Apps To Save Money: Looking for simple ways to save money that don’t waste your time? Download these 8 must-have apps today.
When we talk about saving money, the first thing that comes to mind is transferring money from a chequing account to a savings or investment account.
While that is indeed an important step for saving money, there are other subtle ways to save money without much – or any – effort.
In this post, I will show you 8 must-have apps to download today that will help you save money in different areas of your spending.
Let’s dive right in.
Apps To Save Money
Apps To Save Money: 8 Must-Have Apps To Give You The Best Bang For Your Buck
Cash-Back Apps To Save Money
Rakuten
Cost: Free
Available for iOS and Android
Formerly known as Ebates, Rakuten is unarguably one of the most popular cash-back apps out there.
They have partnerships with merchants through affiliate links, including Walmart, Amazon, Hudson’s Bay, H&M, Best Buy, and thousands of other stores. When you make a purchase by clicking the store link within the app, you get a percentage of your total spending amount as cash-back.
Within Canada, cash-back varies from 1% to 25%, depending on the store, and it gets paid out four times a year, as long as you have a minimum balance of $5.01 in your Rakuten account.
You can then have the funds paid out via PayPal, mailed cheques, or Amazon e-gift cards. Pretty cool, eh?
Rakuten also has its website version, which you can visit here, and it is currently available in the United States, Canada, Japan, China, South Korea, and Singapore.
It should go without saying that you should only be shopping for things you really need, and not be buying unnecessary things just to take advantage of the cash back.
Paymi
Cost: Free
Available for iOS and Android
Similar to Rakuten, Paymi is a cash back rewards program for purchases you make. The difference is that with Paymi, you need to first link your debit or credit card through their app (or website). Once your card is linked, you will get cash back on select purchases either in-store or online, by clicking the stores’ affiliate links through the Paymi’s app or website.
Cash back is available for purchases at Indigo, Walmart, Home Depot, Apple, and dozens of other retailers.
Once your Paymi cash back balance is over $2.00, you can send it to your bank account via INTERAC e-Transfer. If your balance is under $25.00, there will be a $1.50 INTERAC fee to transfer funds; otherwise, the transfer is free.
Paymi is available in Canada and allows you to link cards from multiple banks.
PC Optimum
Cost: Free
Available for iOS and Android
PC Optimum is a Canadian-based points program that rewards shoppers at Loblaw supermarket affiliates, including Loblaws, No Frills, Real Canadian Superstore, Joe Fresh, and Shoppers Drug Mart. They also have a partnership with Esso, Mobil, and gas bar stations.
Categorized as a loyalty program, you earn points on eligible purchases by scanning your card (physical or digital) every time you shop at one of the stores above. Members also have access to personalized offers based on their shopping history.
If you consider yourself a well-functioning adult, you grocery shop and meal plan on a regular basis. If you are smart with your purchases and visit the Loblaw supermarket chain often, you can quickly earn enough points to redeem them on your next purchase. To give you an idea, 10,000 points equal $10 off.
If you also have a PC Financial Mastercard, you can link it to your PC Optimum account to earn more points faster.
Discount Apps To Save Money
Groupon
Cost: Free
Available for iOS, Android, and Windows Phone
I’ll reinforce my disclaimer here: the aim of this post is not to encourage or influence you to go on a shopping spree for unnecessary items; instead, I am showing you options on how you can save money though these apps.
Founded in Chicago, Groupon is an online marketplace platform that provides members with discounts at local merchants. One of their main initiatives is to support local, small businesses to help communities thrive.
Once you download the app (or visit their website) and create an account, you will have access to thousands of deals within several categories, such as travelling, retail, health and beauty, and many others.
Groupon deals are offered through vouchers, which are added to your account and then redeemed when you make a purchase or visit a service provider in person.
To give you an example, my girlfriend used a Groupon voucher to get a haircut at a high-end salon she would never pay full price for. She paid only 20% of their overpriced cut. My girlfriend and I also scored a discount at the overpriced IHOP breakfast menu.
