With the conclusion of the holiday season and the start of the new semester, you may find yourself tight on cash. Some of us probably had great search costs as we spent copious amounts of time standing in line or exploring stores for that perfect gift. It's likely that some of us could not return a terrible Christmas gift from a relative because the receipt was nowhere to be found. As birthdays and other holidays such as Valentine's Day approach, these search costs can be minimized with smartphone apps which help maximize our limited time and save money.
Improved mobile application software has made it easier than ever to price shop for the best products. With their increasing specialization, apps are being used for just about everything, and this winter's needs are no exception. So to keep up with the crowd and save some money, let's look at three smartphone apps which will get you the most out of your shopping experience. The following apps are completely free and available for both Androids and the iPhone unless otherwise stated.
The holiday season may have turned into a frantic sprint to get gifts for everyone on time, so in its aftermath simplicity can often be a virtue. The Gift List app by Gennubi does just that. This app allows users to easily create a budget for each individual on their shopping list and set the prices of the items they want to purchase for them. As the items are purchased, it keeps a running tab which informs users of how much has been spent on each person. It also features a notes section which allows users to add the quick reminders they may need to recall certain gifts. Please note this app is currently only available for the iPhone.
With Lemon app, take any receipt from any store and place it underneath the camera on your phone. After photographing the receipt, it will instantly be saved to your device. Organization becomes a breeze with Lemon as it allows users to categorize their receipts based on the date of purchase and can even create bar graphs that indicate where they allocate the majority of their spending. These digital copies can be printed at a later time when they are needed for return purposes. There are multiple versions for this app, but I believe the free download is more than sufficient. Often professors decide not to use some of the textbooks which are required for their courses. If you have already purchased a textbook which will no longer be used, downloading Lemon will keep you organized, make your wallet thinner and make exchanges very easy.
ShopSavvy has created a nightmare for retailers and local stores, but has been a blessing for bargain hunters. This incredible application lets users scan the barcodes of any item and will instantly inform them of where to find the closest product at the cheapest price. It searches for these prices at the closest stores, and because of its interoperability with Google Maps it can even direct users to that location. If users do not wish to go to a physical store, ShopSavvy will guide them to the best online bargains. When using this application inside of stores, advertisers will be able to send more targeted promotions based on previous purchases and searches. This will allow the user to survey the widest array of available options. ShopSavvy recently received more than $7 million in venture funding and has a strong user base of more than 10 million customers.
Two similar mobile applications which search for related product prices are Google Shopper and Price Check by Amazon. Google Shopper offers connections with other Google apps such as Google Offers, allowing for easier interoperability. Price Check by Amazon has the unique capability to let customers search for products by simply taking a picture of it, and then purchasing the item directly from Amazon's website.
A good rule of thumb for all applications is to use the free ones for a substantial period of time before purchasing others, and I would recommend that strategy for these apps. Hopefully these applications will prove beneficial to managing your time and money in the new year.
Matt's column runs biweekly Wednesdays. He can be reached at m.robertson@cavalierdaily.com.
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