Author: Kick Writers

Kick Writers are a crew of loyalty lovers and savvy Shopkickers fueled by caffeine and curiosity. From sharing the best ways to rack up kicks to smart shopping hacks, they’ve covered it all — and they’re on a mission to make earning rewards as fun as it is easy.

How To Save Money Back To School Shopping

Posted on by Kick Writers

In a few weeks, summer vacation will be coming to a close, ushering in the fresh start of the year that every mom knows too well: Back To School season. While this can be an exciting time for you and your child, it can also lead to certain stresses, including the dreaded expense of it all. The school supplies shopping list seems to get longer and more specific each year, and that’s all before you factor in clothes, lunch supplies and bulk items for your child’s classroom. Coming in as a new mom to the grade school system (my boy is starting Kindergarten this year), I plan on cutting all the stress and hassle out of the back to school shopping experience by using these methods to save money while having fun.

1. Check Out Sales

The easiest way to begin shopping for Back To School is by first searching for and identifying the biggest back to school deals from retailers. These sales are particularly great when you are looking for school supplies, backpacks and clothing. Some of the best online retailers to check out this season are Walmart.com, Kohls.com, etc.

For the majority of my school supplies products such as crayons, pencils, markers, etc., I relied on rollback prices from Walmart.com. For backpacks and clothing, I shopped Kohls.com deals. I saved a generous amount considering most of their products are on sale.

2. Buy in Bulk

I’ve personally found that one of the biggest ongoing costs of the school year has always been lunch foods and snacks. After going over my budget in the past, I plan on staying on top of my expenses by purchasing lunch supplies and snacks in bulk. My favorite retailers to buy in bulk are Jet and Boxed. Purchasing Ziplocs, chips, Tupperware, drinks and other snack foods in bulk will save a generous amount in the long run.

Another reason I love to buy in bulk is to help provide supplies for my son’s teacher. Teachers often have to pay for all classroom decorations, paper supplies, and cleaning supplies for the whole year! To really show my appreciation, I love to buy a few bulk items to donate to the classroom such as paper towels, paper plates, cleaning supplies, and even some fresh-smelling scents to make the classroom more relaxing. I generally use Boxed for all my bulk items, and it’s great because you can get 2-day shipping.

3. Earn Money Back Through Shopping Apps

The last way I love to save money for back to school shopping is by actually getting money back for my purchases. There are different mobile apps that allow you to scan your receipts to earn gift cards. My favorite shopping app to use is Shopkick because not only do I get points (called kicks) for scanning receipts, I can also get points for just walking into stores, scanning items, and purchasing through online retailers. I generally make my purchases through Walmart, eBay, and Kohl’s. My kicks accumulate while I shop, so I can redeem my points for a Starbucks gift card to refuel after all that shopping!

Back to School shopping doesn’t have to be hard on your bank account. It’s meant to be fun, especially because you’re able to bond with your kids while preparing them to step back into the classroom for another great year of learning. Take the stress out of shopping while saving money by shopping sales, buying in bulk, and using shopping apps to get money back. These money-saving hacks have helped me tremendously as I get ready for my son to start Kindergarten this year. Now, it’s time to relax and soak up these final days of summer vacation and anticipate the exciting school year ahead! I know with just a little prep, he and I will be ready to take on his first day of school together. And, by using these money-saving shopping tips for your children’s school year, you will be too.

Happy shopkicking!

Download Shopkick today to start earning rewards towards a free gift card for the shopping you already do!

Posted in b2c

The 8 best cash back shopping apps to make every penny count

Posted on by Kick Writers

The 8 best cash back shopping apps to make every penny count

It sounds cliche, but when it comes to maximizing your budget and making sure that you’re saving all the money you can, every penny counts. I realized the truth about this recently because of my youngest son. He’s obsessed with video games (aren’t all kids these days?) and he wanted a Nintendo Switch, which is priced at about $300. That’s a lot of birthday money for a nine-year-old boy to save up, but I told him if he saved his money, maybe we could help him out.

Well, to my surprise he already had been saving his money, dating back to when we first got him a little novelty piggy bank when he was a kid. Honestly, I don’t know where it all came from, but he must have been saving change in it for a while because that thing was filled to the brim with quarters, dimes, nickels, a few silver dollars, and a good deal of pennies. When we counted it all out, our nine-year-old had more than $100! While we counted, he made sure we didn’t miss a penny and with cash back shopping apps, you can make all of your pennies count, too.

