Smart Solutions for Busy Moms!
“If you see something that moves you, and then snap it, you keep a moment.” – Linda McCartney… Spring is so full of things that need to be photographed… The garden is in bloom. There are events like graduation, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Memorial Day, and more. You’re on the go, it’s a season of change, it’s a time full of moments to capture. And that means you need something a little better than just your smartphone to photograph all of those amazing memories.
Want to stop wasting money on cell phone service?… We all love our smartphones. I couldn’t LIVE without my new Windows phone – I use it to make lists, build my calendar, give the kids games to play while waiting in line at the grocery store, keep up with friends, check email – almost every part of my day is connected to that phone. And, one of my favorite things about my Windows phone is the way that I can personalize and customize it EXACTLY the way I want it. So it makes sense that I would want a cell phone service that lets me do the same thing, right? I don’t want to pay for extra services that I don’t need – what a waste!
Do you ever catch yourself saying things that totally make you feel old? Things like – “When I was a kid, we had an Atari and that was it!” – in response to the kids asking for the latest gaming console. Or, “A cell phone at 7? Did you know that when I was in high school we didn’t even have cell phones? We had pagers??” What’s a pager, Auntie Meagan? “Well, you’d use a payphone to page someone and enter the number where you were at and…” – Um, what’s a pay phone Auntie Meagan? Yep, times they are a’ changin’. {Sigh.} Now, even toddlers know how to use things like apps and tablets. So, how does an old-school mom adjust, and make sure that the tech her kids use are age appropriate and safe?
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Is online college the right path for you?… Let me tell you a little about my experience getting my degree online, why online college is a perfect fit for busy moms, and how to figure it all out: What to study, how to pay for it, and what to do with that online degree once you get it. Keep reading to learn what it’s all about…
“The phrase “working mother” is redundant.” – Jane Sellman… That is one of my all-time favorite quotes, and pretty much sums up motherhood for me. Every mom is a “working” mom, whether she works in a traditional job outside the home, is an independent freelancer like me working inside the home, or works as the CEO of her household. {Want to hear what other moms think about the job of motherhood? Comment on the Facebook thread.}
We all know that the key to managing the chaos that is motherhood is to simplify life as much as possible, right? Things like meal planning, weekly chore lists, and some really good daily routines can make a huge difference in how productive you are each day – and how stressed you are at the end of each day. So, to keep all those million pieces of your life organized, why not use your smartphone as that one central hub? A place where you can access everything you need at a glance? It’s the one gadget that is at your fingertips pretty much all day long – to it’s time to make it truly work for you.
Right now you might be thinking… “Yeah right. I already have a {whichever iPhone or Android you’re currently using} phone and love it. I totally do NOT need to switch.” And I’ll admit that’s what I thought at first. I have been an iPhone girl for years, and absolutely loved it. No complaints, at all. And, like I mentioned when I switched to the new Windows 8 laptop last month, I don’t like learning new technology. But. I can honestly say that now that I’ve used it, Windows 8 – on my laptop, but especially on my new Nokia Lumia 920 – rocks my socks. What I love most is how, like the video shows, you can seriously customize your phone to be the exact type of gadget you need to guide you through your busy days. As you can see in the video – whether you’re a texter, power-app user, music-lover, social butterfly, book worm or sports nut – you can create the system on this phone that is perfect for YOU. And what could be better to help manage your busy days than that??
Like I mentioned above – every Windows phone is one of a kind. Sure – they might be the same coming out of the box, but unlike other smartphones, you totally make them your own. To see some examples of how different they can be after setting up your own start screen, check out how Gwen Stefani is able to make her Windows phone her own, and see how Kerri Lee Walsh uses her Windows phone to keep track of what’s important to her while winning Gold Medals. And…. Check out my own start screen in the photo above! Here are the things that I love most:
So… What could you do with YOUR Windows phone? Leave me a comment below telling me what your favorite features are if you have one already – or let me know what makes you excited to switch. And make sure to follow #MeetYours on Twitter to learn more – and share your own photos of your Windows phone!
Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Windows Phone.
Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Windows Phone.
