Twelve Unusual Phone Apps That Enhance My Retirement Life
I bet there’s a bunch of apps on your phone that, not only do you and I have them in common, but we access them on a regular basis. Modern life would look very different without this shared experience of geography, news, search engines, shopping, and social media. Let’s not forget the ones that have replaced a handbag full of paraphernalia: camera, post it notes, diary, maps, mp3 player, timers and yes the good old brick phone itself!
But I’ve also got loads of apps that while useful to me are a little more unusual. I’ve picked my favourite twelve to share. I’m sure that you’re not going to find that most of them are no use to you at all. But there might be just one or two that tickle your fancy. Oh and for the technical buffs out there my phone is Android and not Apple.
ACIM Now
I’ve got a few ‘A Course in Miracles’ (ACIM) apps on my phone as I study it on a daily basis but have picked just one to mention. It’s been developed by a wonderful teacher called David Hoffmeister, such a calm, joyful and enlightened man who is my spiritual crush. This is of an entirely different animal to the crush that I have on Gerard Butler.
Check out David on YouTube if you’re so inclined. He’s quite prolific. You can use the video oracle on the app to select a random one.
Couch to 5K
This is my go to running plan which I must have completed about three or four times now. My jogging regime over time has been a bit stop start mainly due to unrelated injuries and pressing commitments like upping sticks to look after elderly parents. I return to the beginning of the nine week schedule whenever I need to, sometimes just doing one of the three week’s runs until I get to one that’s a bit more tricky.
It seems impossible that in a short space of time, I’m egged on to run for a full thirty minutes but it’s entirely possible. If a fat bird approaching sixty can do this you may be able to as well. Here’s a little selfie of me in Ribena berry mode after a jog around the quay just to prove it. Just seek appropriate medical advice beforehand. Running isn’t for everyone.
The app includes the graduate version ‘Beyond Couch to 5K’ which I started last year. I liked it because the narrator, no less than Steve Cram referred to me as an athlete for the first time in my life! Now that’s progress!
Day One
I love this journaling app which is a recent edition to my phone. It’s very simple to use and meets my needs for somewhere to organise my daily ruminations and the odd picture or two.
Groutr
Here’s one that’s totally specialist but when I shared it with my friend Kay she liked it. I use it when I make a mosaic to give me an idea of what grout to use. It’s amazing what a difference a different colour between the tiles will do for a picture. There’s a nice example if you follow this link which shows you what I mean.
White grout is usually a particular no-no. It make the entire composition look washed out and horrible. In fact there’s a couple of designs in our town that have been finished in this way and I feel it’s ruined them. I have a secret urge to go out with a bag of my favourite Mapei Ultracolor Plus Anthracite and rework them when no-one’s around!
Meditation Timer
This is a lovely simple one that does what it says on the tin. I’ve set up various timers for different practices including one where the session is broken up into intervals with a bell making the end of each. I paid a small premium fee to block adverts and to thank the developer for this app that I use on a daily basis.
MarineTraffic
My brother laughed when he found out that I had this on my phone. I discovered it during the pandemic when a host of cruise liners moored up close to home. It came in jolly useful to see which ships were in the bay.
On a walk in Leigh-on-Sea we were overlooking the Thames Estuary and a container ship caught my eye. It couldn’t have failed not to as it was massive. In a flash I pressed an icon in the app and a photo of the ship came up so I could confirm it was the same one. I was able to provide my brother with details of its nationality, length and where it was heading to. It’s like marine Top Trumps! If I’d had the Premium version I’d have been able to disclose its tonnage and the date it was built. However my geekiness does have some boundaries
I’ve taken this opportunity to share my grainy shot of a ship seemingly floating in mid air about the horizon. It’s a rare phenomenon, an example of a superior mirage.
My Fitness Pal
I use the free version of this app to track my calories, exercise and weight….until that is I have a big blowout and give up again! It has the most comprehensive list of foodstuffs that you’ll find.
Search for Sites
I pay for this little beauty but it’s worth it’s weight in gold. It shows us loads of places where we can park our motorhome free or for just a few Euros or pounds in Europe or the UK. We’ve literally saved thousands of pounds in site fees. Here’s the few from the van at one of our regular Breton haunts.
Spanish Verbs
This one is an adjunct to my Duolingo learning and helps me cheat! It conjugates hundreds of Spanish verbs into their various tenses, many of which I’d probably never use, even in their English form.
Thrift+
This is my favourite online market for secondhand clothes. It has a beautifully curated selection of brands that I’d probably buy new if I was the shopping type. The postage is prompt and the items come well packaged. I always use the filter when searching so that I only see clothes that are in good or as new condition. I’ve never been disappointed with their quality.
Often Thrift+ items are heavily discounted. I’ve even bought things that were just 10% of their original price. I revamped Mum’s wardrobe the other day with items that include brands such as Joules, the White Company and FatFace. About ten items in good condition came in at just over forty pounds with postage.
Now I haven’t done this but Thrift will also recycle your pre-loved clothes. They’ll send you a yellow bag so that you can send them off. If yout items sell you can opt for a payout, a credit towards a new wardrobe or make a donation to charity. Other items are responsibly recycled or donated to charity.
TheWorkApp
I love this app from Byron Katie which allows me to explore my more gnarly thoughts. My regular readers might remember that I did this when Donald Trump won the US election. I probably use if once or twice a month when something is bothering me. More often than not it brings about a mindshift.
YouGov
I signed up to do surveys on YouGov and get an email notification that I’ve been selected to participate every week or so. Then about once a year I get a cheque for £50, not a huge sum but enough to buy myself a nice annual treat.
Disclaimer
This post contains links to companies and organisations just because I’m happy with the products or services that they supply or I’m spreading the word about what they do. There may also be affiliate links to Amazon for books and other items that I am personally recommending. If you decide to make a purchase from them, I might get a little bit of commission at no cost to you.