The first Christmas after my husband and I got married was tough! We had just finished paying for a wedding and closing on a house, so you can imagine how little money we had to spend on Christmas gifts. We spent Christmas day wrapped in blankets, trying to stay warm, gazing at the saddest Christmas tree ever. Thankfully, we both agreed to not spend money (that we didn’t have) on Christmas gifts. Instead, we decided to save and work on building our finances. Looking back, if that were us now, we’d have a few more resources at our disposal.

In fact, thanks to having gone through that year, I’ve figured out how to buy Christmas gifts with no money, or at least with no extra money outside of my normal budget. I know this sounds crazy, but don’t worry I’m here today to share my tips and tricks on how to buy Christmas gifts with no money with you.

How to Buy Christmas Gifts With No Money with Retail Auditing Apps

The first method I recommend when it comes to figuring out how to buy Christmas gift with no money is to do a little bit of extra work each time you go out shopping by taking advantage of retail auditing apps. Basically, there are apps that pay you money to do simple tasks like checking to see if a road is closed or going out to snap a quick photo of the front of a cool new restaurant. If you do enough of them, the money really adds up!

The exact details of how each one works are slightly different. For the most part, though, users get paid to go to stores like Target and Walmart to take photos of displays for brands. In exchange, users can make a few quick bucks for each task they complete. Put in enough work, and you’ll be able to get Christmas gifts this year without stepping outside your usual budget!

How to Buy Christmas Gift With No Money with Survey Apps

The next method for how to buy Christmas gifts with no money on our list is probably one you’ve heard of before: survey apps. This is one of the fastest and easiest ways there is to make a little bit of extra money with an app, and it’s exactly what it sounds like. Basically, with these you get paid to take surveys.

There are many different kinds of survey apps, but they’re all essentially the same. These apps send you a survey once a week (sometimes more, sometimes less) asking for your opinion on a wide range of questions, anything from where you shop to what you watch on TV or where you like to eat—any information in which marketing companies might be interested. Users get paid usually anywhere from 25 cents to $1.00 per survey. While that may not seem like a lot, those coins add up and soon you’ll be on your way to buying Christmas gifts without stepping outside of your budget!

How to Buy Christmas Gift With No Money with Shopping Rewards Apps

Those other ways are great, but they both involve going out of your way and putting in a lot of time. If you’re searching for the easiest way to buy Christmas gifts with no money, try a shopping rewards app. Take the shopping rewards app, Shopkick, for example. How it works is by incentivizing things you do while you’re shopping already, things like walking into stores, going down aisles browsing products, and making purchases. I just love it because let’s face it, no matter how little money you have, you still need to shop for groceries. With Shopkick, you can shop while also earning some extra money.

If you’re searching for the easiest way to buy Christmas gifts with no money, try a shopping rewards app.

Not only that, but there are tons of ways 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, Walmart, and more! Earn enough points, and you’ll be able to have yourself a very merry Christmas.

Back in the day, my husband and I didn’t have smartphones. So, of course, we didn’t have apps, but these days we’re able to find all kinds of extra room in our budget by taking advantage of apps like Shopkick. If you’re trying to figure out how to buy Christmas gifts with no money, Shopkick is a great solution.

There’s no shame in needing a little help with your budget, especially around the holidays. With Shopkick, you barely even have to go out of your way to get it. Just do your regular shopping and enjoy your savings!

Don’t let your budget get you down this year—especially not now that you know how to buy Christmas gifts with no money. 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 shopping, join Shopkick on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for a little daily shopping inspiration.

Image courtesy pogonici

It seems like everyone I know is either using or talking about apps that help you save money—shopping rewards apps, in particular. I love saving money by reaping rewards for shopping and I’m also guilty of talking about my favorite shopping rewards app. I mean, who wouldn’t love getting cash back and gift cards for the shopping that they do anyway?

Throughout most of the year, rewards from these types of apps add up and definitely make a difference when factored into my budget. However, when it comes to shopping for Christmas, gifts, anything we can do to save money helps. My husband and I do all we can so we can have gifts for our three boys. Like many other families, having tons of gifts under the tree puts us in the Christmas spirit. Thankfully, there are apps out there for us to use to save money on Christmas gifts. And, I’ll spread a little early holiday cheer by sharing these apps with you.

