With the holidays come endless to do lists, a non-stop shopping frenzy, and not enough time to stop and enjoy the cheer. A little technology can go a long way to help stay in control and organized, save time and reduce stress. Omar Wasow is a frequent on-air technology analyst and has been featured on NBC's "Today" show, CNN's "American Morning," "Live with Regis and Kelly," and Public Radio's "Tavis Smiley Show." He is also the co-founder of BlackPlanet.com.
Wasow recently appeared on "The Martha Stewart Show" to share his tips with the nationally syndicated show's audience and here are some of his tips:
Tip #1: Make Your List, and Check Your Deals Twice
When you find yourself trying to check off all the items on holiday list, make sure you're staying within your budget and getting the best possible deal, Apps such as Red Laser and Yowza can help you get the most from your purchases. Red Laser is a barcode scanner that allows you to scan an item and instantly have access to online prices and information. You can also scan movies at the store and beam them to your TiVo, scan a book and check for online reviews, or scan a food item and add it to your grocery list. Yowza Mobile Coupons is a free app that finds deals in your geographic area from as close as within a mile of you and as far away as 15 miles. When you arrive at the store, present the coupon on your device and let them scan the barcode. No clipping and stashing coupons necessary.
Don't let your holiday shopping list overwhelm you! The Santa's list app allows you to create, store and secure your holiday shopping list with pictures right on your iPhone! Also, you can store your own personal wish list to send to your friends and family via email. This handy app will keep you organized so that you don't forget that perfect gift for your friend or family member.
Tip 2: Power Walk While You Power Shop
Burn the calories from that extra piece of pumpkin pie by exercising while shopping! Now with some practical technology, pedometers can be integrated into your holiday rush through your shoe or iPod. The new iPod Nano doubles as a pedometer by using a built in accelerometer to keep track of your steps. You can crate a daily step goal or set it to Always On so it counts all the steps you take, all the time. This means that even an extra trip to the mall can be a fun way to burn a few more calories!
The Nike + iPod combo is another simple gadget that allows your running shoes to communicate to your iPod or iPhone and track your running speed, time and distance. By putting a little transponder in your Nike+-enabled sneakers or in a small pouch on non-Nike shoes, every run can be recorded and easily uploaded to an online running log at the nikeplus.com site. At the Nike Plus site, you can set goals, compete against friends, get virtual coaching for races and push yourself to achieve personal milestones. By monitoring your progress and staying motivated, you can help beat those extra holiday pounds!
Tip #3: Stick to Your Budget to Avoid a Holiday Hangover
While you're standing in line and running from store to store, be sure to keep a bank branch in your pocket. Use a mobile banking service, such as Bank of America's mobile banking app, where you can check your balances and transactions, pay bills, transfer money, locate ATMs and more. This easy to use technology ensures your financial life fits seamlessly into your holiday rush.
And, with enhanced security features, and with no financial information ever being stored on your mobile phone, you can transact with confidence. Utilizing this convenient banking tool gives you immediate access to your finances throughout the day. And with holiday budgets top of mind, it has never been more important to have control of your money whenever, wherever you need it.
Tip #4: De-clutter Your Space to De-clutter Your Holidays
Clutter and mess around your house and in your wallet can be a recipe for unnecessary stress and cause you extra time and hassle. Don't spend another minute rummaging through holiday receipts, or trying to find a place to keep all those holiday cards. First, de-clutter by keeping all your holiday gift receipts organized and put away. The Doc Scanner app enables your iPhone camera to act like a scanner so that important documents, like receipts, can be stored in your phone or on your computer. With Doc Scanner you're also just a couple of clicks from being able to email important papers or receipts while on the go. Now, you won't ever have to search through a mess pile of papers again to find that important receipt.
Keep a record of which friends and family sent youa holiday card this year - without saving the cards! Evernote allows you to easily store and search your text, photos and audio notes. Everything you capture is automatically processed, indexed, and made searchable. If you like, you can add tags or organize notes into different notebooks. So this year, as the holiday cards pile up, take a picture and store them out of sight!
Tip #5: Skip the Line Shop Online
Make the most of your time by shifting your shopping, whether for gifts or groceries, online! Online grocery stores now offer great service, selection and time savings, especially when you're getting ready for your annual holiday party. Not only will online grocery shopping save time, it can also save money by helping you avoid impulse buys, giving you discounts as a "preferred" customer, allowing easy bulk buying and giving free shipping with larger orders.
And these days, holiday shopping discounts can be found in unexpected places - even from your bank. Bank of America, for example gives its online banking customers access to their on shopping portal, Add It Up, where online banking customers can earn up to 20 percent cash back on purchases from more than 400 online retailers. This tool allows you to take advantage of time savings, online discounts and cash back, all while shopping!
And, shoppers can take advantage of the double cash back holiday promotions and Add it up retailers such as Apple online Store, BestBuy.com, and Gap.com, among other stores.
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