These shopping apps work through your phone and other mobile devices and they’re a lot more efficient and complex than stuffing actual pennies into a piggy bank like my son. Let’s take a look at the eight best cash back shopping apps to make every penny count!

The Best Cash Back Shopping Apps for Brick-and-Mortar Stores

CheckOut51

Of all the various apps here on our list today, I think CheckOut51 might be one of the simplest to use. See, with this app you just go out and do your grocery shopping as you normally would, and then once you’re finished, you use Checkout 51 to upload a photograph of your receipt. I like to make sure I do this in the front seat of my car before even leaving the parking lot at the store—that way I don’t forget.

Once you’re done scanning your receipt, Checkout 51 gives you rebates in the form of credit for any eligible items that you may have purchased. The money adds up quickly, which is good because you need to have $20 worth of saved credit in order to cash out. Once you decide to cash out, Checkout 51 will then go ahead and mail you a receipt. See! I told you it was simple.

SavingStar

SavingStar is also a fairly simple cash back shopping app. How it works is that it’s a digital coupon app that pays users to shop at grocery and drugstores. More than 60,000 participating stores are part of SavingStar, and within their ranks you will find more than 100 retail chains.

Most of the time, this app is free to use, but beware. If you get busy and leave your account inactive for 180 straight days, SavingStar will actually charge you a fee of $3.99. To take advantage of SavingStar, all you have to do is either link the app to an existing store loyalty card or submit receipts after you make purchases just like you do with CheckOut51. Again, these savings add up until you can eventually cash out through PayPal, Upromise, or in the form of Starbucks, iTunes, or AMC Theater gift codes.

SnipSnap

The way this one works is slightly different, in that it lets its users take pictures of printed coupons, which it transforms into digital, mobile-ready ones, thereby making them far more convenient to carry around and use. Users can also browse online directories and take advantage of coupons their friends have “snipped” as well.

This app doesn’t exactly pay, though. Instead, users save money like a traditional coupon. The idea is that coupons can all be easily kept in one digital space, instead of having an overflowing little billfold stuffed with paper cutouts.

The Best Cash Back Shopping Apps for Online Stores

CamelCamelCamel

If you’re anything like me, the online store that you frequent most is Amazon. I highly recommend familiarizing yourself with this app, which is called CamelCamelCamel. It doesn’t have much to do with riding through deserts, though. It’s actually a website and browser extension that shoppers can use to save money by tracking prices on Amazon. It’s really a pretty incredible resource, given the changing nature of prices on Amazon.

With CamelCamelCamel, you get access to charts and details for extensive price histories to almost every product listed for sale on Amazon. You can see the fluctuations and know when you should buy an item or when you should hold off until the price is reduced in the future. I’ve never tracked it enough to be able to tabulate an exact amount, but I know that over a long enough timeline, I’ve saved quite a bit of money shopping online at Amazon with the help of information from CamelCamelCamel. Just be warned that you can find yourself spending way more time than you expected looking through the charts!

Coupon Cactus

With Coupon Cactus, you can get discounts on certain items when you shop online. Your savings sometimes add up to a percentage of the total price, generally up to 30% or as a flat discount, such as $2 off a featured product. Once your savings balance hits $10 or more, you can then make a decision to cash out the money you’ve earned through PayPal or even to have a check issued to you on a quarterly basis.

Coupon Cactus also does this cool thing that I find really helpful where you can sort the savings offers on the site by the most popular or the newest, making it easy to find the deals that people like the most or the ones that have been added to the app since your last visit.

Ebates

You’d be crazy not to download this coupon app for groceries because of how much you can save with it through rebates. Ebates is a cash back shopping app that lets you save by giving you shopping rewards. Full disclosure, this one actually has a special place in my heart because it was the first one I used when I first started using apps that give you rewards.

Ebates is a centralized platform where shoppers can search for deals and coupons that are offered by nearly 2,000 retailers. It’s pretty awesome when it comes to shopping online, which is something I’d guess that we have all done much more of in recent years. To be totally honest, I haven’t used Ebates as much as of late because I’ve moved on to more comprehensive apps to bolster my budget. I’ve actually ended up seeking out newer apps, many of which are way more fun to use!