Save Money on Christmas Gifts With Field Agent

Field Agent is a retail auditing app that can be used to save money on Christmas gifts. Users get paid to go to stores, like Target and Walmart, to complete tasks, like taking photos of displays for various products for brands.

I like to use this app year-around. All I have to do is set aside some extra time during my regular trips to Target or Walmart. With three boys at home, I find myself shopping at these stores quite a bit. Although the pay is small, it really adds up. If you save up until the end of the year like I do, you’ll have a nice bit of money that you can use towards Christmas gifts!

Save Money on Christmas Gifts With SavingStar

SavingStar is a digital coupon app that pays users to shop at grocery stores and drugstores. One great thing about SavingStar is its versatility. More than 60,000 stores are part of SavingStar; they represent more than 100 retail chains. It’s generally free to use, but beware—if your account is inactive for 180 consecutive days, they will charge a fee of $3.99. If you use it as much as I do, then staying consistent won’t be a problem!

To take advantage of SavingStar, users either link their existing store loyalty cards to the app or submit receipts after they make purchases. Their savings add up until they can eventually cash out through PayPal, Upromise, or in the form of Starbucks, iTunes, or AMC Theater gift cards. This is one of those apps that you can use to literally save money while you’re already out shopping. Imagine being able to give someone a gift card that you practically earned for free!

Save Money on Christmas Gifts With Shopkick

Of all the apps that can be used to save money on Christmas gifts, my absolute favorite is called Shopkick. How it works is super simple, too. Basically, Shopkick gives you points for the things you do when you go out shopping anyway, things like walking into stores, going down aisles browsing products, and making purchases. You can then redeem the points you earn for gift cards to many of your favorite stores. Once the gift cards start rolling in, you can use them to save money on Christmas gift purchases or to help your budget recover in other ways. It’s up to you!

That’s not even the best part, though. There are tons of ways 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, Walmart, and more!

It sounds a little corny to say, but with these apps, you can easily save enough money to make this Christmas that much merrier.

It sounds a little corny to say, but with these apps, you can easily save enough money to make this Christmas that much merrier. And, why not? Most of these apps work by giving you points and rewards for the shopping and other things you do already.

If you had to pick only one, however, I would definitely pick Shopkick. It’s efficient and fun to use. With Shopkick, you can rack up the savings at home, or you can turn your trips out to the store into a fun little scavenger hunt for points. It’s really up to you! I hope you’ve enjoyed this little gift of savings I’ve given you. Now go forth and reap the benefits!

Start working to save money on Christmas gifts with Shopkick now. 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 shopping, join Shopkick on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for a little daily shopping inspiration.

Image courtesy successo images

As someone whose absolute favorite hobby is shopping, Christmas is a great time of year for me. I love the togetherness and the cheer that holiday shopping brings, but there’s also the sales. Oh, the sales. And, what better reason is there to shop than during the gift-giving season? If you’re a savvy shopper, you can get gifts for the entire family while also scoring all kinds of incredible deals on clothes, appliances, and anything else that interests you. However, making the most of holiday shopping isn’t entirely about sales.

Make no mistake, hunting down the best bargains and sales is a big part of being the best Christmas-time shopper that you can be, but there are also other ways to maximize value during the holidays as well. Over the years, I’ve found a number of great ways to use my regular everyday shopping to help fuel my savings during the holidays. Today, I’ll share with you how to earn money for Christmas gifts with everyday shopping tips.

With these tips, you’ll learn how to earn money for Christmas gifts without even going out of your way. In fact, the normal things you do when you go out shopping for groceries, shampoo, and clothes, for example, will be all that you need to maximize value, which for me is the surest way to also maximize holiday cheer!

How to Earn Money for Christmas Gifts: Shopper Loyalty Programs

If you’re looking into how to earn money for Christmas gifts with everyday shopping, one way is to use the incentive programs that many stores offer their loyal shoppers. These stores include WalMart, Target, Best Buy, Sephora, and Starbucks—and the exact details vary depending on the store, especially as it applies to the type of rewards you can earn. But, essentially, they work the same.

These programs give you rewards for shopping at the same store. The more you shop there, the more rewards you can potentially earn. The key is to make sure to get the most out of these types of programs by always remembering to use them when you’re at the store.

