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No Budget to Hire a Nerd? Try Smore.com!

In the age of Facebook and Twitter, is the good ol’ flyer a thing of the past?… If you need to get the word out about an event, you may feel inclined to type up something in Helvetica and head to the photocopier, but we have a better idea…

Smore makes creating web pages simple - no coding needed

Meet your new event coordinator— Smore

Imagine, you (yes, you!) can create a beautiful web page with no coding experience and no design chops. Whether you’re spreading the word about a book club event, a small business, a networking event or a bake sale fundraiser for your local theatre, Smore is a great way to create a compelling online flyer with all the information, share it through social media and email, and how many people it’s reaching. Creating a flyer is fun, fast and it looks so professional everyone will think you have a design nerd on staff.

Smore makes pretty web pages… no coding required

I am seriously in love with this site. I’ve been playing around with it this morning, and it is seriously simple to use – very intuitive. {And if you know me well, you know I’m NOT a techy type. Yes, I run a blog, but what I’m good at is taking pretty pictures, writing stories, and telling jokes. The tech side is more challenging to me. Which is why I LOVE that my girls at Digitwirl teach me these great tips each week. Subscribe to them. Seriously, so smart.} Anyway – the site is very easy to use, and I’m still turning my brain thinking of cool new ways to use it…

  • It’s got tons of options: Choose Event Invitation, Product to Sell, Personal Flyer for a Person, Flyer for a Business or Shop, Informational Newsletter Style, or just use the “other” if nothing really fits. Coupon or Ad Promotion, and App are coming soon too.
  • Get Inspired: Check out this sweet gallery of cool ideas and examples of what you can create with their online templates, and find inspiration for new ways to create buzz for your event or new promotion. They all use the same layout, and while they do share a similar feel – they are all able to give a totally custom feel using different photos, fonts, colors, and styles. Love it.

I’m definitely going to be using this a lot – and am SO super grateful to the ladies at Digitwirl for sharing this. The video made it SO easy to jump right in and get started. {For more tech made simple tips, services, and products – browse my board on Pinterest.}

What Ideas do You Have for Fun Ways to Use this Free Service?

Carley from DigitwirlDigitwirl is the weekly web show that offers simple solutions to modern day problems. In 3 minutes, Digitwirl brings busy women the very best time, money, and sanity-saving technology, and then teaches them how to use it, step-by-step. Digitwirl was created by technology lifestyle expert Carley Knobloch, who uses lots of technology to manage her busy life as mom of two and entrepreneur. Become a subscriber to get weekly show alerts and exclusive deals at Digitwirl.com, or follow Digitwirl on Twitter at @digitwirl.

 

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Tie Tech: The Digitwirl Father’s Day Gift Guide

Father’s Day Gift Guide – Need I even say it? Ties are so passé, it’s not even funny. Unless your dad is rooted firmly in the dark ages, chances are he’ll want a little less “tie” and a little more “high tech” this father’s day. A little clueless about what the man wants? No worries— here’s a parade of the latest and greatest dad-friendly gadgets and apps.

father's day gift guide for tech lovers

Father’s Day Gift Guide for tech lovers

You can view the slideshow over on the Digitwirl site to see ALL of the awesome picks – Father’s Day Gift Guide. But here are a few of my total favorites from their list of super cool gadgets and gear that will be perfectly suited for any dad in your life this Father’s Day. I found great gifts for my brother, my dad, Abby’s daddy, and even grandpa! I call that smart shopping – thanks Digitwirl!

  • Is it cold in here? Not anymore, thanks to the Nest Learning Thermostat. It’s easy to program, but it’s so much more— it actually learns your habits, and creates your home’s unique thermal profile that helps you save energy. Plus, it’s beautifully designed so that while dad will love it for it’s utter geekiness, full of knobs and buttons that make it intimidating. Is it cold in here? Not anymore, thanks to this sweet gadget.
  • Grillin’ Guy: If your man has a thing for setting meat on fire, the iGrill Digital Grilling Thermometer will be the way to his heart. This digital probe thermometer tracks the internal temperature of whatever you’ve got cooking and let’s your iPad or iPhone know when it’s cooked to perfection. Now you can mingle with your guests and never worry that you’re dinner’s too raw or charred beyond recognition.
  • You say Nikki Minaj. He says Nikki Sixx: You say Deadmau5, he says Doobie Brothers. Before you call the whole thing off, get a Spotify Premium Membership. Millions of tracks from all decades, available for streaming on any device. The free version is cool, but premium gets you better sound quality, no ads, and the ability to listen offline.
  • Capturing Memories: If dad’s idea of a good time involves extreme weather or extreme sports, he’ll want a camera that can keep up with his adventures without getting in the way. He can mount the ContourROAM Hands-free HD Camcorder to his helmet, handlebars or ski tips and then, with the push of a button, capture beautiful HD video from a unique first-person perspective. When he’s done being a daredevil, he can strap it to the stroller and capture your toddler eating ice cream on the way home from the parlor. Priceless.

