Lose your keys? Wallet? Phone? There's an app to help you find your lost stuff

Never lose your keys again — that's the promise of the various brands of key finders that pair with smart phones.
Never lose your keys again — that's the promise of the various brands of key finders that pair with smart phones.

"Dang it, where'd I leave my keys?"

If some variation of those words has ever passed your lips - or the lips of a loved one - fear not, there's a technological solution to the vexing problem of lost stuff.

A number of companies make key finders that pair with your smartphone to help you find both.

That is, if you misplace your keys, you tap an app on your smart phone, and the key finder - a small, plastic square or circle attached to your keychain - rings or beeps or plays a melody until you find it.

And if you lose your phone? Squeeze the key finder on your keychain and your phone will ring. Even if the phone is set to "silent."

You can put key finders on anything and everything you think you might lose: a wallet, a purse - even your car. Key finder apps will let you pull up a map that you can use to find your car in a parking lot.

A key finder costs about $25, though manufacturers offer them at a discount if you buy a bunch at once to attach to anything you might lose. Brands include Tile, LightInTheBox, TrackR, PebbleBee and Magical Jelly Bean. They can be found at major retail stores, such as Walmart, or online.

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