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6 Ways To Cut Living Costs With Your Smartphone

Naren Sharma 6 Stories

Thursday March 16, 2017 , 3 min Read

Nowadays we carry smartphones all the time, and we struggle to save enough money to afford the next model. Bottom line, smartphone are an expensive accessory, but it can also help you save money. The most commonly used being chat apps, such as WhatsApp. These apps enable you to send messages and make calls for free with an internet connection. You can use these apps to make free calls outside the US, without having to pay crazy roaming fees. The truth is, there are more ways to use that phone to save that many don't use.

Find a no-fee ATM

ATM fees can get high, but you can use your smartphone to find the nearest ATM of your bank. Most banks provide an app compatible with iPhone and Android, which can be installed on the phone. Or you can bookmark the page and check it whenever you need.

Have your coupons ready

One of the least known ways to save money with the smartphone is to install an app for coupons so you can make sure you always have them ready when you're out shopping. There are many coupons apps you can use to get the job done, but there are also apps designed by the stores, which help you get the latest discounts.

Keep all your discount cards in one place

Nowadays we have discount cards from lots of stores, which is great for our finances. But carrying all those cards around can get impractical. Skip that by using an app that allows you to have all the cards in one place: on the smartphone. These apps are free and allow you to scan each card which is then memorized in your smartphone.

Pay less for gas

Your smartphone can help you find a gas station with a more convenient price. One of the best apps for this is GasBuddy, but there are others too. The principle is simple: once installed, the app lets you see the prices for the gas at nearby gas stations, so you can choose the best location to fill the tank. These apps are great because they let you calculate if it pays to go further away from home to get a lower price.

Use your smartphone to keep track of your budget

The world of financial apps is broad, so you can find apps that allow you to set a weekly/monthly budget and then assess how well you're staying on it, apps which let you invest your spare change, apps which enable you to set a retirement fund and so on.

Most of these apps work well on any OS. Some are free, and some are paid, so you should test several of them until you find the ones that fit you best.

Save money on the groceries

There are many apps for groceries, but Grocery IQ has a smart feature which can help you save money. When you want to add an item on your groceries list, just scan its barcode, and the app will add it automatically to the list. On top of it, this app also shows you the discounts for the item and the available coupons so you can pay as little as possible for the product.

Other types of groceries apps that can help you save money are those that compare prices. You can scan the item, and the app will show you where you can find the product at the best price. These apps are especially useful, as some products cost less if you order them online.