11 Apps For Adulting 101

Feb 28

Feb 28 11 Apps For Adulting 101

There's no point in trying to deny that for most of us, our cellphone is basically an extension of our hands or about as vital as oxygen for our day-to-day functioning. Go beyond Snapchat or Instagram (aka the easiest way to turn a 5 minute "study break" into a 40 minute scroll session) and check out the following apps that make being (an almost) grown up that much easier.

Finance

Mint: Get a handle on your personal finances with this handy app that brings together all the different aspects of your financial life. Track your daily spending, pay bills, and keep an eye on your credit score all in one spot. Mint even offers weekly summaries and warnings when you go over the budget you set for yourself.
Splitwise: Think of it as Venmo for grown-ups. Splitwise helps you split shared expenses with roommates so that everyone pays their fair share. It also includes helpful reminder emails and redirects money owed as needed.
Plates: Actually integrated into the Splitwise app, Plates makes the tricky task of splitting the bill between friends at dinner that much easier. Simply enter each dish, including shared appetizers and such, and Plates will calculate how much everyone owes counting tip and taxes.
Robinhood: While that #brokecollegelife feeling may be all too real, it's never too soon to start investing, even if you only set aside coffee money once a week or use a birthday check. Robinhood lets you trade stocks without charging a commission fee and stay on top of your portfolio with real time market data and notifications for important market events.

Political

Countable: If 2016 was the year of realizing anything, it's that politics matter and you can have an impact. Register your voting district on Countable, select the issues that matter to you the most and you will be notified about upcoming related bills and how to get in touch with your local representatives.
Politico: The election may be over, but stay in the know all year round with the app from this non-partisan news source. With a focus on the White House and Congress, the app includes extensive article coverage, videos and morning newsletters.
Buypartisan: Put your money where your mouth is with the Buypartisan app that scans product barcodes and displays the political donations of the company's CEO, Board of Directors and employees.

Useful

Sleep Cycle: While it might be a badge of honor at UChicago to boast about how little sleep you got, sleep is a vital part of any healthy lifestyle. Sleep Cycle tracks your sleep to wake you up at the lightest part of your cycle so that you start the day feeling fresh and well-rested.
Myfitnesspal: Hop back on the healthy New Year's resolutions bandwagon with this app, which allows you to set fitness goals and helps you achieve them. Track what you eat with a calorie counter that has food from grocery stores and nearby restaurants on hand.
Tiny Scanner: Turn your iPhone into a portable scanner and always have your important documents saved as PDFs in your pocket. An easy to use interface allows you to easily share documents, adjust the brightness, and even password protect the most important documents.
Cam Card: Keep track of the business cards you accumulate during the eternal internship hunt with Cam Card which allows you to scan cards, exchange e-cards, and manage your professional contacts with tags, notes and a search function.

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