Blogging for Change

Want the best deal? Hop on the phone.

by Kim McGrigg on
8/6/2008
in Budgeting and Building Savings

For years, my husband and I have used our cell phones to help us save money and time.  Before we make a costly purchase, like for a printer or digital camera, we use our phones to jump online (from the store!) and look at competitors' Web sites.  If we find that another vendor is advertising a lower price, we show the store manager the ad; he or she is usually willing to match the lower price. If they will not match the price, we can make a conscious decision about whether or not the extra money is worth the convenience of having the item immediately.  In addition to saving some money, it saves us a lot of running around time.  Now, there is an iPhone application that takes this concept to the next level.

Save Benjis is a free application for the iPhone that provides Internet prices while you shop.  Right from the store, you can enter a product’s bar code, ISBN book code or Manufacturer's Product Number and receive product and price information from other vendors.   That way, you can be sure you are getting the best deal.  From Save Benjis’ Web site:

Compare prices and read reviews on your iPhone for over 15 million different products from over one thousand stores. When you find a better price using Save Benjis you can purchase the item using your iPhone with as little as one touch.

“Sometimes there is no substitute for actually being in a physical store. You get to see how big or heavy an item is, you get to try it out or try it on, but in today’s economy you can’t afford not to get the best price, and shopping online is the best way to guarantee that. We created Save Benjis so that you can easily get the best of both worlds.” said Cortis Clark, President of Sol Robots.

Even if you don’t have an iPhone, you can comparison shop on your home computer using FindersCheapers.com; FindersCheapers is one of the partners who created Save Benjis.

Kim McGrigg is the former Manager of Community and Media Relations for MMI.

Recommended Articles

Man sitting in front of pile of bills, trying to understand his options.
Professional Budget Advice
Make the most of every dollar and start building toward your dreams! Budget counseling is FREE and available 24/7.
Learn More
Learn more
  • Better Business Bureau A+ rating Better Business Bureau
    MMI is proud to have achieved an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), a nonprofit organization focused on promoting and improving marketplace trust. The BBB investigates charges of fraud against both consumers and businesses, sets standards for truthfulness in advertising, and evaluates the trustworthiness of businesses and charities, providing a score from A+ (highest) to F (lowest).
  • Financial Counseling Association of America Financial Counseling Association of America
    MMI is a proud member of the Financial Counseling Association of America (FCAA), a national association representing financial counseling companies that provide consumer credit counseling, housing counseling, student loan counseling, bankruptcy counseling, debt management, and various financial education services.
  • Trustpilot Trustpilot
    MMI is rated as “Excellent” (4.9/5) by reviewers on Trustpilot, a global, online consumer review platform dedicated to openness and transparency. Since 2007, Trustpilot has received over 116 million customer reviews for nearly 500,000 different websites and businesses. See what others are saying about the work we do.
  • Department of Housing and Urban Development - Equal Housing Opportunity Department of Housing and Urban Development
    MMI is certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide consumer housing counseling. The mission of HUD is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD provides support services directly and through approved, local agencies like MMI.
  • Council on Accreditation Council On Accreditation
    MMI is proudly accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA), an international, independent, nonprofit, human service accrediting organization. COA’s thorough, peer-reviewed accreditation process is designed to ensure that organizations like MMI are providing the highest standard of service and support for clients and employees alike.
  • National Foundation for Credit Counseling National Foundation for Credit Counseling
    MMI is a longstanding member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling® (NFCC®), the nation’s largest nonprofit financial counseling organization. Founded in 1951, the NFCC’s mission is to promote financially responsible behavior and help member organizations like MMI deliver the highest-quality financial education and counseling services.