The Walmart savings catcher app: how to maximize your savings with it

Posted on March 21, 2018 by shopkick

Anyone who knows me knows that I talk about shopping at the gym, at lunch with friends, at my office, and even on my Facebook and my Twitter feeds! I love shopping, and I might love even more the conversations I have about my favorite stores, upcoming sales, and the best ways to find discounts. Probably my newest obsession to talk about is in-store branded apps!

Shopping apps are basically everywhere nowadays and, if you’re anything like me, you probably have a hard time even remembering what it was like before we used them. If you’ve never heard of these apps, first of all, where have you been? Second, wow, are you in for a treat! Shopping apps are the best way today for shoppers to save money! The best way to explain them—and I’ve had practice doing that, believe me—is to compare them to those old store loyalty programs. Basically, these are apps that give you rewards for making certain purchases. There’s a huge variety out there, but today I want to hone in on just one: the Walmart Savings Catcher app!

What is the Walmart Savings Catcher App?

Of all the apps that individual stores offer to their loyal shoppers, the Walmart Savings Catcher app stands out. What this app does is cross-reference your Walmart purchases with the advertised prices of the same item at all the local retailers in your town. Then, if any of those other stores have a lower price on the merchandise, Walmart delivers the difference back to you. It’s a great app to use because it gives you peace of mind that you got the absolute best deal.

It’s also popular because it’s super easy to use. Here’s how it works:

Scan your store receipt after you go shopping at Walmart: This is exactly what it sounds like. Once you finish your shopping at Walmart, just take out your phone, open the app, and scan your receipt.
Let Walmart compare the prices: You don’t actually have to do anything here because Walmart will compare what you paid to the advertised prices at all the local competitors.
Enjoy your savings: If Walmart finds that someplace else locally had a lower advertised price, it will deliver the difference back to you in the form of a gift card.

It’s this simplicity and ease of use that, in my humble opinion, makes the Walmart Savings Catcher app one of the best apps to make cash to bolster your budget. But, there are other ways to make it even more rewarding.

Walmart Savings Catcher + Other Shopping Apps = More $$$

I know I said I was going to focus on just one shopping rewards app, but the truth is there’s actually a way to get extra savings out of the Walmart Savings Catcher app, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t teach you how to maximize your rewards while using it! As it turns out, you can double dip (sort of) on all those Walmart savings if you combine the app with one of my favorite shopping rewards apps.

The app is called Shopkick and it is great because it perfectly augments the Walmart Savings Catcher app. How Shopkick works is that you use it to get points just for walking into a Walmart, for scanning the barcodes of certain products to get more information, and for scanning your receipt after you’ve made your purchases—which you’re going to be doing anyway at Walmart. With Shopkick, you get points for all those activities which you can eventually trade in for gift cards. So, not only are you getting the guaranteed lowest price on everything you buy at Walmart, you’re also earning reward points that you can turn into future gift cards to buy more of the things you love, at places like Walmart!

Not only are you getting the guaranteed lowest price on everything you buy at Walmart, you’re also earning reward points that you can turn into future gift cards to buy more of the things you love.

Of course, Shopkick is not limited to just Walmart. It’s also a great third-party savings app to combine with the apps from other stores, including Whole Foods and Target. Put simply, the Walmart Savings Catcher app is absolutely great, but it’s even better when you combine it with Shopkick!

One thing I’ve learned from my chats with friends about the best ways to use apps to save on shopping is that after they get all of this information, they usually become anxious to go out and start taking advantage of these apps! So, with that in mind, I’ll leave you to it. If you want to talk at some point later, though, I’m always available. I just love love love hearing about success stories that involve Shopkick.

Learn how you can combine the Walmart Savings Catcher app with Shopkick today to save even more money. Download Shopkick’s free app and get ready to be wowed. Welcome to the fun, Shopkicker!

If you’re as social media savvy as you are shopping savvy, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for daily shopping fun.

Image courtesy Walmart

Why you should scan receipts: Apps for money back on purchases

Posted on March 16, 2018 by shopkick

I’ve had many systems for dealing with receipts over the years. When I was really young, I generally just threw them away the moment I walked out of the store. Then, as I got older—and experienced a few times when I badly wanted to return something but couldn’t—I began letting my receipts float freely in my purse. That eventually evolved into my stuffing them all in my car’s glove box until it too overflowed and I tossed every last one. Needless to say, none of these systems was effective.

I’m proud to say I’ve become quite a bit more organized lately. At home, I have a filing cabinet with many folders to divide my receipts by purchase size and the year in which I bought each item, so I can write off any relevant purchases on my taxes of course. This is what you might call hardcore adulting! Before I put those receipts in my folder system, however, I make sure that I scan my receipts using an app for money savings. The best way to do this, I’ve discovered, is by using a shopping rewards apps.

While there are many apps on the market, one thing almost all of them have in common is you can use them to scan your receipts whenever you leave the store and in exchange reap the benefits of rewards for certain products. Think of each as a scan receipts app for money hoarders, rather than something for receipt collectors. Today, I’m going to tell you why—and which—apps that let you scan receipts and get money back need to be part of your world!

How to Use a Scan Receipts App for Money Back

If you’re anything like me you spend a lot of time (and money…gulp!) shopping. So, why not set aside a few extra moments to scan your receipts and get some money back via a shopping rewards app? There is no good reason not to!

Because this may be a bit of an unfamiliar concept for some of you (I know it was for me up until just a few years ago), here’s how a good shopping rewards app works: You simply go shopping at the stores you normally would, gather the items on your list, make your purchases, and then scan your receipts. There are many great shopping rewards apps on the market today, and the ways they work vary, but almost every one gives you points for buying certain items, which you can then trade in for cash back or, even better in my humble opinion, for totally free gift cards to your favorite stores!

