Many businesses offer great deals you can find in a couple of taps on your cell screen

TULSA - If you want more free time, there's an app for that. If you want to save some cash while at it, there's an app for that too.

2NEWS compiled a list of easy, mostly free, smart phone and iPad applications that area guru's say work for them.

With all the deals offered up by businesses, finding the best one can eat up some time.

"Once in a while I would say ok, I am going to cut the coupons and save that money because it is crazy to leave that money on the table. It took so much time and it was such a mess cutting out all the stuff," said Tulsa mom Lisa Bycroft.

Bycroft now enjoys more time with her four-year-old, "I am an app using mom."

Her restaurant cell phone application brings her to Elmer's BBQ some days for the daily special the app provides. While there, her grocery app generates her shopping list for her. "Absolute time savers, believe me," Bycroft said.

2NEWS wants to save you time too.

After asking moms, economists, and the app makers themselves, 2NEWS has complied a list of money saving apps, starting with April Sailsbury's favorite, Redlaser.

Redlaser allows you to find a product, scan the barcode, and instantly see a list of who sells it, and who has the best price.

Sailsbury tried it on a toy. "We went into a local retailer, walked over to it, found it, and it was $40. We scanned it, found out that it was on sale for 50% off at a store that was in the same parking lot. We walked out the door, walked to that store and got it for half price," said Sailsbury.

You can skip the in-person purchase and buy on your phone with Redlaser. You can also see a list of ingredients for food items.

The Target app is another favorite with instant daily deals.

"I can do it at the stoplight!" Sailsbury said.

She became an "app addict" when she started working for Anyware Mobile Solutions, a Tulsa company that makes them. It provides local restaurant apps to places like Ti Amos, Leon's, Billy Simms BBQ, and more.

"The restaurant apps either have specials in them or they tell you what their weekly specials are. If you notice, a lot of restaurants will offer kids eat free nights, then on Saturday they may have an $8 dining deal," Sailsbury said.

Folks who prefer to dine in need deals too. "Global food inflation is near epidemic levels. If you think about it, food prices as a whole were up about 25% last year," said Economist Jake Dollarhide.

Dollarhide says staple items took a hit which is why he says more people are turning to apps. "Groupon is a very popular one," Dollarhide said.

The free Groupon app allows you to enter your zip code and get a daily deal from a local business. One offer had a $55 chemical peel valued at $125 equaling 65% in savings.

How about saving on groceries without picking up a circular?

"You won't have to go out on your front door step on Sunday morning to get your newspaper. It is delivered right to your device," said Gerald Buckley, Founder of Grocio.

Buckley is another local inventor whose Grocio app shows grocer's circulars. "It could save you as much as $20 a shopping trip," Buckley said.

Grocio is available on the iPad only, soon to be featured on the iPhone.

It allows you to choose your circular, find your discounted product, and take it to check out. If it has a coupon, some stores can scan it at the check out line directly off your screen.

"The best story that I have had is that somebody took their iPad into a store and did a price match off the iPad itself," Buckley said.

The Grocery IQ app is a favorite among some moms. "You can automatically go through and say I need this this and this, and boom it is there," said mom Lisa Bycroft. The free app keeps your grocery list and finds coupons for the regular items you purchase.

All avid app users agree, not using them is a waste of time and money. "There is an app for everything!"

Check out more money saving apps below. If you're reading this story on your mobile device, click the Home button, tap on Special Reports and you'll see the list.