Top 10
Stacy Warden
13:49, Nov 21 2013
Christmas already kicking a dent in your wallet? These five apps will help you save while you shop
Forget about spending an entire paycheck on your holiday shopping list. With countless coupon and deal apps, you have zero excuses not to save a bundle this season. Here are five of my favorite iPhone and Android apps for scouring and snagging the best deals.
RetailMeNot (iOS; Android) Are you a self-proclaimed coupon-clipping freak? You're not alone. RetailMeNot helps fuel your frugality with thousands of coupons and deals for a trailing list of shops. Not only do you get constant updates on new and trending deals (including my favorite part; nearby discounts), but you can finally ditch the scissors and overflowing envelope, because these coupons can be used straight from your phone. The app also lets you bookmark your favorite stores, save coupons for later, and access them from any of your devices.
Price Check by Amazon (iOS; Android) Amazon's Price Check app isn't the prettiest thing you've ever seen, but it's wildly useful. You'll want to keep this one handy all year round. So here's how it works. Let's say you're out shopping at Target, and you suddenly notice an espresso maker that would make the ideal gift for your parents, but you're not sure about the price. Rather than having to go to your phone's browser, waiting for Amazon's site to load and then finally searching for the product, just fire up the app and scan the barcode using your phone's camera. You can also take a photo, type in the item or simply say the product name. Amazon will then pull up the current price. Even better, if Amazon's price is better, you'll have the option to buy directly from the app.
DealNews (iOS; Android) If this is your first time hearing about DealNews, your entire world is about to get a lot a better, but take heed: it's heavily addictive. Each and every day DealNews brings you around-the-clock updates on the latest and greatest shopping deals from over 200 online retailers, ranging from everything to electronics and toys to clothing and cookware. Use this one when you'd rather skip the stores, crank up the Christmas carols and curl up with a steamy mug of hot cocoa.
Shopkick (iOS; Android) Sometimes it really does pay to shop, and this app proves it by rewarding you with kicks (points) just for setting foot inside your favorite stores, including Target, Macy's, Best Buy, Old Navy, and Crate and Barrel, among other participating stores (you can access the full list from the app). Of course, you'll rack up the kicks more quickly if you actually buy things in those stores. Once you've accrued enough points you can redeem them for gift cards at various shops. While the payoff isn't nearly as great as the deal-fueled apps, Shopkick is the perfect partner when you've already got a set list in mind.
Groupon (iOS; Android) An obvious pick, perhaps, but an essential addition to your holiday shopping list. Love it or hate it, Groupon isn't just for finding local food and fun. It's also home to an extensive list of popular products offered at steep discounts. On top of that, Groupon's Gift Shop makes it easy to find gifts for everyone on your list, and you can search for items by person (for her; for him; for the kiddos...you get the drift) -- or you can skip that section altogether and head straight for the gifts under $50 category. If all else fails, I doubt anyone would mind receiving Groupons to some of their favorite local haunts.
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