Holiday Hacks

Did you know that a smart phone combined with a high-quality network with national coverage can simplify travel and party planning throughout the holiday season?

The holiday season brings a lot of joy but also adds to our to-do lists. My iphone 7 helps me track and complete tasks while on the go with little bit of strategy and a high-quality network. Whether you are planning a holiday party or traveling to see family, mobile devices help you stay organized and provide quick access to needed information.

Did you know that smartphone users are more likely to use mobile devices while traveling than ever before? According to a recent survey, 76 percent of people used their phone while traveling in 2015, up from 68 percent the previous year.

How you can utilize your phone’s camera to alleviate holiday stress:

Take a screenshot of directions. This is a useful tip anytime you travel. Also, once you have saved the directions, you can turn off your phone’s navigation and location services while traveling through populated areas in order to conserve the battery.

Capture a photo of where the car is parked. With crowded parking lots at airports and shopping destinations, it can be easy to forget where you parked. Snap a photo of your vehicle and nearby landmarks to serve as a handy reminder.

Scan or photograph passport, identification and itinerary. Save these images for offline access and email them to your personal account. It is always important to have an extra copy of travel documents.

Take pictures of the refrigerator and pantry before heading to the grocery store. Making a list is always helpful, but using technology to see what ingredients you already have on hand will take guesswork out of your shopping trip.

Other features on your smartphone that can help simplify the holiday season:

Charge your phone on airplane mode. As our schedules become busier, we tend to go longer between charges. Using airplane mode helps devices regain battery strength by eliminating apps or services running in the background.

Track the master to-do list in the note feature of your phone. Keeping up with a handwritten to-do list or a bunch of sticky notes is a challengeHo. If your list starts in your device, it stays with you. For Apple users, the reminder feature allows you to display both completed and outstanding tasks.

Put your phone in a cup to amplify music at a holiday gathering. The cup increases the volume from the phone’s speaker to help set the mood of any party. Cups with harder surfaces, like glass or porcelain, work best.

Use location-based reminders. It’s easy to forget a stop when juggling multiple errands. To make party planning more efficient, set location-based reminders either through the Reminders feature on iOS or Google Keep on Android. Set a notification to sound when you’re near a specific destination. That way you won’t forget to swing by the dry cleaner when at the nearby florist or stop at the party supply store when you’re down the street at the supermarket.

Thinking of getting your kids a cellphone? Here is a free Parent Child Agreement that really helps start that conversation.