If you’re going to spend more time than you want to admit on your phone, skip the scrolling and put your minutes into these worthwhile apps instead. Whether you’re looking to track your favorite restaurants, design your own graphics, or spruce up your reading list, there’s an app for that.
Beli
Foodies, rejoice! With Beli, you can log and rate restaurants you visit, make lists of restaurants you want to try, and get inspired by your friends’ recommendations. The app even has a reservation-sharing feature that allows you to share unwanted reservations with other Beli members or claim a tough reservation from someone else. Never forget the name of that awesome pizza place again!
Canva
If you have an eye for design, or even if you don’t, Canva is the app for nearly all your graphic needs. Take functional and beautiful notes, create a presentation or flier, make the perfect Instagram post, customize greeting cards or invitations, and do so much more. Take advantage of the fun templates and backgrounds, stickers and images, font styles, and drawing feature. Canva is free, but the premium version allows for even more customization and use of the “Magic Studio” AI tool.
Clearful
Mindfulness is essential, and the Clearful app makes it more convenient with inspiring journal prompts in several different categories. No need to find a pen and paper, because you can type right into your phone and save your journal entries. Whether you want to keep track of your sleeping habits, do gratitude journaling every morning, or reflect on your goals, Clearful provides simple templates and prompts.
Goodreads
Keep track of your reading goals and progress with Goodreads by logging and rating the books you have read, as well as updating your progress on your current reading. You can also create a “shelf” of the books you want to read and see what your friends are reading. Read other users’ book reviews before you pick your next read and leave reviews of your own. Goodreads helps you stay motivated by allowing you to participate in yearly reading challenges too.
Google Calendar
These days, Google Calendar is almost an addiction for many young people – for good reason. The app easily organizes your events, meetings, appointments, office hours, and tasks in a streamlined and aesthetically pleasing way. Whether you use Google Calendar on your phone or computer, you can schedule reminders to attend events or complete tasks, save event locations or virtual meeting links, invite others to scheduled events, and even compare schedules to find a mutually convenient time.
NYT Games
If you still have the Wordle bug, or you want a one-stop app to test your brain and play all the daily New York Times games, this app is perfect for you. Even without a subscription, you can play Wordle, Connections, The Mini crossword puzzle, Sudoku, and more. Have a competitive edge? Add friends to your leaderboard and compare your crossword results each day.
Foodie Card
Foodie Card saves you some cash while feeding your neighbors. The app is based on an annual $25 subscription, which, when purchased or renewed, provides a day’s worth of meals to Feeding Westchester. Members are privy to 10% off their check at participating restaurants (yes, that includes alcohol, too), and can upload their receipts for points to cash in on gift cards to Target, Starbucks, and more. Use our special code 914INCFOODIE for your first year for only $1.
Open Wardrobe
Fashion is made easy with Open Wardrobe, an app that helps you digitize your wardrobe, put together outfits yourself or with the assistance of an AI tool, create packing lists, and get style inspiration. All these features are free, but if users pay for the premium version, they get a body shape or color analysis to further ramp up their style game. Think of all the time you could save by having ready-to-go work outfits saved in the Open Wardrobe app.
Supercook
Who has time to scour the pantry and then the internet for recipes using the minimal ingredients they manage to find? Supercook makes this a piece of cake: Enter the ingredients you have at home (you can even use your voice to dictate the list) and then see recipes using only the ingredients you have available. You can filter recipes by category (e.g. quick-and-easy, oven-free and slow-cooker), save your favorite ones, and create shopping lists.
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