Keeping up with all you have to do is not easy for a stay at home or work at home mom. No matter what you do, something will come up to use up all of your spare time. But if you’re online a lot anyhow, these tools can help to simplify your life.
Food and Fitness
The free online version allows you to keep track of your daily food intake and exercise. You can buy a version for your PC with more features, but I would say try the free first to see if it’s generally what you want.
A free tool to help you plan healthy meals. Offers tools to help you make shopping lists as well as figure out the meals you’re going to make.
My favorite recipe site, mostly due to the user ratings. If I like a recipe, I print it out and file it in a binder. Much more effective for me than buying a cookbook. I write notes on changes I’ve made so I can keep track easily.
If the prices are right, buying online can make a lot of sense for groceries you need regularly. You can get free delivery plus a discount if you subscribe to your regular needs. You pick how often you need delivery.
Budgeting
Mvelopes has a free 30 day trial, but after that has a few membership options. A generally good tool for keeping track of finances, based in many ways on the envelope system of managing your finances.
Another budgeting tool with a free 30 day trial, then $3 per month. Their goal is to make budgeting simple.
Communication
Skype has become quite popular as a way to call family members who are far away. The company one of my sisters works for even uses it to keep all their home-based employees in contact. They just stay logged into Skype anytime they’re working, for meetings and so forth. For many uses it’s free, but other features require payment.
A good IM option as well as a way to make computer to computer calls.
Scheduling
There’s a great free version that will do for most people. It can remind you of tasks by email, SMS or instant messenger. It even has a gadget to integrate with your GMail account, or it can contact you through Twitter.
Yes, I enjoy a lot of Google’s free products. Google Calendar lets me input all kinds of important events, from birthdays repeating every year, to one time events. Then it can be set to email me and anyone else I choose in advance as a reminder. I’m terrible with birthdays, so I like setting reminders to about two weeks in advance. Makes me look like the organized one in the family.
Events can be set to public or private, so I can keep things to myself while sharing things that I want others to know.
A simple tool that emails you weekly with reminders of the goals you set. Just for managing one goal, but I would imagine you could set up multiple if you chose.
Kids Online
A browser for kids with some social aspects. Lots of parental controls, and they’re up to 1.5 million approved items for kids to view. They don’t use filters; this system goes strictly by what has been approved.
You can pay to get more features, such as being able to view your child’s history as far back as you like, and more options for your child’s avatar.
A free online chore chart system for kids. They can earn points toward allowance or play time on the site. With the popularity of virtual worlds for kids to play on, this looks like a great way to keep control over the time spent online and encourage the kids to get their chores done.
Related posts:
What Online Businesses Are Flexible Enough for Stay at Home Moms?
How to Start an Online Business for Free
Getting Out Without the Kids for Cheap
Museum Free Days – Free Fun Friday
Disclosure: I often review or mention products for which I may receive compensation in the form of affiliate commissions. All opinions are my own.





I find myself using Google apps more and more lately. A Google account is like an online office suit. Thank you for the great links.
Oh, and Happy New year!
Thanks for writing about Handipoints in a recent blog post — we’re glad to hear you’re liking the website. I was wondering if you could please get in touch with me about your post. I’ve left my e-mail address with this comment. Thanks! Mary from Handipoints