Phone apps can help at saving you money

  • Shannon Brigham
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  • Posted: Friday, October 21, 2011 12:01 a.m.
    UPDATED: Sunday, March 18, 2012 8:54 p.m.
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I have to admit, I love my smartphone. Over the past few weeks, I've been looking for how it can help me save money.

Here are some apps that I've found very useful in my quest.

If you have a favorite shopping-related or money-saving app, feel free to let me know.

GasBuddy (free): This cool app tells you the up-to-date cost of gas at nearby stations, as well as directions to the station using your phone's built-in GPS. This is one of my favorites.

ShopSavvy, TheFind and Pic2Shop (all free): Love these because they do all the work for you. Simply scan the barcode of a product and you get comparison prices, where you can buy it, reviews and more. I've been able to find better prices online in an instant and save money by waiting.

Mint (free): I was told on good authority by a friend with an iPhone that this one is a must-have. It helps you budget, sends reminders to you when bills are due and can include more than one bank account.

Grocery iQ (free): I have some friends who love this app, but I've had it crash on me, a lot. This is how it works: You can scan in the barcode of items you want to buy and the app will create a grocery list for you. It will categorize and look for coupons, too. Then you can email the list. It's perfect for anyone who has sent someone else to the store for groceries and didn't get what was asked for. I switched to GroceryPal, which also is free and offers the same services. This app also has some minor bugs, but it's worth a try.

CardBank (99 cents for iPhone/free for Android): This nifty app keeps all of your loyalty reward card information in your phone instead of cluttering up your key chains and wallets. I had a rough time with it on my Droid, but the developers say there is a new version. I plan to check it out.

SnapTell (free): This one is awesome! Use your phone to take a photo of a book, video game, CD or DVD cover and it will show you where you can buy it, reviews and cost comparisons.

Check out the latest deals, giveaways and freebies at the Savvy Shopper blog at postandcourier.com/savvyshopper.