This week for Free App Friday (#FAF) I’m sharing one app I use nearly every day, and one app that comes in incredibly handy just once a year. Both are worth checking out. Take a look below to see why.
Free App Friday (iOS): Grocery IQ
GroceryIQ is one of those apps that might sound rather boring at first, because it really only does one thing, but it does it so well that it deserves mention here. If you couldn’t have guessed, GroceryIQ is an iOS app that builds your grocery shopping list. Basic enough in concept, but in execution its power transcends its primary function.
Why such high praise for a grocery list app? As somebody who seems to buy a good deal of groceries every week, for a hungry family of three, we’re always on the verge of running out of one vital foodstuff or another. Fortunately with GroceryIQ as soon as one of us notices that we need more of a given item, say Tajín Classico, we can grab an the nearest iPhone or iPad fire up the GroceryIQ app, and add the dwindling item to the list.
Adding an item can be done either by scanning the barcode from an existing item (or scan numerous items in succession!) by typing in a few letters of the item to search the absurdly massive database of grocery items, or even by tapping on the microphone icon in the app and speaking your list. Once you’ve added an item, you can modify your list to quantitative “three apples” or by weight “three pounds of apples” to remind you to purchase the precise quantity you need.
What’s great is that with one cloud account shared between the three of us, any of us can add an item to the list, and anybody can go to the supermarket to shop for the list. Toss it in your cart, check it off the list, and everybody else knows it’s already been purchased.
Once again, a little bit of technology makes your life easier, for free. Enjoy!
Free App Friday (Mac): TurboTax
Nobody likes doing taxes, but at least getting TurboTax for free makes the whole process a little bit better. Yes, you’ll still have to pay to actually file taxes – via the app itself, starting at $34.99 for a Federal return with additional costs to file state returns. If you’ve ever wondered if TurboTax will work for you, here’s your chance to find out for free and only pay to file if you’re happy with your results.
Here’s the thing, TurboTax does make the whole process incredible simple, by taking you through a step by step interview that’s more or less similar to what an accountant would do. If you’ve got the data ready to go on your end, it’s just a matter of plugging in the relevant numbers, and you can be done in a couple hours. Gather up your W2s, 1099s and other relevant documentation, crank out an annual expense report via Quicken (or similar app) and start the process.
If you find the TurboTax process too challenging or problematic, you’ve still got time to seek out an accountant or other solution.
You’ve got less than a month to file, so one way or another, it’s time to get to work.