Shopping Rewards: The Perfect Scan Receipts Apps for Money Back

Obviously, it would be great if you could find an app that gave you money back for more than just scanning your receipts, right? The more money back, the better after all. Conveniently, my personal favorite app gives you points for a variety of things, and at a variety of places.

That app is called Shopkick, and, in my experience, it has more ways to earn points than any other shopping app on the market today. Let’s briefly go over some of the many ways there are to earn points with Shopkick:

Walk into the store
Scan the barcodes on certain items for more information
Scan receipts with the app for money
Go on a treasure hunt in the app (located under Instant Surprises in the Discover tab)
Watch videos in the app to learn more about products
Make purchases online

That’s a ton of points, and you can trade all of them in for gift cards. In fact, you can get so many gift cards that it eventually starts to feel like you’re actually getting paid to shop! One more thing: Shopkick has a super cool online community on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, which is really fun to be part of. I don’t know how many times I’ve been browsing one of their social media channels at work and I’ve had to stifle a laugh. Too many to count, at this point!

You can get so many gift cards that it eventually starts to feel like you’re actually getting paid to shop!

So, yes, I know this is a weird thing to be bragging about, but I really have my receipt game on point these days. I’m adulting so hard by filing them all away in my spare room, but, even more importantly, I’m using my Shopkick app each and every time I go to the store to get money back. In fact, I’ve gotten so used to scanning all my receipts with Shopkick that I almost literally can’t envision what shopping would be like without it. Oh, and I definitely can’t envision what my own budget would be like without all the great money back!

Learn all that you can about why you should scan receipts with apps for money back before your next trip down the aisle. Download Shopkick’s free app and get ready to be wowed. Welcome to the fun, Shopkicker!

If you’re as social media savvy as you are shopping savvy, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for daily shopping fun.

Image courtesy stokkete

Is there a shopping list app for iPhone?

Posted on March 14, 2018 by shopkick

I may be a pretty skilled grocery shopper these days, but it wasn’t always that way. In fact, when I was younger, I went to the store one time without a list and totally forgot everything I needed. Did I say one time? Because it was really probably way closer to six or seven times.

Luckily, those days are behind me now, and that’s in large part thanks to my handy dandy iPhone. My smartphone—which let’s face it, I carry with me everywhere—put a stop to my forgetting things and impulse buys. For years, I used to put my list in my notes app, but then I discovered something even better: There are shopping list apps for iPhone that can help you organize your grocery store runs even better.

I’ve been asking around (mostly to the guys I play pickup ball with at the park once a month), and hardly anyone has heard about this, which is why I want to talk about it here today. I’ve also discovered that the all-time best shopping list app for iPhone is one that can help you save money when you’re at the store, too. Organized and cheaper? That’s right. Here’s everything you need to know.

What Are Shopping List Apps for iPhone?

Shopping list apps sound like a simple concept, but developers have actually used some really cool tech to make things complex. The best shopping lists apps have databases where you can enter products you normally buy and then just add them to your list without having to type out the whole product. Even better, some of these apps are shareable, so that you can make it accessible to your roommate, significant other, family, or whoever you share shopping duties with.

These days, there’s more than just one shopping list app for iPhone. In fact, there are actually several. Some are just simple apps with checkboxes. Others let you make a list straight from a recipe. And, I even found one that pays me money while I shop!

The Best Shopping List App for iPhone

After trying many of the dozens of shopping list apps for iPhone, I narrowed my favorites down to just a few, although in all honesty there’s only one that I absolutely have to use each and every single time I head to any store.

Let’s take a look at the shopping list apps for iPhone that I think every shopper should know about:

BigOven: Like all my favorite shopping list apps for iPhone, BigOven does quite a bit more than just make it simpler for you to create a shopping list, although it also does that, of course. BigOven is, fundamentally, a recipe app that lets you easily find recipes for meals to cook later and then auto-populate your list with the items you’ll need. It’s a really great and useful tool for a guy like me who doesn’t mind cooking every so often but who almost never has the time to look up new recipes then parse them into shopping lists.
Cozi Family Organizer: This is one of those list-sharing apps that helps make sure the entire family is on the same page. Cozi helps coordinate and communicate schedules with multiple people, track grocery lists, manage to-do lists, plan ahead for dinner, and more. It’s such a cool and efficient way to delegate and divvy up any and all shopping responsibilities, which is how we use it in my house. Someone might throw “gallon of milk” on our ongoing list via Cozi Family Organizer, and then the next time someone has to run out for literally any reason, they’ll snag the milk. Easy!
Shopkick: This last app is easily my favorite of all. It’s called Shopkick, and it does so much more than just make it easier for you to create lists (although, again, it also does that). What Shopkick does is make every trip to the store into a fun game to save money. In the big picture, Shopkick gives you points—called kicks—for simple shopping behaviors, like buying products, scanning the barcodes on certain products for more information, and even just walking into the store. Then, you can turn those points into gift cards to your favorite stores. The shopping list portion of the app is an added plus. Not only can you use it to make a list of things you need, when you add certain items to your list, like pasta sauce, for instance, Shopkick will show you which brands or products are offering extra kicks for purchase. How fun is that?!

Basically, I love Shopkick and because of it, I’m actively engaged when I’m at the store now. I highly recommend it to anyone, from those who just need to make a simple list to others who are hoping to save money. It’s also a great choice for people who don’t generally do the shopping because the app can help guide you through the aisles by telling you which products are available to scan for kicks. Essentially, it’ll turn your list into a cashback kind of venture, which is truly a beautiful thing.

