Best apps to save you money over Black Friday and beyond Marc Saltzman
Flipp: All of your circulars (flyers) and coupons in one place, along with a
smart shopping list, loyalty cards, rebate info, and more. (Photo: Flipp) We
all have that friend who always seems to get the best deals while shopping.
Oh, you know the one. You spend $100 on designer jeans and they seem to find
the exact same pair for $60. Their 4KTV is bigger, thinner, and smarter yet
you paid the same amount. And they remind you of this fact. All the time.
Well, perhaps it's because they're using apps that can save money while
shopping online or at retail. It's about time you got in the game. As we
approach Black Friday and Cyber Monday, here's a look at some recommended
deal-sniffing downloads for your iOS or Android smartphone or tablet. More:
Black Friday 2017: What to buy, what to skip More: The best Black Friday
deals you can get right now More: 4 Black Friday facts retailers don't want
you to know Ebates: Earn cash back on all your online purchases with this
popular app. More than 2,500 stores and marketplaces are supported. (Photo:
Ebates) The premise is simple: shop where you already like to shop, but get
cash back after your purchases, whether you opt to pay by check or a PayPal
deposit. Be aware the percentage varies depending on the online retailer or
marketplace, and there are more than 2,000 to choose from, including Amazon,
Walmart, Macy's, Target, eBay, Kohl's, Best Buy, American Eagle, Old Navy,
and Groupon, to name a few. The app will also notify you of sales and
special offers, and there are in-store coupons and promo codes, too. As
added incentive for signing up for a free Ebates account, you'll get a $10
bonus when you make your first purchase, plus you'll earn $50 if you invite
two friends to join. Flipp: All of your circulars (flyers) and coupons in
one place, along with a smart shopping list, loyalty cards, rebate info, and
more. (Photo: Flipp) Another "must have" mobile companion, Flipp aggregates
all your local circulars (flyers) in one place now with more than 1,000
popular retailers whether you want to browse through weekly ads or search
for something specific by keyword. When you land on a product you've had
your eye on, Flipp looks to match the deal with coupons, to save even more
cash. Whether you're buying tech over Black Friday or food to cook over the
holidays, the app also features a "discount slider," so you can select how
much of a deal you want, such as only showing you items discounted by 40% or
greater. My favorite feature is a "smart" shopping list, that automatically
lists nearby retailers with the best deals, based on what on your list.
Flipp also holds all your store loyalty cards in one place, so you can show
the app at checkout, plus there's support for rebates, too. Updated this
week, Shopkick rewards you with free gift cards for stores like Target,
Walmart, Amazon, Sephora, Starbucks, and more. To get going, open the
Shopkick app while you're at the mall, and you'll start to earn points
("kicks") for simply walking into select stores, scanning products (like a
retail scavenger hunt), and purchasing products (submit your receipt as
proof). You can also open the Shopkick app when you're lounging at home, as
you can receive kicks for virtually "visiting" a store or making an online
purchase. All the kicks you earn could be redeemed for gift cards or
products (from about 20 to choose from), or you can donate your kicks to
charity. Rather than scouring the web for the best deals, DealNews has an
"obsessive" team of deal experts that looks for the best prices on the
biggest brands, and then publishes the 300 best deals and coupons (and in
some cases, freebies) to the DealNews app. And it's not just high-tech toys,
like tablets and laptops, but also apparel, home décor items, and more.
Along with letting you peruse the list of regularly updated deals, this free
app also offers alerts, so you're instantly notified when something you like
goes on sale. Other features include cloud syncing (so you can shop on your
phone or tablet but pay later when on your laptop), the ability to share
deals with family and friends (via email, instant messaging or social
media), and online and in-store coupons (divided by retailer). Whether
you're looking to buy new or heavily discounted "previously enjoyed" items,
you can save quite a bit by considering an online marketplace like eBay.
>From tech and clothing to cars and jewelry, the eBay app makes it easy to
search, browse, bid, or buy. And, hey, the product is shipped to your door,
too. The app also lets you compare prices, manage auctions or purchases,
message sellers, view shipping info, and more. Of course, a great way of
saving money while shopping is to sell your unwanted items on eBay, as well,
and then use that cash towards something you desire. You can now scan your
items' barcodes to set up a page for the product in minutes. The app is
available in multiple languages. Finally, a savings app as opposed to a
shopping app. Just like the website it's based upon, Intuit's Mint.com
Personal Finance app helps you set budgets, track expenses and reach
financial goals. This handy money management tool for smartphone, tablet and
computer users lets you see what you're spending (and saving) through
color-coded lists, charts and graphs, plus you can track your bank account
and credit card balances in real-time, follow investments (including
retirement contributions and balances), and even break out your expenditures
by category. Receive alerts you when it's time to pay a bill or if you've
exceeded your budget or face possible late fees (notified via email or text
message). Another convenient feature is a weekly summary email of your
money, along with a tab that shows the history of your spending, income and
net worth over time. As with most other personal finance apps, Mint is
password-protected, therefore your data is safe even if your device is lost
or stolen. Follow Marc on Twitter: @marc_saltzman. E-mail him at
askmarcsaltz...@gmail.com
Original Article at:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/saltzman/2017/11/07/best-apps-
save-you-money-over-black-friday-and-beyond/832277001/
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