“Those parts of the system that you can hit with a hammer are called hardware; those program instructions that you can only curse at are called software.” – from Levitating Trains and Kamikaze Genes: Technological Literacy for the Future
Obviously, since I work online all day, having a computer that is working as fast and efficiently as possible is an absolute must for me. But even if all you use yours for is stalking ex boyfriends on Facebook – err, I mean, seeing what old high school friends are up to these days – or doing tasks like paying bills, emailing friends, or saving photos – you still want to make sure you’re keeping your tech investment free from viruses, and that’s it’s reliable when you need it. Getting rid of a virus, cleaning up outdated files, doing updates – that stuff can be confusing, time consuming, and often times a big hassle. So what’s a busy momma to do? Well, if you want to simplify all of that stuff, and have your own personal geek on hand, 24 hours a day, in case of an emergency, then what you do is turn to the Geek Squad, at Best Buy!
Deep thought….”How much net work could a network work, if a network could net work?” – Unknown, but funny.
So what is this whole Geek Squad thing all about? Well, while you can use these amazing geniuses at Best Buy at any time for help with a ton of different things, what I’m recommending is the Geek Squad Tech Support Membership. It’s $199 for a year – and yes, I know that might feel a little spendy all at once. But how much would you spend to get your computer fixed if something crashes? What would you spend if you got a virus that you couldn’t remove? {$199 at Best Buy, without this service.} And what’s it worth to you to have someone available to upgrade, update, secure, and clean up your computer when it gets slow and glitchy? {AND – you get this service on up to 3 computers, for the one low price.} The computers do NOT have to be purchased at Best Buy to be able to get this service, but if you are thinking of buying a new computer at Best Buy – you can add on the Geek Squad service for only $99! Now, let me show you more about why it is SO worth it….
As you can see – there are TONS of options for what Geek Squad can do for you. It’s so easy to get started – you can read about my very first time using them, when I had them do a basic clean up of my computer. My laptop is pretty new, and I didn’t have any issues with it, but since I had gotten a subscription to the Geek Squad tech support as part of my Best Buy Blogging Ambassadorship, I wanted to see how it all worked. I was AMAZED at how much faster my computer was after the agent cleaned it all up for me!! And I was hooked. So this month, we had them do the same thing to Mike’s computer – {remember I said that one subscription is good on up to three computers?} Want to know what they did for him?
“If at first you don’t succeed; call it version 1.0” – Unknown, but again, super funny…
First of all – Mike’s desktop computer is oooooold. I mean, he’s old too {he turns 36 in a few weeks, and I keep reminding him that that’s almost 40, lol. He hates it. But I’m only 32, which is like, barely 30. So I win…} – and it’s been through a lot, so it’s kind of beat up. But he relies on his almost as much as I do, since he runs a vinyl cutting business on the side {shameless plug – find him at Taboo Designs.} He was pretty skeptical that Geek Squad could really do much for his old beast – But I knew it would amaze him. So, we logged in online, quickly set up a session with an agent – and they took remote control of his computer and got to work for a couple of hours. After we’d used the indoor grill to make dinner, eaten, and then cleaned up – he went back to see what they’d done. He read the messages they left him, and was impressed that they’d found so many things to fix up. Then – the moment of truth… He surfed the web a bit, tried out a few of his programs, printed a few docs, and saved a couple of files. Then – {this is the best part!} – he sheepishly turned to me, and said it was like using a whole new computer.
Ahhhh…. I SO love being right.
{Disclaimer: I received a complimentary one year subscription to Geek Squad. But, this in no way sways my opinion – you ladies know I’m not influenced by free swag! Lol. I honestly love this, and know you will too! Photo credit: Paul Worthington via photopin cc.}
I’ve lost many things over the past year. My patience. My sanity {I’m a work at home mom, with a 2 year old home with me. Eek!} My temper. But one thing that I have NOT lost, is the rest of this baby weight. {Can I still call it baby weight, if she’s now a toddler?} If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you might remember my Nutrisystem diet challenge in early 2012 – I lost over 20 pounds, in just 3 months. I was super excited about that. But over the past few months, with the gloriousness of holiday food, I’ve gained 10 pounds. So, I’ve committed myself to losing it again – My goal is to lose 30 pounds by my birthday in May. We have a pool, and this year I don’t want to hide under a tee shirt all summer! Keep reading to learn about the tools, resources, and motivation I’m using to stay on track….
"The phrase "working mother" is redundant." I'm Meagan - a Momma, a Blogger, a Freelance Writer, and a total Social Media Junkie. I love sparkles and … [Read More...]