Ready to get organized and save money at the same time with the coolest shopping list app for iPhone? Download Shopkick for free and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered the rewards of shopping with us!

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 Dean Drobot

The top 3 cash back apps like Ebates

Posted on March 12, 2018 by shopkick

I recently had lunch with an old friend I hadn’t seen since college, if you can believe that! So much had happened since we last saw each other, and so, of course, we caught up about our husbands and our kids and our lives over flat whites at Starbucks. We laughed so hard that everyone else in the little Starbucks seating area kept looking at us like, what is wrong with those two?

I have a lot of new friends I love, but in the middle of this conversation, I was quickly reminded of how much I loved this (wickedly funny) old friend. After, I got to thinking about how old friends are important, and how knowing them helped set you up for new friends, and new relationships, and new loves. And, being the somewhat obsessive shopper that am I, and thinking about old and new friendships, I naturally started thinking about old and new shopping apps! Back in the day (ahem, only two years ago, but still) I was a big fan of Ebates, which was basically my gateway into shopping apps. I used Ebates to get cash back offers for online shopping on tons of products at all my favorite web stores, and I still remember it fondly. To be totally honest, though, I’ve moved on to three newer apps! And that’s what I’d like to talk about today: what Ebates is, why Ebates and apps like Ebates are so great for my budget, and, finally, the top 3 cash back apps like Ebates that I use all the time today!

The 411 on Cash Back Apps Like Ebates

One of the things that my old friend and I reminisced about was how, when we used to share an apartment, we were always, always, always broke. To rectify that some, we used to take the free newspapers from the local mechanics and track sales or clip coupons from the store ads. Hey, in college you have to be creative!

These days apps like Ebates are the new, simpler version of taking-the-newspaper-from-the-local-mechanic, if you ask me. The way that Ebates works is by saving you money for online shopping. It’s a centralized platform where shoppers can go to see deals and coupons at more than 1,800 online retailers. I used Ebates exclusively to help save money on my shopping budget for a long time.

Eventually, though, I started to wish there were cash back apps like Ebates that could do a bit more to bolster my budget, and that’s how I ended up seeking out newer apps, many of which are way more fun to use!

The Top 3 Cash Back Apps Like Ebates

For all the things I loved about Ebates, the simple truth was that being something you could only use online made it a little bit limited, which was why I eventually moved on to the three apps you’ll find highlighted below! Let’s take a look:

SavingStar: SavingStar is a digital coupon app that pays users to shop at grocery and drugstores. In fact, more than 60,000 stores are part of SavingStar, and for a long time, it was my companion app to Ebates: I’d use Ebates online and SavingStar in the real store. Some words of warning, though: SavingStar is generally free to use, but if an account is inactive for 180 straight days, they will charge a fee of $3.99. To take advantage of SavingStar, users either link their existing store loyalty cards to the app or submit receipts after they make purchases. Savings add up until they can eventually be cashed out through PayPal, Upromise, or in the form of Starbucks, iTunes, or AMC Theater gift codes.
SnipSnap: SnipSnap is another mobile coupons app, although this one lets you take pictures of printed coupons, which are then transformed into digital, mobile-ready ones. Users can browse online directories and take advantage of coupons their friends have “snipped” as well. This one doesn’t exactly pay, though. Instead, users save money, as with a traditional coupon. The idea is that coupons can all be easily kept in one digital space, instead of having an overflowing billfold stuff with paper. Super cool!
Shopkick: Now we get to my favorite, which is an app called Shopkick. Put simply, Shopkick is a total blast. It gives you points (called kicks) for shopping how you would anyway, rewarding you for things like making purchases, scanning barcodes of items, and even just walking into some of your favorite stores. How it works is incredibly simple, too. Basically, it turns shopping into a game, like a scavenger hunt. And it’s really social. They keep a great community vibe on their social media, and users get awarded kicks when they refer friends who sign up. Users trade in kicks to get paid in gift cards to the stores they love to shop at, or where they like to splurge on a quick treat, like Starbucks.

So, there you have the reasons I love things both old and new, but especially Shopkick! When it comes to shopping and cash back apps like Ebates, I need one that I’m going to remember to use each and every time I go out to the store so that I can maximize my savings. Shopkick’s sleek interface and its game-like tendencies make it fun and easy to use. Change is the only constant in life, but I have a feeling that Shopkick and I will be close friends for a really long time.

Get to know one of the best apps like Ebates, as well as one of the best shopping apps period. Download Shopkick’s free app today and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered how much you can earn with the help of a free shopping sidekick.

And, if you’re on social media catching up with friends, be sure to also join Shopkick on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for a little daily fun and inspiration.

Image courtesy onephoto

The best online rewards programs for digital shoppers

Posted on March 9, 2018 by shopkick

It used to be easy to keep up with shopping rewards programs. At least it did for me, anyway. In general, I would learn about new rewards programs from the cashiers at my favorite stores or from the store flyers that came in my Sunday paper. Those days, however, are long gone. Now, I do the vast majority of my shopping online, and I’ve had to learn all new ways to keep up with savings opportunities in the digital realm.

Keeping up with rewards programs can just be a little overwhelming! More stores are coming out with these online rewards programs, and others are working to keep pace by overhauling their own versions. When I first began serious digital shopping, I used to be able to count my favorite online rewards programs on one hand. Now, keeping track of the ones I use—let alone my favorites—requires an entire spreadsheet!