Pennyful

With three growing boys at home, I shop a lot. Between getting things for the kids, my husband, and on rare occasions even for myself, I’m always out shopping. Plus, I have to admit, I’ve always been one for a good sale. That’s why I use Pennyful, which requires that you hit a certain amount of savings or cash back before you can get paid. With my shopping habits, it’s easy to hit the mark. But, I’m also well aware that not everyone shops online as much as I do. For those who don’t, it’s possible to earn money shopping online with mobile apps that let you cash your total out without meeting a certain minimum threshold.

If this sounds like something that would work well for you, I highly recommend checking out Pennyful. Like Coupon Cactus, you just go online, make purchases at certain stores that are offering online coupons, and then you start to accumulate savings in an account that you can later cash out. And, they make it easy and fun to discover new products by dividing their offerings up into categories!

The Best Cash Back Shopping Apps for Both Online and Brick-and-Mortar Stores

Shopkick

I don’t know about you, but in 2018 my shopping habits have become a hybrid of both online and in-store shopping. There are some items that I just need to be able to get anywhere at any time with a quick click at my computer or mobile device, and there are others that I like to browse or see in person before making a final decision. That’s really where this last app comes in handy.

The beauty of Shopkick is that you can use it to get cash back on both your online and in-store shopping. You can even pair it with some of the other apps on my list because Shopkick rewards you for shopping through points (called kicks) for making purchases—or even watching product videos online. When I save up enough of these points, I can cash them in for gift cards. Shopkick even pays you to grocery shop, which is something I’m yet to figure out how to do online. Of all the mobile apps that allow you to earn money shopping online, Shopkick is the one you must have to take your shopping game to new levels.

So, there you have it, the eight best cash back shopping apps that you should use to make every single penny count. While you’re probably not saving up all the change you can find to get a Nintendo Switch, a few dollars of savings both online and in-store really does add up and make a significant difference in your budget.

I think that’s why my favorite on the list is Shopkick. You can use it when you go out shopping, or anywhere else for that matter. Simply put, there are tons of ways that Shopkickers can earn rewards right from the app—no need to go anywhere. These include kicks for watching videos and instant surprise kicks from going on Easter egg hunts in the app. Users can also get amazing deals where you can earn big points and rewards by shopping on your phone at stores like Amazon and Walmart. I highly recommend it!

Get one of the best cash back shopping apps that can help you make every last penny count. Download Shopkick’s free app today and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered the rewards of shopping with a free, smartphone app sidekick.

And, if you love social media as much as you love your smartphone, join Shopkick on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for a little daily shopping inspiration.

Posted in b2c

Mom-approved cash back apps for groceries

Posted on by Kick Writers

For most of my life, I’ve considered shopping to be one of my favorite hobbies, although I think it’s important to note that not all shopping is created equal. There are, as far as I’m concerned, two main types of shopping. There’s the shopping I love to do for fun, which includes trips to boutiques, gallerias, and malls. Then there’s the shopping that I’m obligated to do for what I like to call life reasons. This involves trips to places like Walmart, Target, and, of course, out for groceries.

As a mom these days, I’ve found myself having to make far more of the second type of shopping trips than I get to of the first. And I’m happy to do it. I love my kids, and it actually makes the time I do get to spend shopping for clothes and the finer things all the more enjoyable. One battle I continually find myself having to wage, however, is with my budget. I just don’t have the money to spend on fancy shoes that I once did. I have, however, recently found a great ally in this fight, and today I want to share my new ally with you. That’s why today I want to tell you all about some mom-approved cash back apps for groceries.

With these apps, I’ve been able to earn quite a bit of cash back on my grocery shopping. That’s extra money that I’ve been able to put toward my old shopping hobby, making the most of my trips out searching for clothes. There are three main apps I use to do this, and I can’t wait to share them with you!

Mom-Approved Cash Back Apps for Groceries

#1: Checkout 51

Checkout 51 is a cash back app for groceries that you can use to plan your shopping trip before you ever set foot in the store. You just download the app and you can start to browse hundreds of listed offers. When you find one for a product you plan to buy, you simply select that offer, head out shopping, upload your receipt when you’re done, and enjoy your cash back! It really is that simple.

