money management Archives

A complete guide to the best apps for college students leaving home, to help them navigate life (sniff) on their own.

by Lisa Barnes | Back to School Tech, Best Apps, Kids, Tips and Tricks

We thought it would be a smart idea to put together the best apps for college students, and especially college freshmen. After all, when parents send our kids off to college — whether close to home or across the country — you really want them equipped with...

3 apps that help you manage your subscriptions, even the ones you didn’t know you had

by Caroline Siegrist | Best Apps

Like a lot of you, I’m looking to get a tighter rein on my budget in 2021. First up: subscriptions. If you’re like me, you’ve got a lot of them, some of which I didn’t even know I still had. Thankfully, there are apps that can help you manage...

Our Alexa organization series: The best Alexa finance skills

by Kate Etue | Best Apps, Tips and Tricks

Next up in our Alexa Organization Series, we’re sharing some of our favorite Alexa finance skills to help you keep your family budget it check. Whether you want to track your investments or keep up with your spending, even pay you bills, here are 4 finance...

7 free budget apps to keep your family (and your money) on track in 2018.

by Ellyn Exley Dvorkin | Best Apps

Whether you’ve decided to start a budget (or stick to one) as your New Year’s Resolution, or you’re just trying to get your finances in order, here are 7 free family budgeting apps that could help. You might be surprised at how much they could really...

4 Google Chrome extensions that help you save money on your holiday shopping. So, sure, go ahead and get the new boots too.

by Kate Etue | Best Apps

If you’re trying to save some money this holiday season, you don’t necessarily have to nix your coffee spending or skip that new pair of shoes. Here are 4 great Google Chrome extensions that help you save money while you’re shopping online. And the...

CardBlanc: A mobile shopping app and payment system that teens will love

by Jeana | Best Apps

With Apple Pay now available, we are avidly watching to see how it will take off as people get more used to ditching their wallets and using their phones to pay for purchases. But for those of you not about to lay down the cash for a shiny new iPhone 6, there are apps...

How to manage donations to your kids’ classroom more easily. Because parents are busy people.

by Kate Etue | Websites We Love

More and more classrooms are going digital with volunteer signups these days, which means room parents get to avoid the hassle of collecting rounds of paperwork from all the students in their class. Not to mention the environmental impact of saving all that paper....

Saving money shopping online at today’s big sales? Don’t mind if we do.

by Kristen Chase | Best Apps

We’ve learned over our years of online shopping that the number one rule is never hit “buy” without first searching for a discount code. Even if the item is already on sale, let’s say today, for Labor Day. And while there are a number of great...

9 of the easiest steps towards more sustainable living, thanks to tech

by Cool Mom Staff | Tips and Tricks

As fans of the planet–and yeah, humanity in general–we’re always looking for ways to live more sustainably and to help our kids be more aware of it too. And as we’ve all discovered over the years, it doesn’t have to be about massive life...

Flipp app: A money saving shopping app, no strings attached.

by Jeana | Best Apps

I have mentioned my penchant for frugality and the rush I get when I snag a good deal. (Yes, I said rush). Which is why a neat money-saving shopping app called Flipp will most definitely be on my phone come back-to-school shopping season, which scarily enough, is just...

Hi! We’re Kristen + Liz

Kristen Chase + Liz Gumbinner of Cool Mom Picks

We started Cool Mom Tech in 2010 to help make our increasingly digital lives easier, more organized, more meaningful, and more fun, however old your kids may be.

We love that it's grown to become the go-to source for millions of parents who want commonsense info about tech delivered with a smile.

We even have the privilege of sharing our tips + tricks with The TODAY Show, CNN, HLN, GMA, Nightline, newspapers and magazines around the country, and our favorite -- regular parents who stop us at PTA meetings and ask us how old kids need to be to get a smartphone, and whether they really need to panic about Snapchat.

(Answer: It's complicated.)

We're so glad you're here! And we hope we can help you too.