How to Save Money Without Coupons: Smart Phones!

Here is a list of my top favorite apps to use to save money. ALL of the apps that I use are free. I have also included how much I personally earn on these apps to help you decide which ones you want (all of them!!). Additionally, these apps can ALL be used along with each other (if there is an offer on all of the apps, you can redeem that offer on all apps), and they can also be stacked with manufacturer and store coupons. Finally, please use the listed referral links, as some will give you bonuses, and some will help me, which makes it easier to maintain the blog and write articles like these. Enjoy!!!!

Ibotta
This app pays you to shop! For every qualified purchase, ibotta will give you money back. This is ON TOP of your coupons, so in some cases with free items, I actually make money on purchases. This is definitely my favorite app so far, as I can submit my receipts (by taking a picture of my receipt with my phone), and ibotta will give me money for items that I would normally already purchase. They have also included a new store specials section, with more deals exclusive to specific stores, like Target and Walmart, and give you cash bonuses for redeeming more offers. Last month, I received $50 in cash from this free app. I would highly recommend it, and new users get a $20 bonus! Click the link below to get started.

SIGN UP FOR IBOTTA HERE

DOSH
DOSH is a relatively new app (at least for me!) that will AUTOMATICALLY give you cash back on your shopping; no submitting receipts needed! This is a “set it & forget it” app where you add your credit cards, and when you make a purchase at participating stores, you will automatically get a percentage back. That’s some EASY money, and it will be ON TOP of your coupons, rebates, and other savings! They will even start you off with $5 for adding your first card. Sign up here:

 SIGN UP FOR DOSH HERE

Checkout51:

Checkout51 is a different app in that you don’t have to have a smart phone to sign up for it (you can actually email your receipts if you don’t have a smart phone…great for my mom). They offer a generic item or two every week, and update their offers every Thursday, so there are constantly new items. Probably $10 monthly.

SIGN UP FOR Checkout51 HERE

Fetch
The Fetch app will give you points back for taking a photo of your receipt, and you can redeem those points for all kinds of gift cards with as little as $3. The store that you purchase the items at doesn’t matter, making it great for smaller, non-chain stores, or stores like 99 Cent Only who tends to not be included in the other apps. There are a couple hundred offers with all of the most popular brands, so there is usually something on every receipt that you can scan, and you get somewhere between 250-5000 points per offer (1000 points = $1.00). These points can then be redeemed for gift cards to places like AMAZON, Walmart, Target, and more, making them very valuable for extra cash back. Offers tend to vary slightly by user, but there are some offers that are available to everyone. To get started, all you need to do is download the app and use promo code R8MVY at signup to get a bonus $2 added to your account. Click below to get started today!

 SIGN UP FOR FETCH HERE (new users use promo code R8MVY for sign up bonus)

Shopkick
This is such a great app that I use almost every day. This app is great when you are shopping, as you get points for walking into stores, as well as for scanning items in the store (using your phone’s camera). There are coupons for specific stores in the app as well, such as $3 off $15 of men’s apparel, or $1 off of a bag of chips. You can even get points for actual purchases, by linking your debit card if you want to earn extra points. There are dozens of rewards to choose from, but my favorite by far are Target giftcards. I earn an average of $10 a month in Target gift cards, which can be redeemed in store, and instantly scanned from your phone at the cash register. These are great to lower your shopping trip costs, or to save up for your holiday shopping. Click the link below to get Shopkick for your phone.

 SIGN UP FOR SHOPKICK HERE

Paribus

Paribus is a brand new app that you NEED to get that you don’t really need to do anything with. This app tracks your online shopping through the emailed confirmations that you receive. If you purchase something and the price drops, Paribus will go to work and get you the difference back. You don’t need to do anything special on your shopping trips; everything here is automatic after you set it up!

SIGN UP FOR PARIBUS HERE

 

Cartwheel (NOW Target Circle)

This app is specific to Target stores, and offers a percentage discount off of specific items. You choose which items you will purchase, and the Cartwheel app will create a barcode that you can scan at the checkstand to discount your purchase. I have seen many items that you do not traditionally see coupons for (such as 30% off firepits), and many items that also have current coupons. The great thing about this app is that you can use it ON TOP of manufacturer AND store coupons, so it is a triple discount. Click below to get Cartwheel.

SIGN UP FOR Circle HERE

 Gas Buddy

This app is great for saving money at the pump! So much money is spent on gas in our house, that this is another app that we use every week. This app will use your phone’s GPS to locate the cheapest gas prices in the area. I like to use it especially when I am not near home and our “favorite” (also known as the cheapest) gas stations. It is very surprising that there can be a .50 difference per gallon a quarter mile away from one gas station to another. Sign up below for this app.

SIGN UP FOR GAS BUDDY HERE

I use all of these apps to save, and earn, hundreds of dollars a year, in addition to all of the money that we save with coupons. I do not like downloading lots of apps, but I do have one page on my phone set aside just for these applications. I figure that if I am getting paid by my smart phone, these are some of the most valuable things that I could have on my phone. I would recommend trying out all of these apps for at least a month or two, and see how much you can add to your wallet!