Check out all ten great gift ideas in the slideshow on the site. And for more of the coolest Father’s Day ideas, check out my Pinterest board. You’ll find loads of “Manly” recipes featuring bacon, cheese, and beer. Super sweet crafts and gifts that kids can create for dad. And cool gift ideas that you can order online to surprise your special mister.

What are YOU getting the special dads in YOUR life this year? Share some fun ideas in the comments!

carley knoblock bioDigitwirl is the weekly web show that offers simple solutions to modern day problems. In 3 minutes, Digitwirl brings busy women the very best time, money, and sanity-saving technology, and then teaches them how to use it, step-by-step. Digitwirl was created by technology lifestyle expert Carley Knobloch, who uses lots of technology to manage her busy life as mom of two and entrepreneur. Become a subscriber to get weekly show alerts and exclusive deals at Digitwirl.com, or follow Digitwirl on Twitter at @digitwirl.

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The Secret Trick to Using your Smartphone to Stop Junk Mail

stop junk mail

“Buy, buy, says the sign in the shop window; Why, why, says the junk in the yard.” – Paul McCartney

Catalogs, phone books, postcards, coupons… when fighting the war on junk mail, one can feel a little outnumbered. Before your mailman gets all bent out of shape, let me introduce you to a deceptively pacifist app that fights the war on junk mail with a powerful punch. Paperkarma puts the power to reduce your paper junk mail in your smartphone— just download the app and in a few steps, you’ll be getting rid of the unwanted paper that inundates your mailbox.

Snap, Send, and Simplify!

How stinkin’ cool is this, right? If you’re like me, and have a bit of freebie addiction, you probably end up with tons of extra junk that you just don’t want! I mean, I love getting one of those great beauty bags from Target, stuff with make-up samples. But I DON’T like getting a million ads for sales at stores I don’t even shop at. I have never seen an easier way to stop my junk mail than this sweet app!

Tell me – Are you excited to grab this app today too?

Find more Smart Solution tips for busy moms on my Pinterest page!

Digitwirl is the weekly web show that offers simple solutions to modern day problems. In 3 minutes, Digitwirl brings busy women the very best time, money, and sanity-saving technology, and then teaches them how to use it, step-by-step. Digitwirl was created by technology lifestyle expert Carley Knobloch, who uses lots of technology to manage her busy life as mom of two and entrepreneur. Become a subscriber to get weekly show alerts and exclusive deals at Digitwirl.com, or follow Digitwirl on Twitter at @digitwirl.

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A credit card with training wheels

teaching kids about money

Helping Guide Your Kids to Financial Independence

Does your daughter ever look at you less like her M.O.M. and more like her A.T.M.? If it seems like every time you turn around you’re reaching into your wallet to give your kid a little cash then the Bill My Parents SpendSmart card is the perfect solution. It’s basically a pre-paid debit card that also works at ATMs and lets you fund it the from your credit card or bank account. You can add money in on a weekly or monthly basis, or just as needed for her desperate quest for the perfect pair of jeans. You get notified when purchases are made and, because it’s a debit card she can’t spend more than she has, which not only teaches her to make better financial decisions, but also doesn’t risk her credit rating.

Easy Peasy for them – Safe for you

It’s taken everywhere Mastercard is accepted and there is a nominal monthly, reload and ATM fee. Best of all, if it ever gets stolen or you see that she’s shopping like a Kardashian you can shut down that card faster than you can say, “OMG!”

So teach your kids how to spend responsibly and keep them out of your wallet.

What do you think?

