Smartphones might not be cheap, but having one can definitely save you money in different aspects of your life. One of them is shopping. How? There are plenty of apps out there that can help you shop more frugally, find the best deals, and make better shopping decisions when you’re at the mall or the grocery store. So why not take advantage of these apps if they’re right there at your fingertips? Here are some of the best, most useful ones you can either get for free or for relatively cheap.
App: Shopper
Price: $0.99
Rating: 3 stars
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It’s time consuming to sit down and clip out all of the coupons in the newspaper or even to go searching online for what deals are available. Sometimes it’s easy to forget to attempt this in the first place, especially if you’re in a rush running around doing errands. The Shopper app makes it possible to still get the deals without having to stress. It does this by automatically matching the items on your shopping list to available saving! Some featured stores include Walgreens, Target, and Best Buy. With one click, you can remember the deal, and later you can share it with family and friends on Facebook!
App: Amazon Mobile
Price: Free
Rating: 3 ½ stars
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Countless people already use the Amazon site to buy all kinds of items at a low price, but now you can take these deals on the go. Not only can you search for items, read their reviews, and purchase products just like you can on the main site, but you can also compare prices, which is where the money-saving comes in. When you’re in a retail store, you can compare an item’s price to the price available through Amazon and thousands of other merchants so you’re able to get a great deal.
App: Should I Buy It?
Price: Free
Rating: 5 stars
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This app can benefit you in two ways: first, you can look up an item and then compare its price tag to other competitive prices online. However, the main point of the app is to make shopping decisions social, even when your friends aren’t there with you. If you’re not sure about spending the money on a shirt you kinda-sorta like, the app integrates with Facebook and will allow you to get the opinion of trusted friends and family members before purchasing. (However, if your friends tend to persuade you to buy stuff you don’t need, maybe you should pass on this app.)
App: Shopkick
Price: Free
Rating: 4 stars
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Shopkick puts a whole new spin on saving money at the mall. When you have this app, you can get rewarded simply for walking into stores like Target, Macy’s, American Eagle and more. How? You get “kicks” for entering or buying qualified purchases with a linked up, eligible Visa card. These kicks can be exchanged for gift cards, movie tickets, restaurant vouchers, and more! This might not be a way to directly save money, but it’s a way to get free stuff and save you money down the road!
App: CompareMe Shopping Utility
Price: $1.99
Rating: 3 stars
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If you have this app and use it in the grocery store, you’ll feel like your brainy, math-genius friend tagged along with you. Have you ever had that moment when you’re comparing two different amounts of the same product that are listed for different prices? Sometimes you might even have to compare liters to gallons. In any case, how do you know which product is the better deal? CompareMe will help you make that call by letting you know which would be the better deal.
App: Yard Sale
Price: Free
Rating: 4 ½ stars
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This new app is only in the San Francisco Bay area so far, but because of its positive response, it wouldn’t be a shock if it expanded in the near future! This awesome app lets people list items for sale and allows neighbors and friends to view the available item within seconds. It’s an amazingly convenient digital yard sale, as you can launch the app and find out what’s on sale around you!
Conclusion
With so many cheap or free apps available to you, take advantage of the services they offer so you can save money every time you go to a retail or grocery store. Even if you spend a dollar on an app, it will definitely pay for itself next time you have to buy dinner for the week or a new outfit for work.