How to Earn Money for Christmas Gifts: Shopping Rewards Apps  

Using customer loyalty programs that give you rewards for shopping repeatedly at a single store isn’t the only way to earn money for Christmas gifts. In fact, there’s something called a shopping rewards app that you can use to incentivize your everyday shopping at a variety of stores. Depending on what app you choose, you can use these programs to potentially reap rewards for nearly every purchase you make.

How these apps work is pretty simple. Download the app, and then use it when you go shopping. There are a few different ways these apps can work. Some are what I call couponing apps, which work like old-school coupon clipping. Others give you points for the things you already do when you’re out shopping, things like walking into stores, going down aisles browsing products, and making purchases. You can then redeem those points in the form of cash back rewards and even gift cards, both of which you can use to buy your family and friends Christmas gifts this year!

How to Earn Money for Christmas Gifts: Shopkick

I think the absolute key for how to earn money for Christmas gifts with everyday shopping is to find the right shopping rewards app, one you’ll actually want to use all the time so you don’t have to worry about being consistent. My personal favorite is this app called Shopkick. You get points for all those everyday shopping activities I described above. Shopkick turns what would otherwise be boring and routine trips to the store into a fun game; kind of like a scavenger hunt for savings and points.

Everyday shopping isn’t the only way that you can use Shopkick to earn points. There are ways to earn money you can use later to buy Christmas gifts without even leaving the house. In fact, there are tons of ways 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, Walmart, and more!

There are tons of ways Shopkickers can earn rewards right from the app—no need to go anywhere.

Sales are great, and half the fun of the holidays is hunting them down. But, even the best sale means you’ll have to spend some money. Let’s say you find 10 great sales – that’s still 10 purchases you’ll have to make. So, why not find ways to earn money while you’re at it?

Shopkick is my absolute favorite way to save during my everyday shopping throughout the year. I’m also such a dedicated Shopkicker that I’ve earned more than my fair share of rewards through the app and by shopping online as well. I’m sure you’ll enjoy the savings too. I mean, who wouldn’t? The best way to maximize your savings is to use Shopkick throughout the year so that when the holidays roll around, you’ll have tons of extra cash to fuel your purchases.

Ready to learn more about how to earn money for Christmas gifts this holiday season?Download Shopkick for free and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered how rewarding—and fun—shopping 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 MinDof

No matter how much shopping I seem to do, I can always think of additional things I’d like to buy, browse, or learn more about. Shopping is definitely a rewarding hobby. I can always count on being able to shop on any given afternoon or early weekend morning when I have nothing else going on.

In fact, if I had unlimited money, I imagine that I’d find myself out shopping all the time. Unfortunately, I do have a limit on how much I can spend. That’s why I’ve found a way to earn cash for shopping. With shopping rewards apps, I can earn cash for shopping so I can do even more shopping. It’s a great way to infuse my budget with extra cash that allows me to do more shopping than ever before.

Today, I want to share everything I know and love about shopping rewards apps. Come along with me as we discuss how to earn cash for shopping! Chances are, you’ll be kicking yourself just a little bit for not knowing about this sooner.

Earn Cash for Shopping with Shopping Rewards Apps

First things first, in order to earn cash for shopping with a shopping rewards app, you really must understand the ins and outs of a shopping rewards app. Simply put, it’s an app that lets you earn discounts and rewards for all kinds of shopping, from shopping for groceries to shopping at the mall for the latest fashion trends.

However, there are many different shopping rewards apps from which to choose, including two types you can use to earn cash for shopping. Let’s take a look at the two types:

• Coupon Shopping Rewards Apps: The first type of shopping rewards app is what I like to think of as a coupon app. Oftentimes an app like this feels like a throwback to those old-school days of taking a pair of scissors and clipping physical coupons out of the Sunday newspaper. Some of these apps require you to actually scan paper coupons, which you can then store in your phone and use when you’re out like normal. Others let you select from a number of online deals. What’s important is finding one you’ll use regularly in order to maximize your savings and invest back into more shopping!
• Points-Based Shopping Rewards Apps: Points-based shopping rewards apps are actually my personal favorites, and how they work is that they give you points for things you do when you’re out shopping. The exact nature of these apps vary—and we’ll definitely get into some of my favorites—but the best are the ones that turn your shopping trips into a game so that you’ll want to continue using the app each time you’re out.   

