Shop smart with free mobile apps

One of the best tools for smart shopping is a smart phone. Download certain apps and you can find the lowest prices on many items, download coupons, and even find a garage sale in your neighborhood. Here are 12 apps worth checking out. All are free; to find them, search your app store.

Coupon aps

The Coupons App

Pinpoints your location, then finds coupons for nearby retailers and restaurants. You redeem coupons by showing them on your phone when you check out. Works on Android.

Cellfire App

Loads coupons from grocery stores and other retailers onto your loyalty cards. You're sent a mobile reminder that you have a coupon when you enter the store that provided it. Works on Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, and Windows Phone 7.

Foursquare

By tracking your location, it alerts you to deals at nearby stores, movie theaters, restaurants, and other places. It also hooks you up with daily deals from Groupon and other social-shopping sites. Works on Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, and Palm Pre.

Grocery iQ

Tracks down coupons in real time. When you create a shopping list, the app highlights items that have online coupons. Works on Android and iPhone.

Pushpins

Lets you scan grocery items in more than 2,000 stores nationwide and notifies you of up-to-date coupon savings. The deals you choose are sent to your loyalty card, and the savings are deducted at the register. Works on iPhone.

Where

Once you've followed a few steps to tag favorite retailers, it tells you every time they post a coupon. Works on Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Palm Pre, and Windows Phone 7. (The app is called Yowza on iPhone.)

Search Apps

SnapTell

Uses bar code, visual search (take a photo of the product's cover), or title to find books, CDs, DVDs, and video games at the best prices online and at nearby walk-in stores. Works on Android and iPhone (bar-code scanner works only on 3GS and 4 models).

PriceGrabber

Lets you know who's selling whatever you're looking for at the best price, including tax and shipping fees. Scan the item's bar code or type in the product name. Works on Android and iPhone.

Price-comparison app

Grocery Smarts

Tracks items and prices in the latest store circulars from CVS, Rite Aid, Target, Walgreens, and Walmart, then cross-references all manufacturers' coupons with the circulars and shows you the bottom line for each item. Works on Android.

Travel Apps

FareCompare

Sends real-time airline-ticket price-drop alerts on itineraries you specify. Works on iPhone.

Kayak

Lets you compare prices on flights, hotels, and rental cars, book your travel, and keep track of your itinerary. Works on Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Nokia, and WindowsPhone7.

Yard-sale App

Garage Sales Tracker

Finds garage sales, flea markets, and consignment shops in your area. Works on iPhone.