Best Apps to Help You Save Money

Happy woman skipping while holding shopping bags.

Are you one of the millions of users of cash back and rewards apps? If not, you should look into the many ways you can save when shopping using certain smartphone apps and browser extensions. There are various apps, each with unique benefits, that should be researched to help you find the greatest savings on your particular type of purchase. For example, many apps offer some type of reward. This might include cash back or even gift cards. Others offer coupons and discounts on the products and services you use most, while others will help you find the best deals and alert you to discounts. Using a cash back or coupon app can be great for your budget. Read on to learn more about the best apps to help save you money.  

Ibotta

With Ibotta, you can earn cash back every time you shop online through a browser extension, on the app, or in-store at participating retailers. Once you create your account, you can find your favorite retailers for shopping. According to their website, Ibotta users can earn cash back shopping thousands of top retailers. This includes spots such as The Home Depot, CVS Pharmacy, Best Buy, Walmart, Kohls, and Priceline among many others. Look for your retailer before you shop to see offers. You can link store loyalty accounts to Ibotta accounts to have purchases automatically identified. You can also easily submit receipts after a shopping trip. After your cash back account reaches $20 in earnings, you can transfer the money to your bank account.

Receipt Hog

Receipt Hog advertises its app as a fun and rewarding way to turn receipts from everyday shopping into cash, no matter where you shop or what you buy. Get cash rewards for every purchase you make with the Receipt Hog app. Whether you shop online or in-store, just upload receipts and start earning. You can link your Amazon or other loyalty accounts, such as Walmart or Target to earn automatically. You can also complete surveys to earn more.

ShopSavvy

The folks at ShopSavvy encourage you to shop smarter, not harder. The app enables you to compare prices across thousands of retailers to ensure you are always getting the best deal. Get instant price drop alerts, deal search alerts, and more. You are able to scan barcodes to find the lowest prices available, as well as search manually for items. Plus, create and share your own favorite product list.

Shopkick

Shopkick is the app that rewards you for shopping with “kicks” or points that are redeemable for gift cards. You can earn kicks just for visiting a store and scanning participating product barcodes, as well as for product purchases. You can also earn kicks for watching product videos and more. Use your kick points for gift cards to your favorite spots, such as Starbucks, Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and more.

Fetch Rewards

With Fetch Rewards, you can earn points on any receipt from any store or restaurant. Redeem your points for gift cards and other rewards. Earn points on hundreds of popular featured brands from Colgate and Dove to Doritos, Klondike, Lays, Lipton, Huggies, and more. Each receipt will get you a certain number of points and qualifying items from featured brands will earn you even more.

Rakuten

Rakuten enables you to earn cash back at over 3,500 stores. From Macy’s, Sam’s Club, Old Navy, and Lowe’s to Walmart, Target, and more. Start shopping at Rakuten.com, the Rakuten App, or via the web extension and watch your cash back balance grow. Rakuten says they’ve paid members over $2 billion in cash back!

Swagbucks

With Swagbucks, you can earn points for shopping online, answering surveys, watching videos, and more. Redeem those points for PayPal cash or gift cards from over 100 retailers, including Amazon, Walmart, and more. You can also find all of the latest sales and deals from your favorite brands.

Important cash back app considerations

Legitimate rewards apps can help you get great deals and earn cash back and other rewards when you shop. Many savvy shoppers looking to stretch their shopping dollar look to cash back and coupon apps. These apps reward users for making purchases or for certain other tasks. Understanding the criteria for earning cash back or other rewards is important. Security is also a critical consideration when downloading any app, so be sure to thoroughly research an app before downloading and using it.

Greg Quinn