I especially like Checkout 51 because I’m able to have a nice little grocery shopping routine each Friday morning. Checkout 51 updates the offers it lists every Thursday night. This has made it easy for me to include the app into my weekly schedule. I just take a few moments before I get in my Jeep and head out to the store to find the best deals. The only catch is that with Checkout 51 you have to earn at least $20 before you can redeem your savings for cash back.

three cash back apps for groceries#2: SnipSnap

Do you remember those old-school paper coupons that we used to have to use if we ever wanted to save some money when we were shopping for groceries? I sure do. In fact, I still get them fairly regularly through junk mail and my Sunday newspaper, and with this app called SnipSnap, I’ve also found a way to start using them to get cash back on my shopping. SnipSnap is what’s known as a mobile coupon app, and you basically just use it to take pictures of printed coupons. SnipSnap then goes ahead and transforms them into digital, mobile-ready coupons that you can use when you go out to the store.

Like with Checkout 51, I’ve made SnipSnap part of my regular shopping routine. Every Sunday, I sit down with the advertisements that came during the week as well as with the stack from my Sunday paper, and I use SnipSnap to start scanning and storing coupons. It’s such an easy and efficient way to store coupons. I don’t know if I’d turn to coupons nearly as often if I still had to stuff the actual paper copies in my purse.

#3: Shopkick

The last mom-approved cash back app for groceries on our list today is called Shopkick, and it just so happens to be my favorite. How it works is that when you go out shopping for groceries, it gives you points for your normal shopping trip activities, including going down aisles browsing products, making purchases, and even just walking into the store. You can then trade those points in for gift cards to your favorite stores, which are just as good as cash back to me.

What’s especially great about Shopkick is that you can easily use it in tandem with the other two apps on our list. Basically, every week I get my deals from Checkout 51 and I scan my coupons with SnipSnap, and then I use Shopkick to get points on all my purchases. That kind of triple savings really adds up to a nice amount of extra money.

What’s especially great about Shopkick is that you can easily use it in tandem with the other two apps on our list.

Like I said at the start, I really do believe there are two specific types of shopping: utilitarian shopping and fun shopping. They don’t have to be mutually exclusive though. In fact, as I’ve seen in my life, money that you save on your groceries can be put to good use later when you go out shopping for fun.

You just have to have the right apps, apps like Checkout 51, SnipSnap, and—my personal favorite—Shopkick. They fit so easily into your daily routine, that if you’re anything like me, you’ll soon have trouble remembering what it was like before you started to use them!  

Ready to start shopping with one of the best mom-approved cash back apps for groceries? Download Shopkick for free and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered how rewarding—and fun—shopping with us can be!

And, if you love using your smartphone to stay up on social media, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for daily shopping inspiration.

Image courtesy GeorgeRudy

Prime Day starts now!

Posted on by Kick Writers

The biggest shopping event of the year for Amazon Prime members is here! Prime Day starts now and runs through 7/17/18. Get amazing kicks on eligible Amazon purchases made through the Shopkick app, and discover incredible deals on hundreds of thousands of items.

Don’t have an Amazon Prime membership yet? It’s not too late to sign up and take advantage of these instant savings!

Prime Day Starts Now

Get AMAZING kicks through 7/17

Amazon Fashion
25 kicks per $1
was 5 kicks

Amazon Devices
25 kicks per $1
was 5 kicks

Amazon Home
25 kicks per $1
was 7 kicks

Check out the deals and big kicks now!

 

Happy shopkicking!

Don’t have Shopkick yet? Download and start earning your free gift card today!

5 video marketing tips to engage and enthuse an audience

Posted on by Kick Writers

5 video marketing tips to engage and enthuse an audience

Get In Touch

Video marketing offers high engagement and conversion. By using newer options like interactive video, mobile apps, social media, and incentives, brands can expand the impact of any video advertising or marketing message. Marketing managers seeking video marketing tips should consider these emerging avenues to reach consumers and get them to try a product.

The benefit of video marketing campaigns is the ability to use multiple channels to gain engagement for one video. By working with available platforms and partnering with third-party apps, your brand can get its video content in front of new users who may not be familiar with your products. These five video marketing tips will provide brands with better ways to expand the reach of their content and improve marketing ROI.

