Must Have Apps for Moms on the Go #DataAndAMovie

I have been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and Walmart Family Mobile for this post. All opinions are mine alone. #DataAndAMovie #CollectiveBias

Sing it with me, “On the road again….oh I can’t wait to get on the road again!”

Yes, we’re at it again! We’re about to start our season of travel our family typically goes through during this time of year, and I cannot wait to get started! Travel time is usually a very exciting time in our household, but it hasn’t always been that way. 

When the girls were younger, we figured out very quickly that handing them our phones would provide several precious minutes of entertainment all in one sitting. This was a great revelation for us until we discovered that streaming one 30 minute Barney episode ate through almost our entire phone data plan for the month! Yikes!

Recently, I learned about Walmart Family Mobile and their PLUS plan that includes unlimited talk, text, and data with up to 10GB of 4G LTE service for only $49.88 per month. I was floored. 10GB of data for $49.88 a month? Sign me up right now! Then I found out, in addition to that great service plan, Walmart Family Mobile is also offering a free movie from VUDU each month you pay for your plan. 10GB of 4G LTE data and a free movie? We are a movie loving family, so this free perk is a big plus for us.So I signed up. It was the easiest sign up process I’ve ever experienced. I checked to make sure the phone I wanted (the Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime) was in stock, drove to the store, purchased a starter kit to go along with my new phone, and I was back to the rest of my day. It couldn’t have taken me more than 30 minutes. You can have the great folks at Walmart set up your account for you if you so choose, but I wanted to try the online set up at home so I could let you know how it went (hint: it was easier than applying for a bank loan!). Once I got home with my phone, I couldn’t wait to try it out. With a 5 megapixel front camera (perfect for those selfies my girls love to take) and a 1.2GHz quad core processor, I knew I was getting a great product. When traveling, a great camera is a must and processing speeds are a must for me, so I knew the Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime was the perfect phone. It was made even more perfect by the fact that I scored if for $99.00 on Rollback (originally $149.00)! I love getting a good deal on a great product.Disclaimer: All prices for phones and plans included in this post are accurate as of the date of posting; however, these prices are subject to change. Please refer to this information or your local Walmart for current pricing.

As a mom on the go, I constantly strive to find the right balance between work and play. I want to be available and “seize the moment” when it comes to blogging and social media, but I also realize the importance of being present with my family on our travels. My kids are only young once, you know? Thankfully, my service plan with Walmart Family Mobile will cover all of those needs and more! 10 GB of 4G LTE data will be such a huge help in covering all of our needs from streaming shows, to sending emails, to taking photos and even downloading useful apps we may need along the way. I’ve done a little research into which apps are the best for traveling, and I’ve made a list of my own that I think works well for moms on the go (and, as a bonus, most of these apps are free!).

HERE Maps: Offline NavigationThis app is fantastic because it not only gives you great turn-by-turn directions and satellite imagery we’ve come to expect from navigation apps, but you can also download maps for use offline. Yes, you read that right. You can use this app without using up your data. Score!

Photo DirectorI like this app because it is easy to use, and it makes my photos go from ho-hum to amazing with just a few clicks.

Google Play MusicUnlike a lot of other apps that get removed for violating copyright infringement laws, you can trust Google Play Music to be legitimate. They offer an ever-changing list of free tracks available for download, and, yes, even some major artists are included in those free downloads. Perfect for jamming out on our road trips!

Kids PlaceY’all know I had to put this one on here. This app is passcode protected fun for your kids. You can hand over your phone and they can play to their hearts content, and you never have to worry they’ll send your boss a selfie or call a random number and leave a voicemail of nothing but breathing noises because they can’t exit the app without your passcode. Thank you whoever invented this app!

Google Productivity AppsIf you have a Gmail account, which I imagine a good bit of you do, I love the way Google seamlessly allows you to move from one product to the next, all within the same account. When I’m working on the go, I can access my Gmail, open up documents in Google Drive, Google Docs, or even Google Sheets. It’s incredibly helpful to not have to open a new web browser tab every time I need to move around my account to find a document or send an email. Productivity win!

PeriscopeI’ve written about this app before, and I’ve been a little lax about it lately, but I guarantee you I’m going to be using it a bunch while I’m traveling. Periscope allows you to live stream whatever it is you’re doing, and it’s really awesome to watch “scopes” from all over the world. Be sure you’re following me so you can see what fun adventure we’re getting up to over the next few months.

This list is just a small offering of the great apps available that will help you stay connected while you’re traveling. I’d love to hear what your favorite entertainment and productivity apps are! While you’re thinking about it, I’m going to go grab my tablet and watch my free movie from VUDU before I get outvoted on what we’re going to watch! Happy travels!