Save money today. Just use that coupon app on your phone.
We use our phones and tablets to stay connected to friends, family, and work, to keep informed and to entertain ourselves.
While these are all great pastimes, there are many terrific apps out there these days that can help will directly improve your bottom line: saving money. So if you are looking to get a deal shopping for a new electronic item, pay less for your groceries, or snag a $2 draft, here are five great apps that you have got to download and start using right away.
While we enjoy the apps on this list, we are not in partnerships with any of them which is why we haven’t linked to them. They are all a quick Google away.
1. Shopkick
For many of us, shopping in our favorite stores is fun. But ShopKick is taking that fun to a whole new level.
Available for iPhone or Android devices, the free app helps you find out the latest deals at popular stores, and even alerts you to the latest trends. Then Shopkick takes the fun to the next level, buy rewarding you “kicks” for performing certain activities.
Earn kicks for walking into stores, scanning items, buying select items, or scanning receipts. Once you earn enough kicks, you can redeem them for gift cards at places like Starbucks, Target, and many other popular stores.
Apps like this one may seem like they are only targeted at shopping addicts. But really, these apps are useful if you’re someone who doesn’t enjoy shopping but gamifying the experience would make you enjoy it more.
We all know someone in our life who would like to dress better, have nicer things, etc. They have plenty of money. If you make shopping into a game, it’ll bring unsavvy shoppers right into the fold.
2. SnipSnap
If you are coupon warrior, then SnipSnap is the app for you. SnipSnap boasts that it has “the biggest database of printable coupons on the planet”, making it a great app for you to find coupons for all the things you are planning to buy.
The app also allows you to turn a printed coupon into a digital one instantly, simply by taking a photo of it. It will send your phone push alerts when a new deal arises or your saved coupons are about to expire, and its community of users will also alert you to which deals are good and which ones you should pass on. SnipSnap is available for iPhones or Android devices.
Embrace today! It’s now easier than ever to ‘clip’ coupons.
3. Digit
Digit is an app whose sole purpose is simply to save you money, a little bit at a time. After you link your credit card to the app, Digit spends time monitoring your spending habits.
Once it gains an understanding of how you spend money, it starts looking each day to determine where there is a little extra money for you to set aside.
For instance, if it’s algorithms don’t think you’d miss the money, it’ll save it for you. For instance it may take 2-3% of your extra income and save it for you. It’s like a savings ninja.
Digit then sends that money to an FDIC insured account. It doesn’t bear interest. And Digit is just about to roll out its fee structure so it won’t be free anymore. But if you’d love to be a ‘passive saver’ (is that a thing?) Digit may be the app for you.
The app will send your phone push alerts to let you know when it does so and send reports on how much money you are saving, and you can transfer the money back into your main account anytime simply by sending a text. It has made quite a few waves in the fintech industry.
Available for Apple or Android devices, this is a great app for people that want to save more money but never seem to find the time to do so.
4. ParkMe
Because a simple task like parking should be simple, right?
If you live in a big city or commute to one then ParkMe is a must-have app. ParkMe can help you find the cheapest and closest parking area for wherever you are going; it will even allow you to comparison shop to find the absolute best parking place for the price.
ParkMe’s database will also let you know if the parking lot in question has certain amenities, like charging stations for electric cars.
And ParkMe’s onboard pay system allows you to pay for parking digitally as well, streamlining the entire process for you and making it hassle-free. ParkMe is available for iPhone, Android and even Windows phones.
Now next time you may not get an Uber in your hometown just so you can avoid finding a place to park.
5. Happy Hour Finder
If you enjoy going out for a drink every now and then, then Happy Hour Finder is an app that can help you save money while you are bar hopping. And since saving money is seen as pretty cool nowadays, your friends will probably join you in downloading the app.
The app will map out the distances of bars with drink specials that are near you; it will even list the type and price of drink specials available and provides maps so you can navigate your way to them. Happy Hour Finder is free and available for iPhone and Android devices.
Final Thoughts
Combined, these apps can save you quite a lot of money. Digit saves you money without you even having to do anything. Talk about big money with no hassle.
One final thing to keep in mind when using these apps is that an app is merely an assistant. You first must have the drive to use the app. Even Digit requires some setup time.
There are many more apps out there designed to help you save money. Though these are proven apps that are useful to nearly everyone.
To go further than this article, we encourage you to search for apps for all things in your life: meditation, eating healthfully, bird watching, you name it. Apps can help you save money in nearly every arena of life.
Now where did I park my car?
