SmartyPig LLC has launched a mobile site that provides access to consumers' account information via their Web-enabled handset.

Consumers can view the current status of their savings goals and friends' goals, track transaction history and make additional transfers of money from their mobile phones. While the mobile site is optimized to take advantage of the iPhone's look and feel, SmartyPig enlisted pinch/zoom to optimize their site for other mobile devices, such as Android-based handsets from HTC, the Palm Pre and RIM's BlackBerry.

"Our strategy is to simply listen to what our customers wanted from SmartyPig," said Mike Ferrari, cofounder/COO of SmartyPig, Des Moines, IA. "Our first request was to provide OFX integration to sites like Mint, Wesabe, Thrive and Geezeo -- we launched OFX about a month ago.

"Our second request was for a mobile solution that provided access to not only their overall goal balances and transaction history, but the ability to add money to SmartyPig goals while on the go," he said. "And our customers asked that we not just focus on the iPhone but other mobile devices such as Andorid, Blackberry and future release of the Palm Pre."

The SmartyPig mobile site is at http://m.smartypig.com

SmartyPig is a new service based on the age-old idea of saving up for purchases before buying, while adding Web 2.0 and social networking technology to reach tech-savvy banking customers.

"We will also roll out the mobile device to SmartyPig Australia and future countries we enter in 2009, so the direction of a mobile site as opposed to an app made a lot of sense for us," Mr. Ferrari said.

With its recent OFX integration, SmartyPig lets consumers track goals in online money management sites like Mint.com and Wesabe.

A mobile platform was a top request from SmartyPig users, with whom the company keeps an ongoing dialogue through customer service site GetSatisfaction, Twitter, a fan group on Facebook and through its blog.

The SmartyPig mobile site lets consumers access and view the status of their goals and review their past transactions.

Once goals are setup, monthly money contributions are automated. However, additional money can always be deposited.

For example, when consumers opt against an impulse buy and want to reward themselves by contributing additional funds to a SmartyPig goal, the new mobile site lets them do that using their handset.

The social aspect of SmartyPig lets friends and family view and support each others' goals, if they so choose. It is intended to give needed motivation to continue on the saving path, and the new mobile site enables reviews of what friends are saving for and the progress they have made.

The SmartyPig mobile site uses VeriSign SSL 256-bit encryption, is certified daily to pass the McAfee Secure Security Scan, and has undergone comprehensive security auditing and testing by Primeon, a leader in enterprise-wide application security.

Primeon works with 50 of the largest financial services enterprises in the United States.

SmartyPig's social banking application targets a younger, plugged-in customer base.

"In the U.S. our target demo for the mobile site would be our younger, tech-savvy customers, 18-35, which represents about 60 percent of our users," Mr. Ferrari said.

In the U.S., the site offers a 3.05 percent APY interest rate and provides customers with cash boosts up to 6 percent when a savings goal is reached from retail partners like Royal Caribbean, Pottery Barn, Best Buy, Amazon and Home Depot.

SmartyPig was created after Ferrari, who had just set up a 529 college savings account for his new son, searched for a similar way to automatically save for a vacation with friends that offered him the benefits he felt were most important: a social networking aspect so the group could share in the experience, incentives from retailers he frequents and ease of use.

When he couldn't find anything, he partnered with strategic investors DataVision Inc. and West Bank to create SmartyPig.

SmartyPig, launched in the U.S. in April 2008 and in Australia with partner bank ANZ in February 2009.

The mobile site is 100 percent free with no ad support, as is the consumer site. It is an added feature to the suite of features SmartyPig offers its customers.

"The mobile site, OFX integration, one of the most competitive interest rates in the country, FDIC insurance and the ability to make your goals public, share with your friends and receive contributions, makes SmartyPig the only true social banking application for consumers today," Mr. Ferrari said.

"SmartyPig spends $0 in the United States on traditional advertising," he said. "We will heavily leverage our relationships with existing media and look to our amazing and valued customers to help spread the word virally via Twitter, Facebook, Get Satisfaction and our blog.

"We have a loyal and supportive following that we don't take for granted -- we listen and respond and in doing so, we find our customers reaching out to their friends and family on our behalf."