As a shopper, however, this is what’s known as one of those good problems to have, because it means there are more chances to save than ever before. In the interest of keeping all them organized, I’ve put together a handy guide of the best online rewards programs, which can be used as a reference for all of us digital shoppers out there. Because, obviously, these programs only save you money when you remember to use them!

The Overall Best Online Rewards Program for Digital Shoppers

The concept behind an online rewards program for digital shoppers is super simple: users get to earn extra cash for the shopping they do online. Sometimes this extra cash comes in the form of discounts during checkout, and other times it comes in the form of points that can be redeemed for gift cards later.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m the type who likes to maximize my rewards, and I generally do this by using multiple rewards programs when I do my digital shopping. That said, there is one that rises above the rest.

Shopkick

Shopkick is my absolute favorite online rewards program for digital shopping. It turns every shopping session online into a super fun scavenger hunt for points, which the app calls kicks. It’s super easy to use, and the tasks you have to complete for kicks are ones you do every time you do some online shopping anyway. At its core, Shopkick is a free app that pays you to shop. For example, if you download the app, then go to a featured online retailer, you’ll earn kicks. Watch a video to learn more about a certain product, you’ll get more kicks. Buy a featured item, and you’ll get even more kicks! Once you’ve earned enough kicks, you can trade them in for gift cards to a super wide range of stores that you shop at all the time, anyway. Basically, with this online rewards program you can shop from your sofa and get paid for it!

Two of my favorite things about Shopkick are how easy it works and its versatility. You really don’t have to go out of your way at all. You just get rewarded for your usual shopping behaviors, and if you ever have some old school in-person shopping to do, Shopkick rewards you for that as well. In fact, with Shopkick, you can get points just for walking into a store. What’s also cool about Shopkick is that you can also combine it with other online awards programs—or any of the other programs listed here that you’re thinking about joining!

For example, Shopkick works really well with Mobee. Really, you can combine Shopkick with any of the best online rewards programs for digital shoppers! And, Shopkick is so easy to use and has a great social media community of like-minded users who are always giving out tips about everything from deals on certain products to their tips for maximizing the number of kicks you can earn. It’s a small thing, but it makes a BIG difference.

A Sampling of Online Rewards Programs for Digital Shoppers

One of the great things about the digital shopping age is the variety of choices it affords us. I’m talking about choices in the merchandise we buy, who we buy it from, when it gets delivered, as well as in the online rewards programs that we use to reap some killer savings and benefits. Online rewards programs have been around for a while—not to show my age, but I remember first discovering them way back in 2007!—and so it’s important to have a guide to some of the best.

Here are a few of my other favorites:

Drop

Drop is another app that rewards digital shoppers for making purchases at any number of featured affiliated retailers. It’s simple, too, in that when you purchase certain items, you earn points. There is, however, a bit of strategy associated with using Drop, because it tasks users with selecting which retailers they want to earn points from during a given period of time. In my experience, there are always plenty of stores to choose from, but since you only get to pick five it can be difficult at times to narrow it down.

The number of points you earn depends on the dollars you spend, and it varies per dollar depending on the individual retailer. You might earn eight points at one big box retailer’s online shop, or 10 points at their competitor. So, when picking my five retailers, I often find myself factoring all this info in to make a more informed decision. When you save up enough points, you can then cash them in for gift cards that you can turn around and use for more online shopping.

Ebates

Ebates offers a percentage of cash back at more than 1,800 online stores. I’ve found that on average, this turns out to be 5 percent, but there have been times when I’ve managed to save as much as 20 percent on my digital shopping with Ebates. You should see me when that happens; I’m positively beaming!

Like all the other best online rewards programs for digital shoppers on our list today, Ebates is fairly simple to use. You go to their site, search for your favorite store, click the “shop now” link, and then make your purchase as you normally would. This is a good site for Amazon users because it takes up to 6 percent off for certain categories there. That’s nothing to scoff at! In terms of getting paid, Ebates can take a bit longer than some sites, as it pays out on a quarterly basis, provided you have at least $5 in your account. But hey, patience is a virtue, right?

FlipGive

FlipGive is a great online rewards program for digital shoppers who want the cash back they earn to be put toward a shared cause, such as a child’s doctor bills or a local youth sports league. Simply put, FlipGive is an online fundraising system that pays intrepid digital shoppers like us (or teams or organizations) to shop online. How cool is that!

The way it works is simple enough, too. You shop through FlipGive’s online portal at any one of its many affiliated online retailers, then, depending on the retailer you’ve chosen, your cause gets a percentage of the cash back. I’m a big Warby Parker fan, for example, because I love how stylish their frames and glasses are. Well, every time I buy new glasses for myself or for my family, Warby Parker makes a 15 percent cash-back donation to my favorite cause.

Admittedly, that 15 percent is on the higher end, but plenty of other great brands make donations as well. Under Armour also does the 15 percent, while Anthropologie does 10 percent, Wal-Mart does 7, Sephora and Hotels.com both do 3, and Apple does 2 percent. It doesn’t seem like a lot, but a friend of mine actually used it to raise more than $1,000 to help send her son’s traveling basketball team go to a regional tournament!

Big Crumbs

This is far and away one of the oldest sites on our list, with a history that goes all the way back to 2005! Honestly, I don’t think I was even shopping online back then, not counting some dabbling with eBay. Wow, crazy to think about! Anyway, through Big Crumbs, users can get rewarded for shopping at more than 1,200 retailers.

In my own personal experience, rewards at Big Crumbs range anywhere from 1 percent to more than 10 percent. The online stores that offer rewards through Big Crumbs are also pretty diverse. I’ve personally used it to get savings back on everything from eBay to Amazon to Walmart to ordering flowers to reserving a rental car. Admittedly, the size of the rewards tends to vary based on the individual retailer. To get them, users have to visit Big Crumbs, find the online retailer they plan to shop at, and click through using an available link.

