17 iPhones Apps That Save Money

Max — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:14:55 +0000

In the wake of last week’s post on web apps that can save small businesses money, it only seems reasonable to follow up with one on iPhone apps.

However, let’s pivot to look at iPhone apps that anyone can use to save money.

Don’t worry — we’ll talk about iPhone Apps for Small Biz another time.

Save Some Bucks? There’s Some Apps for That.

Can you say OMG? There are just so many apps out there for the iPhone now. Some of them are great for scrimping savers.

I’ve waded through pools of apps to find some that maybe you didn’t realize you were looking to find for your frugal endeavors.

Around the House

Green Outlet — $2.99. The Green Outlet web page says, ‘In this rough economy everyone is trying to find ways to control their budget.’ Yeah. No duh, right? But, in truth, Green Outlet is double whammy of goodness. Find out what appliances cost you the most money in electricity. Cut back, save cash, and save the environment.

ecobee – Free. Okay, the app is free. The ecobee Smart Thermostat is one of those things that’s had a ton of press among Green Geeks and positive reviews from energy management experts. The ecobee Smart Thermostat is listed on the ecobee website at $469, which is a whole lot more than the $385 price tag engadget reported over a year ago. Other searches show the device selling for $349. Is it worth the money? Maybe. In the past, Ecobee claimed you’d recoup your investment cost in 12 – 18 months, now they simply say you can save up to 20% on energy use — depending on your local weather and usage behavior. It’s likely to save you money in the long run.

MeterRead — $.99. MeterRead lets you record meter readings and project your energy use. It doesn’t provide the web/iPhone access that the ecobee system provides. But, if you’re serious about saving money by cutting back on energy, it is the perfect way to find out how much money you’re saving by turning off those lights and turning down the thermostat. At $.99, it’s a great deal. If used right, it might let you save just as much money as ecobee.

Yoink! — Free. The Craiglist of iPhone apps, only with maps. Find free stuff being given away near you, or give something away yourself. Message members from within the app platform to make arrangements.

In the Car

RepairPal — Free. Your car breaks down. You take it to the shop. They say it needs a new alternator and that it’s going to cost you $2,000. You pull out your iPhone and RepairPal gives you the estimate range of how much it should cost, plus a listing of other local shops. The power of awesome in your pocket. Or purse. Hand? Whatever.

Trapster — Free. How much do you love speeding tickets? Take the opposite of that and that’s how much you’ll love Trapster. This app alerts you when you approach speed traps, red light cameras, police check points, and other things of like nature. (Available for a wide range of mobile devices.)

Cheap Gas! — Free. Find the cheapest prices on gas near you.

Finance

Mint — Free. Use this app to keep money in your pocket. Mint lets you track your bank and credit balances automatically. See exactly what you’re spending money on, your income, and net worth. The mobile version let’s you stay on budget and check balances while on the go.

Gift Planner — Free. I don’t know why, but I always overspend on gifts when the holiday season rolls around. This probably occurs because I don’t plan for it. Gift Planner might just change that for me. Set budgets, make lists, capture gift ideas by saving gift locations to maps, organize events, import gift recipients from your iPhone or Facebook contacts, and even create your own wishlists. Seems like a great way to avoid overspending — and to keep from forgetting someone on your list.

Out and About

Drink Specials — $1.99. Find the best happy hour and drink specials deals. 45,000 deals in over 250 cities. You should be able to find a deal just about anywhere, anytime.

Google Maps — Free. If you’re trying to plot the quickest way to an event or circumvent traffic, Google Maps, pre-installed on your lovely iPhone, still can’t be beat. Save time, save money, save gas.

Taxi Magic — Free. Book a taxi from your iPhone. If you used the Drink Specials app, this should be the next app you use to save yourself the cost of a DUI and/or fender bender.

Kids Eat Free — $.99. Over 8,000 US listings of restaurants that have Kids Eat Free nights. Location-based to find the closest restaurants near you. Well worth the $.99.

Wi-Fi Finder — Free. Find free Wi-Fi hotspots.

Shopping

CardBank — $.99. You know all those endless membership cards that every store seems to offer now as a loyalty program? Sure, you can just give them your phone number, but phone numbers are so 20th century. Instead, store all of your cards on your iPhone and to make sure you don’t miss out on any savings.

CompareMe — $1.99. Compare the prices of products that come in different sizes to find out what’s really the best deal per unit.

Consumer Reports — Free. Get trustworthy feedback on just about anything you’re looking to buy.

Share Yours

We know there are many more great money saving apps out there. Let us know about them!

3 Ways the Taxi Magic App can Save Your Cash

Max — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:08:54 +0000

Taxi Magic is a pretty cool iPhone app.

It’s directly integrated into taxi dispatch systems. It allows you to book a taxi via Web, iPhone, or BlackBerry. It works in San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, San Diego, and Washington, DC. It doesn’t make the taxi fare any cheaper. Nor do you get a discount of any sort.

So how does it save you some cash?

Let’s say you stumble out of a bar after having a few drinks with friends or coworkers. Or, with holiday dinners around the corner, spending time with your date’s/partner’s/spouse’s family leads you to have an extra beer or glass of wine you may have otherwise not had.

Instead of smashing your car or getting a DUI, let’s say you cleverly pull out your handy-dandy little mobile computer. You know, the one you’re already addicted to anyway? Sure, they’ll think you’re sending a text or a tweet, but you’ll look like the coolest person ever in the history of the world, when — with just a few taps — you get that taxi to pull up out front and honk for you.

Not only can you can leave your annoying coworkers and that dysfunctional family in the dust, but you will save at least $2,000.

How?

Bail – Varies by state and by your background.
Court Costs – You can plan on at least a $1,000 in fines, fees, and then some.
Lawyer Fees – That’s $1,000. Easy. Even if it was all a set-up and you’re proven innocent, the lawyer still gets paid.

The free download is the better deal, don’t ya think?

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