Groupon is available in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, Netherlands, Ireland, United Arab Emirates, Belgium, and Australia.
As with everything, you should do your due diligence before purchasing from a retailer to ensure you receive the goods or services you are paying for.
Flipp
Cost: Free
Available for iOS and Android
Unless you live with your parents or order takeout every day, grocery shopping is part of your weekly chores as an adult.
Founded in Toronto, Canada, Flipp provides its users with access to weekly ads and deals, so that you can get the best bang for your buck and know where to make your purchases for less.
Looking to meal plan for the week? Check Flipp to see which items are on sale this week at your local store so that you can plan accordingly. Maybe that striploin steak is not on sale, but the chicken breast is.
Although I am not a fan of couponing myself, Flipp also has coupons that can be used on your purchase.
Flipp is currently available in the United States and Canada.
Round Up Apps To Save Money
Moka
Cost: Starting at $3.00 / Month
Available for iOS and Android
Moka is a Canadian-based app that helps users save by automatically rounding up everyday purchases and investing the spare change. It’s a type of forced savings for those who are not investment-savvy, if you will.
For example, if you buy a few groceries and the total is $39.40, the app will round up the purchase to $40.00 and invest the spare change, that is, the 60 cents. The app does a weekly tally of your purchases, then it withdraws the funds from your chequing account and transfers them to a Moka investment account.
I should add that this app requires you to link your chequing account and credit cards to it, so you may wish to do your due diligence and check with your bank first to ensure there are no complications down the road.
Although it is not free, Moka offers a basic subscription for only $3.00 a month, which can definitely pay for itself if you are unable to save on your own otherwise.
They also offer a premium subscription for $15.00 a month, which offers some additional perks and cash-back features. In my opinion, though, that is unnecessary if your true goal is to just start saving.
Moka is available in Canada and France.
Acorns
Cost: Starting at $1.00 / Month
Available for iOS and Android
I would say Acorns is the American version of Moka, as their concept is pretty much the same: by linking your bank account(s) to the app, your purchases are rounded up and later transferred into an investment account.
In terms of pricing, Acorns offers three subscription options: Lite, for $1.00/month, Personal, for $3.00/month, and Family, for $5.00/month.
At this time, Acorns is only available in the United States.
Borrowing App To Save Money
OverDrive
Cost: Free
Available for iOS, Android, Amazon Appstore, and Windows
Although I am a blogger and dedicate most of my reading time to checking out other blogs, reading books is a hobby that I enjoy a lot.
However, not only do I not want to hoard hundreds of books in my small condo, but I also don’t want to spend money buying new books all the time.
Sure, I could check out my local public library and borrow old, smelly, gross books, at no charge.
But I am also all about saving time; the saying “time is money” is a cliche for a reason.
If you have an eReader or don’t mind reading digital books on an iPad, phone, or computer, you should definitely take advantage of the OverDrive App.
The app allows you to access books in several formats, including audiobooks, that can be borrowed through your local library. All you need is the library card to access the OverDrive extensive catalog.
Is the book you want to read already borrowed? No problem, all you need to do is place a hold and you’ll be notified when it is available to download. Easy, simple, and hassle-free.
OverDrive is available in 84 countries.
Apps To Save Money – Concluding Thoughts
If you’re familiar with my blog, you know that I am a firm believer of using my time wisely and not wasting it on useless, low-return activities.
That’s why the above 8 apps are a great way to help you save money effortlessly.
Now I’d like to hear from you: have you used any of these apps to save money? If so, what are your thoughts? If not, are there any other apps to save money you would recommend?
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I am not a licensed investment or tax adviser. All opinions are my own. This post may contain advertisements by Monumetric and Google Adsense. This post may also contains internal links, affiliate links to BizBudding, Amazon, Bluehost, and Questrade, links to trusted external sites, and links to RTC social media accounts.
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