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.