Video Marketing Tip #1: Adding Interactive Components to Video

Making video interactive—having viewers participate in driving the story—is an excellent way to increase engagement with a message. An interactive video can be simple, like in the case of a poll embedded in video content. Alternatively, these videos can be complex, immersive virtual reality experiences. Interactive elements within a video include the following.

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Encourage Active Watching

Encourage active watching: When a consumer must make selections or click on portions of the screen, they’ll be more likely to watch the video actively. This active watching means they will also be more likely to retain the video’s message and remember a brand.

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Create a Personalized Connection

The interactive components of video create a connection with consumers that regular video does not, as the consumers drive the story. This involvement helps to develop a relationship between the viewer and content, making it appear that brands are not advertising at them, but rather working with them.

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Gather Consumer Information

A common interactive component of video is a poll. Through these polls, brands can gain insight into viewers, how the content appeals to them, and other information that will better help market to the right audience.

Interactive video offers an additional opportunity to grab the consumer’s attention and get them to engage with branded content. Video that features interactive components can both help advise brands on future marketing decisions and offer immediate brand awareness and affinity.

Video Marketing Tip #2: Make It Mobile for the Most Interaction

Mobile video is a must for brands that want to reach consumers on the move. The most recent data indicates that mobile video accounted for 60% of all mobile traffic and this number is expected to increase. Selecting platforms that support mobile video—whether you’re purchasing ad space before primary content or releasing your own branded content—is critical.

Another added benefit of optimizing for mobile video is the ability to control the timing of a message to reach consumers on the move. A consumer out shopping, as an example, may see a mobile video ad for a quick-service restaurant in their immediate area and decide to stop by for dinner. The proximity of the video watcher to the product increases the chance of purchase, making mobile video a strong sales driver. In addition, mobile allows brands to extend their reach to consumers who may not have Internet access through a desktop computer. It’s very common in emerging markets—like India or China—that some consumers only access the Internet via their mobile phone. By making video mobile-friendly, you can reach a wider base of consumers in these markets.

Video has become the preferred type of media for consumers and mobile is the place they choose to view it. To ensure you’re able to make the most of this trend, a brand must make sure their video content is optimized for a mobile platform.

 

Video Marketing Tip #3: Gather a Crowd Through Social Media

Social media is a great place for video sharing, whether you choose to use it as the native platform or host content elsewhere and share the video to your social sites. It offers an opportunity to make a brand’s message trend while providing a reasonable ROI from your marketing efforts. Social media offers three basic ways to share a video message, outline below.

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Organic Engagement

Organic engagement comes as a result of ads which aren’t outright advertising—like a how-to video or customer testimonial—and it’s the content itself that drives consumers to share these posts.

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Paid Ads

On social media, paid video ads generally come before primary content, or as sidebar video content. Depending on the social media site, the paid content can blend in with the user-generated content and attract customers without seeming like an ad.

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Influencer Marketing

Another category of social media video marketing comes through influencer marketing. In this case, the brand doesn’t create content themselves but instead relies on a popular social media personality to share information about their product.

While companies don’t have to buy ad space to create organic engagement, there are costs to be considered such as the cost of creating the content and building buzz. As such, while organic engagement has no media costs, it’s not a free marketing avenue. Costs of creating content and pushing engagement by connecting with users of the platform can be extensive.

When it comes to influencer partnerships, these arrangements can either be free or paid, and the cost depends on how many followers these individuals have. On the lower end of the spectrum, brands often use micro-influencers with smaller followings as the individuals are willing to provide reviews in exchange for free samples or nominal fees. Online celebrities—like those with tens of thousands of followers across multiple sites—generally work under sponsorship contracts similar to what celebrities receive.

Social media can boost the reach of your video marketing by getting the content in front of more viewers. As sharing and commenting on videos is common, this also improves engagement, which expands brand awareness and affinity.

 

Video Marketing Tip #4: High Tech AR and VR Components Build Buzz

Augmented and virtual reality components are growing in popularity. The primary issue slowing down the development of AR/VR content is the accessibility of hardware. These types of headsets can be very expensive for consumers, as they primarily come as add-ons to expensive gaming consoles. Most recent estimates indicate shipments of virtual and mixed reality headset shipments are expected to grow by 68.9% by 2022. This is a market that is ripe for expansion, so brands should be looking at AR/VR video content options in preparation for a surge in demand.