It’s an exciting time we live in, one in which digital shopping has never been so easy! Now, we can just sit back on rainy and cold days and order online the things we used to get from the store and have them sent to us, sometimes within the same day. I wouldn’t have predicted that years ago!

But, I also wouldn’t have predicted that the old shopping rewards programs cards we all used to carry would become sophisticated, online rewards programs. But they have! It’s just so easy to earn money online with rewards programs and shopping apps. As we’ve just discussed, there are now so many that it can be hard to keep them all straight. Don’t get overwhelmed. That’s what this handy dandy guide is all about!

Spring forward with kicks from Etsy, eBags, and Drizly

Posted on March 8, 2018 by shopkick

Get ready for spring with three new online stores on Shopkick: Etsy, eBags, and Drizly!

New online stores have hatched

Spring forward with three new places to earn kicks online through the Shopkick app. Check out one-of-a-kind goods on Etsy, snag the best luggage online with eBags, and have alcohol delivered to your door in an hour with Drizly, all while earning kicks for your purchases.

eBags – 10 kicks per $1

eBags has been the #1 online luggage and backpack store since 1999. They sell a variety of travel gear including bags, backpacks, suitcases, and travel accessories. Shop now to find the best luggage on the web and gear up for your next big adventure and earn rewards along the way.

Drizly – 4 kicks per $1

Shop several local stores all at once for the biggest selection of beer, wine and liquor online. You can compare prices instead of being locked into one non-negotiable cost. Snag exactly what you want and get your drinks delivered or skip the line with in-store pickup. You have everything else in your life at the touch of a button, so why not your favorite chardonnay or IPA? What’s more, you can earn kicks towards gift cards with your purchases!

Etsy – 3 kicks per $1

Shop millions of one-of-a-kind items and find the perfect thing just for you. You can easily explore creative, handmade, and vintage goods with the Etsy app. Browse curated collections of inspiring gifts for him or her, unique wedding ideas, handmade jewelry, and more. Shop through the Shopkick app and express yourself while earning kicks!

How it works

Shopkick rewards you for the shopping you already do. There are many easy ways to earn reward points (we call them kicks). Redeem your kicks for free gift cards and enjoy. It’s that easy! With a wide selection of gift cards available from Starbucks to Target, Sephora to Amazon, you can be sure to find the perfect gift card to treat yourself.

Don’t have Shopkick yet? Download it here and get started earning rewards today!

Tech-forward iPhone apps that pay you cash

Posted on March 7, 2018 by shopkick

When my friends and I get together, talk always inevitably turns to basketball. The other day, one of my buddies was telling me a story about how he saw the most amazing college basketball game of his life during his senior year of high school back in 2006. He said he’d never been to a more alive game, and that he still wishes he’d had a camera on him so he could have taken a picture. I asked him why he didn’t just use his phone and my friend replied that, back then, he was still on a flip phone—one that didn’t even have a camera.

For a minute, I was shocked; 2006 really doesn’t seem like all that long ago. But it’s true. In terms of smartphone and app development, it was basically an eternity ago. In fact, nobody even knew what an app was 12 years ago. Nowadays, it’s rare to find someone who doesn’t have a smartphone, though. And, as these phones have become so prevalent, so too have the apps we use on them. I like to think of myself as a pretty tech-forward kinda guy, but even I get surprised sometimes. Like, for example, did you know that there are iPhone apps that pay you cash?

That’s actually what I’d like to talk about today: iPhone apps that pay you cash and how, among all the many incredible things you can use your smartphone for, one of my personal favorites is to earn cash money. Who would have guessed way back in 2006—when my poor friend was at the basketball game of his life without any way to capture the memories—that our phones would have such broad capabilities a short decade later?

How Do iPhone Apps That Pay You Cash Work?

The thing about iPhone apps that pay you cash is that they’ve sprung up quickly and evolved fast—so fast, in fact, that there’s more than just one type. So, let’s start by discussing the different types of tech-forward money making apps for your iPhone!

Here are some of my personal favorites:

Survey apps: There are a lot of cash-paying survey apps to choose from, but they all tend to generally work the same way: You download the app, enter some information about yourself, and the app begins sending you surveys to take. You then get paid for taking them! In my experience, the longest of these surveys can take about 15 to 20 minutes, but the longer the survey, the more they pay. In general, you can also expect most survey apps for iPhones to pay roughly $1 each, with the longer ones paying a bit more. Like all the apps on our list today, these are becoming more tech-forward by including videos and other interactive features.
Advertisement apps: These advertisement apps pay you to watch trailers and short ads. You generally earn about $.50 each time you watch a quick 30-second clip. In my experience, this adds up quickly—and sometimes the trailers and ads are pretty interesting. It’s always a little bonus when you get paid to watch one that you would have chosen to watch for free. In terms of being tech-forward, the ads from these apps are also becoming more complex, often involving videos or little games.
Shopping apps: Like I’ve mentioned in the past, I’m the type of shopper who gets in and out of a store as fast as possible. It’s not that I hate shopping, it’s just that I have a million other things on my mind, like work or stuff to do around the house—and fantasy football, of course. Shopping can feel like an obstacle between me and my priorities. I can tell you, though, I like shopping a whole lot more now that I’ve discovered I can make money shopping using free iPhone apps. These apps give you points for the shopping you would be doing anyway. You can then cash in those points for gift cards or even sometimes checks or cash. What makes these apps so tech-forward is that some of the best of them find new ways all the time to help you earn more points. For example, there’s one that knows when you walk into a partner store and automatically gives you points, even if all you end up doing is browsing!

