Category Archives: Iphone apps

You may recall I did a series over the summer called the 30 Days of Money-Saving Apps. I got such a positive response that I wanted to add one more called CoupSmart (when you “like” CoupSmart on Facebook through 12/12 $1 goes to help fight pediatric cancer for every new fan).

The free CoupSmart iPhone app lets you scan products you buy every week. You’re basically letting CoupSmart know what you like to buy, then they send you coupons by mail for products you buy and use. They also mail out trial offers and free samples based on your scans. I just got a coupon by mail last week for a free bottle of Fit Fruit & Vegetable Wash (not free with purchase, but free).

Plus, every week CoupSmart is giving out daily and weekly prizes to top scanners. The app is available for iPhone now, but will soon be available for Android and Blackberry users too. Worried about product recalls? You can even sign up for CoupSmart Defender to get notices by email (no smartphone required).

Even better, CoupSmart is giving back by way of a new program called GiveSmart. Every month, the charity with the most points receives a $1000 donation. Be sure to check out all the posts in my 30 Days of Money-Saving Apps series.

It’s Friday and at my house that means the kitchen is closed. We either go out to eat or get carry-out for dinner. If this is your tradition too, here are five great ways to save at restaurants.

• Have an iPhone or iPod Touch? Check out the Meal Ticket app. It’s free and helps you find coupons to use at nearby eateries. It’s new, so the number of restaurants is still limited, but they’re adding new hot spots everyday.

• Sign up for daily deal sites, like Groupon and LivingSocial. These sites specialize in dining and entertainment, and several times a week offer 50%-off dining deals at popular restaurants.

• Stop by Surviving the Stores to check out the new Restaurant Coupon Database. It’s a great place to visit first to help decide where to eat out on the weekend.

• Pick up a $25 dining certificate valid at local eateries from Restaurant.com for only $2. Just use coupon code PLATE. Often you need to dine-in to use the certificate, so be sure to read the fine print. This offer is good through 7/31.

• If you’re heading out with kids, be sure to visit Kids Meal Deals. You can find restaurants in your area that offer special deals for kids and on which nights those deals are valid. For birthdays, check out Free Birthday Treats for freebies and discounts.

One site to check out in the future is Bunch Bite. It’s a free weekly service that’s coming soon and is set to feature three great deals a week at the best places to eat in your city. They say they can save you 50-85% on restaurant meals. I just got on their email list and am eager to check this one out.

Who needs a pricey GPS device when you can get directions and turn-by-turn voice navigation on your iPhone? This is where the free MapQuest 4 Mobile app for the iPhone or iPod Touch comes in.

While I’ve used the free Google Maps app that comes pre-installed on the iPhone, I haven’t been able to use it when I need it – when I’m driving. So I love that the free MapQuest 4 Mobile app speaks to me to give me directions and even re-routes automatically if I get turned around, which is a great time saver too.

One cool money-saving feature is that you can set the app to automatically avoid toll roads. If a location is a short distance away you can also set the app to alert you to walking directions. The app can help you find local gas stations too (don’t forget that the free Cheap Gas! app can help you find the cheapest gas).

Be sure to check out all the posts in my 30 Days of Money-Saving Apps series.

It’s summertime and it's time to hit the shore with the kids. If your plans involve sharing a beach rental with another family, then the free Share-A-Bill app (the lite version) may be for you.

It’s never easy to figure out how much each family owes when one person buys groceries and another pays for the rental or an evening out. With this app, you just key in expenses and who paid for each one (up to four with the free version). Then the free Share-A-Bill app does the work for you, sorting out how much each person owes and to whom.

This would be a nice app to use when going out with friends for a night on the town. It never fails that I always feel like I’ve paid too little or too much at the end of an evening. I like that this app will tell me exactly what I owe. Plus, don’t forget about the free Tip’n’Go app when dining out with several people as well.

Be sure to check out all the posts in my 30 Days of Money-Saving Apps series.

I’ve checked out several free iPhone apps that offer mobile retail coupons, including Coupon Sherpa and Yowza, and here’s one more you may want to check out. It’s called Shooger and it’s a free location-based app that claims to offer more than 100,000 mobile coupons.

The free Shooger app lets you browse coupons in various categories, including automotive, dentists & doctors, eco-friendly and restaurants & bars. For me, I found the most coupons that were for dining discounts, including a buy one burrito, get one burrito free coupon to use at California Tortilla. Nice.

When you see a deal you like, just tap the scissors icon to “clip” the coupon. You’ll find all your favorite deals when you tap the “Clipped” icon on the bottom menu. To redeem coupons, just show the phone to the cashier. You can also tap the orange “Follow” button next to each coupon to keep track of just those merchants that interest you.

Have you tried any mobile coupon apps? I’d love to hear what you think. Be sure to check out all the posts in my 30 Days of Money-Saving Apps series.