I know there are a million money-saving blogs out there solely dedicated to “couponing,” tips, and tricks. However, a ton of those involve really complex methods, so I wanted to share a few EASY, FREE apps that have helped me save some money.
Cartwheel
The Cartwheel app is for everyone’s favorite store: Target. It’s probably the most simple app to use, and it has savings for everything in the store from groceries to clothes to electronics. After creating an account, all you have to do is look through their offers to see if any apply to your purchases. If you don’t want to look through the offers, you can also scan the barcode of whatever item you are buying. If there is a coupon available, it will show up, and you can add it to your barcode. Once you have added all of the offers you want to use, simply open your barcode and the cashier will scan it before you pay. Some coupons are small, but I have seen some sizable discounts as well for clothes (basically what we all go to Target for…and home goods…and holiday decor…and…). I have already saved $27.02 with the app, so it is definitely worth checking out!
HEB
If you don’t live in Texas, you don’t know the joy that is HEB. HEB is the best. If you don’t have an HEB to shop at, you won’t get it, and I’m sorry, but trust me. That said, HEB has released an app making it easier to find and use their coupons. You select which HEB location you are shopping at first. After that, all you do is search for your items in the coupons section, add any you want to use, and redeem them at checkout. To redeem them, you have to link your app to your mobile number, which some may be wary of. However, I did it, and I can assure you that I haven’t received any marketing or promotional text messages from HEB at this point.
Aside from coupons, this app has some other great features. If you’re looking to maximize your savings, you can peruse the Featured Deals section to see what items are on sale for the week. This is a great section to use if you are meal planning for your week. Another feature I love is that when you search for an item, it will tell you which aisle it is on in the store. This may not sound that useful, but if you are at a location you are unfamiliar with or looking for something you have never purchased, it is quite helpful!
Walmart
I typically try to avoid shopping at Walmart, but sometimes, it just has to be done. Lately when I have made trips there, I have been using their Savings Catcher to see if I can save any money. This app is different from the other apps because instead of spending less money upfront, you scan your receipt after your trip to see if you can earn any of it back. Once you complete your transaction, open your app, and select “Scan a Receipt.” After your receipt is scanned, the app will search stores in the surrounding area for prices on items you purchased. If it finds any prices lower than what you paid, it will add the amount difference to your Reward Dollars. At any point, you can redeem your Reward Dollars for a gift card to be used in a Walmart store or on Walmart’s website.
As I said, I know there are several more in-depth ways to save money. However, I think these free apps are a great starting point for anyone looking to save a little here and there. Every little bit counts! Let me know if you have any money saving tips! (Easy ones, please!;))
