It’s a subject that provokes, entices, and infuriates. It’s also something that all of us could use a little help with from time to time. So it shouldn’t be surprising that there’s a plethora of apps available to help you on your love journey, whether you’re trying to find, keep, or get over it.
HowAboutWe is kind of like adventure dating. Touted as the “OFFline Dating Site,” they encourage you to spend less time online and more time meeting people in person by focusing on the date itself. This creativity-inspiring app is perfect for getting to know a new city with a fellow fearless dater. Fire up your wild side with fun outing suggestions and see who else is nearby and ready to join. Each day they send you new dates that match your interests. Just say what you want to do, find someone who wants to go (or let them find you), and get offline. Bonus: it’s free.
Have you ever gone out to buy your sweetheart something special, only to discover you have no idea what they would like, what their size is, or even the date of your anniversary? Well, then this is the app for you. Instead of having to tediously build a database about your lover, Helpful Romantic will remember your their favorite things, important dates and anniversaries, and personal traits. Not only does Helpful Romantic quickly create a visually attractive list of this important information, it also transforms facts and figures into playful suggestions, advice, and reminders that can make your anniversary, Valentine's Day, and every other special day more interesting and meaningful. Just like Netflix recommends "Movies You'll Love," this is a similar system for relationships that will help you immensely in the love department. Trust me, the 99 cent cost on iTunes is worth it.
Date Smart
Let’s face it: sometimes it’s hard to come up with interesting things to do on a date. Sure, there’s obvious ones like dinner (yawn) and/or a movie (zzzzz), but wouldn’t it be nice to have some exciting new experiences? Date Smart is an app that will give you suggestions based on the things you like. Whether it's a first date, a special occasion, or a casual encounter, this app lets you pick the category and it will locate the appropriate spot for your next date. Categories include: Cultural (for museums or high-brow entertainment), Novel (for fun, surprising suggestions), Educational (for a memorable learning experience), Adventurous (for a wild experience like hang-gliding), At Home, or Romantic. It also groups date ideas by price range and uses GPS to find an event near you. ($1.99 on iTunes)
I don’t know about you, but I'm a list person. I come from a long line of list makers: my mom left them for us and her mother left them for her family. Lists are rewarding mostly because there’s something really pleasurable about crossing things off them. But they can also be really annoying for your significant other if they're not as enthusiastic about lists as you are. Honey Do! makes lists fun by creating "his" or "hers" notes you can send to your forgetful love’s iPhone. Along with the task itself, there’s also a tab outlining what rewards he/she will get in return for doing their jobs, which can range from money, coffee, beer, a cupcake, or love. Fun, yes? Within tasks you can even add subtasks (i.e. mow the lawn…and while you’re at it (subtask) water the flowers). You can also "reject" that task if you’re feeling feisty. But when the reward is "love" how can you refuse? ($6.99 USD)
The Ex-App
Who among us haven’t made the mistake of reaching out to an ex in a moment of weakness post-breakup. Usually this moment of weakness goes along with a night of over-imbibing or over-watching sappy romance flicks. Instead of swearing off booze and rom-coms, you can now stick to your promises not to call, text, or email your ex with The Ex-App. Just find him in your contacts and block. This way no matter what state you’re in, the app will protect you from yourself. And don't worry: should he get back in your good graces, you'll still have his number.
