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.