Mobile Apptitude

I can never seem to keep track of all the various rewards and membership cards required so I can get ten cents off frozen peas or 2-for-1 jars of peanut butter at whatever supermarket I happen to be in.  But it just got a whole lot easier with the Key Ring Reward Cards app for Android.

Install the app and then scan the barcodes from all your different cards and store it in your phone. If you set up an account online, it’ll even back up your cards and barcodes. The cashier can then scan the barcode directly from your phone – and if there’s any problem scanning, the membership number is displayed in an easy-to-read size for quick manual entry.  I find this is especially handy when traveling – last time I was in Southern California, I had to sign up for a rewards cards at a market I’m unlikely to visit more than once a year. I have no idea where the card is now, but it would’ve been really easy to store it in my phone instead.

An aside: if you’re concerned in general about retailers monitoring your buying habits, just use a fake name and address when you sign up for your rewards card.  For example, my liquor store discount card thinks I’m Barney Gumble…