The Best Tech-Forward iPhone App that Pays You Cash

There are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to iPhone apps that pay you in cash but, believe it or not, my favorite of them all actually happens to be one of the shopping apps. I know, shocker, right? But it’s true.

Now, I actually look forward to running into the store throughout the week.

It’s an app called Shopkick and how it works is super simple. Just like I described above, this app gives you points for the stuff you already do when you go out shopping, like walking into stores, scanning barcodes on featured products for more info, and, of course, making purchases. What I really like about Shopkick is that in addition to being really user-friendly with its tech-forward design, this app has also done something that I used to think was impossible: Shopkick has made shopping fun, turning it into a scavenger hunt for points. Now, I actually look forward to running into the store throughout the week.

So, there you have it, an overview of the tech-forward iPhone apps that pay you cash, plus a quick intro to my all-time favorite one. I use Shopkick so often that I can hardly even remember a time it wasn’t downloaded to my phone. It sort of makes me wonder what, in 12 years from now, the new technological advances will be that we’ll be shaking our heads at and wondering how we ever did without.

Ready to get in on one of the most cutting-edge and tech-forward iPhone apps that pays you cash? Download Shopkick for free and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered the rewards of shopping with us!

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 Daniel Ernst

How to kick off National Reading Month and get rewards

Posted on March 6, 2018 by shopkick

What’s the best way to kick off National Reading Month? With kicks, of course!

What is National Reading Month?

March has been designated National Reading Month to encourage and celebrate the fun and adventure of reading. How can you participate? Here are 5 ways to get inspired this month!

1. Read aloud

Reading aloud as a family can help the kids with their language and reading skills. Plus, it’s great bonding time!

2. Schedule a read-in

March often brings cold and blustery weather. Make of the most of a rainy day by getting cozy on the couch and snuggling up with a good book.

3. Join a book club

Need something a little more social? Join (or organize!) a local book club. Choose books as a group, read them, and circle back to discuss all together. Who knows, maybe you’ll find a new crew while you’re at it!

4. Recommit to your reading list

Have you had a book on your to-read list for awhile? Use this month to catch up and plan out what’s next on the docket. That way you’ll have something in the queue for the next time you’re ready for a little R&R.

5. Update your reader

Through March 10 you can celebrate with $20 off select Amazon Kindle devices like the Paperwhite AND great books that you can access anywhere, anytime. You can load up on books from Amazon without having to lug heavy bags around or adding to clutter to your home. Plus, you’ll get rewarded with kicks for every dollar you spend that you can put towards a free gift card!

Escape into National Reading Month

For a limited time, buy an Amazon Kindle or Amazon Kindle Paperwhite through the Shopkick app for $20 off and earn 5 kicks for every dollar you spend. Pair that with a Kindle Unlimited subscription for $9.99 a month, and you’ll be ready to cozy up with that novel calling your name. Open the Shopkick app and check out some of our favorite titles this month.

Happy reading, and happy shopkicking!

Don’t have the app? Download it now to start getting rewarded for the shopping you already do.

The best video advertising apps to reach—and grow—your audience

Posted on March 2, 2018 by shopkick

A good video advertising app doesn’t just create brand awareness, it also converts viewing into interest in your brand—and eventually turns viewers into buyers. At one time, apps were games or simple side features on a mobile phone. Now, they’re the primary way that consumers use their phones, with 52% of time on digital media being spent on mobile apps. Video is a popular feature on these apps, and brands can leverage this tool to grow their audience. The key to growing an audience with a video advertising app is following the consumers to the platforms they use and becoming a part of those apps.

Brands need to get involved now if they’re going to continue to gain the greatest advantage from a mobile advertising program. There are a few categories of apps that incorporate video, including social media and shopping and rewards apps, that present opportunities for brands to convert consumers. By choosing apps that offer what consumers are looking for, these brands can reach and grow their audience.

Increased complexity:

Shopping apps have grown more sophisticated since they were initially developed. Many have added options like digital wallets and geotracking, which makes these apps better able to travel with consumers. The increasing intelligence of shopping apps has made them far more appealing, and they’re no longer just sources of discounts. Consumers are able to use mobile apps to plan out their whole shopping trip ahead of time or simply access them as they’re in the shopping aisle. Their versatility is driven mainly by the complexity of these apps.

Using a Rewarded Video Advertising App

Various app platforms, from games to social media, are now offering rewarded video as an option to consumers. This isn’t a standalone feature, as rewarded video is usually added onto an existing platform, but it’s a highly lucrative one for both app developers and brands. In one study, it was noted that 33% of mobile revenue was delivered by rewarded video ads. The reason this is such a lucrative option is its popularity with consumers. Consumers prefer rewarded video for many reasons:

Minimal disruptions:

Banner ads and pop-ups are known to be disruptive, with many consumers finding them irritating enough to uninstall apps entirely. On the other hand, rewarded video improves app retention. One study noted that rewarded video could increase app retention by as much as 4 times. Rewarded video gives consumers more control over the advertising process and, as a result, minimizes the disruption felt when ads are displayed. Because consumers have invited the advertisement to their screen, they’re more likely to keep the app installed.

Leveraging Live Video on Social Media Apps

Social media is indisputably a good place for brands to interact with consumers. About 50 million small businesses report using social media pages to connect with audiences. However, this leads to an issue of brand fatigue. Consumers have grown weary of advertisements on social media, which is why brands must find new ways to stand out.