Ok – Confession time. When I was in high school, I didn’t always spend the money that my parents gave me the way that they had intended it to be used. They’d give me lunch money for the week… I’d eat a granola bar instead, and save it for the weekend to go out with my friends. And I was a GOOD kid, lol. Imagine what the bad kids are saving up their money for, right? That’s what makes this such an awesome tool for parents – it gives you a way to monitor what your kids are up to, and where they’re spending their money – without getting too nosy.

More Great Ways to Use a PrePaid Card for Kids

This would be so helpful for tons of other situations too – Babysitters, the kid who mows your lawn, giving a tip to your paper boy/girl… You’d just give them a card, and auto-load it with payment instead of always trying to remember to have cash on hand. If you’ve used this, leave a comment and let me know what you think, and how it worked for you! And for more great tips – Follow my Smart Solutions and Tech Made Simple boards on Pinterest too!

Digitwirl.com Rocks!

Digitwirl is the weekly web show that offers simple solutions to modern day problems. In 3 minutes, Digitwirl brings busy women the very best time, money, and sanity-saving technology, and then teaches them how to use it, step-by-step. Digitwirl was created by technology lifestyle expert Carley Knobloch, who uses lots of technology to manage her busy life as mom of two and entrepreneur. Become a subscriber to get weekly show alerts and exclusive deals at Digitwirl.com, or follow Digitwirl on Twitter at @digitwirl.

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Smart Solution: Seriously Simple Shared Schedules

Is the Mister going to be home for dinner? Does that business meeting conflict with basketball practice? Game night, girl’s night, date night… keeping everyone’s schedules straight in my work and family life is a herculean effort. To manage everyone’s coming and going, I need something more than just a place to jot things down (sorry, paper calendar). What I need is a system that truly supports me and helps me get through my day, one commitment at a time.

Google Calendar

That’s why I can’t live without Google Calendar. Let me count the ways I love it: I can use it anywhere (so every device I have gets me where I’m going), it’s easy to share schedules, so I can coordinate efforts with co-workers and significant others, aaaand it’s free.

Watch this week’s Twirl to learn to see why gCal and I have a standing appointment….

Um, can you say life changing??

Ok, maybe that sounds dramatic. But for me – it’s true. Let me tell you a little story about how I found out about Google Calendar…. I have an incredibly packed full calendar. Between my family, freelance work, my Examiner column, and work for this site – there are a lot of deadlines, appointments, and commitments to keep track of. I was struggling to keep it all straight – and had asked around for suggestions. Google Calendar sounded like the best fit for me, so one night I open it up, and add a couple of things to it to see how it worked. Seemed cool, figured I’d mess around with it later the next day, when I had some free time.

Technology is Freaky Smart

The next morning, an alarm went off on my iPhone, reminding me of a conference call I had in an hour. Whaaaat the? I did NOT add an alarm for that??!! Then I realized, I had put that on the gCal. How the heck did it sync itself to my phone? I have no idea. Seriously, I’m tech challenged like that. {Which is why the tips from Digitwirl are so perfect for me} – but now, I’ve been sloooowly learning how it all works, and I can’t believe how much more organized I am!

Are you a gCal girl?

I can’t wait until Digitwirl shares some user tips about gCal, to help me learn all of the cool tools better. Do you use it too? If you’ve got questions – Head over to their Facebook wall to post ’em up! They are SO great at helping me whenever I need a great product suggestion, or when I need help figuring something out. These ladies are total genius rockstars, no lie. Check them out – Digitwirl on Facebook.

Find more Smart Solutions for Busy Moms, and Tech Tips Made Simple on Pinterest!

Digitwirl.com, Carley KnoblochDigitwirl is the weekly web show that offers simple solutions to modern day problems. In 3 minutes, Digitwirl brings busy women the very best time, money, and sanity-saving technology, and then teaches them how to use it, step-by-step. Digitwirl was created by technology lifestyle expert Carley Knobloch, who uses lots of technology to manage her busy life as mom of two and entrepreneur. Become a subscriber to get weekly show alerts and exclusive deals at Digitwirl.com, or follow Digitwirl on Twitter at @digitwirl.

