We are now less than two months away from Christmas and that means, for most of us, the bargain hunting, hair-tearing, note scribbling, wine buying, high street rampaging is well and truly underway. However, instead of going out with militant aggression and a hit list of hot targets, now is the best time of the year to step back and take a stealthier approach in our present buying onslaught. Now is your time to get the kind of deals that no other Christmas shopper is getting and save those precious pounds for 2012. So what’s the best way to do that? Probably on the iPhone. With so many of us now spending more time with Apple’s aluminium pocket pal more so than our own best friends, we can use this vulnerability to our advantage. Whether you’re on the high street or sat at home, there are several retailers and developers creating iPhone apps which can save you money. So grab your Christmas credit cards and hook into some Wi-Fi and save money in the easiest way possible!

1: Monkey Supermarket App

Released in 2010, the Money Supermarket App is available for the iPhone and the iPad and offers pretty much everything it does on its website but in mobile form. You can browse credit card comparisons or find the best voucher codes of the day. You are also able to locate deals based on your exact location which comes in great for those looking for restaurants or bars for family meals. The vouchers through the Money Supermarket App are also specifically for mobiles, so you won’t have to worry about hunting down an internet cafe to print off your vouchers whilst out shopping.

2: Vouchercloud

This free app works in a similar way to the Money Supermarket app. It uses GPS technology to pinpoint where you are in the world and then you can browse through various categories in order to find the exclusive discounts available to you as an app user. You then download the voucher to your phone and show the retailer or restaurant for them to redeem. Several huge companies such as Hotel Du Vin, Pizza Hut and Bowplex Bowling all use Vouchercloud for special promotions.

3: Find Free Parking

Now this is awesome. You travel around various shopping centres and retail parks at Christmas time and you know you’re going to be out shopping for some time. That soon adds up and you can easily spend over ten to fifteen pounds a day in car park fees if you’re going from place to place. The Find Free Parking app, well you can pretty much guess what it does! Not only does it tell you the free parking facilities within your vicinity, it will also give you directions on how to get there.

4: Skype

If you haven’t got Skype already, get it. Skype enable you to call friends and family across the world at no cost. You can even make video calls, so there’s no reason to feel too distant from your family members this Christmas! Encourage all your friends and family to get Skype this Christmas and spread that digital merriness!

5: Red Laser

Red laser is the ultimate tool if you want to find the best priced products on the market. You simply install it on your iPhone and then use it as a barcode scanner for selected items. The app will then provide you will the best priced retailers for that particular item. A great app that will not only save you money but time as well.

Scott is a writer who would encourage all iPhone users to prize themselves away from Angry Birds long enough to download the apps listed above.