10 shopping apps that will save you cash this holiday season

Get groceries for gatherings and gifts for everyone on your list for a lot less.
Mother and daughter are walking on the street after shopping praetorianphoto

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This article was originally published on Working Mother.

It’s hard to stick to a budget, especially during the holiday season. Coupon clipping and meal planning are great options to save some money, but they’re time-consuming and not always the most efficient way to spend less. Below, 10 apps that can help you save on essential ingredients and perfect presents. Here’s how to use them.

1. RetailMeNot

This app is truly a jack of all trades. It offers you cash back, coupons, online codes and more. The savings map allows you to see all deals near your current location, so the app is useful at home and on vacations. With discounts on gift cards, car rentals, food, beauty products and clothes, RetailMeNot will quickly become your new favorite app.

2. Ibotta

Earning you cash back is what this app is all about. Simply scroll through the cash back offerings on specific products, and earn the reward when you buy the product. You can transfer your earnings directly from the app into a PayPal or Venmo account easily. You even make $30 for sharing the app with friends and up to $20 just for downloading.

3. ShopKick

Want free gift cards to Walmart, Target, Amazon, Starbucks and more? Get this app and earn “kicks” by walking into a store, scanning items and making purchases. Cash in your “kicks” for free gift cards to give out at holiday time, or to fund your own treats.

4. Flipp

Download this app today, just in time to use its Black Friday shopping special category. Make a list of all the items you hope to buy and let the app find the stores with the best deals for you. You can even load your loyalty cards onto the app for convenience.

5. Checkout 51

Saving money on food is what Checkout 51 is all about. Not only does the app find you deals on grocery staples, but it also gives you cash back when you submit photos of your grocery receipts. Reviewers rave about the app being user-friendly, so even if you don’t consider yourself tech-savvy, you’ll manage Checkout 51 easily.

6. Key Ring

Key Ring is your virtual wallet for store loyalty cards. In addition to housing your store cards, it also organizes your grocery and shopping lists. Find the latest deals, coupons and weekly circulars, too, to save more.

7. SnipSnap

Take photos of coupons from newspapers and circulars and let this app convert it to a mobile, digital version you can redeem in store from your phone or tablet. Its coupon finder also alerts you of coupons found in the store you enter. For the forgetful, SnipSnap will notify you when a coupon is about to expire, so you never let a coupon go to waste again.

8. Grocery Pal

One of the best features of this app is its ability to compare prices of the same products across multiple grocery stores in your area. In addition to helping you find deals and coupons, Grocery Pal will also sync grocery lists from multiple devices.

9. Cartwheel by Target

Your favorite store has its own app and it’s super helpful. Use Cartwheel to browse the weekly specials and scan products in store to learn more about them. Try the interactive Target map, too, to help you find where a product is in the store; no more wandering the aisles aimlessly for sales.

10. Coupons.com

Upload your store loyalty cards to this app and take pictures of your receipts when you’re done shopping for cash back. You can also load coupons before and during your shopping trip and track your progress by using the app’s shopping list feature.

This article was originally published on Working Mother.

 
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