Seven Kinds of Shopping Apps to Help You Save Money

A number of free shopping apps can help you to manage a budget as well as save money on essential and non-essential items. Start using these seven apps to save money:

1) Search and shop for a particular item. Some apps may be able to help you shop for something you’re looking for. One of them, “The Hunt,” claims to have more than three million friends to help you shop, and explains that by posting a photo of an item or outfit, other people will tell you where to find it, help style it, or where to get it for less money.  If you feel so inclined, you can help others do the same.

2) Consolidate weekly newspaper ads on your smart phone. Instead of carrying around the paper version of weekly newspaper ads that you receive, an app called “Flipp” allows you to carry digital copies of ads on your smart phone. With this app, you can search for a specific item or store, mark your favorite stores, and share offers with friends and family on social media.

3) Solve needing to carry around too many “payment cards.” If your house keys, car keys, and other keys are buried beneath a slew of miniature loyalty “payment cards” attached to your key ring, or if you can barely find your driver’s license amidst the plethora of reward cards in your wallet, an app called “Key Ring” can provide a solution. “Key Ring” boasts that you can put all of those cards on your smart phone, allowing you to spring clean your purse or wallet and continue to save big.

4) Find deals and trending items. Various apps can help you shop for bargains and good deals. The “Shopkick” is one of them. This app says that it can alert you to deals and trending items at such stores as Macy’s, Target and Best Buy, and that it also lets you earn points (called “kicks”) for entering a store, buying an item, or inviting a friend. Once you have enough points, you can trade them for a gift card at one of the participating stores.

5) Stay on budget at the grocery store. It can be easy to overspend if you head to the grocery store without a shopping list, and so some apps try to help you solve this. The “Grocery iQ” app suggests that it can help you to stay on budget by creating lists through the app’s database, barcode scanning, and even voice recognition. This app also offers recommended coupons for your favorite items.

6) Collect your favorite digital coupons. Rather than having to clip coupons constantly, you may want to check out an app named “SavingStar.” This app says that it can allow you to click on promotional offers you like and collect digital coupons, after which the savings are totaled in your account; once you reach $5 in savings, you can “cash out” and have the money deposited into your PayPal or bank account. There’s also a “SavingStar” option that allows you to donate some or all of your savings to charity.

7) Find the cheapest local gas prices. You may already have encountered ways to uncover the cheapest local gas prices. One way to tackle this quest is via an app called “GasBuddy,” which says it can alert you to the cheapest gas prices in your area. This app also allows you to post and report gas prices, to earn points that you make eligible for weekly cash prizes.

Every app has its specific uses and qualities, so you may want to try them out to see which ones may work best for your needs. Do you use apps to save money that aren’t mentioned in the list above? Share them with us on Facebook and Twitter!