Holidays are not wallet-friendly; between the massive feasts to giving gigantic gifts, it’s easy to drop exorbitant amounts of cash on the ones you love. Luckily for you, we know a thing or two about apps that’ll help you save money this year – no matter what your holidays have in store.
Shopping Apps
From saving on Christmas dinner to saving on Uncle Gary’s new favorite sweater, we have you and your wallet covered with these coupon, rebate, and gift card apps.
Retailmenot: 4.8 out of 5 stars on Android or iOS
Retailmenot offers deals, coupons, discounted gift cards, and sales news – to name a few features. And the best part is; Retailmenot rewards you for using their app with even better deals. So, you make money by saving money. But if you’re not ready to dive into downloading their free app, you can still use their site.
Ibotta: 4.5 out of 5 stars on Android and iOS
Ibotta offers rebates on items you buy every day; like milk, eggs, and veggies. All you have to do is select which things you want to buy in the app, scan the barcode on the items, and snap a picture of your receipt. Once you hit $25 in rebates, you can cash out for a gift card (even one for PayPal) to use on your next shopping trip. But if you’re not sold on the idea just yet, you can see what they have for rebates on their site.
ShopKick: 4.3 out of 5 stars on Android and iOS
ShopKick is another fun shopping app that saves you money. You are already spending a lot of time shopping during the holidays so you can use this app to earn points towards gift cards while you shop. You earn points by going to stores, buying items, submitting receipts, and scanning items in the store.
Mint: 4.3 out of 5 stars on Android and iOS
Mint is a free budget app that monitors your spending and bank account balance at a glance. And if you start going over budget? No big, they’ll let you know, so you don’t go over the gift-giving deep end. (Because who wants to check their bank account at the counter of every store?) This year, maybe you’ll stick to your gift-giving budget. Who knows? Crazier things have happened.
Swagbucks: 3.8 out of 5 stars on Android and iOS
Swagbucks pays you to shop at your favorite stores (both online and offline) and offers exclusive Swagbucks-only discounts and promo offers from your favorite stores. When you rack up enough Swagbucks, you can cash out for a gift card. And when you spend it at your favorite store, you’ll get more Swagbucks, win-win.
Groupon: 4.5 out of 5 stars on Android and iOS
Groupon is a discount shopping site that offers deals on everything from vacuums and clothes to week-long all-inclusive international getaways. There’s something on there for everyone! But – a word of warning – it’s easy to go overboard on this site since everything is so deeply discounted.
Ebates: 4.7 out of 5 stars on Android and iOS
Earn cash back on sites you use every day – like Amazon, Walmart, Groupon, and Sephora – which are just a few out of hundreds of participating sites. But it’s not only for online shopping; you can grab in-store rebates too. And, as a huge bonus, you can opt for cash instead of a gift card.
iGive: 4.1 out of 5 stars on Android and iOS
So maybe we snuck this one in here. iGive doesn’t save you money. But what it does do is make donations to charities at no extra cost to you. While you’re shopping for gifts to give the ones you love, strangers that need help benefit as well. Is there a better way to feel good about spending money on that fidget spinner for your nephew? No, probably not.
Holiday Travel Apps
We’re no strangers to money-saving travel apps, but the sticker shock on a holiday flight might leave you feeling less than in-the-spirit. Here’s a few apps that will make your holiday travels easier.:
Rebtel: 4.8 out of 5 stars on Android and iOS
If you live away from your family and don’t have the cash to fly out to see them, Rebtel might be your best bet for reliable and cheap long-distance calls back home. No need for an internet connection and, if you don’t have a cell, you can call from a landline.
Hopper: 4.8 out of 5 stars on Android and iOS
When booking a flight feels more like buying a stock option, Hopper makes it easier. Watch the prices of flights to find the best time to book the cheapest ticket. The app also notifies you when there’s a price drop so you can act fast and lock in the deal.
Skyscanner: 4.7 out of 5 stars on Android and iOS
Skyscanner lets you compare cheap international flights, hotels, and car rentals all from one app. Coordinating your trip from start to finish has never been easier (or, hopefully, cheaper.)
Packpoint: 4.6 out of 5 stars on Android and iOS
Ever pack 25 pounds of luggage but leave 90% of what you needed behind? Yeah, we’ve all done it. Packpoint aims to change that. It’ll remind you what you need to pack based on where you’re going or what you’ve planned on doing while you’re away.
