Now that most of us have figured out our Thanksgiving plans, it's time to start mapping out our shopping strategies for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Of course, there are now a ton of mobile apps to help you do that. Here are some of the best that I have come across:
shopkick
Like Foursquare for shopping, shopkick gives you points ("kicks") every time you check into a store. The more kicks you collect, the more you discounts and deals you'll be eligible for. The holiday release of shopkick increases the amount of kicks you can earn. These can, in turn, be used for gift cards, iTunes credits, restaurant vouchers, or even donated to charity.
The Find
Scan the barcode on anything and this app will search for its price and where to find it, either in local stores or online. You can also use thefind.com to shop for particular items or brands. The apps price alert feature is helpful should a local retailer run a flash deal.
GeoQpons
GeoQPons uses your phone's geolocation software to find the days' deals around you. Just pull up the app to find out where to go for deals. Or, if you're in the store, check out the app to see if there are coupon codes available for use on-the-spot.
Living Social
Local daily deals site Living Social will be offering special Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals with national retailers, including Verizon Wireless, Wine.com, Red Envelope, BlueFly.com, and more. You can also donate to Toys for Tots or send a care package to U.S. troops through the deals site.
Finally, for the travel-minded, you'll want to check out travel search engines and their respective apps for Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. Many sites are offering savings of up to 50% on airfare, hotels, car rentals, and travel packages.