I post about cool apps that I may or may not have use for (or time to use), but Splitwise is an app that definitely meets my needs – especially on my many girls trips for running and celebrations. What is it? Splitwise is a free web and mobile app for managing IOUs. You can create groups for your activities/transactions. Then anyone in the group can enter payments they’ve made ($40 for wine) or debts ($16 for gas), etc. The app keeps a running tab for your group. You can then divide it evenly among participants or split it by percentage or itemized breakdown–which is great one person drinks all of the $40 wine and another drinks none! Splitwise does the math to calculate who owes who what and can simplify your debts to minimize transactions (e.g., if Person X owes you $10 and you owe Person Y $10, X can just pay Y that $10). It connects with Paypal or you can settle the bill however you like.
Splitwise also has “Fairness” calculators for a variety of situations based on statistics (which seems awesome when sharing bills can sometimes be kind of a gray area!): Rent Calculator, Furniture Calculator (for buying and selling used furniture), Guest Calculator (for sharing costs when couch surfing!) and (my favorite) Travel Calculator for sharing travel expenses.
I prefer to have Wendy (my favorite accountant) along, but otherwise, Splitwise is a no brainer!
Daily Candy had something today that really appeals to me (but I am not sure exactly why!) Check out Instawatch by May 28th How does it work? You upload a photo from Instagram or a file and then choose from 14 band colors. For $44 you get your custom watch in less than 2 weeks. I really dig it.
“Links I Like” from TravelDudes:
I happened on this awesome travel website today called TravelDudes. It is “a community of travelers whose aim is to assist fellow travelers on their adventures around the world and help enhance their travel experience. For Travelers, By Travelers!” Not sure how they make money (it’s all free), but they ask users to share tips and experience. I found some good ones in the few minutes I spent there. Check out great tips and travel guides/recommendations by location:
> How to Have Internet Free Everywhere in Your Travels – Anyone have a 3G Kindle w/Keyboard I can borrow when we go to South Africa??
> Five Bad Travel Habits with Pre-Flight Fixes – some good ideas here especially on hydration and managing your passport!
> Things to do in Capetown! This one is good for us but there are travel tips and guides (also videos, accommodations and tours all over the world!)
Some great deals for the weekend!
Speaking of travel – here are a few great deals for travel planning: The Clymb has awesome deals on Lonely Planet travel guides or you can get 1 year of Conde Naste Travel and Bon Appetit for $1/issue ($24) plus 2 free special issue downloads!
Daily Candy Deal has a ton of good stuff at the moment!
> Check out 50 – 57% off custom made nutrition bars from Element Bars or if you are looking for something sweet, try one of the great deals from artisan marshmallow maker Sweet240. (You can trust me on this one – you won’t be sorry! Try the coffee chocolate chip or the salted caramel – to.die.for!)
> Need to go to Vegas before October 2013? Check out these smoking deals at the Signature at the MGM Grand. It is a great hotel – I have stayed there and the specials are up to 67% off!
> Have kids or kids to buy for? Check out 50% of at Blabla Kids for adorable handmade clothes and toys from Peru. If nothing else, check out their website for a smile!
> In Chicago? Check out 50 – 60% off on tango or ballet classes at Tango 21!
> You may also want to check out the Food and Wine Ultimate Holiday Giveaway (sponsored in part by Daily Candy). No purchase necessary and you could win 3 days of test kitchen tours, fine dining, and menu planning with Food & Wine editors. They fly you to NYC, put you up in a chic hotel, and send you home with KitchenAid appliances and a DailyCandy prize package.
Have you joined Lifebooker? They offer deals and online booking for great beauty and health/spa packages in cities across the US. Check out “Lifebooker Loot” for great deals–Groupon style for everything from pedicures to botox (not recommending that – just saying!). Shop now and get an additional 10% off on any WE LOVE BOOBIES LOOT for breast cancer awareness month – There are deals in Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, NYC, Philly, Phoenix, Portland, San Diego, San Fran, Seattle and DC – check it out!
SpaFinder Wellness is now offering NOW Deals on spa trips and spa goodies. Curated boxes of health and wellness products are all the rage! (My KlutchKlub box just arrived!) and NOW Deals has 50% off on one month of the new Yuzen Box. It is an impeccably-designed box containing a curated collection of eco-conscious beauty and lifestyle products. Each piece is carefully arranged in the box, and the box itself comes wrapped in a piece of artisanal Japanese Yuzen paper – is just as much a part of the anticipation of each box’s arrival as the premium-sample-sized products inside.
Speaking of curated boxes, if you sign up for NatureBox today you will be entered for a chance to win a $1,000 Lululemon gift card and receive 30 % OFF of your first order with code DAILYCANDY. NatureBox focuses on sourcing delicious, healthy snacks and sends them to you monthly. Discover what their nutritionists recommend and start enjoying better snacks. Cost is $19.95/month including shipping.
Have you tried any curated boxes? I know some friends get Birchbox and I get KlutchClub and Blissmo (Click the Blissmo link for a special deal on their awesome fair trade box from last month). Anyone else? What do you think? Worth It? Fun? a Let-down?
Have a great weekend!