These days, just about everyone is glued to their phones 24/7. But outside of answering texts and watching TikToks, your phone can actually make your life better — if you know which apps to use. You can use apps to learn a new language, track healthy habits, and even find + pay for parking before you get to your destination. The key benefits of these apps are increased convenience, efficiency, productivity, and organization in your daily life. Exploring which ones work best for your needs can make a significant difference in how you manage your time, finances, and overall well-being.

Here are some smartphone apps that will make your life easier.

1. Spothero

SpotHero is a parking reservation service that lets you find and reserve hourly, monthly, airport, and event parking at thousands of lots and garages across North America. Instant prepaid parking reservations are available in 300+ major cities in the US and Canada, and they've helped park 50 million cars since 2011.

2. Calm

Times are stressful right now, and everyone could use a little meditation. Calm offers a wide range of relaxation content, from a 30-day introductory course on meditation to five-minute lessons that can help reduce anxiety or help you go to sleep. A subscription is required. 

3. Duolingo

If you've got a few spare minutes every day, you can start learning a language. Duolingo offers courses on 19 different languages, from Irish to Welsh to Spanish, that can serve as an excellent gateway to learning how to read, write, and speak a new language.

4. Google Password Manager

Remembering all your passwords on your own is difficult—and reusing them is risky. Google Password Manager’s built-in security works in the background 24/7, so you can have peace of mind. Sign in to sites and apps on any device, without needing to remember or reuse passwords.

5. Adobe Fill & Sign

It's 2024, which means that most of us don't have printers and scanners at home anymore for handling documents that need to be signed and returned. Enter Adobe Fill & Sign, which allows users to import PDF documents and images that can be edited, signed, and saved with just a few clicks.

Smartphone apps can help you in a variety of ways to make your daily life easier and more efficient. The key is to explore the wide range of apps available and identify the ones that best address your specific needs and preferences. By leveraging the right apps, you can save time, increase productivity, improve your finances, and enhance your overall quality of life.

You Can Scan Documents with Your Smartphone Camera

Did you know that you can actually scan, edit, and share documents using just your smartphone camera? There are different ways to do this depending on whether you’re an Android or Apple user. This bonus section covers three additional ways to scan and share documents.

Adobe Scan (iOS and Android)

Adobe Scan is a mobile app that allows you to easily scan and digitize physical documents using your smartphone's camera. Your smartphone essentially becomes a portable document scanner, allowing you to capture high-quality images of physical documents, forms, receipts, notes, and more. The app automatically detects the document edges and crops the image, straightens the text, and enhances the quality for better readability.

Google Drive (Android)

The Google Drive app on Android provides a convenient way to digitize and manage your documents directly from your mobile device, without the need for a dedicated scanning app. This can be particularly useful for business users who rely on the Google suite of productivity tools.

The Notes App (iOS)

iOS devices have an integrated document scanning feature in the Notes app. Who would have guessed that?! To use it, simply open the Notes app, create a new note or open an existing one, then tap the Camera icon and select "Scan Documents". The app will then use your device's camera to capture the document, automatically detect the edges, and save it as a PDF file within the note.

Here’s a step-by-step guide from Apple.

Any apps that we missed? Send us a message and we will feature it in the next edition!