One thing that has been growing on these platforms is the use of live video. In one survey, researchers found that 80% of consumers would rather watch a live video from a brand than read a blog post, while 82% would prefer it over a social media text update. Live video from brands feels more genuine and, as a result, increases the consumer connection. Here are just a few ways that branded live video can be used on social media:

Monetized Ads With Mobile Publishers

Mobile publishers with high performing platforms make about 55% of their revenue through ad sales, as monetized video ads within third-party apps are proven converters. Brands know that these publishers can get their ads in front of the right people, at the right time. While many of these publishers are in the gaming sector, there are other options outside of this sector that brands can use to share their video ads.

Partnering with a mobile publisher simply means advertising your product on someone else’s platform. Here are just a few segments outside of gaming where this is a possibility:

Bringing Together the Best Video Advertising App Features

Ideally, when a brand is looking for video advertising app options, they should seek out the apps that offer several of the above features in one place. Apps that provide more than one service keep consumers engaged with the app, which increases their interaction with the brands that use it.

Social media is a good example of a platform that brings together the best features since many social media apps combine live video, rewarded video, gamification and even payment options that encourage consumers to use these apps for everything. However, a basic social media app has limitations, including the fact that consumers may not be in a buying mindset when using social media. People turn to social media for entertainment. As a result, using these apps for audience growth and brand affinity isn’t necessarily going to work since the message isn’t guaranteed to reach the consumer at the right time.

Shopping apps are the optimal tools for tying all the best features of video advertising apps together. These are the apps that consumers use when they’re prepared to engage with a brand, whether they’re getting ready to go shopping or are already in the store. They also combine components of other popular video advertising platforms like rewarded video, social media, and gamification. By using shopping apps, brands can connect with consumers at the right time. They provide all the features of the best video advertising apps that brands need to connect with an audience and increase market share.

Digital coupon apps for Android that stretch your budget

Posted on March 2, 2018 by shopkick

I like to keep my budget using an online spreadsheet. Each month I enter in estimations for how much my husband and I will need for food, clothing, school supplies for the boys, and a few more categories. Some of these categories I like, some of them are just on there because they absolutely have to be. One of my favorite expense categories, though, is the one I just label as fun.

This one is for all the little things that we do to relax, things like taking the boys out for a surprise ice cream, picking up a new board game that we can all play as a family or even for the rare date night when my husband and I are able to magically find time to sneak away and go do dinner and a movie downtown (crazy, I know!). That fun category, in my fun-loving opinion, can never be big enough. That’s why today I want to talk about digital coupon apps for Android that can help to stretch your budget.

Speaking for myself, I know digital coupon apps have been an absolute revelation, one that has been so good for my fun budget that I’d feel bad if I kept them to myself a moment longer. So get ready, because today I’m going to tell you all about what these apps do well, and which ones are my favorites!

What Are Digital Coupon Apps for Android?

There are a few different ways that digital coupon apps for Android work, but the basic idea behind them all is that you essentially get paid to shop either through a reward system or through saving money right at the register! For someone like me—who has three growing boys that have impossible appetites and bodies determined to outgrow all their clothes ASAP—this is absolutely crucial.

Here are the two types of shopping apps that I just can’t live without nowadays:

Rewards apps: These apps generally give you points for the shopping activities you do already, things like scanning barcodes to get more information, making purchases, and sometimes even just walking into a store. When you get enough points, you can then cash them out for money or for free gift cards. With the amount of shopping I personally have to do, I always go the gift card route. I like that because I can use my gift cards to buy things like clothes, groceries, toiletries and school supplies while redirecting the cash to my fun budget. But that’s just my system—I’m sure you’ll find something great that works for you, too!
Couponing apps: These apps are a bit more like the paper coupon systems we all used for years before smartphone apps took over. When you buy certain things at the register, you get them at a discount. The way you identify these things can vary depending on the app. There’s one, for instance, that announces new deals each week at midnight on Thursday like clockwork, while others require you to page through flyers online and circle and clip coupons you find there just like you used to with scissors. Either way, the end result is a lower bill and more funds for the all-important fun budget! All with the help of your handy-dandy Android device…isn’t that cool?

The Digital Coupon App Android Users Love

As someone who has been using digital coupon app for Android for a while now, I’ve actually found a favorite. And you know what the best part of it is? With the best, I’m able to use two apps together to maximize my rewards!

Here’s how I use two apps together to set aside more funds in my fun budget:

SnipSnap: This is a really cool couponing apps that lets users take pictures of printed coupons, which it then transforms into digital, mobile-ready ones. With SnipSnap, I can browse online directories and take advantage of coupons that my friends have “snipped” too, which makes it feel a bit social. This is one of those apps where the savings come at the register, and 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. Or a junk drawer where you stuff all of them, just like I used to have back in the day!
Shopkick: Now we come to my all-time favorite digital coupon app for Android: Shopkick! There are a few different reasons that I love Shopkick, and chief among them is that how it works is just so easy. In the simplest terms, with Shopkick you get points—called kicks—for walking into the store, for scanning certain products, and for snapping a pic of your receipt. You can then trade those points in for gift cards to all your favorite stores. See? Easy! And you can even use it online, where you get points for visiting online retailers, watching videos about certain products, and, of course, buying them! Plus it combines super easily with SnipSnap and with plenty of other cool coupon apps as well! I can’t recommend it enough.

I know today we were talking about apps for Android, mostly because that’s the device I use. But for all you folks out there who use iPhones, SnipSnap and Shopkick is also available on iOS. I know because I also participate in Shopkick’s super cool social media streams, especially on Facebook, where I find myself sharing tips and also jokes with tons of other users just like me!

