Save Time, Save Money and Get Organized with IPod Applications

Ah! ... the ipod or iphone, doesn't this qualify as one of the decades most useful inventions? So you're the ninety-fifth car in the carpool line... no worries. A long wait at the doctors office... got it covered. Just whip out that ipod device and get busy! Here are some of the best applications to save time, save money and get you organized!

All recommended applications are available at iTunes.com (prices shown are valid as of 9/8/09).

Save Time:

iWant - Free. (iWant Pro is $.99; ad free version)

This application is for those of us that are constantly on-the-go and need to know what's types of businesses, restaurants and other locations are nearby. At start-up you are presented with 32 handy icons that represent popular groups of establishments such as restaurants, gas stations, movie theaters and grocery stores. You can toggle between list viewing, which includes distance from your selected location (which can be modified), or map-view with pin-points. A convenient feature is the slide bar that lets you increase the distance range for searched locations from .1 to 15 miles.

Two main things that makes this application stand out from other similar yellow-page applications are the respected restaurant reviews and the current movie showtime information. Restaurant stars (1-5) show up next to each listing along with the address and distance to your searched location. You can click on any item to pull up directions (through Google Maps), the phone number or reviews from well-respected online site Yelp.com. If you're going to the movies, you can have every theater within your search range and instant access to every movie title and time in just a couple of clicks. Click on the movie of choice and you can get instant directions (through Google Maps).

Bigoven.com - Free.

If a neighbor just bring by a bushel of squash and you have no idea how to cook it, check out this application. Boasting 170,000 recipes and counting, and with a search engine that allows you to search by main ingredient or cuisine type, there is no shortage of options here! With big, beautiful pictures, thorough recipes and step-by-step instructions you can search until your heart's content or just shake the device to get a random recommendation. Find something that you like? See what others have to say and how they rate it among other similar recipes (you can leave reviews too, but only from a desktop/laptop computer). Then, Save it to the Try Soon Queue in just a tap or move it into your Favorites with another tap of your finger. All recipes include the number of servings, the main ingredient and the type of cuisine and every ingredient may be looked up in the Bigoven database for a description and several tips (i.e. shopping, storage).

This application is compatible with www.bigoven.com on your desktop/laptop computer, so anything that you save now can be referenced later. You can also easily e-mail any recipe right from the ingredient screen.

Save Money:

iSave Groceries - $.99.

Have you ever wished that you knew what was on sale at the grocery store BEFORE you arrived? Tired of keeping track of weekly flyers or sales promotions only to find that some items weren't listed or that the sale has expired? This is the program for you! Isave Groceries uploads the details of each item on sale at multiple local grocery stores in your area, even SuperTaget and Walmart Superstores. Not only do you see the sales price, but also the sales end date and the terms of sale (i.e. non-fat varieties only). Armed with this information, you can create a list for purchase and add non-sale items for a complete grocery list before you visit the store and maximize your shopping dollars. So, cut down on the time it takes to make the most out of every shopping trip, just bring along your ipod!

craigsphone - free.

What's not to love about a program that actually performs better on your handheld device than on your home computer? This application cleans up the clutter of the full-screen trading site and allows you to buy and sell with a few simple touches on your screen. Stay local, while using the newest and latest that technology has to offer for getting buyers and sellers together.

Buying and Selling Made Easy: Just choose from any of the major metropolitan areas offered and buy or sell by instantly accessing the online database for goods and services. To sell, all you do is enter a description and any pictures you'd like, post the listing and the system automatically provides a secure contact address using your pre-entered user information. To buy, all you do is browse by major category to search for your item of interest. Once you find something of interest, just click on the contact information and BOOM! You are connected to the seller and your deal can be negotiated or closed. There are even personals, resumes, jobs and housing related items all posted by local individuals who really want local responses.

Get Organized:

Grocery Gadget - $4.99 (Grocery Gadget Light is free; limited capacity).

This is a listing application full of opportunities for creative organization. Even if you're not the creative type, use the extensive database of shopping items already built into the application to create your everyday shopping lists for home, travel, back-to-school supplies, holiday shopping and more. Customize innumerable shopping lists and group them as you please. Although the database is mainly filled with grocery items, it is so easy to add and customize items and categories that you can quickly accommodate any occasion or seasonal shopping extravaganza.

There is just enough detail visible on each page of this application to prevent confusion, but provide full details of what is required on your shopping trip. Upload pictures to make sure that hubby buys the right kind of diapers or enter remarks to help you recall the that mom wants the organic version of her cereal. Options are included for quantity, price and taxes on each detailed item page. The great thing is that you can enter as much or as little data into this program as you'd like. Want a grocery list program to use right now, with little modification? This is the one for you.

Mixology - free (Mixologist is $.99; ad free version).

No more racking your brain or quick trips to the bookstore before a big get-together or martini party... this application will save you all of the trouble of coming up with that perfect drink. A portable and in-your-hand drink directory for the big night or any night of the week, this application includes a searchable database of thousands of mixed drinks, including hot drinks, punches and non-alcoholic drinks. Whether you search by name, category or ingredient, you will find an extensive list of drinks, each with a shadow shape of the correct serving glass required. Once you select a drink, a list of ingredients and instructions appear. You can keep a list of your favorites for future reference and share your recipes all from your device.

Some unique features of this application are a liquor store finder, an electronic liquor cabinet that allows you to keep track of what you have on hand at all times and a free online bartending guide. A fun feature is the Random ability to shake your device and have a drink selected for you - this can be a party game in itself, just set the liquor that you have on hand and off you go!