I mentioned earlier this week that hubby has developed quite an intimate relationship with his Droid phone.
I also mentioned that he’s become a little “app” crazy. He searches for new apps continuously and he’s even developed an interest in a variety of new things driven by apps he’s stumbled upon.
A Couple of Examples:
Frequent Shopper Cards – It’s been a life-long battle with hubby to get him to put frequent shopper cards on his key chain. Grocery stores, Borders, Panera, CVS, Petsmart.. you name it, we probably have a card for it. My key chain is littered with upwards of 10 cards. Hubby however has staunchly refused to add any, other than the ones that are absolutely necessary (ie: the card for our main grocery store and the one for his gym). BUT, he has discovered an app that manages all these cards and allows him to easily see specials that are available to him for being a card member. I’ve never seen him so excited to look for a discount (you may remember that he only likes to save money, if it’s zero work for him). And apparently, this app is as close to zero work as possible. Score one for me… hubby is looking for coupons!!
Savvy Shopping – You may recall that hubby HATES comparison shopping. Well truth be told, he just hates shopping period. He will do plenty of research on line but, the minute we hit a store, he wants to buy the first thing we come across. He has no interest in going to multiple stores to compare prices or to consider options. He wants to be in-and-out in the blink of an eye and has sent me shopping alone on quite a few occasions, to “choose my finalists”, so he only has to go to one store. Well, this app changes all that. Hubby is EXCITED to comparison shop. He whips out his phone, clicks on the app and scans the bar code. He’s standing in Best Buy declaring, “we can find this cheaper at Lowes”. He’s also able to read reviews on products and is now encouraging me to consider multiple options. I don’t even know who this new guy is… he has actually become a “savvy shopper” just like the app promised! Although, much like a man with a new toy scanner… he’s scanning bar codes on just about everything! Uhmm hubby, we don’t need to comparison shop the price of Oreo cookies…
But perhaps the most annoying new app, comes with regular broadcasting of how cool hubby is (and bear in mind I use that word cool VERY loosely!).
This new app gives hubby the ability to bestow titles upon himself, to oust other people from their current position of power, and to grow his head even larger than it already is.
This app is otherwise known as Foursquare. Now, for those of you who don’t know what this is… it’s an app that allows you to virtually “check in” wherever you happen to be. Many stores offer special discounts to customers who “check in” and you can also have your “check ins” automatically post to Facebook, at which time you are ‘rated’ against anyone else who has also checked in at the same location. This is where the problems begin.
If hubby happens to be the person who has checked in more times than any other person at a given location, he is declared The Mayor of that location. If you have formed any sort of picture of hubby in your mind from reading this blog, then you know why this could present a problem.
Hubby arrives home from work and with a smirk and a glint in his eye, he declares…. “I am now the mayor of 123 Main St (substitute in our address….)” “Oh, you are, are you?”. I respond. “Yep, I sure am. Didn’t you see it on Facebook, I am now the Mayor, you must bow down to me!” (yeah right…..)
Hubby has his umpteenth burrito of the week…. “I only have to check in 4 more times this week, and I will be the Mayor of Chipotle”. A few days later…. “I’m now the proud Mayor of Chipotle, bet you wish you were me!” (uhhmm no, not really)
Hubby frequently lunches with a friend at work… they often go to the same places and they both “check in” on Foursquare. Hubby says “Hmmmm, we’re going to have to go to Jersey Mikes Subs over the weekend or I’m never going to oust Leon and become the Mayor.”
So, you can probably see how this could present a challenge to my every day existence. As I ask hubby to wipe the kitchen counter and he responds… “I don’t need to do that…. I am The Mayor”. Or, I ask him to take out the garbage and he replies “The mayor doesn’t do such menial tasks”
I suppose now that hubby is comparison shopping and looking at coupons, I have to be willing to take the good with the bad. And…..I’ve always said that ‘bright lights, bells & whistles’ will make just about anything better. Considering this phone can now act as a flashlight, pretend it’s a police siren and whistles the Old Spice commercial every time he gets a text message…. it fulfills all the necessary requirements to help make shopping more “fun”.
Now all I need is for someone to fill me in on the necessary tactics one must take to overthrow a mayor?? (Aside of course from getting my own phone and checking in on Foursquare?!!)
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Your hubby sounds a lot like me. My approach to shopping? “Get in, get out, get on”. What’s the name of the comparison shopping app he’s using?
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Hey Don… It’s actually called shopsavvy … it’s a nifty little app!
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I am here from LBS Tea Party! I must say that your hubby sounds exactly like mine when it comes to his phone. I feel your pain!
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I found your blogg a couple weeks ago through the LBS Tea Party, and I put it in my favorites. I LOVE your posts! They are so funny and so relateable. You reassure all us wives that we are not alone and that these “strange” things our hubbys do are normal. Thanks for the humurous reassurance 🙂
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Echo ~ Thanks so much! As they say “misery love company”. HA! It really does help to know that other people have their own version of my hear hubby at their house too!
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Oh lord, I’m still laughing thinking mine is headed that same road.
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