Technology has completely changed the face of shopping as we know it. Growing up, our parents were forced to actually go out in public, fight for shopping spaces and join the hoards that were out in full force shopping for gifts around the holidays and just about any other time of year. Our generation has the option to simply sit back and recline on the couch in our pajamas, hot cup of coffee in hand while we shop online and have the things we want delivered directly to our front door. There is no driving aimlessly around the parking lot hoping those people are going to their car to leave and not just to empty their hands, fighting for a place in line or waiting impatiently for the couple in front of us to dig out their coupons and wallets and everything else they knew they’d need to check out but didn’t bother looking for in advance.
Our generation has it far easier. And technology has made it even easier than just staying home to shop. It’s made it possible for us to find items on sale and save money simply by pulling out our smart phones. If you think about it, you can stand in line pull out your smart phone and Google, “such and such store coupons,” so that you have one in your hand when you finally reach the checkout counter. That’s how easy it is to save money when you shop; and app developers are making it even simpler for us to save money, offering us different ways to save significantly when we are out. Here is our list of best money-saving app picks for you.
Google Shopper
This is a free app that allows you to either scan the barcode of the product you want or speak the name of it into the voice feature of your phone. This app will then search the rest of the internet to see if the item you want to purchase is cheaper elsewhere, and then it will provide you with that information. From there, you can do one of two things; you can put the item back and head down the street to where your app found it for a lower price or you can take it up to the counter and ask if the store is willing to price match their competitor. Either way, you save big time.
Yowza
It’s another free app that’s going to save you big time. Say you want to shop but you’re not very specific about where you go to shop. You can enter your search here and find coupons for your favorite stores or products in the distance you choose. You then download the coupon to your smart phone and hand it over to the cashier when it’s time to check out. She will then scan the barcode right off your phone and your coupon will become active, saving you significantly. And the best part of this coupon locating app is that it will find you coupons for just about every store imaginable.
Amazon for iPhone
As a personal user of this app, it’s one that I find saves me money on almost any online purchase I make. With this app you should also take advantage of a few other benefits that Amazon has to offer. The subscribe and save option is a virtual list of coupons you can pull up on your Amazon app that will allow you to see the huge savings possible for you if you become a member. You can sign up for Amazon Prime, which offers free two day shipping for a year, and you can even log onto your app to see what Amazon coupons and discounts are available on any product in the world; whether it’s at Amazon or not. You can search for items with lower prices using the barcode scanner that comes with the app, as well. Amazon is committed to saving shoppers money, and the number of benefits that app offers is worth it to most shoppers. Just be certain you understand than some of the offers that Amazon offers are not free, such as Prime, which is $99 per year. However, if you shop here often, the savings are worth the one-time price.
My Supermarket
So many people don’t consider their grocery shopping actual shopping, but it’s probably the most important shopping you can do. This is the shopping that will feed your family, so it’s pretty important. It’s annoying to have to go out and head to three different supermarkets because you like the prices for certain things here, the deli there but that third one is the only one that carries your baby’s brand of special formula. It’s time-consuming and a major hassle. This app, however, allows you to do your supermarket shopping online by comparing prices almost everywhere, including Amazon, Target and even Costco. They will work with the retailers to have your items shipped after you check out, which you only have to do once even if your products are coming from three different locations, and then they will refund you your shipping within 30 days if you spend more than $75. Big savings are found right here.
Favado
If you have shopping to do, you need this app. This app allows you to find local sales based on your shopping list, and it will notify you if there are coupons available for anything you need at particular stores and download those right to the app so you have them in the store. Additionally, they will take your favorite items and send you notifications on when and where those items are on sale in your area when sales occur. This free app is worth the time and effort it takes to create a shopping list. Since making a list is a cost-effective way to shop anyway, making one on the app and receiving sales and coupons on items found on your list should be a simple task.
Photo by John Moore/Getty Images
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