Tools

None of the recommendations below are paid sponsorships or partnerships (as of 03/18), these are simply a variety of tools/gadgets/services/etc. that I use regularly and believe they can benefit you.

Try Reading

The benefits of reading cannot be summed up in a brief paragraph, but regular reading is a habit of a number of successful people.
  • Library
    • This may sound strange to include, but I can’t recommend simply utilizing your local library enough. I’ve saved hundreds of dollars on books I knew I would only read once. I also prefer physical books, so owning the many books I’ve read would require a more books shelves.
  • Goodreads
    • Simple platform to track what books you’ve read are reading and have on your list. I add books to this thing so often, I pretty much now I’ll never finish it. I don’t treat this as a to-do list, but a place to add recommendations as I find them.
  • Kindle – Prime Reading
    • Free Books for Amazon Prime Members. If you have Amazon Prime, check out the Prime Reading section. There are often some great reads included absolutely free.
  • Humble Bundle
    • The focus is on video games, but books often appear as themed bundles. From textbooks to comics, there is almost always a collection of books for grabs, I recommend checking the site every few weeks for updated bundles.

Try Organization

  • Todoist
    • Simple task list
  • Google calendar
    • I try to keep my calendar up to date and stick to it. Having events scheduled and planned helps me stay on track of projects, deadlines and balance in different aspects of life (fitness/health, socializing, work, creative work, etc.)
  • Evernote
    • Idea management and content creation.
    • Most of my writing starts in Evernote in some way shape or form
  • Rocketbook
    • Smart notebook. Worked a bit differently than I expected, but I was thinking something way more technical. Simply write on the page and snap a picture with the app. Based on the icons you marked, the snapshot will go to a variety of digital locations such as Evernote, Google Drive, Dropbox, etc. I keep an open page up while I work, if something pops into my head, it’s a nice open surface to jot down the idea before it’s gone forever.

Try Management and Content Creation

Since my main side project is my blog and content writing, I’ll lump these two categories into one. The services below help me manage both the business element and content creation of running TOBBI.
  • AppSumo
    • Regular deals on software or services for entrepreneurs.
  • Sumo
    • Email list gathering tool and analytic dashboard.
  • Mail Chimp
    • Newsletter and email list management tool.
  • WordPress
    • My web platform of choice is WordPress. I enjoy the flexibility it offers, even though it does take some extra work to get started.

Try Money

Managing finances is something many people struggle with. While I don’t think I’m an expert, I think my financial health comes from a few simple practices that are greatly influenced by a number of services that make doing so extremely easy.
  • Mint
    • Dashboard for simple management of your financial profile. Manage budgets, bills and accounts all in one place. Mint is also free to use as other services pay Mint for the privilege of showing you ads for their credit cards, loans, etc.
  • Acorns
    • Similar to an index fund, but the focus is on small contributions. The idea is to roundup digital purchases
  • Trim
    • A bot that alerts you of any subscriptions that aren’t used and major deposits or expenses
  • Discover Bank
    • Online banking with select no-fee ATMs in certain areas. Switched when a friend recommended (Yo Rob!). The interest rates for the saving account is beyond what most banks will give you (a little over 1% at the time of writing – 02/18). While putting a bunch of money in a savings account isn’t the best way to invest, it’s nice to have a small pool of cash for emergencies that is easy to access, but one that is actually earning money back on that is next to unheard of.

Try Tech

  • IFTTT
    • Simple Automation Service
  • Keepass
    • Local password manager. Maybe I’m paranoid, but I don’t trust cloud-based password managers. While I’m sure they are doing all they can to keep your info protected, I still have a striking suspicion that the day someone cracks into one of those, it will be a hay day for a number of people.
  • Google Drive
    • Cloud storage made simple through a Google account. I store some basic info in my drive, mostly ebooks I need to read and pictures that are easily taken from my phone, uploaded to drive, and ultimately this site.

Try Education

  • Stack Social & Udemy
    • Cheap course bundles on a variety of topics.
  • Codecademy
    • Learning some basic programming skills isn’t just for professionals or tech hobbyists anymore. With the rapid technological advancements, understanding what happens behind the world around us is key to staying on top of the current tech we use every day.
  • YouTube
    • While most popularly dominated by vloggers, viral videos, and gamers, YouTube is underrated for a selection of great channels that truly seek out to teach their viewers something great. Below are a few recommendations that I view regularly for learning new things: