PHOENIX — Summer break is winding down quickly, and parents are spending precious minutes with their kids, looking for ways to keep them entertained. So, can technology help cut down on costs? There are several apps that experts say parents should download.
Some parents are already turning to apps on their phones to stay on top of family life: 80% of parents rely on location apps to keep track of where their children are, according to a new survey from All About Cookies.
Other parents are turning to apps for deliveries or digital calendars, all to help save money and time.
For Kimberly Sneed, a mother of three in Avondale, Arizona, technology is essential for keeping her family organized. She uses an Amazon Echo Show connected to a Google Calendar to send alerts for everything from birthdays to medication reminders.
"It reminds us at 9 p.m. every night that we have 30 minutes until we have to give him his medicine," Sneed said.
The system even reminded her son, Adrian, about a pottery class he didn't want to miss.
"It was very good. I loved it," Adrian said.
When it comes to saving money, Sneed uses Walmart+. The annual membership costs $98, but she says it's worth it.
"I'd say it definitely has helped us save," Sneed said.
The mom explains that's because fees on weekly grocery deliveries are waived, and shopping on the app helps her compare prices and resist impulse buys.
"If I'm going to the grocery store, I always end up spending way more than I want to. So it kind of helps us in terms of, you know, planning out meals," Sneed said.
Walmart Store Manager Angela Bill says the app isn't just for busy parents of teens, but also new moms and dads.
"If you run out of diapers or diaper cream, or the baby gets sick and you just really don't want to go, you can use our express delivery and have some of these items delivered to the door within 30 minutes," Bill said.
Parents can also get organized with a new registry for newborns.
"You can actually subscribe to automatically, let's say, get the baby wipes, the diapers, and the formula every Thursday to your home," Bill said.
New mom Brianna Trevizo, in Gilbert, Arizona, appreciates the convenience of these services.
"I love the idea of knowing that I could just, at a click of a button, have everything delivered that's necessary," Trevizo said.

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Smart shopping expert Trae Bodge from TrueTrae.com recommends parents look for ways to simplify their shopping routines.
"Try to think about ways that you can get some things delivered so you don't have to bring the kids in the car and run all over the place," Bodge said.
Bodge suggests parents can look for memberships at their preferred retailers and use apps to find affordable activities for their children.
"There's a Facebook list that's just there with all the activities coming up this weekend,” Bodge said. “I think that's a great way to see what's coming up, see what might be fun for your family, and plan the activities accordingly.”
The Nextdoor app recently added a feature called Neighborhood Faves that helps users discover hiking trails, restaurants, and local businesses.
This year, Good Housekeeping Institute also named dozens of useful apps for babies and toddlers, from BabySparks for free playtime activities to Blueberry Pediatrics with 24/7 access to live doctors.
Parents who use these apps say they're getting something they really need this summer: a break.
"I've probably done it for about two years,” Sneed said. “How much time I've saved over those two years.”
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