When Money is Tight, Use Mobile Apps to Save Money

In these hard economic times, many consumers are looking for ways to save more and spend less. However frugal you try to be, a necessary purchase may pop up from time to time, so it is in your best interest to hunt for the lowest prices available. Sometimes a local store has a great deal, but other times you can find a better price online, even with shipping added. Whether you are shopping for a birthday present or a replacement for your broken furnace, a best-price guarantee has never been easier to obtain.  Your mobile phone can help you find the best prices on retail items with a number of absolutely free applications. The following apps are among mobile users' favorites.

Amazon Price Check
Amazon has its own retail shop, but it also features a wide range of vendors that sell nearly anything you could think of. Instantly access the massive Amazon network with your smartphone. Input your desired purchase via bar code scan, photograph, keypad or voice, and let this app find you the lowest prices on their site. Amazon offers a five percent discount on purchases made through the app, which syncs with your regular Amazon account. Amazon Price Check is available for iOS and Android users in the United States only.

PriceGrabber
PriceGrabber is an established tool for comparison shopping between brands online, and its app is designed to find you the best prices but only online. Still, you can input a product you are primed to purchase in a brick-and-mortar store into the app, compare online prices and possibly save you a considerable sum on select purchases. PriceGrabber features millions of products and thousands of online retailers, which makes it an excellent option for Android and iOs users.
ShopSavvy
ShopSavvy was among the first price comparison applications to hit the market, and it is still relevant. It uses a bar code scanner to search products online and compare prices in both Internet and brick-and-mortar retailers. ShopSavvy also has a wallet feature: You can fill the wallet with money, which instantly purchases the deals you find through the app if you desire. The app estimates shipping charges, as well. ShopSavvy users rate and review products and retailers, and using this data, you can make informed and wise decisions about where, how and when to spend. The app is available to smartphone users with iOS, Android and Windows operating systems.

Google Shopper
Google Shopper is the application version of the website. Google Shopper offers product searches, local daily deals and price comparison options online. Using a bar code scanner, keypad, voice or a scan of the cover of written media, you will instantly search through Google's database of partner retailers. You also have access to reviews, specifications, user ratings and more. Google Shopper works on iOS and Android mobile devices.

RedLaser
RedLaser was initially supposed to be a simple bar code scanner, but things evolved pretty quickly for this app. In addition to  features shared by other price comparison apps, RedLaser offers a few distinct advantages over its peers. The app not only compares prices between online and brick-and-mortar retailers, it tells you where the stores are, how far they are from your current location and whether the item is in stock at the location. RedLaser can even tell you if a book you wish to read is at the nearest library. Product reviews are also included on this Android and iOS app.

About the Author:

by Jaye Ryan, a freelance writer who loves to write about mobile apps for MobilePhones.org.uk.