Imagine this: A regular tool belt wrapped around a single special needs mom. In this belt there will not be the usual tools of such a belt but the tools necessary to make life simple, safe and positive for the wearer and her children. One of these tools is technology. As a single mom, technology is our greatest friend. Timers, iPads, iPhones etc. Both for our usage and for the usage of our children. Especially single needs moms. Whether to educate our children or even ourselves, not to mention help us out in our new lives, it works and it helps.
Just before the summer, I added a new title to my forte- Single Special Needs Mom. It has been a trying experience already but I am stronger for it. With this column I hope to strengthen other single needs single moms because let us face it, married or single, most special needs mom at one time or another or 24/7 feel single. So let’s get down to what we should have at the ready.
Today, we are going to look at the iPhone-particularly apps. “There’s an app for that,” will be a quote you will use quite a bit during your new life and with that you should take a sigh of relief. These are the following apps that I downloaded almost immediately:
MINT– Personal Finance and Budgeting
Let’s be honest. Alimony and Child Support is not immediate, nor a viable option to finance your life. Your husband could lose their job, quit their job, disappear, go to jail the list is endless. There’s a reason “single” is in our new name. We are singly responsible for our lives and the lives of our children. MINT therefore needs to be our newest partner.
MINT allows you to see on one screen all of your financial agendas. Money in, money out and money left. They track your spending and send you alerts on how much you have spent, earned and transaction alerts and gives you a weekly summary that will allow you to figure out your budget. They also give you small and large transaction alerts they hadn’t seen yet from you.
I use this to budget and I even go on the app to ask the “Can I afford this?” question wherever I am. It helps keep the financial sweat off. A great ally for your new fiscal future—which if you haven’t figured out is now in your hands only.
FREE STUFF FINDER: Discounts and deals
It sounds rinky-dinky but honestly it is a great app. This app allows you to have a tracker for amazing discounts or free items and coupons. If you have an iPhone allow it to alert you. Trust me you will see the payback in stride. I have gotten groceries, stuff for my son, and even self care items for me for amazing discounts. You have to take a few extra steps at times but thanks to COVID things like in-store pickup and delivery is available.
STASH – Easy Beginner Stock Investing
Imagine this: You walk into a Starbucks and get your child or children a treat. Walking out, you not only have said treat and a receipt but also a little stock in the company. Sound amazing? Then download this app. Every time you use your card from this company, you walk out with stock in the company. This not only gives you some financial assistance, it is an asset for the future. A few tips: Go on the app to pick what type of stocks you want them to buy for you and know this isn’t going to make you rich on its own but it will help you have some financial backbone.
A GOOD COPARENTING APP
I decided to keep this item open because frankly marriage is different, and every divorce is different not to mention the needs of the divorcing couple. For instance, I do not need a calendar for mine because my son’s schedule is majorly my responsibility and the visitation consistent, communication however is a need of mine. Therefore, texting and emailing is enough for me. However, 50/50 parents and parents that have a more fluid custody agreement may need more. Nonetheless, while the mom factor of you should get apps, so should the co-parent.
EVERY SHOPPING-RELATED COMPANY YOU ARE SUBSCRIBED TO
Shipt, Stop and Shop, Amazon etc. Apps for the shopping provider you use needs to be a click away. This is an app you need in your phone. Think of it as an app for outsourcing the crazy shopping trips you know you dread. Not only will they save you sanity but the greatest thing about these apps is they remember the previous shopping trips and that delivery is at the ready. I have all of the ones in a folder at the ready for me, including Thrive Market which I would greatly suggest especially for special needs moms. Think of it as Amazon for healthy foods.
When you think of these apps, use the tool belt visual. It will help you both pick and choose as well as use the apps for the best of your life. This is a tip of the iceberg but I think it’s offerings will give you the perspectives of what needs you have as a special needs single mom: Financial, Personal, Convenience, and Communication. If neither of these fits, I urge you to search related apps because while it’s not the best tool for you…it could be the start of your relationship with the most lucrative one for you.
Heather is a politico turned special needs single mom who just started journaling her path for other single mom’s. She lives in nyc with the greatest kid ever.
