It’s that time of year again when everyone is looking to find the perfect gifts for their loved ones. I’ll be the first to admit that going over budget isn’t hard to do. With so many people to buy for and the prices of products continually rising, it’s important to make sure you’re getting the best deal you can.
If you have young children then you already know that they don’t really understand the value of the dollar. This is something that has to be taught and I believe starting at an early age can only help them later on in life. To get my children involved in the grandparents gift selections this year, we put the free Nextag Radar iPhone app and the free Nextag Mobile app (which is available for the iPhone and Android devices) to the test to find the best deals. The apps are an extension of the popular online shopping tool and allows users to search and compare products, organize searches and set up alerts to be notified of price reductions.
Without totally giving away what we purchased (because they read the blog), we typed what we were looking for into the search box and Nextag Radar when to work searching through thousands of stores to help us find the lowest price. In addition to typing the product in the search box, the app has image recognition technology that allows you to take a photograph of the product using your smartphone and also offers barcode scanning technology that allows you to scan in the products UPC codes to search online.
Once the product was added to the radar, it then showed me all the alerts for the product I typed in. This gave me the opportunity to explain to my children that not all stores sell the exact same item for the exact same price. This also gave me an opportunity to explain why we use coupons on some products, why we wait to purchase some products and why we never purchase some of the items they want. I felt it gave my older child (she’s eight) a better idea of the value of money, but with my younger two children, I’m not sure they even cared.
Comparison shopping is an absolute necessity if you want to get the most out of your money. While the online site is great for online shopping at home, the mobile version is perfect when you are out and about and you remember you have to get your mom that special gift.
Laurie says
I am always looking for the best deals, I will shop and check for coupons etc before I make a final decision.
Rachel - Following In My Shoes says
So glad it’s available for Androids!
Penelope says
Thanks for the money-saving info!
Jennifer Mercurio says
sounds like a cool app. Comparison shopping IS a must especially around the holiday times. I’ve already made 3 trips back to different stores to return things because I found them cheaper elsewhere. such a waste of gas :/
LaKeshia Coleman says
The best deal is to 1.Shop local like we did 2.Use coupons and 3Look for sales at different stores.We have got some goods things this year for the children. 4.Check to see whether a sample is available or not .This is just a note for the various food items that someone wants to get someone.
Anne - Mommy Has to Work says
Thanks! Sounds like a cool app!
Tammy says
Thanks for the share. I have a few gifts I have to buy online.
Tiffany says
Great idea and what a good resource!
Louise says
Love this site. I’m glad you wrote about it, I love to save money on everything!
Kelly says
What a great tool – I’ll definitely check this out!
Virginia from That Bald Chick says
I’m always a fan of saving money. Thanks.