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Nearly every store you go into has a loyalty card these days. Loyalty cards are a great way of saving money, allowing you to earn points, use coupons or get special “members only” discounts. But your wallet can quickly grow obese with cards being offered at almost every store you visit. You waste time at the checkout counter, fishing for the correct card as you dig through dozens of other cards.
What’s even worse is when you leave a card at home to save space in your wallet and then end up shopping at that store anyway. You know the day you leave a card at home is the day you’re going to need it. You miss out on savings left and right just because you didn’t plan on being at the store that day.
Google Wallet is a great solution for this problem, but isn’t available to many people. Google Wallet is only available in the US on one model of phone and one carrier.
For those of you who want the convenience of loyalty cards on your smartphone, but don’t have Google Wallet, check out Key Ring, a free app available for iPhone and Android phones.
Convenience
With Key Ring you can store your loyalty cards on your phone, so they are handy whenever you go to a store. No fat wallet, no fumbling for cards and no accidentally leaving cards at home. Just whip out your phone at the checkout counter and have the cashier scan it.
Not only is it easy to have your phone scanned at checkout, it’s easy to enter the card information onto the app. Open the app and go to Menu = > Add Card and then point your phone camera at the bar code on the card. Hold the phone steady and the app will read the bar code. After the bar code has been read, the app will ask you to select a store. The app gives you a long list of stores to choose from, or you can add the name of the store yourself if your store isn’t listed (see, Cari Orthodontics in the image below).
Once you have added the name of the store, press Create Card. You are then asked if you would like to add another card. Keep going until you have entered all your cards. Easy!
To get started you need to create a Key Ring account, which is handy because then you can sync the app between devices. Just press the Sync button and all of your card information will magically appear in the app on your new device. If you start with this app on an iPod Touch and then switch to an Android phone, no problem. All of your card information can be moved easily between devices. Or if you and your Significant Other share loyalty cards, you can each have this app on your individual phones registered to the same account, racking up your loyalty points twice as fast!
Special Offers
If all Key Ring did was store your loyalty cards, I would still recommend it highly. But wait, there’s more! Key Ring also offers savings with special offers for Key Ring customers. For example, with the cards I have loaded onto my Key Ring app, the stores have the following discounts:
- 10-75% off Prescription Drugs at CVS Pharmacy
- 10% off any Coaching Aid at Dick’s Sporting Goods
- $5 off any $25 purchase at The Body Shop
Much more convenient than carrying around a bunch of coupons with you.
Get Key Ring for Free at the iTunes App Store here: Key Ring for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch
Get Key Ring for Free at the Android Market here: Key Ring for Android devices
Bottom Line
If you want to lighten your wallet and save money, get the Key Ring app for your smartphone!
Do you use loyalty cards when you shop? Is your wallet getting so fat you think it’s going to burst soon? Have you ever tried Key Ring? Let us know in the Comments section below!
An orthodontics loyalty card? I’ll bite. What’s that about??
cho cho, It’s so great to have you here at The Wonder of Tech! Lol, great comment.
Some orthodontists give small prizes to kids to encourage them to look forward to coming to their office for the many appointments needed for braces. The loyalty card helps the orthodontist keep track of how many times the patient kept their appointments. If the patient earns enough points, they can get prizes such as a book, video games, iTunes gift cards and caramel corn. Okay, I’m kidding about the caramel corn. 😀
I love this! I’m always running into a store, but have left the keys in the car, forgetting I need the loyalty card. Plus being able to take a picture of the bar code is soooo much easier than trying to guess which numbers you have to type in (on other apps) to get the bar code correct. The offer of deals and coupons makes it all the better.
Excellent discovery! Downloading now!!!
Hi Mandy, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech. You’re right, many people keep these loyalty cards on their key rings (that’s probably why they call it Key Ring, lol). I think the key tag loyalty cards are even more annoying than the wallet cards, so I tend to choose the wallet cards over the key tag cards. But now you don’t have to choose between wallet cards and key cards. You can have neither!
You’re right, Key Ring makes it incredibly easy to enter the card information into the app. It just takes a few seconds, no typing involved, so long as the store is listed.
I hope you enjoy the app!
Great information Carolyn. Like Mandy, I have found myself at the store and the card is at home. Will definitely download this app on my iphone. Thanks!!
Hi Cathy, I think we all have been there. Sometimes you can give your phone number to the cashier if you don’t have a loyalty card, but that doesn’t always work. It’s so much easier to have the cards handy on your phone screen!
Thanks, Cathy, for your awesome comment!
What is the difference between this and CardStar?
Hi Deborah, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! I tried CardStar as well, but had more difficulty scanning my cards into CardStar. CardStar doesn’t require you to create an account while Key Ring does. Some may prefer not to sign up for an account, but I find it handy with the many smartphones we have in our household to have an account with Key Ring.
I hope this helps you, Deborah! Thanks for stopping by and asking your brilliant question!
Thank you so much for the reply — the CardStar account that I have doesn’t require you scanning anything? I don’t even have a scanner.
