can you believe christmas is just around the corner {12 days left}?! we’re all doing our best to get everything prepped and ready for the big day {so much to do!}! in between shopping and putting up the tree and hanging the christmas lights, we’re all rushing about! christmas shopping is one of those things that can sometimes get pushed to the sidelines and forgotten until the very last minute, when you end up scrambling for gifts {not this year!}.

luckily, the folks over at clay pot software LLC have created an app that makes christmas shopping easier: santa’s bag. already featured on Forbes’ “8 santa-approved apps for big savings this season “, the app is proving to be a favorite among christmas shoppers {pretty cool, right?!}. the app lets you set a budget for all your christmas gifts, and then import a list of recipients from your contacts {so easy}.

you can then assign a gift {or two, or three} to each recipient, as well as their own individual budget. you can then organize the items based on recipient or place where you’re buying the gift from, so your list of presents can become a shopping list with the tap of a finger. once you’ve purchased the items, you can then input the total cost of the gift, and the app shows you how much total you’ve spent for each recipient, and whether you’ve gone over or under the budget. isn’t that just spectacular?!

of course, because you’ll want to make sure that you’ve got this app running while you’re out shopping, it’s important to remember to close any other apps you might have running. a blog post on Pocket Fruity says that forgetting to close apps you’re no longer using is one of the reasons why your battery doesn’t last as long as it should {duh! great advice!}. they also add that, “another way to prolong your battery life… is to adjust the brightness of your screen to a more suitable, less energy-consuming level. you’ll find this option somewhere in your mobile settings.” i love that…the brightness on my phone has been adjusted and it totally helps. if you’re going to be using this app the way you’re supposed to, you’ll want to make sure that your phone’s battery lasts long enough to get your christmas shopping done. we all have been in that situation, no? i definitely need my phone battery to last, especially since i will be on it a lot while i christmas shop!

well, lovies, I hope you find this app and tips useful. i sure do! christmas shopping will now be a breeze, organized, and on budget!

do you use any other apps to help you prep for the holidays?

xoxo