6 Apps That Actually Improved Our Marriage:
4 min read by Megan Rea
I have such a love/frustration relationship with smartphones.
I wholeheartedly LOVE how I can avoid construction traffic, get real-time weather updates, have a Bible on me at all times and add to my Amazon cart all with a few simple swipes. And I not-so-love how when I leave my phone on the kitchen counter to go for a walk with my man, I feel secretly nervous-naked. #keepinitreal.
Who knew this little device that popped on the scene a mere 12 years ago would soon become completely indispensable to us all? And you know it’s not because they can call people. That’s the least of their functions. We now carry in our pocket the ability to connect, gain knowledge, ship food to our doorstep or do a quick IMDB search of that one actor you just can’t place.
You know the one.
And yes, smartphones need boundaries; we wrote an entire post about how to do that here. BUT here’s a mind-blowing thought: What if your smartphone could actually be an incredible tool for building your marriage?
I know. Don’t roll your eyes just yet. Believe me, I know first hand how the “mindless scroll” can be a HUGE distraction and escape from engaging with the actual humans in our lives. BUT, what if some of those tiny squares on your screen could be used as tools for connection instead of distraction?
Using our smartphones as distractions isn’t the phone’s fault. That… would be a (watch your toes..mine too!) discipline issue. Just like any other tool, we can use the apps on our smartphone for so much good. So here are a few apps we use that actually made our marriage, wait for it, improve.
Ready to use your phone to improve your relationships?
Here are 6 apps which, scouts honor, have actually improved our marriage:
1. Spotify:
We chose Spotify for 2 reasons. First, because it’s the 21st-century version of a mixtape. (We LOVE a good date night playlist. Here are 1 & 2 for you.) Second, it’s AWESOME for podcasts. Want a good marriage podcast? Chris and I recorded this one on Win Today. *Side note*: Not for little ears. 😉
2. Hoopla:
Recently, we partied like it was 1954. Yep, we got library cards. Living it large in the Rea household!
You all know it takes me FOR-EVER to get through an actual paper book. But, an audiobook? Psh, please. I’ll “read” those no problem. But up until, oh, 3 weeks ago, I was paying for all of them, like a chump. Now, however, after seeing the light that is the Hoopla app-hooks up to your library and lets you rent audiobooks, for FREE-I will never go back. The best marriage book we read last year is also on Hoopla. Listen to it! You won’t be disappointed.
Look out ya’ll I’m about to be SO educated :D. Currently reading this. Almost done. SO good!
3. Any List:
You know when you go to the store and you leave your grocery list on the fridge? Or you walk in the door with an armload of groceries only for your spouse to shoot you a look that says, “Oh, did you happen to use your telepathy to know I’m out of bodywash?”
Well, no more. Any List is a shared list app you can each add to and delete from. And I can’t even tell you how much frustration it has saved us!
4. Youversion:
Not only is this app the Bible. 😀 But it also contains SO many marriage and relationship studies! Check it out; it’s all free and can help give you the edge and insight you’ve been praying for.
5. Every Dollar:
Do you know the #1 cause of fights in marriage? Money. And the #1 cause of money fights in marriage? How it’s spent. Enter the “Every Dollar App.” Every Dollar allows you to set up a fresh budget each month on either your phone or desktop and share it with your spouse. You can then each make edits as the month progresses. For example, You budget $100 to eat out per month. The first of the month you treat yo’ self to a nice date night and spend $80. Deduct that from your ‘date night’ line item in the app. Then, on the 15th of the month, you’re planning a date night, you check your budget in Every Dollar and it shows you have $20. Next, you plan an exquisite date night….at Chipotle. Game on. Budget met. No more fights. E’rybody wins.
6. Enneaapp:
Would it really be a 2019 Blogpost if we didn’t mention the Enneagram? And more importantly, the EnneaApp?? The EnneaApp is a quick reference guide to the enneagram in your pocket. Easy to navigate, the EnneaApp will even show you how the different numbers interact with each other. We LOVE it. Want to know more about the Enneagram? Check out this post and this book.
Your smartphone. Your beloved apps. Can they distract you from your spouse? Totally. But can they also be used as a tool to deepen your relationship? Absolutely. Do you have a favorite app? One that actually helps you connect to your people on a deeper level? Let us know about it! We’re always looking to download new favorites!
Until next time,
Meg
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Me and my husband use Family Calendar. We can add to the grocery list, put my schedule, his schedule and any of the events that both of us need to attend on it. Its definitely helped in coordinating both sides of our families and prevents assumptions as to what we are doing on the weekends.
Family Calendar. Noted! That sounds very helpful Genevieve