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Use This Tool to Never Wait on Hold Again! #Digitwirl

Digitwirl, Never wait on hold, tech made simple

“I try to take one day at a time,  but sometimes several days attack me at once.” – Jennifer Unlimited

We’re all super busy moms, right? Which is why you read this site, for new Busy Mom Solutions each day! I know that one of my biggest pet peeves ever is having to wait on hold – There I am, kids running around wild, someone asking for a snack, diapers needing changed, and dishes needing washing – trying to hold a phone to my ear for 15 minutes, waiting for someone to get on the line! Ack – Super frustration! But, you’re in luck – Digitwirl has a great new video to save the day! Read more about this new app that can save you loads of time….

This Week’s Twirl – Fast Customer!

Calling customer service usually involves a kink in my shoulder, bad jazz flute music, and lots of waiting. I’ve decided that I’ve got better things to do, and thankfully, so has Fast Customer.  This brilliant app (available for iOS and Android), lets you choose from a list of over 3,000 customer service numbers.  Find the company you want to speak to, and request a callback with one button— then put your phone down and get on with your day… Fast Customer calls you back when there’s a real live human on the line.  If you like being reminded that “your call is important to us,” and being asked to “press 1 for english,” then you won’t like this app.  For the rest of you… it’s the ultimate time-saver.

What do you think?

Um, pretty amazing, right? This app helps make your smart phone even smarter, and definitely is a must-have tool for busy moms everywhere! I’m always on the look out for tips, products, sites, and services that can help me simplify my busy life, manage my mom life more efficiently, and have time for a little bit more fun – And Smart Customer is a perfect addition to my day. If you’re using it – Leave a comment and let me know what you think of it! And be sure to share any other favorite tools too, so we can all check out your best tips!

Find more great ideas on my Tech Made Simple and Smart Solutions boards on Pinterest!

Digitwirl.com – Perfect for Busy Moms like Us!

Carley KnoblochDigitwirl is the weekly web show that offers simple solutions to modern day problems. In 3 minutes, Digitwirl brings busy women the very best time, money, and sanity-saving technology, and then teaches them how to use it, step-by-step. Digitwirl was created by technology lifestyle expert Carley Knobloch, who uses lots of technology to manage her busy life as mom of two and entrepreneur. Become a subscriber to get weekly show alerts and exclusive deals at Digitwirl.com, or follow Digitwirl on Twitter at @digitwirl.

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Busy Mom Solution: Forgot to Get a Gift? Fix it in Seconds!

Gift Cards sent digitally

No matter how organized you may be, everyone’s had that “Whoops! I forgot to get my (fill-in-the-blank) a gift!” Whether it’s the holidays, someone’s birthday or a baby shower, no one likes being empty handed and under the gun.

Giftzip.com

Which is why we suggest Giftzip.com–a site that features hundreds of e-gift cards from Amazon to Zappos. Select the card and then Giftzip zips you right to the gift card section of that merchant’s website where you choose the amount and delivery method.

A super helpful app!

And speaking of cards, it doesn’t get easier than the RedStamp app. Free customized e-cards for every occasion that you can send straight from your iPhone, iTouch or iPad via email, text, or even high-quality postcards.

Check out this Twirl to see how quick and easy sending last-minute gifts can be…..

What do you think?

I signed up for this app before I was even done watching the video, lol. Totally amazing, and oh-so-super helpful! There are SO many times that I’ve forgotten a friends birthday until I see it in my Facebook reminders – {oops!!} – But with this totally user-friendly and very fun app, I can “send” them a personalized card instantly, and they’re so cool, no one will ever have to know I forgot. {You won’t tell, right?} And how amazing is the ability to send out a gift card directly to the recipients cell phone? Now that is a great way to surprise the hard-to-impress teens in your life. As busy moms, it can be tough juggling all of the demands of your hectic days – which means birthdays, anniversaries, and other special events can slip your mind. Thank goodness the totally awesome ladies at Digitwirl are here to bring you new tips each week that seriously save the day!

Digitwirl is the weekly web show that offers simple solutions to modern day problems. In 3 minutes, Digitwirl brings busy women the very best time, money, and sanity-saving technology, and then teaches them how to use it, step-by-step. Digitwirl was created by technology lifestyle expert Carley Knobloch, who uses lots of technology to manage her busy life as mom of two and entrepreneur.

Become a subscriber to get weekly show alerts and exclusive deals at Digitwirl.com, or follow Digitwirl on Twitter at @digitwirl.

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