I'm a sucker for new and upcoming technologies, and this past year has brought many to the public eye. From saving money to getting around or finding a place to stay, check out these apps that are changing the game.
1. Uber
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If you live in or near a city, you know what Uber is affordable, fast transportation at your fingertips. Since being in college, I can’t imagine life without it. Not once has there been an assigned designated driver when going out to a party, not once have I struggled to find parking downtown. Uber takes you to the airport, to the mall, or to the bar, and some people even use it to go to the grocery store. Fare split allows you to split the cost with your friends, so it may only cost you two to three dollars and it goes directly on your debit or credit card. If you don’t use it, you’re missing out. Download it to see if it’s available In your area.
2. Venmo
I don’t know about you, but I never carry cash. So when I need to pay a friend back for food, gas, or an uber because we forgot to fare-split, I just send them the amount I owe right on the app, and it goes from my bank account to theirs... that simple. Everyone should be using this.
3. Qapital
Qapital isn’t that popular... yet. I discovered it a couple of weeks ago, and I think it’s awesome. Qapital links to your bank account and allows you to set “rules” for saving money. For example, any purchase I make I set Qapital to round up to the nearest $2. So every day there is anywhere from 30 cents to $1.10 going into a savings account through Qapital. I also have a “guilty pleasure” rule... anytime I buy Starbucks, Qapital takes $5 from my account. This is a nice way to stop yourself from buying things you may not need, but if you do, you’re saving money too! You can set each rule to go towards a goal like “Student loans” or “Spring break” and although you may not notice a big difference in your bank account, you will slowly see savings rolling in.
4. Voxer
My dad and his friends love this app. I temporarily used it in high school, and I miss it dearly. Voxer is like a portable walkie talkie, so while it simplifies communication, it’s also a fun way to talk to your friends. It’s like being on the phone, but the messages are only live if you’re on the app. Otherwise, you can listen to it later like you would open a text after you receive it. It makes communicating faster and simpler to just get your words across. Plus, you can have group messages which are pretty fun with a group of friends who can’t be together to talk in person.
5. Airbnb
So, technically, Airbnb is a website with an app feature, but it’s 100 percent worth sharing. Airbnb is a vacation rental service where people from all over the world rent either rooms in their home or their entire space for way cheaper than a hotel, with way better locations! From flats in Paris with a 360 degree view to log cabins in the mountains of Colorado, anywhere you want to go, there’s an Airbnb. Since a local owns it, you get a sense of the place you are visiting a bit deeper, through their recommendations, decor, and a sense of their lifestyle, than if you were staying in a hotel. I've personally used Airbnb all over the world, and it has never failed to make a trip just a tad bit more special.
Well, there you have it! I can't wait to see how these apps evolve and what future apps will be invented! Adventure on.
