Making Shopping and Life Easier with RedLaser

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Making Shopping and Life Easier with RedLaser

After waiting in one too many long lines over the past few weeks, and searching various stores for items that were out of stock, I hit the wall. I was about to become Scrooge to my family and friends. Luckily, I discovered the FREE RedLaser app which makes shopping easier and quicker. Easier, quicker and FREE - now you're speaking my language.

RedLAser works on IPhone, Android and Windows phones. I was excited to see this as I use an Android phone and often when a cool new app is developed, it is never put out for an Android phone. So score one for the folks at RedLaser!

I am big list maker. I am also a person who forgets her list most of the time. I cannot tell you the number of times I have arrived at a store while my shopping list sits at home on my kitchen counter. That's why one of my favorite RedLaser features is the ability to create lists. This morning, I was going to run a few errands after I dropped the kids off at school. I needed to get some groceries and return some clothes to Old Navy.

I made up a shopping list before I left. It was so easy. I could just look in my pantry and refrigerator for items that were running low, scan the bar code and add it to my list. RedLaser also gives me the opportunity to send that list to someone, like my darling husband. This is perfect for when he asks if he can pick up anything while he is out. This app makes my husband more productive! Here's the list that I sent to his phone.

When my list was done, I was able to check what deals were going on at Old Navy since I would be there later returning clothes. I learned about the sale for $15 off $50 or more which was valid in store only.

I headed out on my errands. Shopping has become more a chore since my daughter started a gluten free diet. I spend a lot of time in stores reading labels and looking for any hidden wheat ingredients. RedLaser has made my life easier on this front. I simply scan the bar code on a product and it tells me what allergens the product contains. When I scan in No Pudge Brownie Mix, it not only provides me with the calorie content and a nutritional rating, but also with common allergens found in the product. This can be revolutionary for someone with food allergies.

Another neat feature is the ability to eliminate key rings and store all your store loyalty card info in the app. My keychain is littered with unsightly loyalty cards which I always spend way too much time looking through at the store. I was happy to scan my cards and free up my key ring. It's very simple to add a new card. I added my CVS card and look at the savings I could be getting!

The price comparison feature is really helpful. Who wants to spend more than they have to? Simply scan or enter in the name of the item you wish to purchase and RedLaser will find it and give you a price comparison so you can get the lowest price. It will also let your order the product from your phone and have it shipped to your home. RedLaser will also let you know where you can purchase the product locally and if it is in stock. No more wasting money and gas looking for a specific item.

Using this app I discovered that the water table I was looking to buy my kids for Christmas is cheaper locally than it is online. I appreciate the fact that the app also lets me know the rating of the product, since it looks like the table I wanted to purchase was not very well regarded. Looks like I need to do a little more research on RedLaser.