What type of Christmas shopper are you? Is it seriously last minute or did it all end in August? Are you the primary buyer or is it someone else's domain? Don't tell my kids, but to my shame, there are some Christmas days when I had no idea what 'Santa' brought until all the presents were unwrapped. Suffice it to say that my wife covers this responsibility for both of us!
Home Screen Heroes
This is part of a regular series of articles exploring the apps we couldn't live without. Read them all here.
Despite my wife's incredible hard work, there are still some people I have to buy from and each year it doesn't seem to get any easier. Not only do I find it difficult to know who I've already purchased for, but when I think about what to get them, for some reason my brain mysteriously goes blank.
If only there was an app with dedicated tools to track gift purchases and suggest gift ideas to purchase. Oh wait, turns out there are dozens of them, but one of the best ones I've found is the Christmas Gift List Tracker by LW brands. It's an easy-to-use app that helps you organize your Christmas lists and keep track of how much you're spending. The app focuses on three main features:
- Gift Tracking
- Budget tools.
- Share and sync lists
With these simple tools, anyone can take charge of gift shopping this Christmas.
The first and most important part of the app is the gift tracking feature. The process begins by adding a set of recipients to whom you will then assign gifts. Adding these recipients is as simple as typing their names, with the advantage of being able to return at any time to add or delete names. It couldn't be simpler.
Once recipients are established, the next step is to add gifts for each person. Initially, I thought this would be as basic as adding text elements under each name, but in reality, this app offers many more features. After adding the name of the gift, it is also possible to add the price of the gift, the condition of the gift, a web address and a photo. Very useful.
Status options for each gift entry include idea, purchased, received, and wrapped. Keeping the status of each gift updated helps you quickly see what stage you are at and what you have left to do. If you're ever unsure of what to buy someone, you can also use the app's gift ideas feature which offers suggestions on what to buy.
Additionally, you can copy a gift and paste it somewhere else or change the recipient of any gift you've already created. This is perfect for those moments when you suddenly realize that a gift you bought would be better suited for someone else.
We all know what it's like to overspend at Christmas. Sticking to a budget when shopping for our loved ones is not easy, but it is much more feasible with this application. The best advantage of the app is that it helps you keep track of what you have already spent and how much you have left. There's even a convenient budget bar so you can easily see what you're spending.
The free option for Christmas Gift List Tracker offers the ability to add unlimited gifts and recipients. It is also possible to protect, budget and archive your list. These features are more than enough for the average user, but if you want to remove ads, create collaborative lists, and sync lists between devices, you'll need to purchase the Pro version. Don't panic, though; It costs just $2.99 / £2.99 per year and if you're not sure if it's worth it, you can always try their 3-day free trial.
The Christmas Gift List Tracker keeps me more organized than ever this Christmas. If you want to spend less time buying gifts for your loved ones and more time being present with them, I suggest you download this app.
Download Christmas Gift List Tracker App on iOS either Android.