(FinancialHealth.net) – Some of us love to shop so much we see it as a fun hobby — others of us, not so much. But the one thing we all have in common is that there are some things we just have to shop for whether we want to or not. Since this is the case, why not save some green while doing it? Saving some cash when you shop can be as easy as using the right phone app. Let’s explore some of the best.
Ebates
If you do a lot of both online and in-store shopping, check out Ebates. While it’s web-based, you can also use the Ebates app while in-store to discover more savings on things you may wish to purchase. There are no points to tally up or receipts to scan. Ebates not only offers cash back through a check or PayPal, but it also rewards you when you refer others to sign up. Ebates isn’t strictly grocery and merchandise either, it also gives you cash back on travel, internet service and a variety of other things as well!
Receipt Hog
The concept behind Receipt Hog is to collect data about consumer spending habits. This information helps them track how much you are spending and on what. If you use this app, it rewards you with points to convert into coins for redemption through PayPal or Amazon cards. The app allows you to play games and enter giveaways to win even more coins. The point scale works like this:
- Spend $10 and earn 5 coins
- $10 to $50 = 10 coins
- $50 to $100 = 15 coins
- Over $100 = 20 coins
Coins may take a while to accumulate, but keep in mind you can utilize every receipt you get, including gas. The catch is that in order to rack up the most coins you’ll need to mainly scan grocery and department store receipts. They call these Cash Receipts. Spin Receipts are ones from places like home improvement and discount stores and they earn you a spin on the reward wheel. You will need at least 1,000 coins equalling around $5 to cash out.
iBotta
Another way to get paid for regular shopping habits is to download the iBotta app to your Android or iOS phone. Slightly different from other spending apps, iBotta has pre-set offers. For example, Walgreens may be running a sale on Downy fabric softener. If you utilize the offer, purchase the product and scan the receipt, you will be rewarded with a pre-specified cash amount.
Shopkick
Shopkick is an app rewarding you with points referred to as “kicks.” You can earn kicks in several ways including:
- Scanning barcodes in stores
- Completing offers both in-store and online
- Walking into a store
- Watching videos that contain new products and advertisements
It works as you make purchases and complete shopping tasks. From there, redeem your kicks for popular gift cards from places like Starbucks and Target.
Checkout 51
This app is fairly simple to use. Download it to your phone, scan for popular product offers and take advantage of the sale. In the store, locate the items and pay for them. When you get home, mark off the offers you wish to redeem. Scan the receipt and you’re done. The main advantage with Checkout 51 is that it offers cash back, not gift cards like a lot of other shopping apps. You can cash-out on your spending offers when you reach the $20 threshold.
It only takes a few minutes to download a shopping app and start saving. If you really want to see some rewards, use multiple applications. Before you know it, a few gift cards and some cash may be on your way, making a positive impact on your monthly budget!
~Here’s to Your Financial Health
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