DECEMBER 2012: Apps make almost everything easier and more convenient….so why not your holiday tasks, too?
Here are five of our favorite apps to help you leap over the chaos and into the really fun part of the holidays:
1) Find the cheapest price: ShopSavvy 6 (Free. Android, iPhone/iPad, Windows.) You found it! The perfect gift. But is it the perfect price? With ShopSavvy 6, a free barcode scanner and QR reader, all you need to do is open the app and scan the barcode. ShopSavvy will pull up competitor prices, including online retailers. You can even purchase the item directly through the app by using its “My Wallet” feature.
2) Track your spending: Christmas Gift List Planner (Free. Android.) If you have a budget for your holiday gifts (highly recommended by us frogs), this app helps you stick to it and stay on schedule, too. It tracks gift costs, what you’ve spent so far, and which gifts have been wrapped and mailed. Works for Hanukkah and Kwanza gifts, too.
3) Sharing lists and tracking gifts: Gifts HD Plus (Free. iPhone/iPad.) Similar to the app above, this app for Apple devices is designed for multiple users so you can share lists that are automatically updated and track gifts over the years so you avoid embarrassing repeats. Summary screens and a built-in calculator are included.
4) Turn yourself over to the discount giants: Walmart App and Target (Free. Android, iPhone/iPad, mobile web.) Don’t feel like running all over town or web surfing for hours? Simplify your shopping with these one-hop apps that let you check out new products, make lists, find deals (or have them sent to you), scan items while you’re in the store to verify the price, and more.
5) Earn points just by showing up: shopkick (Free. Android, iPhone/iPad.) More than 4 million users are cashing in by walking in. Shopkick is a shopping rewards program that lets you rack up points without filling out forms or carrying around a bunch of rewards cards. All you need to do is have your smartphone on when you walk through the store’s door. More than 7,000 stores are participating, from upscale national chains like Macy’s to service locations like Exxon and Mobil convenience stores.
