When I had my other phone back in the day I had quite a few app downloaded on it and some of them I used all the time other just once in a while. Some of them I never used. Then my phone starting overheating and I’m sure part of it was from the games I had downloaded but a lot of it was the apps.
This is why even though were always eating out I never wanted to download apps to my phone because Charlie told me it wasn’t safe. Then I went ahead and added QT because I’m there everyday but I also needed a couple others like Popeye’s and Wing Stops because this is where my sister eats.
With our new series were starting today I think we just discovered another problem with this whole “Did You Know? Check the App Before You Pay Full Price!” series. How do we keep the storage on our phone from filling up.
I’m finding all these rewards programs and I’m finding apps with coupons. I’m finding free drinks and I’m finding birthday freebies. I’m finding points and special offers. And I’m sitting here thinking…
“Wait a minute. If I download all these apps, what’s going to happen to my phone?” Again because I’ve never really been one for apps because after talking to Charlie I’ve always been afraid they’re going to fill up my phone.
And that’s a problem for me because I use my phone for something much more important than just shopping. I need my storage for my blog. I take pictures. I take videos. I save things I need for Greatful Moments. And I don’t want to find myself standing somewhere trying to take a picture and have my phone tell me:
“Storage Full.” That would not make me a happy camper. Nor would it make David or Charlie happy because I would end up screaming at them. I’ve almost decided I need two phones one for games & apps and one for work. Then I’m spending money I should have to spend.
Here’s the Funny Part… I go to places like Sonic and QT all the time. In fact, I usually go to QT or Sonic pretty much every day. Sometimes we even go to both of them in one day. And I KNOW there are savings in those apps.
My best friend Debbie is always texting me: “Hey! Sonic has this in the app!” Then she’ll text me again: “Hey! Sonic has that in the app!” And now we’ve got those half-price burgers on Tuesdays where they’re encouraging you to use the app.
So yes… I KNOW I SHOULD DOWNLOAD THE APP. I know it. I understand it. I know I’m probably leaving money on the table by not using some of these programs. But there’s still that little voice in the back of my head saying: “Don’t do it. You’re going to fill up your phone.”
Now, I have a question for you. Are apps actually a good thing? Or are we going to end up with 80 million apps on our phones and no room left for anything else? The truth is, apps can take up storage, but not all apps take up huge amounts of space. And your phone gives you ways to see what’s actually using your storage.
Sometimes the biggest storage hogs aren’t the shopping apps at all. It might be pictures. It might be videos. It might be downloaded music or movies. It might be old files. Or it might be apps you downloaded three years ago and haven’t opened since.
So maybe the answer isn’t “Don’t download apps.” Maybe the answer is: Be smarter about the apps you keep. I Really Need Every Rewards App? That’s the question I’m asking myself now.
If I shop somewhere once a year, do I really need that app sitting on my phone all year? Probably not. But if I go somewhere every day? If I can save money every week? If I can earn free food or drinks? If I can get birthday rewards? If the app gives me coupons I would actually use?
Then maybe that app has earned its place on my phone. And that’s going to be my new rule: Don’t download an app just because it exists. Download it because you’re actually going to use it.
Now, let me tell you about the other two people in my house. I can download every app known to mankind onto David and Charlie’s phones. I can tell them exactly what they’re going to save. I can explain the rewards. I can show them the coupons. I can remind them that they’ve got points. And they’re probably still not going to use them.
I can practically hear them now: Charlie would be saying “Yeah, Mom. I’ll check it.” Me saying, No, you won’t. David standing behind Charlie saying I don’t know how. Yes, you do but if it isn’t a Energy drink or a Beer he isn’t going to use it.
But Charlie has actually changed his mind about one. The QT app. Now he checks it every morning before Charlie and I head to QT for our mom and son adventures to get our drinks for the day.
And I’m thinking: “YES! Finally!” If only I could get him to do that with some of the other apps. Because a penny saved may not seem like much when you’re standing at the checkout. But a penny saved here… A dollar saved there… Adds up over time. A free drink here… A coupon there… It all adds up at the end of the year.
So now I’m curious about you. Are you like me? Do you avoid downloading apps because you’re afraid they’re going to take up all your storage? Or are you the person who has a phone full of apps and somehow knows exactly where everything is?
Do you have a special way of keeping your rewards apps organized? Do you delete apps you don’t use? Do you use folders? Do you use your phone’s storage settings to clean things up? Or do you just download the app, use the coupon and forget about everything else?
And maybe most importantly… Have you ever deleted an app because you needed the storage for pictures? Because if you’ve got a good trick for keeping your phone organized without sacrificing the apps that actually save you money, I want to hear it.
As we’re going through this series, I’m realizing that we’re not just looking for ways to save money. We’re also looking for ways to make these savings programs work for us without making life harder.
So here’s what I’m thinking: Use the apps that actually save you money. Organize them so you can find them. Clean out the ones you don’t use. And before downloading another one, ask yourself: “Am I really going to use this?”
Because saving money is wonderful. But I still need room on my phone for my pictures, my videos and all the things I do for Greatful Moments. And I’m not giving those up. So yes… Apps are good.
I wish I used more of them. I know I could save money with them. But I’m still a little scared of them. And if somebody can convince me that I can have all these rewards apps AND still have room for my blog pictures…
Well, Debbie may finally stop texting me about all the Sonic deals and start texting me: “See? I told you to download the app!” STOP. CHECK. SAVE. And apparently… MANAGE YOUR STORAGE. Because we have enough problems without our phones running out of room, too.
Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed. ❤️
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
