Planning to make a New Year’s resolution or two to make 2014 a little better than 2013? We took a look at some of the most popular resolutions and then went on the hunt for the best apps to help turn those resolutions into reality.
Ready to get started bringing your resolutions to life? Here are the best apps to help you along the way.
If you resolved to save more or spend less: Mint
You don’t have to know a lot about personal finance to get yours under control with Mint. All you have to do is connect Mint to your financial accounts — don’t worry, Mint is verified to be secure by TRUSTe and VeriSign — and then Mint will analyze your spending to help you set a budget, remind you of due dates and suggest ways you can save more.
Mint does all the heavy lifting for you, so meeting your goals may be as easy as paying attention to its easy-to-read reports, charts and reminders. The way Mint visualizes your spending data makes it easy to get a handle on what you’re spending, so you can cut back and put more into your savings account each month.
Price: Free on the web, iTunes, and Google Play
If you resolved to get fit: DailyBurn
Sure, a gym membership might help you get fit — but making time to get to the gym can be tough, so your get-fit resolution could be abandoned before spring. This year, try a different route with DailyBurn, which offers a wide variety of workout routines in video format available on your computer, iPhone, Android or even a television with Roku, Apple TV or other smart TV devices.
The big benefit of DailyBurn is its variety, with workouts that range from 15 minutes to an hour long covering activities from dance to kettlebell to intense cardio. You’ll never be bored. And you never need to spend time hunting for a workout, either; DailyBurn helps you pick the right workout program and then automatically queues up the next video whenever you log in (though you can try something new whenever you want).
Price: Free 30-day trial; $10 per month or $90 per year on the web, at iTunes or Google Play
If you resolved to lose weight: Lose It!
Beyond exercise, one of the big challenges of losing weight is keeping track of your eating habits — so why not make use of the smartphone you already carry with you every day? Lose It! makes it easy to create your customized weight loss plan by helping you set goals, plan a calorie budget and track your progress. Then stay motivated by connecting with friends or join a public weight-loss or wellness challenge.
The app has a food database that makes recording what you’ve eaten as easy as clicking on item in the database or scanning the barcode on a package. And it works with other workout and fitness apps to track your complete health progress, beyond counting calories.
Price: Free on the web, iTunes, Google Play, or $40 per year (more detailed tracking and information) for a premium membership
If you resolved to quit smoking: QuitNow!
If you’ve finally decided it’s time to quit smoking, congratulations! But when it comes to quitting and staying away from cigarettes, you may want a helping hand in the form of QuitNow!.
The app will keep track of the time since your last cigarette, the number of cigarettes you’ve avoided, the money you’ve saved and the time you’ve saved on smoke breaks since giving up your smoking habit. As you progress, QuitNow! lets you know the health benefits you’re getting by cutting smoking out of your life. And you can share your progress with friends or chat with other quitters.
Price: Free at iTunes, Google Play; or $5 (no ads, more health information) at iTunes or $6 at Google Play
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