To-do lists use to be my thang. I loved the feeling of checking off a task once it was completed. It was proof that I was an actual productive and accomplished person!
Then I became a mom.
The checkmarks became more and more infrequent and the list always got longer. The number of hours in a day seemed to get shorter. My to-do lists became useless and I needed to find another solution.
Thankfully, I live in a day and age where technology is always advancing to help simplify life’s biggest headaches. Here are some of my favorite services that have helped me manage my daily life as a mom.
- Munchery
I try my best to plan ahead, buy groceries, and make dinner for the entire week but it is basically impossible nowadays. I’ll make a large dinner on Sunday and have leftovers for a few weeknights. The rest of the time I rely on Munchery. This great service provides delicious chef-created meals that is delivered right to your door at dinnertime. All I have to do is put my meals in the microwave for 2-3 minutes and the food is ready! Munchery offers a very diverse menu (Carnitas Tacos, Teriyaki Salmon, Herb Roasted Chicken Breast, etc.) and even has kid meals!
- theSkimm
I don’t like watching too much TV with Caleb around and who has the time to actually read news articles? theSkimm provides the latest news in one quick and hilarious email. Not convinced yet? Here’s a sample from their 04/24/15 email:
Comcast is reportedly about to walk away from its $45 billion bid to take over Time Warner Cable. The two cable giants announced plans to marry early last year. But before it can happen, they have to get the US government’s blessing. And the US has been taking its sweet time. That’s because the FCC reportedly thinks the combined company would give Comcast too much power. Earlier this week, the agency recommended a hearing to consider the merger, which is M&A speak for ‘Houston, we have some problems.’ And it looks like those problems will lead Comcast to leave Time Warner at the altar. Rough.
C’mon! That was funny… and informative.
- TaskRabbit
I’m very fortunate to live close to family so I have some help when I need it. However, sometimes everyone I know is busy and I need to call in outside help. TaskRabbit allows you to find locals to help you with anything from cleaning your house, walking dogs, running errands, to even waiting in line for you at the DMV! TaskRabbit has a pretty comprehensive verification process for all Taskers so I feel safe and secure using the service.
- Parenthoods
Parenthoods is a fabulous community of San Francisco Bay Area parents. The forum has been a great place for me to get local parenting information. Do you have questions about feeding, local events, or a specific daycare? Most likely someone in the community will have an answer. Now, instead of spending hours on the internet researching a topic, I simply post my question on Parenthood and I almost immediately get some great feedback.
- Mint
My husband used to make me track all my finances in a spreadsheet. That sure was annoying and I still didn’t get a good picture of where our money was going! I started to use Mint a few years ago and it has saved me so much time and effort. All my financial accounts and information are consolidated into one place and I’m able to see my spending habits more clearly. Never again have I spent $200 on coffee in a single month. RIP Blue Bottle and Philz.
There you have it! If you have any other suggestions or have feedback about these services, I’d love to hear from you. Have a great day and thanks again for visiting!
Caleb in the City 