but they also have a great app that can help find you coupons and deals for both in-store and online purchases! Add your favorite stores to the app or let the app track your location to find great deals near you at a wide variety of retailers. Again, this is an awesome app, especially for people who like to hunt for great deals or are always forgetting about coupons!

I hope you found this list of apps helpful as you proceed with your holiday shopping! I know we are all trying to save extra money where possible and make this stressful time of year a little easier and especially more enjoyable! If you have any other must have shopping apps that you think I need to know about, please let me know in the comments! Of course, don’t be stingy- go ahead and share this post in your social media feeds so your friends and family can make use of these great apps as well. I’m sure they will be very thankful you did!

xoxo,

On my iPhone

On My iPhone {October 2014}

On my iPhone is a new monthly feature on Strange & Charmed where I give you a peak into what I have been loving on my iPhone for the month! Covering topics like apps, games, podcasts, music, websites, books and more, I hope this series helps you all discover new and exciting content out there that can be enjoyed from your iPhone! To stay up to date with this series, make sure to follow the On My iPhone tag!

So, it’s officially fall and now, one of the best months of the year is coming to a close. I know I have already waxed poetic about how much I love October, and although I am very sad to see it go, I know that it was a very fun-filled month for me! I made sure to pack a lot of fun fall and Halloween activities into the month and I have plenty of memories to look back on and to celebrate! I, of course, made sure to collect a few awesome internet favorites on my iPhone this month, some of them were old favorites rediscovered, and others were some new releases that I am excited to share with you!

Currently Playing, Snapchat: At about mid-month, I finally jumped on the bandwagon and created a snapchat account. I have been loving sharing impromptu photos and little behind the scenes glimpses of my life on my snapchat story! If you have snapchat, make sure to follow me and I will add you back. My username is MissTrenchcoat, of course!

Currently Reading, The Brief: I know I have mentioned my love for Levo League in the past, but they have recently released a daily e-newsletter that shares a dose of news and pop culture fun to act as a pick me up to your workday, Monday thru Friday! If you could use a simple and short little workday email to help brighten the day or help entertain you during your commute home, feel free to check out The Brief for yourself!

Currently Watching, Gilmore Girls: This month has been an epic TV month for me, ever since I discovered that all the seasons of Gilmore Girls are now available on Netflix! I loved Gilmore Girls when I was younger and I am very excited to be catching up on one of my favorite shows. So, if you were a big fan of Gilmore Girls in high school and college, definitely add the show to your instant queue!

Currently Surfing: Facebook Groups: Specifically, I have been getting back into the Filofax and Planner groups on Facebook ever since my love and obsession with my planners was reignited with a few new planners I was sent to review! If you are interested in joining any of these groups, I will go ahead and link a few of my favorites below, but I must warn you that these groups are incredibly addictive and I suggest you don’t join any of these groups unless you are super serious about participating!

Currently Listening, The Raven: One of my favorite October and Halloween themed activities is listening to the audio recording of The Raven, narrated by Christopher Walken. It’s available via YouTube and I love spending a quiet fall evening at home listening to Walken’s creepy but festive voice, reciting this creepy yet festive literary classic!

On My iPhone Kate Spade Case and Filofax Planner — My new Kate Spade iPhone case as pictured with my awesome Fluoro Pink Filofax!

Oh and of course, one final little thing on my iPhone… my new Kate Spade iPhone case! I picked this up at the outlet the other week and I think it’s absolutely adorable for fall!

Don’t miss my On My iPhone video for this month as well! I know I missed making a video last month due to scheduling issues, but I do go into greater detail during my videos than I do on my blog posts, so if you want to know more, click through to the video!

So, now it’s your turn! What have you been loving on your iPhone or iPad this month? Any great new apps that have caught your attention? Let me know in the comments or better yet, send me a tweet to let me know!