Deborah
Hi Deborah, the camera on your smartphone acts as a scanner. It works with the bar codes on your loyalty cards. You don’t need a separate scanner, just the camera on your cell phone. Great question! 🙂
Hmmm I thought I entered the numbers – maybe I am remembering it wrong? This was quite a while ago when it first came out. I’ll have to see if they changed it. Oh well, I love new technology and will give KeyRing a go! Thanks again.
Hi Deborah, You probably did enter the numbers but both Key Ring and CardStar have updated their apps frequently over the years. Now all you have to do is scan your cards. Very easy! 🙂
Very good idea! I have way too many loyalty cards in my wallet!
Me too, Anna! At least I did before I got Key Ring. 🙂 I hope you enjoy the app!
Very nice Carolyn. Simple concept and wonderful solution. It’s quite common many of us carry loyalty card and sure wallet become bulky after a while or car key chain ring may keep growing!
Key ring has come up with very intuitive option as one stop solution. I like the smart phone independence option like Android and IPhone kind of usability. Most people love to use this.
Look out the benefits!. No fat wallet, Scanning, Handy, Get rid out accidental miss outs, and importantly Special offers! all smart phone compatible. Very impressive.
Thanks a lot for sharing the useful app information.
Hi Manickam, You’re right, Key Ring offers many benefits and it’s free. I like how it works on all smartphone and can connect the information between them. It works on the iPad too, but I can’t imagine anyone pulling out their iPad to have it scanned, but you could do it if you needed to.
Thanks so much, Manickam, for another awesome comment!
Hi Carolyn,
I don’t have this “problem” at all. We have loyalty cards in Norway, and I see more and more stores are offering them. I only have one, and that’s for the local grocery store (but it’s actually on my visa card).
The app is very interesting for people with many cards. I can’t even imagine how big some of the wallets are 🙂
Jens
Hi Jens, Yes, people who visit a lot of stores can accumulate loads of cards. I got a card case for all of the cards I was carrying. I’m so happy that I don’t need that anymore due to this app. I’m glad you don’t have this problem. I’m sure it’s easy to keep track of your one grocery card! 🙂
How convenient, Carolyn. Sounds like a great addition without the bulkiness. See, another helpful topic I had no idea about. I do get tired of forgetting my loyalty cards at home when I need them most. Thank you.
P.S., Sorry I haven’t stopped by in a while… I’ve been playing catchup. Take care.
Allyson
Hi Allyson, Yes, you’re right, Key Ring is a very useful app. I try to only bring cards along when I’m shopping but sometimes I end up at stores when I didn’t mean to go there. I love having all of my cards on Key Ring!
Thanks for stopping back by. It’s always great to see you here at The Wonder of Tech, Allyson! 🙂
That is something I would love to have Carolyn. I have a feeling that with time this type of thing will be available to everyone. So I guess for me, I just need to have patience. Well since I’m so behind as it is with technology, I don’t think that will be a problem. I have a place for all these special little cards though and I don’t have tons of them thank goodness. 🙂
As always, great scoop you continue to share with us. I love visiting you!
Great news, Adrienne! You can have Key Ring. It works on your new iPod Touch! Just download this free app and you’ll be ready to go. I think you’ll find this app very, very useful, Adrienne. 🙂
I’m so glad you love visiting The Wonder of Tech, because I love your visits too! Thanks so much for your awesome post and helpful tweets. 😀
I totally just glanced right over that. I saw where you said you could switch it over to the Android phone but instead of reading iPod, I was thinking iPad. I’ve got to get all of the straight girl. I KNOW you put that in there specifically for me and I just didn’t catch that. I’ll start getting this tech stuff straight one day.
That is so cool. Of course, I don’t carry my iPod with me everywhere and it’s not as convenient as having all of this on a phone but I’m going to use this app anyway. I know that eventually eventually will end up going digital so it would be nice if I knew how to do some of this stuff so I don’t feel so totally ancient.
I’m so blessed that you are so patient with me Carolyn. One of these days I’ll start to understand this stuff better, I promise! Until then, you just have to continue to put up with me! 🙂
You’re absolutely right, Adrienne, I did put that in for you, but it’s easy to misread iPod as iPad. No worries, this tech stuff can be confusing and I’m always happy to help!
Most apps can be used on both the iPhone and iPod Touch.
You may find you will be carrying your iPod Touch with you more and more if you start using more apps.
No worries, Adrienne. Ask as many questions as you like. Chances are if you have a question others are wondering the same thing. I really appreciate you being brave enough to ask!
You are always welcome here at The Wonder of Tech, Adrienne! So happy you to have you visit any time! 🙂
Hi Carolyn,
Key Ring sounds like a great way for technology to “lighten the load” of my wallet. I think that I’ll try it on my new iphone 4s. Keep up the flow of the latest “wonder of tech” advancements that make life simpler & easier. By the way, congrats on the Inquirer publishing and your astounding accomplishments on court #2. P.S. Don’t lose your cape! ;>)
Hello Jack, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! Key Ring is a fantastic app. I’ve had people tell me it’s their favorite app. I have it on the home screen of my iPad, I use it so often.
Thanks for your kind words. I look forward to seeing you on Court 2 tomorrow!