I have over 100 apps on my iPhone of which I probably use less than 25 of them in any one year.  Why so many? Well, most are free.  Somehow my brain tells me I just may need that app one day and, in some cases, that is actually true.  Every year there are thousands of mobile apps being developed by companies, inventors and even teenagers that address just about anything you can think of. From video games to health care, travel, retail, leisure, banking, we all have become addicted to using our mobile devices in better managing our lives.

I recently purchased the new iPhone 13 Pro Max and decided to both organize and clean up my screen by eliminating those apps that I can’t even remember why I downloaded them in the first place.  In the process of taking on this rather dubious task, I thought it would be fun to share those mobile apps that have really made a difference in managing my life.    Here goes my top five.

Lass Pass — This app is a godsend as it keeps me from having to worry about remembering passwords. The free version allows you to only use one device as compared to also having on your laptop.  It has a vault component where you can file all kinds of data information, such as your passport, health insurance, credit cards for easy access while on the road or if they have been misplaced. Security protocols include face recognition and multifactor authentication.  Honestly, I don’t think there is a week that goes by that I don’t use this app.

Podcasts (Apple or Google) – If you love listening to stories, news, interviews when you are on the road, exercising, cooking or even cleaning your home, both these apps have an extensive database of possibilities to entertain you.  You can easily set up a library of your favorites and when you’re tired of them, they can be replaced with new ones.

Pandora and Spotify— When it comes to listening to music, both of these apps are super. My preference is Pandora, but when traveling to some countries, it is not as accessible as Spotify.  Both allow you to create your own playlists. I have at least a dozen of my favorite genres and f artists.   Ads come with the free version, but it is not overbearing.

Vivino—- OMG if you love wine, this is app worth having. How many times have you enjoyed a great bottle of wine but can’t remember the name of the wine the next day?  What if you want to know where to purchase that bottle and what it may cost? With this app, you take a photo of the bottle’s label, and it immediately does the research for you. It also allows you to create your own library and, in some cases, you can order directly from them. You can also with others sharing your favorite wines.

Dictionary — Anyone that is consistently writing needs this app to make sure one’s spellings and definitions of words are correct. I love the thesaurus section of this app, which I use extensively. It also gives you an example of how to use words in sentences. What I don’t care for are the ads which are a bit more often than I like. I just may need to upgrade.

 Let me stop here for now.  I have quite a bit of travel apps to share at another time when most of us can travel again.