Time is money. The Shopping Nazi is here to help you save money one product at a time.

For many of us who have cell phones there is a little program in that cell phone call the contacts. In addition to Google the need for a phone book has been eliminated.

The family or office phone book that comes from the local telephone company or phone book service like DexKnows, or Yellow Book has become obsolete. For businesses these services are okay. When I put my name into DexKnows it puts me over to PeopleFinder.com. They want money to pull up all my personal information.

The other day, I asked a few people had they ever lost contacts, pictures, or other important information from their computer, cell phone or other electronic device. Then I asked them what they use for a back up system, to prevent it from happening today.

Most everyone that told me they had lost some kind of important data such as pictures, contacts and important documents at one time or the other. Less than half currently are not backing up their information.

The third question I asked them was what dollar value do they put on that information? Some of those I was talking to I had to rephrase the question to, “What would it cost you to if suddenly lost all your pictures, documents, and contacts?” The answers I got were from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. 

Modern day cell phones are not just for making phone calls and texting. The cell phone of today has become advanced to a handheld computer.  The number of application for the smartphone rivals the number of applications for the desktop computer. Some are free. Then there are other are cost money.

I have found a selection of free applications that make my use of the cell phone more useful than my desktop or laptop computer. Today, I want to share with you some of my favorite free applications.

Last week I received a phone call from a gentleman who is in his mid 60′s. He was calling me for help in finding a cell phone.  He was looking for a cell phone that is just a phone. He did not want any 3G or 4G. He does not text  or want take pictures.

As strange as it may sound, it is harder to find just a cell phone. At the end of 2010, it is much easier to find a handheld computer that is also a cell phone.

Even though it is just a few days before Christmas,I set out to find just a cell phone. My hopes weren’t to high. I just wanted to see if I could find just a cell phone.

It was like last week we bought our daughter her first a MP3 player for $39.99. It was not what it cost us. After sales tax, carrying case, and mp3 our cost was well over $50 and still going up.

That is why I want to take today and look at hidden or unexpected costs. We have chosen only the 5 most common hidden cost over and above the price tag. Some are expected. Some are hidden and unexpected. All are over and above the price tag.

At first glance the Motorola Dash looks like the traditional Blackberry phone. It uses the Window Mobile, and sold exclusively by T-mobile.

The Dash has been out since 2006. At that time PCMag.com reviewed the Dash. It was when smart phones where just starting to get popular, and when touch screen phones were rumors. Back then PCMag.com reviewers and users liked the Dash. They rated it 4 to 5 stars out of 5 stars.

The true test of any product or service is the amount of repeat business it gets. New customers will come and go, but the ones that keep coming back is the true test of the business’s merit.

Repeat business is dependent upon that first impression. Rarely does a business get a second chance to WOW a customer to the point when they will return. Most of the time a customer does not return to that business because there was no overwhelming WOW factor.

Years ago we went with Tmobile as our cell phone carrier, because they offered a great deal on a nice flip phone for my wife and myself. Over the years they have always given us good service at a reasonable price. So we keep using them for our cell phone carrier.

Last week I was driving by my local T-Mobile store, when I remember that I was coming due for a phone upgrade in a couple of months. I turned into a open parking space in front of my local T-Mobile store.

When I walked into the T-Mobile store, I was greeted by a pleasant speaking dark haired lady in the traditional T-Mobile purple dress shirt.

I explained to her I was getting close to my time for an upgrade. I wanted to replace my old Blackberry 8700. It has been a great phone, but little things like lack of camera was starting to bug me.