Apps To Beef Up Your Social Life

Meetup is the must-have iPhone app from this whole long list. True to its name, Meetup.com is a popular website for meeting up with people in your area with plans that are usually activity-based. You can go hiking or running, watch movies, play music, eat dinner, hop bars, or anything else you can think of. The app lets you search for these meetups, RSVP to them, view your own Meetup.com calendar, and much more. If you really want to beef up your social life, this is the best way to do it.

Yelp may be known for finding a good place to eat, but it is much more valuable than that. The app is universal. Yelp can be used to find places to hike, landmarks to visit, museums to experience, and more. If you're in a rut and getting bored, give Yelp a try. Who knows whom you'll run into.

If Yelp hasn't gotten you out of that boredom rut, YourExtraLife may be what you need. This iPhone app has a nifty way to help you get out of your comfort zone and live a little. Choose from five categories that will then present you with challenges. All you need to do is submit a picture to prove that you have completed that challenge so that you may move onto the next one. Others will validate your photos, but don't worry, you can also be a judge and validate theirs. What are you waiting for? Gain some inspiration and even inspire your friends now.

If you're looking to find the hip spots in the city based on your friends' recommendations or the locals, then you'll want to make sure that you have Everplaces on your iPhone. Aside from being a gorgeous iPhone app, you can keep a collection of your favorite places, save new places you discover, explore recommendations, share tips with friends and the community, and find the best places in each category that are near your current location.

Speaking of photos, Instagram, available only for the iPhone, is a great way to socialize, discover new photos, and share yours. With this app, you'll be able to transform your dull everyday pictures to masterpieces. Share photos to Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Tumblr, and Foursquare instantly. There are no upload limits and with the newest update, you can now share videos.

You can also use Groupon, the heralded coupon app, to help you find something fun to do. This version is just for the iPhone, but there is a separate one for the iPad as well. Each day, a new deal is presented in the app and, with a feature called Groupon Now, you'll get unique deals that you can take advantage of right away. Groupon lets you get great prices and discover new places. Use Groupon today to help expand your social circle at a steal.

When you're out and meet someone of interest, you'll probably want to exchange contact information. If that person is an iPhone or Android user, you can use the Bump app to quickly exchange contact information. You can also exchange photos, apps, and anything else you choose to share.

Love it or hate it, Facebook is still the most popular social networking site out there. Keep in touch with old friends and connect with new ones with a touch of the button. Download this official app, which is universal, just in case.

Tweetbot is one of the most popular Twitter apps on the market for good reason. Besides the slick OS, it has unique features like smart gestures, Pocket support, and Cloudapp URL shortening. If you use Twitter, get this app. Just make sure to follow @appadvice while you're at it. There is also an iPad version available.

FourSquare is another iPhone app you can try out to expand your social life. There is a great explore feature that helps you explore your city. You can find specials going on, cool places to shop, nice places to go, and unique places to grab a cup of coffee. Let FourSquare help you find your next hangout.

Instant message to your heart's content with imo messenger. This (free) app supports Facebook chat, Google Talk, Skype, AIM, and more from your iPhone. There is also a separate iPad version available. Accounts are easy to manage and the interface is intuitive and streamlined.

Path is a universal app that is like a personal journal where Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook are mashed together. However, unlike social sharing apps, Path's focus is on closer and smaller groups of friends. So instead of feeling overwhelmed by sharing your random thought to your gaggle of Facebook friends, use Path and keep those good friends updated.

Sometimes your job can bleed into your social life. It happens. Say you're out on the town and just met someone that would be a great contact. No worries. Just be sure to have LinkedIn at the ready on the iDevice of your choice. You probably won't find your next buddy with this app, but if you're in the workforce, part of socializing is about keeping up connections.

If you and your friends love tv, then be sure to download GetGlue for your iPhone. An iPad version is also available for download. Share what you're watching with your friends, discover what to watch on tv, watch clips, and more. You can even earn stickers by checking in to new shows or movies.