Whether you are a shop-a-holic or a lady with a budget there is always room for finding more ways to save on your purchases. Thanks to technology you can save hundred of dollars on your regular shopping trips using just a handful of apps.
With all freebies or discounts it often means you are still paying something in exchange for the deal; typically this is your data instead of your hard earned cash. Using discount shopping cards or apps allows the company who provides the app to use your shopping behavior and habits to make assessments about how to better sell to you specifically.
It’s important to remember that it is most likely already happening [via your credit card data]. Next time you click “Accept” on terms and conditions remember that you are authorizing the app to track what you buy, when you buy it and sometimes how close you are to their locations (if it’s a store).
More often than not the exchange of shopping habits is WELL WORTH the discount you receive in return. Grab your phone, head over to the app store and happy shopping!
Apps That Help You Save Money While Shopping
Ibotta
Instead of clipping coupons (or in addition to) Ibotta can help simplify your grocery store savings. They work directly with dozens of stores and products (Kroger, King Soopers, Target, Walmart, City Market, Joannes, etc.) to provide discounts between $.10 and $5.00.
Some coupons are on specific products ($.50 cash back on Starkist Tuna) or generic items ($1.00 off eggs). Before you start your shopping trip, flip through the deals and determine if you want to make specific purchases to help maximize your savings.
Money saving tip
Avoid buying things you don’t need just because they are on sale.
Add the deals you purchased to your Ibotta account and you will be asked to complete a simple task (take a poll, watch a brief video, etc.) before receiving access to the discount. Most of these tasks take no more than 10 seconds to complete.
Once you’ve completed your shopping trip you will need to verify the purchases inside the app by either scanning the items in, or sending a photograph of your full receipt. The money saved is recorded within 24 hours and put into your Ibotta account for safekeeping. After hitting $20.00 in your account you can withdraw the money via PayPal, venmo or on a gift card at places like Best Buy or Amazon.
Favado
This app uses your location to help curate a shopping list of the best deals in your neighborhood. Browse through each store to determine where you want to shop that week and create your full shopping list right inside the app.
If there are specific products you like to buy you can select them as favorites and receive notifications when prices drop for those items. The Favado app does not yet use digital coupons so any coupon deals will require printing out the physical coupon before heading to the store.
Keyring
This is not technically a discount app, but it WILL store all of your discount cards. Ditch the plastic tags and scan them into your phone instead. Using your camera the app will capture the member number, barcode and an image of the card for your records.
In addition to storing discount cards this app is fantastic for all the little plastic cards you have to hang onto, including library, gym or other membership programs. Membership stores (like Sam’s Club or Costco) will still want your physical card so don’t ditch those quite yet.
Grocery Pal
Create your shopping list digitally inside the Grocery Pal and select what store you’d like to shop at. Grocery Pal will help you find the best deals and notify you if an item on your list is a better price at another store.
No need for carrying around a written list! As you go through the store, check items off your list to make sure you bought everything you need.
Target’s Cartwheel
Instead of using coupons or a loyalty card, the Target Cartwheel app allows you to receive discounts and weekly deals directly to your phone. As you shop, scan the items in your cart to determine what has the best prices (and learn what like products are discounted as well).
Target brands (Up & Up, Archer Farms, Merona, Threshold) often have the best deals, averaging 10-15 percent off. Occasional big sales can bring savings up to 30% or more. If you are in the market for furniture, keep an eye out for the 30% off Threshold that often pops up on the app.
Walmart Savings Catcher
If you regularly shop at Walmart this is an app you don’t want to miss. Savings Catcher scans in your receipt number (located near the barcode on the receipt) and the date of your shopping trip. The app then cross references your sales sheets for other local stores.
If Savings Catcher finds a better price they automatically refund the difference onto a Walmart Gift Card. You can even try it out online before downloading the app just to see how it works.
Shopkick
Earn rewards just for walking into the stores you frequent. Shopkick works with over 7,000 locations (including Macy’s, Walmart, Mobile Gas, and more) to track how often you visit their stores and incentive you for returning more frequently.
Using the app earns “kicks” that can be redeemed for gift cards at your favorite locations.
For best results (and to prevent driving yourself crazy) pick one or two apps that you want to use regularly. While you can double dip some of the apps and make them work in tandem it might not be worth the payoff for the time spent hunting for deals and scanning in barcodes.
Also don’t forget to use services like checkintocash.com for cash loans.
Photo Credits: Pixabay, 401(K) 2012, Ibotta, Shopkick, Walmart Savings Catcher, Cartwheel, Grocery Pal, Keyring, Favado
