As the holiday season moves into full swing, it’s easy to get caught up in spending. However, it’s important that you keep a lid on your spending, so that you don’t find yourself in debt.
Smart spending this holiday season can mean a satisfying outcome in which you get what you need (or want) and still have your financial solvency come January. As you prepare for the holiday shopping season, here are 5 apps that can help you save money:
1. Nifti
If you want to track prices and make sure that you are getting the absolute best deal, Nifti is a great choice. You can watch prices rise and fall daily, and get a price history that lets you see whether or not you really are getting the best possible deal. Set price alerts so that you know when something you have your eye on drops to an acceptable price.
Get information on major brands, as well as on stores. You can even track prices at online shopping portals like Etsy.
2. RedLaser
RedLaser is a barcode-based app. You can scan an item, and get a list of online and offline prices. This is a great help no matter where you are shopping. On top of that, it’s possible to coordinate your efforts with loyalty cards. If you have a loyalty crd, you can scan it in to find the best deals in specific stores. Not only do you get the best price, but you can also maximize your loyalty rewards.
3. ShopAdvisor
This is another app that allows you to set price alerts and to compare prices on various items. ShopAdvisor allows you to set price alerts, and to see where to find the best prices on various items. Sometimes, getting the best deal on an item is all about the waiting game. Add items to your watch list, and receive alerts when the price is right.
4. ShopSavvy
Price matching is easy with the ShopSavvy app. You can find the best prices online, as well as in local stores. You can also find related products for more ideas, if the product you are looking at isn’t quite right. This is a great help when you are searching for the perfect holiday gift. You can also receive product recommendations and other helpful resources as you shop.
5. ZipList
Don’t forget the holiday food shopping! You can make sure that you have everything you need for holiday meals and for entertaining with the help of ZipList. This app is great because it’s about more than just making a list. ZipList will help you find coupons and sales on the items you have on your list. You can also get access to more than a million recipes that are compatible with savings. You can use ZipList to plan cost-efficient meals all holiday long.
Bonus: Online Shopping Plugin CamelCamelCamel
One of the most useful price comparison tools is the browser plugin offered at CamelCamelCamel. You can check price histories at sites like Amazon, Best Buy, and New Egg. You can see price histories, and look for patterns so that you can take advantage of timing when it comes to shopping. You can create price alerts for your favorite products, and have them delivered via email or Twitter. CamelCamelCamel is especially useful when you are looking to buy tech products.
While these apps can help you save money during the holidays, they are also great tools for smart shopping year round. Get these resources now, in time to save money on holiday shopping, and then use them into the new year. You might be surprised at how much you can save.
What’s your favorite savvy shopping app?
I only have 1 more gift to buy, so the rest of the month I’m really only buying groceries. That’s why the Favado app is my favorite savvy shopping app this month — it gives you prices and coupon matches at your preferred grocery store and emails you the list. It’s really convenient for those moments when you’re on the go and have a random 5 minutes to kill, and want to get something done.
Decide.
What makes this smart shopping app so good is that it lets you know if there’s a chance of price fluctuation, tells you if a newer version is coming up.
Best for those thinking twice about getting something…
My #1 shopping app is the Amazon app. Even if I don’t plan on buying from Amazon, nothing beats the ease of use for checking prices and pulling up reviews. I realize that RedLaser offers similar functionality with access to more stores, but I still prefer Amazon’s app.
All of these apps actually seem like they can help people with their shopping this holiday season. Why pay more for gifts when you don’t have to, especially when technology is making it easier to compare pricing.