New year, new you? Even if you didn’t make any New Year’s resolutions, one of your main goals heading into 2022 is probably to save money. It’s a natural goal in the early stages of any new year. Maybe you want to save up for a trip buy a car, or finally, pay off that loan. Whatever the reason may be, there’s an app for that. Here, we’ll check out a few that can really help to boost your savings.
RetailMeNot
RetailMeNot allows shoppers to find coupons and discounts quickly, even while shopping in stores. The app has daily deals and promotions along with weekly discounts and can send shoppers information daily about their favorite stores and any available coupons. There’s also an option to have your phone alert you of deals nearby while you’re out and about. Furthermore, Entrepreneur suggests that RetailMeNot’s Deal Finder extension makes this process even easier by letting you check if coupons are valid without having to go through the mild awkwardness of finding out at the register.
Fetch Rewards
This is essentially a shopping assistance and rewards app, and is one of those tools you feel foolish for not using once you find out about it. AskMoney’s Fetch Rewards app review explains that you can link it directly to your Amazon account and have it scan for online purchase receipts. You can also upload e-receipts from other online retailers and services, as long as you do so within 14 days of the purchases. Through these actions, you get points that can be used for gift cards and other cool things, which is especially useful if your normal shopping habits align with Fetch Rewards’ partnerships. We hesitate to use the term “free money,” but that’s more or less what you get here.
Swagbucks
Here’s an example of an app that offers direct cashback. Not only that, but you can also sell your old stuff on Swagbucks –– like consoles and mobile phones that you don’t use anymore. Swagbucks gives participants other options for earning credits as well, such as daily polls, surveys, and other small tasks that can help you accumulate credits or points that can then be redeemed for goodies like gift cards. Not every task in the app will resonate with everyone, but it’s a good idea to take a look and see if it works for you.
Acorns
Acorns help you save money without actually giving it a second thought. Once the app is linked to the debit or credit card of your choice, it rounds up any purchase you make to the nearest dollar. That extra money is then sent to an automated investment portfolio for you, where you can watch as it grows. It’s a great way to create a little bit of savings on the side. The app isn’t free, but it is quite robust and offers a variety of different savings and investment strategies, such that there is (in theory) something that will appeal to most any user. You shouldn’t expect the app to make you a fortune in the market, but it will take what basically amounts to spare change and help it to grow over time –– effectively generating a new stash of savings.
BillGuard
If you have multiple accounts to keep track of, BillGuard can take a bit off your plate. It tracks every account you add, optimizes your finances, and can even help you monitor your credit score. It also has an extremely helpful bonus feature: It alerts you in real-time regarding any unauthorized and fraudulent charges, which can of course keep you from troubling losses.
We hope that these apps can help you make the right decisions regarding your money, and ultimately help you to save more throughout the year ahead and into the future!