The holiday season is upon us and there’s no better time of year to look for bargains. Before you head out to fight the crowds this season, download some of these great apps to your smart phone or iPod. Having a smart phone has never been so intelligent!

RedLaser – a free application that turns your phone into a bar-code scanner! After you scan the barcode of the item, RedLaser finds the same product at local retailers and in online shops allowing you to find the best price available.

GasBuddy – the app finds the best prices in your local area and, the best feature, the prices are in real time! You can be sure you’ll be getting the cheapest gas around your town. Earn points by finding better deals on gas and reporting them via the app.

Shopping by TheFind – similar to other bar-code scanning apps, this application goes a step further! Sign up for alerts to the best prices by product to be alerted of great bargains in real time.

KeyRing – get rid of those dozens of store rewards cards you have hanging off of your keychain! This app allows you to scan your loyalty cards. Simply pick the card you need in the application and let the cashier scan your phone.

PricePinx – search for things on your wish list and the application will keep you updated of any changes in price at local retailers. The application is perfect for those items you don’t need to buy right away as you can grab up the deals as they come.

WorthMonkey – an indispensible application for thrift store shoppers, this application allows you to comparison shop using fair price guidelines. Thinking of buying something on eBay? Plug it into the app and see if you are paying a good price.

CompareMe – the app doesn’t compare retailers but compares prices on similar food items. Want to know if the twelve pack is really a better value than the six pack? Simply input the data into the application and find out.

PriceGrabber – find the lowest price on over a million products from thousands of online stores. Compare prices, locate product reviews and more with this fabulous application.

Coupon Sherpa – out shopping? Input the store you’re in and find available coupons. No need to print them out; the cashier can simply scan your phone and save you money right at the register.

Black Friday Ads – what Black Friday shopper hasn’t gotten to the register only to be charged more than the advertised price? Rather than arguing with the cashier, simply pull up the store’s ad on the application and show them the price in the ad!

Useful apps are a great addition to any smart phone, iPod or iPad. There may be none more useful to shoppers than those listed above. Download one or download several and be sure to have your phone tucked away in your pocket when you hit the stores this season.

Author Thomas Hathaway is a financial consultant and suggests there are times when a payday loan may come in handy when you have financial urgency prior to your regular pay date.