Earn Cash for Shopping with the Best Shopping Rewards Apps

While there are many different apps you can use to earn cash for shopping, the exact ways to earn vary with each app. When choosing an app, I look for particular qualities that make using the app worth my time.

Here are some qualities that I look for in all of the best shopping rewards apps:

• Free of charge: This one is so important. You shouldn’t have to pay money to earn cash for shopping. All of the best shopping rewards apps should be free. 
• Available for Android or iOS: These days, I think people have a tendency to switch the type of phone they use. I know I do, and I don’t want to have to quit my shopping rewards app because of it. That’s why I highly recommend selecting an app that works with both Android and iOS devices. 
• The option to shop from home: Online shopping has been a major change in the retail industry. It’s amazing to be able to shop at my favorite stores from the comfort of my home. If you like to shop online, you’ll want a shopping rewards app that rewards you for online shopping too.

Earn Cash for Shopping with Shopkick

While there are many different shopping rewards apps from which to choose, I have narrowed it down to the best app to earn cash for shopping. My personal favorite is Shopkick. With Shopkick, I get points for things I already do whenever I go out shopping, things like walking into stores, going down aisles browsing products, and making purchases. I can then trade those points in for gift cards to my favorite stores, which I can then use to do even more shopping!

With Shopkick, I get points for things I already do whenever I go out shopping, things like walking into stores, going down aisles browsing products, and making purchases.

Not only that, but with Shopkick, I can also earn points on those rare days when I don’t feel like physically going out shopping. In fact, 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, Walmart, and more.

I think it’s pretty safe to say with Shopkick I’ve taken what was already a healthy shopping hobby and kicked it up a few levels. I can now earn cash for shopping, which I can then turn around and use to do even more shopping. It’s quite a revelation.

I highly recommend that you check out Shopkick. If you’re anything like me, you already enjoy the shopping you do now. But, just imagine what it would be like if you could do even more shopping.

Start using one of the best ways to earn cash for shopping to do even more shopping! 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.

Image courtesy Dean Drobot

This may be shocking news for those of you who know me, but I recently started practicing yoga. That’s right—me. I know I said I’d never get into it, but I did and I absolutely love it! I go about three times a week, and I find the breathing, soothing music, warm room, and ambiance helps me to not only get a good workout but to also relax. My favorite part about yoga is the stretching.

I was actually explaining to my kids the importance of stretching and how it makes me feel so good. I just so happened to remark to my husband it was nice to be stretching something besides the budget for once. And, yoga aside, that’s actually what I’d really like to talk about today: three apps that pay you to watch ads so that you can stretch your budget, too.

Isn’t that a novel concept? Getting some extra money each month just for watching ads, which let’s face it, if you spend enough time online you end up doing anyway. While I’ve been using yoga to stretch my body and mind, I’ve been using apps that pay me to watch ads to stretch my budget. It’s a great combo, and I’m happy to share it with all of you!

Apps That Pay You to Watch Ads No. 1: App Trailers

One of the simplest apps that pays you to watch ads is App Trailers. The way this one works is it gives you a chance to watch ads for points you can trade in to receive cash or gift cards. In the time since I started using App Trailers, I’ve watched plenty of ads, some of which are about products for my house and others are about things my boys like, such as games from EA, Rovio (which makes Angry Birds), and plenty of other companies. It’s kind of interesting, but the best part is that the more videos I watch, the more points I get! Eventually, I can trade those points in and get paid via PayPal or in Amazon gift cards.

Apps That Pay You to Watch Ads No. 2: Make Money, Earn Free Cash

I think one of the reasons I was hesitant to try yoga at first was because I didn’t entirely understand it. Once I tried it though, I was immediately hooked. With this second app on our list, you won’t have a problem understanding it. Make Money, Earn Free Cash is an app with a name that comes right out and tells you what it’s all about. This is a pretty straightforward app, and it’s also one of my favorites of the apps that pay you to watch ads. All you have to do is download the free app, watch the ads on it, and then complete offers from sponsors, which usually involve signing up for mailing lists or sometimes even taking surveys. Obviously, this isn’t always fun, but it does help you stretch your budget!

Apps That Pay You to Watch Ads No. 3: Shopkick

My favorite pose in yoga is child’s pose, which we always save for last. In that spirit, today I’ve also saved my favorite of the apps that pay you to watch ads for last. This one is called Shopkick! How it works is you can use it to earn free gift cards by watching ads but also by doing other everyday things, such as going shopping for groceries. Shopkick gives you points for things like walking into stores, going down aisles browsing products, and making purchases. You can then trade those points in for free gift cards to stretch your budget!

