TextFree (Free)

Last week I wrote about how texting is quickly replacing phone calls as the communication medium of choice in our society. Most people already have a hefty texting package on their cell phone plan but I was looking for ways to cut down on my monthly text and get by with a smaller package. That’s when I discovered TextFree.

TextFree is a free texting app that allows you to send and receive text messages on your phone for free. What drew me to this app was the fact that you get your very own phone number in your area code to send and receive texts at. Get your top 8-10 high-text friends to add your new text number to their address book and you can eliminate quite a few texts in a month. It has a great interface (ad-supported) and taps into your existing address book for contacts.

view this app in iTunes

iCall / Skype (Free)

If you’re looking for ways to cut back on your minutes as well, you’ll want to check out a VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) application. There are plenty to choose from with the most popular being Skype. I love Skype and use it on both my laptop and iPhone. However, I found the iCall app to be more useful.

For starters, you do have to pay to make a Skype call using Skype Credits whereas the iCall app is free within the U.S. with an International flat rate of 6¢ per minute. I use VoIP apps like iCall when I know I’m going to be on a long call or if I want to save minutes.

Whether you use iCall, Skype or another app, a VoIP service is helpful to have on hand if you want to cut down on your minutes.

view this app in iTunes

Groupon (Free)

I am a HUGE fan of Groupon. We have gotten some sweet deals in our area that have saved us some serious change. So when I saw that Groupon had an iPhone app I was excited to see it.

I wasn’t disappointed. All of the features I would have wanted in a Groupon app were there and then some. With the well-designed Groupon app you can view and purchase the current Groupon deal in your city as well as access all of your current Groupons that you’ve already purchased. One feature that was especially cool was the ability to view all of your Groupons on a map so you could see which ones were closest to your current location.

I highly recommend this app. If you haven’t yet discovered or used Groupon, head over and sign up first (it’s free) and then check out the app.

view this app in iTunes

CardStar (Free)

This app is relatively new to me but I immediately recognized that it would prove to be one of my most used.

Nobody likes rummaging through all those membership and store loyalty cards that you get from stores. CardStar takes care of that problem by putting all your membership cards in one app. You can add all of your cards to the app and then simply pull up the barcode for the store you’re at to scan at the register. It even integrates with Foursquare allowing you to check in at the location once you’ve scanned your card.

view this app in iTunes

RedLaser (Free)

The RedLaser app (http://redlaser.com) is one of the most fun to play with. Using your camera you can quickly and easily scan barcodes to see a list of prices for local and online retailers. If you’re scanning a book you can also check to see if that book is available at your local library.

This is a great app to see whether that book, movie or gift you saw at the store is really a great price or if you can find it cheaper online. Even saving a buck here or there can add up over time.

view this app in iTunes

Have you tried any of these apps? Which money-saving apps do you use on your phone?