Living in a big city often means higher costs, but with the right tools and apps, you can save money and make your shopping experience more efficient. Here are some of the best smart shopping tools and apps that can help you stay frugal in a big city.
1. Ibotta
Ibotta is a cashback app that rewards you for purchasing specific products at participating stores.
- How It Works: Before you shop, browse the app for cashback offers on products you plan to buy. After shopping, scan your receipt or link your store loyalty card to receive cashback.
- Why It’s Great: Ibotta partners with a wide range of retailers, making it easy to earn cashback on groceries, household items, and even online purchases.
2. Rakuten
Rakuten (formerly known as Ebates) offers cashback on online purchases from a vast array of retailers.
- How It Works: Shop through the Rakuten app or website to earn a percentage of your purchase amount back in cashback. Payments are made quarterly via check or PayPal.
- Why It’s Great: Rakuten offers cashback at many popular online stores, including Amazon, Walmart, and Target, making it easy to save on a variety of purchases.
3. Flipp
Flipp is an app that compiles weekly ads and coupons from local stores to help you find the best deals.
- How It Works: Enter your postal code to see a list of current deals and coupons from nearby stores. You can also create a shopping list and the app will match items on your list with relevant deals.
- Why It’s Great: Flipp saves you time and money by consolidating all the local deals in one place, ensuring you never miss a discount.
