10 Best Ways Android, iPhone Apps Can Save You Money Daily

10. Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better

The days of purchasing dozens of household items are history. Owning a mobile phone means you’ll no longer need to buy:

• Cameras
• Alarm clocks
• Radios
• Flashlights
• MP3 players
• GPS units
• Watches
• Camcorders
• Televisions
• Landline phones

9. Cheap Gas Doesn’t Have to Be an Oxymoron

Soaring gas prices seem to be a permanent fixture in today’s landscape, but don’t despair. Your mobile phone is your best friend when it comes to discovering the cheapest gas available, both in your city and when you’re on the road. Popular mobile apps such as GasBuddy work with your phone’s GPS system to pinpoint the cheapest gas in town. Some will even provide turn-by-turn directions to get you there.

8. Tracking Expenditures Couldn’t Be Easier

Budgeting and tracking every dollar is a necessity in today’s tight economy. Now you can use your phone to consolidate your financial information in one place, create multiple budgets, keep track of your finances, and pay your bills on time. These are just a few of the things you can do on your mobile phone with personal finance apps such as Mint and PageOnce.
And when you find prepaid cell phone plans online that fit into your family’s monthly budget, you’ll never again pay more than you need to, to use your mobile phone.

7. Take the Sting Out of Grocery Shopping

When was the last time you actually enjoyed grocery shopping? Whether it’s remembering to create a list before you head to the store so you don’t overspend or finding the best deals on your favorite food items, grocery shopping can actually be fun with the help of your mobile phone.
GroceryIQ lets you create shopping lists by scanning bar codes, organizes items by aisle, and gives you the ability to print and email coupons directly from the app. Even major grocery retailers like Safeway and Giant are offering mobile apps to entice customers into their stores by providing a variety of grocery-related functions, including meal planning, easy price comparison, and rewards points.

6.  Shop ‘Till You Drop Without Breaking the Bank

Grocery shopping isn’t the only area where mobile phones can help you find the best deals in town. The smart phone’s ability to scan bar codes makes price comparison outrageously simple. Apps like Red Laser, Google Shopper and Amazon Mobile give you the ability to compare in-store prices, see whether a retailer’s brick-and-mortar or online store has the better deal, or compare prices across several retailers.

5. One Convenient Place for All of Your Discount Cards

Most retailers now offer discount or store loyalty cards. Thanks to your mobile phone, you can store all of them in one convenient place. Free mobile apps like CardStar and KeyRing make it easy to scan and upload your card information to your mobile phone so it’s immediately available when you’re ready to make a purchase. You can also sign up for rewards programs and receive valuable coupons with many of these apps.
Photo Credit: ell brown on Flickr.

4. Who Wants to Pay Costly ATM Fees? No One!

When you need cash in a hurry, you don’t want to have to pay a ridiculously high fee for the privilege. Fortunately, many banks are now offering mobile apps that help you locate ATM machines closest to your location. And even if your bank doesn’t offer an app yet, simply bookmark its website in your mobile phone’s browser for easy access when you need it.

3. Save Minutes with VOIP

Like most mobile phone owners, you want to find cell phone plans online that easily fit into your family’s budget. But sometimes you need more minutes than you can afford. Connecting your mobile phone to Voice Over Internet Protocol or VOIP systems such as Skype, GrooVeIP, and Talkatone gives you those extra minutes. Gone are the days of exceeding the number of minutes available in your mobile phone’s calling plan.

2.  For the Math-Challenged …

There are mobile apps like CalcMoolator (for itunes, android) that take the hard work out of the math calculations you use every day. Organized by category (for instance auto, business, education, green, pets, retirement), the app helps you make educated financial decisions such as whether to lease or buy your car, whether to rent or buy your home, and how to pay off your credit card debt faster.

1. Become a Merchant by Accepting Credit Cards

By attaching a tiny device called Square to your mobile phone, you can turn it into a credit card machine and accept credit card payments like a big-time merchant. It’s great for small business owners for whom merchant accounts are cost-prohibitive and lets you accept credit card payments at everyday events like garage sales. You only pay 2.75% per swipe, there are no recurring fees, and the card reader is free.