For now, brands that wish to leverage the buzz-building potential of AR or VR video can offer experiences via a consumer’s smartphone. While the combination of video and AR is still emerging, we’ve already seen some excellent examples of this type of media in action. This strategy is one a Parisian luxury fashion brand used with great success. When promoting a new line, the company used AR as a way of sharing 360-degree video and fashion shows with consumers who were in the vicinity of stores. This immersive content spurred interest in the line while also creating an intriguing experience which gained extensive press coverage.

Of course, the ROI on most video AR campaigns isn’t clear, as this is a very new area of mobile video marketing. Over time, the removal of cost barriers will allow brands to find many creative ways to use high-tech features in video ads.

 

Video Marketing Tip #5: Rewarded Video Boosts Results

Another video marketing option for brands is rewarded video programs. Rewarded video allows brands to gain views while also creating a connection with consumers. These rewarded experiences work by offering the consumer non-tangible benefits (like rewards points or in-game items) in exchange for a few moments of their time. This rewarded viewing is a common feature of shopping apps, like Shopkick. Providing consumers with rewarded video offers several benefits including the following.

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Limiting Discount Dependency

While many CPG brands will typically look to discounts to incentivize customers, rewards offer a higher benefit. The brand does not have to take an immediate loss on the product and consumers will perceive rewards as more valuable than discounts, due to their emotional return.

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Higher App Retention Rates

Rewarded video has proven retention rates for apps. In one study, more than half of users that watched only one rewarded video within the first week after downloading an app kept that app for at least 30 days. That rate is 300% higher than the average retention rate of a non-rewarded video app. Simply incentivizing viewing is enough to boost app retention rates, which are a key part of any mobile video campaign.

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A/B Testing Opportunities

Brands can use rewarded video as a way to test out which media will be better to deliver on a mass scale. As an example, a brand offers two rewarded video options to consumers. Based on which video consumers choose more often, the brand knows this is the preferred choice. They can then share that video on social media and other platforms, ensuring they’re getting the highest ROI based on the consumers choice.

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Increased Completion Rates

In a regular video ad—like a pre-roll ad—a consumer may choose to skip or ignore the ad. In rewarded video, the consumers only received the rewards after viewing the complete video. This requirement significantly improves video completion rates.

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Improved Brand Affinity

When a brand gives incentives for engagement, this creates a connection with the consumer which can be used to improve the overall perception of a product. The consumer views the video advertisement as a benefit and not a disruption.

There are many benefits to adding rewarded video to a marketing campaign. It offers an opportunity to both reach consumers directly, improves the perception of your brand and retention of both branded apps and third-party app partnerships.

There are many video marketing tips for brands that wish to engage consumers with this popular form of media, but not all are appropriate for every brand. Higher-tech options like AR and VR may not be cost effective for smaller brands, while brands with massive followings may find that interactive content is too difficult to manage when dealing with a large audience. The best results come from using a variety of options to gain the most engagement for your marketing dollar.

Shopkick offers an engaging app which allows our partners to leverage the power of mobile video, shopping rewards, and more. For more information, contact us.

Posted in b2b

How to save money on groceries: Apps that milk your budget

Posted on by Kick Writers

As you probably know by now, I’m the mother of three rambunctious but awesome young boys. They live life at a pretty fast pace, whether they’re running around our backyard or going from this month’s hot new video game to whatever the big fad at school is next month. My little guys are almost always in a big hurry for something. Lately, they’ve all been in a major rush to grow up. Not to take on adult responsibilities (none of them are at all interested in that, not yet, anyway), but to get taller.

In fact, I recently went down into our basement and found them trying to stretch to make themselves taller. It was so cute, but it also got me thinking about how fast they’d be growing up, which then got me thinking about their increasingly gigantic appetites, which then got me thinking about something else: ways to save money on groceries, and more specifically to save money on groceries with an app. These days there so many great shopping rewards apps out there, some of which are offered by the stores themselves, others that modernize the old coupon clipping experience, and—my personal favorite—those that give you gift cards for shopping habits you already have.

