There are a bevy of free apps designed to assist you in making your shopping experiences easier, more productive and more rewarding, and with so many options, it can seem a bit confusing or overwhelming to decide which one best fits your needs. This introduction and the subsequent short articles are offered in the hope that they will assist you in making the choice that is right for you. Some apps help you compare prices at different local stores, some help you get the best possible deals on items, some give you rewards for shopping or completing other small tasks, and one even gives you rewards for just walking through the door of some of your favorite stores.
- Grocery iQ is an app that enables you to create electronic shopping lists, share those lists with friends and family, look for deals on selected products at participating stores, compare prices between stores, and much more.
- Grocery Pal is a similar app that makes it easier for you to construct and share shopping lists, as well as find further savings on some products via electronic coupons.
- Apples2Oranges allows you to make easy comparisons between products to see which provides the better deal for money spent; with food items, it also allows you to easily compare the caloric content or the content of a certain ingredient per serving, which can be helpful for those trying to lose weight or who are on a restricted diet.
- With the CardStar app, you can electronically consolidate all of your membership, loyalty, and rewards cards, allowing you to clear out cluttered wallets and streamline your shopping experience. CardStar also informs you of further savings that may be available at participating stores.
- Ibotta is a unique application in that it offers you cash rewards for shopping at participating locations and completing short, simple assigned tasks – you actually make money while you shop!
- The CheckPoints app allows you to earn reward points for simply scanning items, purchasing items, or using social media such as Facebook or Twitter in conjunction with the app.
- Finally, the Shopkick app rewards you for simply walking into a store that is participating in the Shopkick program. With all of these options, it should be easy for you to select the application or applications that are right for you. Happy hunting!
The fact that all of these apps are free is more than enough reason to try them out. You don’t have to sign a contract or anything – just download them and start saving immediately. Personally I love this move toward using technology for couponing; it means much less time spent at home each week scouring advertisements and the local paper for deals, then cutting them all out, and eventually organizing them. Free apps for smart phones means that we can coupon more efficiently, while having time for hobbies, friends, and most importantly, family. There are so many of them too, meaning there is probably a perfect coupon app out there for everyone.