There are actually tons of ways that Shopkickers can earn rewards right from the app—no need to go anywhere. These include kicks for watching ads and instant surprise kicks earned from going on Easter egg hunts within the app—you can even do this before or after yoga class like I do. Users can also get amazing deals where you can earn big points and rewards by shopping on your phone at stores like Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy. It’s great, and quite honestly, I hardly even remember how I used to manage my budget without all the fantastic rewards from Shopkick.

With these three apps, and especially with Shopkick, you should be all primed and ready to stretch your budget much like I’ve been stretching lately with my newfound love of yoga. The thing about yoga, as you maybe know, is it isn’t cheap. With these apps that pay me to watch ads though, I’ve found I have plenty of extra money to keep practicing my new hobby!

If I had to pick just one of these apps that pay you to watch ads, I’d definitely pick Shopkick. In addition to watching ads, it provides plenty of other great ways to earn points, too. It’s really become a crucial part of my regular shopping routine, and I can’t imagine what it would be like to run a budget these days without it!

Ready to earn money to stretch your budget by getting in on apps that pay you to watch ads? Download Shopkick for free and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered how rewarding—and fun—shopping 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 Shutterstock

For as much as I like to shop, there used to be some things that I could never remember to buy on time: shampoo, the Clif Bars my husband and I depend on for quick snacks, or those little pods for our dishwasher. It seemed like I was never remembering to buy any of them until the exact moment I ran out. But that all changed when I discovered monthly subscriptions from Amazon. Now, Amazon automatically sends me certain products I have to buy every month, right to my door.

I’ve been using Amazon subscriptions for at least a year and a half now, and in that time I’ve actually gotten better at using it. Weird to say about an automated service, right? But these days, I’ve started getting rewarded—and paid—for my shopping.

When I first signed up, Amazon would just charge my credit card for my subscription items. But now, I’ve discovered free apps to earn money for Amazon gift cards. I can use these apps to earn points while I shop at my favorite stores like Target, Walmart, and Walgreens—points I can later cash in for Amazon gift cards to use toward my monthly subscriptions. In fact, I’ve gotten my system down so well that it’s been months now since Amazon had to charge them to my credit card.

Now, I don’t have to actively buy things like paper towels, hand soap, or laundry detergent—and I don’t have to pay for them either! What a beautiful concept. Here are my personal rankings for apps that help you earn Amazon gift cards—for free!

Good Apps to Earn Money for Amazon

Amazon’s subscription system is just one small way that shopping has gotten better in recent years. New technology has made shopping both more efficient and more fun! I don’t know about you, but for me, the combination of phones with high-quality cameras and the rise of Instagram has made it a blast to take pictures.

In those pictures, of course, are so many of the things my ladies and I buy when we’re out shopping: jeans, handbags, sunglasses, cute shoes, etc. Would you believe me if I said I recently found an app that made Instagram officially a member of my shopping crew? If it seems too fun to be true, pay attention because I’m about to blow you away:

• CoSign: With CoSign, whenever you upload an image to any social networking site (Facebook, Instagram, you name it), you can tag certain items that you and your friends are wearing, and include the price, brand, and other product info. Then, if any of your followers go online to actually buy select items in those pictures, you earn a 35% commission on the product’s price! And, it’s not just fashion. You can use this app to take photos of other featured items: furniture, books, food, and even movies! Once you rack up $40 in savings, you can then cash it out for what? Ding, ding, ding! Amazon gift cards to keep your subscription service running smoothly!

• Other apps that fit this category:
  • Stylinity
  • Iconzoomer

Better Apps to Earn Money for Amazon

When I was growing up, one of my best friends worked at our local grocery store. She told me a story about something called a mystery shopper, who was actually someone the manager sent in to pose as a customer and then write a review of the service they received. It was a way to keep employees, like my friend, on their toes.

Well, technology has changed the way that mystery shoppers work too. With free apps on your phone, you can become a mystery shopper. These apps will assign you to go out and investigate a store’s service, then report back to the app. It’s a really cool system, especially if you happen to be heading out to that exact store in the first place because then you can make money for what you buy anyway!

