License to steal...and advice on a great app!

Have you ever noticed that the prices for boat parts are outrageously expensive at some large chain stores that specialize in all things marine. We needed sixteen stainless cotter pins for the turnbuckles on the rigging. Off we went to the marine store and of course they only had six in the right size. They were $4.59 for a package of three.($1.53 each) For those of you who don't know, a cotter pin slips through a hole in the adjustable part of the rigging and is bent to wrap around the turnbuckle to keep it from rotating while under the normal pressures of sailing. Shirl has an app on her I Phone...(gadget girl)...called ShopSavvy, (free app by ShopSavvy Inc.). The app allows you to scan a products' bar code and it then lists where you can buy that product locally or on line and gives you the current prices of that item at each place. Shirl scanned the bar code on the cotter pins and the app let us know they were available at Home Depot for 87 cents each. We decided to check a locally owned marine store that was in the same plaza. The store not only had the stainless pins I needed but they were priced at 40 cents each. Big difference...I know there are different grades of stainless steel, but I am going to try the 40 cent pins to see if they work out. They appear to be from the same manufacturer, without the personalized packaging.

 Looks like 40 cents to me...surely not $1.53.

 This is what the app looks like. You can scan any bar code with your smart phone. Here is an example.

 We scanned the bar code on this rechargeable LED spotlight we would like to get for our trip.

The prices that the app displayed are below.

The app also keeps a history of your scans...very cool. There was quite a difference in price on the spotlight.   I thought I would pass this on. I am not affiliated in any way with this company...but since the app is free, it works well, and you can save a few $ for the cruising kitty, give it a try. Maybe I should ask them to be a blog sponsor...

I will be making a three mile trip to Walmart for the spotlight.

Beautiful sailing last Sunday on Lake Erie several miles off shore. I wanted to make sure Shirl was OK with not seeing land. So far she seems fine.