All of this can be a little overwhelming to the uninitiated shopper who’s trying to stretch her budget, which is why today I want to talk about my own strategies for how to save money on groceries with an app. Hopefully, you’ll find them to be just as helpful as I do!

How to Save Money on Groceries with an App

Tip No. 1: Consistency is Key

One of my most important tips for how to save money on groceries with an app is to find a way to do it that is consistent. This ties into a lesson I’m always trying to teach my boys. They’re always in such a hurry to do new things, to try out for the basketball team, to advance to the next grade, or even to beat this month’s hot new video game as soon as possible. Sometimes they get frustrated when these things take longer than they expect. 

So, what I preach to them is to remain consistent. The same is true for stretching your budget with a great shopping app. If you don’t use it consistently, you won’t maximize the amount of rewards that you can earn with it. It’s as simple as that.

ways to Save money on groceries appTip No. 2: Online and Offline Points Are a Must

Another little tip when trying to save money on groceries with an app that I’ve learned from my boys is to make sure you find an app that helps you save money both online and off. My little guys get lost in their digital worlds so easily, that it always makes me think about how in 20 years even more of our lives will start to be lived online, and that includes grocery shopping.

I’ve started to do even more of my grocery shopping online, using programs like Amazon Pantry. This is especially the case when there are three soccer practices in a week, and I just can’t eke out the time I need to run to the store. A few clicks on Amazon and I can have chips for their lunches, Clif bars or breakfast cereals sent straight to our door. That’s why I need an app that also helps me save money when I’m shopping online. It’s absolutely vital.

Tip No. 3: Find the Perfect App

The last tip that I have for you today is also maybe the most obvious, but you simply must make sure that you find the perfect app. For me, that app is called Shopkick, and how it works is that it gives you points for the shopping activities that you already do every day, things like looking at products online, going down the aisle browsing products, and making purchases. You can then trade those points in for free gift cards.

What’s great about Shopkick is that it’s super easy to use, which makes it no problem to use it consistently.

What’s great about Shopkick is that it’s super easy to use, which makes it no problem to use it consistently. It also turns every trip to the grocery store into a fun little scavenger hunt for points. In other words, I enjoy using Shopkick so much, that it’s not even a chore to make sure I use it consistently. Oh, and it’s one of the best shopping apps out there for rewarding you for the grocery shopping that you do online. It’s just so versatile and fun! I highly recommend it!

With three growing boys at home, correctly managing my grocery shopping budget tends to be a never-ending battle, much like satisfying their appetites. However, with a great app like Shopkick, it all becomes so much easier.

The guys can’t wait to be taller, and I get that. I also know that there are going to be so many more grocery bills between where they are now and the day they reach their maximum heights. This can bring on a bit of anxiety sometimes, but with an app like Shopkick to help me save money, you know what? I think I’m ready to handle it.

Ready to start finding your own ways to save money on groceries with an app? Download Shopkick for free and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered how rewarding—and fun—shopping with us can be!

And, if you love using your smartphone to stay up on social media, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for daily shopping inspiration.

 

Image courtesy stokkete

Dollar store coupon apps: Is it possible to save even more?

Posted on by Kick Writers

Parenting changes everything. From the moment your little ones arrive, life becomes a whirlwind of surprises, adjustments, and moments of pure joy. While some changes are predictable —like sleepless nights or the endless stream of school lunches— others can take you completely by surprise. For my husband and me, one of the most unexpected changes was our approach to shopping. With three growing boys at home, we had to rethink where and how we shopped, prioritizing savings without sacrificing quality.

 

Enter dollar stores. They quickly became a staple in our lives for all those everyday items, from snacks to school supplies, that our kids constantly need. But the savings didn’t stop there. I discovered a game-changing tool that took our budget-stretching efforts to the next level: dollar store coupon apps. If you’re a parent, a savvy shopper, or just someone who loves a great deal, this is a must-have addition to your shopping routine. Ready to learn how to save more than you ever thought possible? Let’s dive in.

 

Dollar General App: Clip and Save Instantly

The Dollar General app is one of my favorite ways to save at dollar stores. Once you download it, you can browse weekly deals, clip digital coupons, and have them automatically applied at checkout when you enter your phone number. No more carrying around paper coupons or worrying about forgetting them at home — everything you need is right on your phone.

