Holiday Apps to Help with Holiday Headaches

Submitted by Allie Mitchell:

The holiday hustle can turn even the nicest folks into a Scrooge. A survey just released by Consumer Reports reveals we dread crowds and long lines the most this holiday season. Who could blame us? Another study shows this holiday, we will spend an average of 42 hours buying, wrapping and returning gifts. That’s nearly two days of our life spent roaming store to store and standing in long lines!

Ho! Ho! Hold on! There are some cool new apps that can help cut our wait times this holiday season.

• Great Clips Online Check-In (Free) - The kids need a trim for the holiday photos but you’re stuck in yet another long line at the mall.  Great Clips, the world’s largest hair salon brand, makes your holiday hair appointments quick and easy  with the hair industry’s first ever online check-in. Download the app on your cell phone and put your name on a virtual waiting list. When you walk into the salon, you’re the next to go. With online check in, wait times are usually no more than five minutes! We will gladly set you up with a family using online check in.  Come talk to our stylists about the holiday haircut joy of online check-in!

• Mgift ($2.99) - A quick, easy way to check your gift list and check it twice. You can  create and organize your gift list and check off the gifts when you buy them. Gifts can be linked to the stores online –allowing you to buy them online and remember the price and information.

• RedLaser (Free) - When shopping, scan an item’s UPC barcode with your cell phone  and RedLaser will search through online and local retailers to help find you the best deals in your area. You can also buy directly from within the app at select stores.  You can also save the barcode to create a wish list and share it through Facebook, text or email.

• The Red Stamp App (Free) - Print and send Christmas cards and party invitations from your phone – through email, text, Facebook and Twitter. You choose designs, colors as well as pre-written sentiments – and personalize with photos. 

• PIM – Parking In Motion (Free) -  Don’t search forever for a parking space. This app brings real time on-street and off-street parking information (for both street parking and garages) directly to the drivers’ navigation devices and cell phones.  The free app allows you to see the selected parking availability (the % full in the area). You can buy the spot from the phone and use their ParkMe Engine that creates highly customized parking recommendations (based on an individual’s cost and convenience preferences).