7 must-have apps to save big this holiday season

Imagine walking into a store or browsing online, confident that you’re getting the best deals without spending hours hunting for discounts. 

With the right tools at your fingertips, this can be your reality. We’ve researched and reviewed seven fantastic options that can help you save both time and money during your holiday shopping spree. 

From cash-back apps to discount tools, these strategies will ensure you check off every item on your wish list without breaking the bank. Ready to save some money? Let’s dive in.

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A woman shopping on an app (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

1. Retailer apps and manufacturer sites

Downloading big retailer apps can lead to more savings that cannot be found in stores or online. From Target and Walmart to your local drugstore, many offer secret app-only savings and offers. Retailers are trying to get us to shop more with their own app by combining an app purchase with an in-store pickup that can at times offer additional savings. Look for each app in the official Apple app store and Google Play Store, never from a link or other site.

A woman shopping on her laptop (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

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2. Cash-back shopping apps

Rakuten

Cashback shopping apps like Rakuten let you earn cash back when shopping online. According to Rakuten, thousands of retailers participate in the savings.

Image of the Rakuten welcome page (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

How it works is simple. Register for free online, then use their app or website while shopping at retailers that offer a commission for sending you to their shopping site.

Rakuten shares a portion of the commission it earns with you. Once you earn enough cash-back savings, you can choose to receive a check, have it paid to your PayPal account or use the American Express rewards program.

Click this link and get a $40 bonus when you spend $40.

Ibotta

I’ve mentioned this app before. Ibotta is an app that you use for couponing and gives you cash back on items you’re already purchasing at your favorite stores, including grocery stores, food delivery, movie and concert tickets, and more.

Image of Ibotta app (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

Some of the most popular retailers you can find deals with through Ibotta are CVS, Walgreens, Target, Lowe’s, Petco, Domino’s Pizza, REI and more than 1,500 brands and retailers.

If you scroll to the bottom of the app, you’ll see a section called “Special Deals.” If you scroll, you’ll see a panel called “Free made easy: All free offers all in one place.”

Ibotta special deals section of app (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

Click this link and use referral code mpiaurm to earn $5 when you submit your first receipt.

Copy the code to insert into the Referral code box on Ibotta “Create account” page: mpiaurm

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3. Discount and price comparison apps

Image of Flipp welcome back (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

Discount apps like Flipp aggregate sales fliers and store circulars. All you do is put in your zip code and start browsing for savings from thousands of popular retailers. The Watch List lets you track items from your holiday shopping list. Make sure to create a tight shopping list of each item to track in case prices go down before or after your purchase.

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4. Automatic coupon code apps

PayPal Honey

PayPal Honey leads the pack by automatically entering coupon codes into the promo code field when checking out at 5,500+ retail sites.

Image of PayPal Honey welcome back (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

How it works: You can use the PayPal Honey app directly, but you are better off using it the way it was designed as a browser extension. Once added to your browser, it tracks where you are shopping and applies the best coupon codes without you needing to do anything. Just watch the total price drop as you are checking out when there is a match to a good discount.

The PayPal Honey browser add-on is available on Safari, Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera and Edge browsers. Again, for security, only download directly through your browser and not from a link or email offer.

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PayPal paid $4 billion dollars for the automated coupon code technology browser add-on. That’s when Honey became PayPal Honey you will find here.

While it has come under fire by Amazon for privacy concerns, upon close examination it does not collect anything more than most other shopping technologies and says it does not resell customer shopping data. Maybe Amazon does not like that it works with Amazon, too, which can drive down prices.

5. Shop refurbished and like new

Amazon Warehouse

Amazon Warehouse has millions of open boxes, refurbished, renewed and used goods. Few know that retail giant Amazon has a renewed outlet shopping area that can save you when buying items in good-to-like-new condition.

Make sure you get a very good understanding of an item’s condition before buying. You are protected by Amazon’s policies making it easier to return the rare dud.

Image of Amazon Warehouse page (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

BookFinder.com buys and sells used textbooks. Search with your teacher or professor’s textbook ISBN to make sure you are getting the exact match. Watch that you have thoroughly checked the condition of any used textbook before pulling the trigger at checkout. Avoid textbooks that say there are notations on the various pages, as these may not be the notes that earn you a good grade.

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6. Buy discounted gift cards

You can buy discounted gift cards or sell unwanted gift cards for cash. I also recommend that you check the balance and expiration date of your gift cards before using them and use them as soon as possible to avoid losing them or forgetting about them. Check out the best way to buy gift cards ever by clicking here.

7. Set deal alerts

Set Deal Alerts at Slickdeals.net. This community of millions of fellow shoppers is looking for and sharing the best deals. When the price reaches a desired level, you’ll receive a notification so you don’t miss the deal.

Pro tip: I like to track larger dollar items and then create a calendar entry in my phone reminding me of the last day to reprice a purchase so that I can potentially get money back when the price goes down after the sale.

Make sure it’s a deal by using price tracking sites like Camelcamelcamel.com, which shows the history of sale prices.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

As we gear up for the holiday shopping season, remember that saving money doesn’t have to be a chore. With the right tools and strategies at your disposal, you can enjoy a stress-free shopping experience while keeping your budget intact. Whether you choose cash-back apps, discount tools or retailer-specific offers, there’s something out there for everyone. So, why not dive in and start exploring these options? 

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What are some of the absolute best deals you have found using these tools or other methods? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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