Worth saving

An application that every smartphone should have is the VoucherCloud app. This is a free app that gives you discounts from places around you without having to print out vouchers.

In the past few years such vouchers have become very popular with consumers, with shops and restaurants offering discounts to keep the tills ringing.

Until now, users had to plan where they were going and arrive armed with their vouchers printed out. But the new VoucherCloud app (downloadable at vouchercloud.com or from the usual market places) lets Android, iPhone, Windows Mobile and Blackberry users take advantage of deals spontaneously.

Once you launch the app by using the phone’s GPS and an active internet connection it will show you the discounts and offers available nearby.

To use the vouchers, you would have to tap on the deal or offer you wish to opt for and tap on the ‘use voucher’ option. On the next screen you will be presented with an animation simulating the printing of a voucher – this is a pretty cool idea. The printing simulation is accompanied by phone vibration to give you the feel of a real printer.

Once the voucher code is on the screen, all you need to do is show it to the waiter or cashier and the bill will be discounted accordingly.

I have been using the app for a few months now and I have also used it abroad in London and Amsterdam.

Always make sure to read the terms and conditions of the offers to avoid disappointment.

Also, it’s important to only tap on the ‘use voucher’ button when you want to actually use it as from what I can see, there is no way to go back to it.

Jesmond Darmanin is a technology enthusiast who has his own blog at www.itnewsblog.com.