• Mobee: In terms of mystery shopper apps, my all time favorite of the bunch is Mobee. Mobee works exactly as I just described above, but it’s my favorite because you can get rewarded for your mystery shopper reports within 24 hours, redeeming the points you earn for gift cards or tickets to events. I, of course, always go with the Amazon gift cards so I don’t even have to think about paying for my monthly subscription service items anymore.

• Other apps that fit this category:
  • Gigwalk
  • Zapiddy

The Best Apps to Earn Money for Amazon

This final app, in a class of its own, is Shopkick. You know what they say: save the best for last!

What I love about this app is that it rewards me for every part of my shopping experience. How Shopkick works is that you earn points, called kicks, for every aspect of your shopping routine: walking into the store, scanning the barcodes of certain products to get more info, and, of course, making purchases. Then, when you save enough of these points up, you can trade them in for Amazon gift cards! It has all the efficiency of the mystery shopper apps, plus all the fun of the photo apps, but also turns every trip to the store into a game that feels like a scavenger hunt. I even use it to get paid for shopping for groceries.

I mean, the Amazon subscription model has made my life so breezy, at least when it comes to keeping the house stocked

It really makes me wonder what kind of shopping tech is just around the corner that will make our lives even easier. I mean, the Amazon subscription model has made my life so breezy, at least when it comes to keeping the house stocked. And Shopkick has made all my other shopping trips so much more fun! It’s a win-win combo kick from shopping buddy, Shopkick.

Ready to start using free apps to earn money for Amazon gift cards while you shop? Download Shopkick for free and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered how rewarding it is to shop 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 elenathewise

I hate to admit this, but I think you can tell my age by the type of shopping sprees I’m always fantasizing over. When I was growing up, I used to fantasize about being one of those kids that got to run through Toys R Us stuffing as many things into their cart as they could as fast as possible. Then, when I was in my teens, I used to imagine a wealthy relative coming from overseas to fly me out to Beverly Hills to shop on Rodeo Drive. Now, I reminisce about old episodes of the game show Supermarket Sweep.

As I’ve gotten older, my fantasies have gotten a bit more mundane; they’ve also become more real. In fact, I’ve found a way to earn and redeem points for cash to fund shopping sprees. That’s right, and I’d like to share this magical way to redeem points for cash to fund your next shopping spree with you.

So stick with me today, because I’m about to let you in on the different ways you can earn and redeem points for cash to fund your next shopping spree. If you really want to get prepared, maybe go out and buy some comfortable shoes? You won’t necessarily be running through the aisles like I used to do in my fantasies, but, hey, it’s nice to have the option!

Earn and Redeem Points for Cash with Survey Apps

Let’s get the least exciting option to earn and redeem points for cash out of the way first: survey apps. Yes, I really think of all the ways you can make money from home with your phone, this one is my least favorite, but it still works so I find myself using it from time to time, even though I don’t like it as much as the other options on my list.

There are actually a number of different apps you can choose from that you can use to eventually redeem points for cash by first taking surveys at home on your smartphone. I personally find surveys a little tedious, but maybe you can try a few and find one that works for you. They all work pretty much the same: just download a survey app, enter your demographic information, and the app sends you surveys. The more surveys you take, the more points you can earn; it’s that simple.

Earn and Redeem Points for Cash with Couponing Apps

The second way to earn and redeem points for cash is kind of old-school. There are these apps I like to call couponing apps, and they work a whole lot like how cutout paper coupons used to work way back in the day. Thankfully, there a few different types of coupon apps to choose from.

The first type lets you select from a whole bunch of different coupons online that give you points when you go in to buy certain items. You can, of course, use these points later to get cash back to use on your future shopping sprees. The other kind of coupon app is even more like clipping physical coupons. You use your device to scan certain coupons, and then you use them at the store as if they were paper, which gives you money off your bill right then and there. Either way, you’re clearing space in your budget, and I’m sure we all agree that’s a very good thing!

Earn and Redeem Points for Cash with Shopkick

Of all the options on our list that you can use to earn and redeem points for cash, my absolute favorite is this app called Shopkick. How it works is super simple, too. Basically, Shopkick gives you points for the things you do when you go out shopping anyway, things like walking into stores, going down aisles browsing products, and making purchases. You can then redeem the points you earn for gift cards to all your favorite stores. Save up enough of those gift cards, and it’s shopping spree time!

