7 Great Apps to Help You Save During the Holidays

Spread the love

Woah, Mama, can you feel that? The holiday panic trying to creep in? While some may be prepared with every gift neatly wrapped and hidden in a closet somewhere, to many of us the month of October is the warning sign of what is quickly coming: the holiday shopping season. But, there’s no need to panic this year. We’ve searched the web to find the best apps to save moms money during the season. Not only will you find the best deals, but ways to painlessly prep for next year!

Savings Catcher

(link: https://savingscatcher.walmart.com/)

I used to be a coupon queen. That is, until I could no longer fit a few hours in my week to clip coupons and curate the best deals. Now? I take the easy way out by purchasing my groceries at Wal-Mart, and using their Savings Catchers app. This clever little app will look at the prices on the items you bought, search for better deals in your area, and give you back the difference! The best part? You can still use coupons to double up the savings! (Real life example: In six months, our family got more than $40 back.)

Retail-Me-Not

(link: http://www.retailmenot.com/mobile/)

Forget your coupons at home? Wondering what deals are going on at the stores nearest to you? Retail-Me-Not is the perfect app for shopping savings on the go. It even lets you know when a deal is going on nearby on your fave stores! We use this app each and every time we shop in our household. With the locator turned on, RMN will alert you to deals as you enter the store. (Real life example: Hobby Lobby’s 40% off one item coupon is always online. Savings. Every. Time.)

Red Laser

(link: http://redlaser.com/)

Afraid the deal you’re getting on that gift is going to be outdone at another retailer? Wondering if the sale you’re at will be beat by the sale next door? Red Laser searches the best deals online and in-stores and gives you a heads up before you lay down the green.

E-Bates

(link: http://www.ebates.com/)

Ok, this is not just an app. But it is AH-mazing at saving big time dollars around the holidays. Not only does it have all the best deals at your favorite stores listed in one place, but it gives you cash back on TOP of the deals when you visit ebates before shopping online. After the holidays are over, prepare to get a nice check in the mail with your savings. (Real life example: After last year’s holiday season, a check for nearly $100 arrived in the mail.)

Gas Buddy

(link: http://www.gasbuddy.com/App)

Let’s face it, getting the best deals during the holidays can put some serious mileage on your car. Save money at the tank, by checking out this handy little app, Gas Buddy, before you decide where to fill up. It finds the cheapest gas prices in your area, based on where you are currently located.

Santa’s Bag

(link: http://www.claypotsoftware.com/)

While this isn’t specifically designed to save you money, it is designed to help you stay on budget with your Christmas list. It serves not only as a shopping list manager, but allows you to set budgets, create wish lists, track your progress, and more. Santa’s little helper, for sure!

Acorns

(link: https://app.acorns.com/)

Make next year’s holiday shopping a breeze by saving for it all year long. The Acorns app allows you to link your debit and/or credit cards and rounds up every dollar you spend, putting the spare change into an investment account. Since the money comes out of your account in small snippets, it feels more like a coffee you’ve purchased on the run—you’ll never miss it. Want to save even more? You can set it up for automatic deposits of whatever amount you like. (Real life example: We saved $300 in about 4 months using the round-up feature and never noticed the difference in our budget.)

See? With a little help from your smart phone—and some really clever apps, you’ll save big time this holiday season and prepare yourself for the next one as well. Spend a little time downloading some of these great savings apps before the season begins, and then rest easy knowing you’re making the most out of your holiday budget. Enjoy the season!

 Might you share some of your favorite apps or money saving tips with us?

 

Stephanie Shott
Latest posts by Stephanie Shott (see all)
Share