5 Apps for Divorced Parents
Venn Crawford, non-attorney Marketing AssistantDivorce and its aftermath can be (and usually are) chaotic. Having kids and keeping track of all their things was tough enough, and now you have to coordinate your parenting with someone you may not even want to talk to, much less strategize with. And on top of it all, you have to manage everything on your own. Talk about a trial by fire.
Luckily for you, there’s an app for that. Or several. These apps can’t do it all for you, but they can make things easier.
SquareHub (Free)
Squarehub is essentially a social media platform for your family (and your family only). It offers messaging, schedules, photo sharing, and check-ins. You can choose to get notifications by text or email too, so older parents or grandparents without smartphones can still participate. For conversations that need to be private, you can control who receives the update, allowing co-parents to coordinate through the app without the kids being privy to it.
Squarehub is available for iOS and Android.
Google Calendar (Free)
If you want a simpler co-parenting app than Squarehub, Google Calendar is the simplest it gets. You can share calendars with your co-parent to keep track of kids’ appointments and events, and to coordinate custody exchanges. Keep in mind that events on Google Calendar can be deleted or altered – if you’re looking for an app whose records can be used in court, you may want to consider a paid app such as Our Family Wizard instead.
Google Calendar is available for iOS and Android.
Cozi (Free, with paid version available)
Cozi is an organizational app for families. It offers a family calendar with reminders, shared to-do lists, shopping lists, shared recipes, and a journal. Though the app is aimed at all families, it has especially huge potential for divorcing parents. Schedule exchanges with your co-parent through the calendar and keep them updated on developments with the kids through the built-in journal. You can even use the collaborative shopping lists to keep track of everything little Timmy wants for Christmas – and who’s already bought what.
Cozi is available for iOS, Android, and Windows, and can also be used within your web browser.
iSplitDivorce ($1.99)
This app is designed to help divorcing couples split up their assets and debts visually. Once you’ve added your belongings to the app, you can drag and drop items onto either side of the divorce. As you divvy up your property, the app automatically calculates the total value each person will receive. When you finish, you can export the final decision to an excel file.
iSplitDivorce is available for iOS only.
Mint (Free, with paid version available)
Mint is an easy-to-understand financial app that helps you better manage your finances. By linking your bank and billing accounts to the app, you’re able to see all your financial information at once. The app reminds you of upcoming bills, notifies you when your balance is low or you have credit available, and provides a graph of what you spend your money on. You can even put a widget on your home screen to check your balance or transaction history without needing to open the app. If you’re struggling to tackle your finances solo, Mint can help simplify things.
Mint is available for iOS and Android.
by Venn Crawford, Marketing Assistant