Smartphones like the iPhone and Android phones aren’t just for Facebooking, Twitter, texting, and phone calls (which you can talk on those things if you haven’t noticed). They can be pretty powerful Christmas shopping tools when loaded up with great apps. I’m an Android phone user so I’m going to highlight the Android apps I use and like. iPhone users, sorry . . . do a search in their app store. Don’t worry, most of these apps are available for the iPhone too.
- Keyring – This awesome application stores all your store member cards and ‘rewards’ cards all in one spot complete with barcodes to be scanned at the registers. Create a free account with Keyring and it backs up all your cards for you as well. The heck with fumbling through a wallet at the register to find that card.
- Free Christmas List – This app is indispensible for shoppers. Add each of the people you need to buy for and the gifts you plan to buy for them with the price you budgeted. As you buy for them, you check off that you’ve made the purchase and the actual price paid. It has quick reporting to show you your total money spent thus far.
- Shop Savvy – This app turns that camera on your phone into a barcode scanner! Scan the barcode on a product in a store and it quickly finds the prices online and at other area stores. It stores a history and allows you to set price alert emails for products also. Oh, and it can scan QR codes as well.
- Best Buy – Best Buy has a great android app that not only allows you to do searches for products but also allows you to scan barcodes to quick find detailed information.
- Foursquare – Share the love of deals. Foursquare allows you to ‘check in’ at the stores you are at and send tips about deals to your twitter and facebook friends.
So what apps do you have in your wallet for Christmas?
