There was a time in my life when I tried extreme couponing. All the super organized ladies on the news made it seem like a really great gig. But here’s the catch: I am terrible at it. I don’t like clipping coupons, I don’t like spending an entire day flipping through newspapers and browsing online to learn which stores allow double coupons and on what days. Not to mention the fact that I usually forget my bundle of coupons at home anyway. What I much prefer is being able to get savings with a touch of my finger or better yet, without having to do anything at all! So if you’re in search of faster, easier ways to save money here are 10 must-have money apps you have to have!
*This post contains affiliate links through which I may make a commission. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
1. Ibotta
Ibotta is my personal favorite way to make money on my grocery purchases. Beyond that, I have also used it to make money at Joann Fabric, Amazon, and Groupon.Get $10 just for signing up.
To get started, just download the app, choose a store you want to shop at, and select any rebates that you want to take advantage of.
Once you have made your purchases, snap a photo of your receipt and almost instantly Ibotta will give you your rebate!
As soon as you have saved up $20, (it only took me one trip,) you can start cashing out your money!
Ibotta gives you the option for gift cards or a PayPal deposit!
2. Dosh
Dosh is an app similar to Ibotta in the sense that you get rebates on purchases you make and you’ll receive a $5 sign-on bonus when you sign up!
When I first signed up, I was a little weary of Dosh because the way it works is by linking up with your credit or debit cards and then automatically giving you rebates on your purchase.
The idea of getting automatically paid on a purchase I make sounded super exciting, but it made me nervous linking my cards.
However, I have used the app for years now and I love getting surprise rebates back!
Dosh can be a great hands-off way to just pile up a little extra cash here and there!
3. Rakuten
Rakuten has been around for a long time, and still, some people have no idea how many perks it offers!Of course, I am a big fan of those $10 welcome bonuses which Rakuten offers!
While you can download the app on your phone, I personally prefer to use Rakuten from my computer. With their website, I can see everything in one glance.
I like being able to see all the deals right away so I can pick and choose which ones I want to take advantage of instead of having to scroll through.
Some days a store will be running a 50% off sale and Rakuten will give you an additional 10% back on top of that!
4. wikibuy
In some ways wikibuy combines the best of all other rebate and savings apps by doing the following:
- Get rebates when you shop
- Finding online coupon codes
- Sending you price drop notifications
- Earn gift cards by gaining wikibuy credits
The most widely used feature on wikibuy, however, is the Amazon price comparison tool. You can use this tool on either desktop or on your phone, just make sure you install it correctly.
What this price comparison tool does is look at items you are browsing on Amazon and give you notifications if you can purchase that same item for cheaper somewhere else!
Now, I don’t know about you, but I am an avid Amazon user! That’s why this app is so amazing. It can end up saving you so much money (and maybe help a company that isn’t already a bajillion dollar business).
5. Cash App
The Cash App is a handy little app that you can use to a variety of things. Now, it doesn’t offer you rebates, but it can help you make money and manage your current funds better! Let me tell you how.
So the Cash App essentially works like PayPal or Venmo in the sense that you can transfer funds to others or receive money as well.
However, you can also use it like a bank account and receive paychecks and tax returns! –Cool feature…but still not why I recommend it!
Why Cash App is a must:
- Investing for $1
- The Cash Card
With the Cash App you can begin investing in stocks for as little as $1 — even with companies like Apple! It’s super simple to start and they even have a quick breakdown with the pros and cons of investing in stocks.
Now the Cash App Cash Card is my bonus tip (and it’s a good one)!
6. Acorns
Acorns is easy to add an app that starts investing your money for you! This is the perfect app for first-time investors who are hoping to dip their toes into the world of investment without diving in right away.
Acorns syncs up with your bank account and will round up the purchases you make and invest your spare change for you. So if you spend $4.75 on a cup of coffee, Acorns will round up that extra .25 cents and invest it for you! It might not sound like a lot, but every little bit counts!
You also have the chance to make one time or recurring investments. So on top of your spare change, you could easily start a recurring investment of $50 per month. See my plan to make $150,000!
That may not sound like much, but like I said, every little bit adds up. Get started now.
7. Honey
Honey is the latest money-saving app I have started using.
When I lost my coupon while shopping at American Eagle, I ditched my purchase, came home, and tried shopping online. Lucky for me, there were major discounts at the store and when I installed Honey, it found even more discounts for me!
You can see the screenshot below, I have added Honey to my Chrome internet browser. See the little 3 by the “h” symbol? That means Honey found 3 possible discounts to use on American Eagle!
8. Trim
Trim is a great app that will sync up with your bank accounts to monitor your spending habits. Once it has analyzed your spending, Trim will find different areas where you could be saving more money!
You can also get daily updates on your accounts. Trim will notify you of new transactions and purchases, which can be great to ensure you don’t have your identity stolen.
Also to help ensure your safety, Trim will notify you of low balances in your accounts! Download Trim.
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