I've always used my phone. Gel reminder is set on repeat for every morning and the progesterone I set up each month to repeat for the 12 days at bedtime. I did see a tip recently where someone wrote the dates on the foil part of their blister packs so 1, 2, 3 for 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc. Then it's obvious whether or not you've popped that pill out the packet. Dates in sharpie on patch packets would probably work too.