 

What I love most is how often Dollar General stacks store savings with manufacturer coupons, meaning you can double up on discounts. It’s a quick, effortless way to shave dollars off every shopping trip.

 

Family Dollar App: Weekly Deals at Your Fingertips

Another must-have is the Family Dollar app. It works very similarly to Dollar General’s — browse coupons, add them to your account, and redeem them in-store at checkout.

 

The app also gives you access to the weekly ad so you can plan your shopping trip before you even leave the house. For busy parents, this makes it easy to combine errands with savings without spending hours clipping coupons.

 

Coupons.com: Rebates That Work Almost Anywhere

Coupons.com has been around for years, but the app has evolved into a powerful rebate tool that still works at many dollar stores. Instead of printing paper coupons, you simply browse offers in the app, link your store loyalty card (when available), or snap a photo of your receipt after checkout.

 

Cash back is credited directly to your account, and once you reach the minimum payout, you can transfer the savings straight to PayPal. It’s one of the easiest ways to layer additional savings on top of already low prices at dollar stores.

 

Saving with Shopkick

Now, let’s talk about my personal favorite app: Shopkick. I’ve been using Shopkick for a while now, and I love how easy it is to earn rewards just by doing things I already do — like shopping.

 

Shopkick gives you points (called kicks) for completing activities such as:

  • Walking into partner stores (yes, you can earn just for entering!)
  • Scanning barcodes of featured products
  • Submitting receipts from purchases
  • Shopping online through the app or watching quick videos

 

Those kicks quickly turn into free gift cards for places like Amazon, Target, and Starbucks. For me, it feels like a fun little game — maximizing kicks while running errands. And trust me, the rewards add up faster than you’d expect.

 

Bottom Line

Between Dollar General, Family Dollar, Coupons.com, and Shopkick, there are plenty of ways to stretch your budget at dollar stores. Whether you’re clipping digital coupons, stacking cash back rebates, or earning rewards, these apps make saving money easy, fun, and totally worth it.

2 fun shopping apps that save money and rack up rewards

Posted on by Kick Writers

My boys don’t have extravagant tastes. Sure, they love video games and movies, but they also have a blast playing simple games like hide-and-seek or their favorite: capture the flag — which, in our house, is really capture the old t-shirt. One hides it, the others hunt it down, and the winner gets bragging rights. It’s free, fun, and keeps them entertained for hours. Total win-win! 

 

Watching them play got me thinking — why can’t saving money be just as fun for adults? Turns out, it can! With the right shopping apps, you can turn errands into mini adventures and rack up serious savings while you’re at it. 

 

Fun Shopping Apps That Save Money 

Here are two of my favorite apps that make shopping feel like a game — and help stretch your budget at the same time. 

 

Flipp 

Flipp is perfect for wish list lovers. Just add the items you’re hoping to buy, and Flipp shows you which stores have them at the best prices. It’s like having a personal deal-hunting assistant! 

 

Whether you’re eyeing clothes, electronics, or groceries, Flipp helps you snag them for less. I’ve saved a ton using this app — and it’s always exciting to see a wish list item pop up at a steal. 

 

Shopkick 

This one’s the most fun! Shopkick turns every shopping trip into a scavenger hunt for rewards. You earn points (called “kicks”) for: 

  • Walking into stores  
  • Scanning product barcodes  
  • Making purchases  
  • Watching videos  
  • Shopping online  
  • Finding surprise kicks in the app 

 

You can trade those kicks for free gift cards to your favorite stores. It’s seriously addictive — in the best way. If shopping ever felt like a chore, Shopkick flips the script and makes it something to look forward to. 

 

Double the Fun, Double the Savings 

Want to save even more? Use Flipp and Shopkick together! Flipp helps you find the best deals, and Shopkick rewards you for buying them. It’s a budget-friendly combo that makes shopping feel like a game — and who doesn’t love winning? 

 

As a mom of three imaginative boys, I’ve learned how to turn everyday moments into fun. These apps help me do the same with shopping — and they’ve become essential tools in my money-saving routine. 

 

Ready to Shop Smarter & Have More Fun? 

Download Shopkick today and start earning free gift cards while you shop. Join a community of savvy shoppers who’ve already discovered the joy of turning errands into adventures.