Using [Shopkick] turns every trip to the store into a scavenger hunt…

I really hope I’ve inspired you to join the Shopkick fun! Using it turns every trip to the store into a scavenger hunt, kind of like a game, and my philosophy with games has always been the more the merrier!

Learn more about the absolute best digital coupon app for Android and start boosting your own fun budget today! Download Shopkick’s free app and get ready to be wowed. Welcome to the fun!

If you’re as social media savvy as you are shopping savvy, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for daily shopping fun and inspiration.

Image courtesy JacobLund

Retail coupon apps that reward your loyalty

Posted on February 28, 2018 by shopkick

When I was a kid, my mom always took me with her shopping. If I wanted a pair of jeans or a shirt or anything that was full price, she’d ask me if I’d checked the clearance racks. More often than not, I could find something else I wanted, cheaper. Then she’d remind me of her favorite saying: “Save money now, spend dollars ahead.”

Dollars ahead. That’s what she called the money we saved by shopping sales, using coupons, and comparing prices. And, I’d imagine those dollars ahead of us, dancing in the distance, waiting to be spent on something fabulous.

These days I still look for ways to save money on my purchases. And one of my favorite tips is to use mobile loyalty reward programs and retail coupon apps. There are so many places I need to stop at anyway, like Walmart or CVS. I need to go shopping. Why not earn rewards while I’m at it?

Saving Money the 2018 Way with Retail Coupon Apps

Mom and I used to clip coupons out of the Sunday paper, but these days retail coupon apps make couponing way easier. There are coupon apps you can keep on your phone that give you points every time you visit a retailer, even if you don’t make a purchase. And, as often as I like to window shop, those points add up fast. It doesn’t have to be a store either; you can get points from shopping online, too. Then you can use those points on digital gift cards. And rewarding myself is the best part—it’s like an early Christmas!

There are coupon apps you can keep on your phone that give you points every time you visit a retailer, even if you don’t make a purchase.

My favorite retail coupon app is Shopkick, because it’s like a rewards app and a deals app rolled into one. You collect points, called “kicks,” which Shopkick alerts you to as you walk into a store. This part is great for me, and since I’ve started using this app I haven’t missed out on a bargain yet. I even put it on my mom’s phone. She still uses paper coupons, which work with Shopkick, giving her double-coupon savings.

My favorite retail coupon app is Shopkick, because it’s like a rewards app and a deals app rolled into one.

Sure, these apps are convenient, but why do you need a mobile loyalty reward program if you are using a retail coupon app? Because double dipping makes for better savings! Besides, you’ve rewarded them with your business, shouldn’t they give you something back? It’s really just the level of appreciation I’ve come to expect as a consumer. And, if they are giving points away free, it’s silly to miss out!

Some loyalty programs use cards you scan at checkout, but because mobile loyalty reward programs go everywhere with you on your phone, they are more modern and convenient. Unlike loyalty programs that use cards, these offer ways to get points even when you aren’t shopping by sharing socially, taking surveys, and other actions.

What’s So Great About Mobile Loyalty Rewards Programs?

If you haven’t noticed yet, mobile loyalty rewards programs are the best way to shop in 2018. They make shopping more fun—almost like a game, with prizes.

What makes mobile loyalty rewards programs so great? The best of them:

Make everyday shopping a joyful experience
Make you feel good about being a smart, savvy shopper
Help you get more gift-buying done during the holiday season
Offer more value for your money
Help your family stay on a budget
Turn trips to the store into a virtual treasure hunt

Mom and I have had the greatest time ever since we started using mobile loyalty rewards programs. You should really give one a try.

I love shopping. I love the satisfied feeling I get when I know I’ve gotten a good deal. And, by using mobile loyalty rewards programs I can enjoy shopping even more. I save money, I earn rewards, and I work for those dollars ahead. What fabulous thing will I buy with my next free gift card? I don’t know, but I’m so glad I followed mom’s advice!

Looking for a mobile loyalty rewards program and a deals app, rolled into one? Download Shopkick for free and join a community of Shopkickers who love the rewards of shopping with us!

Or join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and check in every day on your phone, no matter where you are, to learn about the hottest, newest deals.

Image courtesy of Maridav

Get rewarded for your spring break travel

Posted on February 27, 2018 by shopkick

There’s only one thing better than planning the perfect spring break trip: earning free gift cards for booking your travel! Earn kicks for every dollar you spend when you book your spring break travel through the Shopkick app with Hotwire, Booking.com, Hotels.com, or CheapOair.

Choose your destination

Not sure sure where to head this spring? Read on to get inspired!

Top relaxation getaways

Ready for a little R&R? Rest up and rejuvenate at one of these top getaways from Booking.com. You’ll be guaranteed to help you reach the zenith of relaxation.

Take a breather and check out our top finds here!

Outdoor adventure destinations

Everyone needs a little adventure. Get out of your comfort zone and off the beaten track this spring. Hike, climb, and tour your way through Colorado, Utah, and more.

Open the app to explore the greatest adventure destinations from Hotels.com and Booking.com.

10 best family vacations

Some of the best vacations are the ones we spend with the people we love. Make some memories and book the perfect trip with the fam in Anaheim, Orlando, and more.

Take a peek at the top family vacays this spring from Hotels.com.

Get Spring Break ready

In addition to getting huge kicks for booking your spring break travel, you can also earn gift cards for purchasing travel essentials, updating the kids’ wardrobes for spring, or giving your own look a refresher. Take a look at the plan below, or see it here.

Happy shopkicking!

Don’t have the app? Download it here to join the fun!