That’s not even the best part, though. There are even other ways to earn points with Shopkick, too. 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, Walmart, and more!

I can barely even remember what it’s like to go shopping without it!

Yes, all three of those types of apps are great ways for you to earn and redeem points for cash to fund your next shopping spree, but, truth be told, I like Shopkick the best because it’s just so much fun and it also has the most ways to earn points. I can barely even remember what it’s like to go shopping without it!

I love the steady stream of gift cards I’ve been earning with Shopkick in recent years. It’s fun to fantasize about sprees, but this really has become an integral part of my budget. I earn points while shopping for everything from groceries at Walmart to subscriptions on Amazon, and I love all the money I’m able to save with Shopkick gift cards!

Start using one of the best ways to earn and redeem points for cash to fund your next shopping spree. 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 shopping, join Shopkick on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for a little daily shopping inspiration.

Image courtesy ESB Professional

My oldest son recently wanted to buy a pair of high top sneakers even though he hadn’t yet grown out of his current pair, which basically looked brand new. On one hand, I was really proud of him for taking such great care of the nice shoes my husband and I bought for him. On the other hand, I realized he was long overdue for the speech about getting the most out of your things; and, since I could give him so many examples of how I get the most out of my budget, I was in a great position to give it.

I’ve really become a budget wizard. Yes, I know that’s not exactly the same as taking good care of your shoes so they last, but both jobs take a little bit of hard work, dedication, and a special touch. I actually think these days it might be easier for a mom like me to get more out of a budget than it is for a kid, like my son, to take great care of his shoes. You’re probably wondering why, and the answer is tons of great apps that save you money at our disposal.

That’s also what I want to talk about here today: how to get the most out of your budget with apps that save you money. I’ll start by talking about what these apps are and how they work before giving you a couple examples of the type of app I like the best, as well as some details about my all-time favorite. Just like I was happy to give my son a speech about his cool shoes, I’m happy to tell you about apps that save you money.

Types of Apps That Save You Money

The first thing you need to know when it comes to apps that save you money is there are several different types of apps that save you money. There are so many, in fact, it can sometimes be difficult to figure out where to start. Well, don’t worry because I’m here to help!

My general sense is the most common of the apps that save you money are survey apps, which are exactly what they sound like—apps that pay you to take surveys. Now, I’m not a big fan of these myself, but I might use them from time to time. Another common type is an app that pays you money to do small errands, like taking pictures and straightening displays. These are a little better, but still not my favorite. My favorites are the shopping rewards apps, which I’m going to talk much more about in the next section.  

Shopping Rewards Apps That Save You Money

Shopping rewards apps, for those of you who have never heard of them, are apps that pay you to go shopping. Chances are, you go shopping all the time, both online and in person. Well, how these apps work is pretty simple: they give you rewards for doing certain things or buying certain products while you’re out shopping.

I should also tell you there are essentially two types of shopping rewards apps. One kind works like old-school coupon clipping. In fact, there’s even an app out there that has you use your phone to scan coupons that you can use later at the store. My favorites, however, are the shopping rewards apps that give you points for the things you do while you’re out shopping. Yes, these really exist!

My All-Time Favorite of the Apps that Save You Money

Of all the excellent shopping rewards apps that save you money, my all-time favorite is an app called Shopkick. How it works is a lot like what I described in the section above. Basically, Shopkick gives you points for all the things you do while you’re out shopping already, making it so you can get paid for buying groceries, for example. You can earn points (“kicks”) with Shopkick for things like walking into stores, going down aisles browsing products, and making purchases. You can then trade those points in for gift cards to many of your favorite stores.

Physically going out shopping isn’t the only way to get points with Shopkick, though. You can make money right from your phone. There are tons of ways 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, Walmart, and more!

There are tons of ways Shopkickers can earn rewards right from the app—no need to go anywhere.

Now you know my secrets for using apps that save you money. I hope you’re already thinking of ways to put them to use getting the most out of your own budget. It really makes things so much easier on both you and your household—I know it definitely has for me.

I think everyone who goes shopping (and isn’t that all of us?) should be using Shopkick. I mean, it essentially turns each and every trip you make out to the store into a fun scavenger hunt for points, points you can trade in later for gift cards to your favorite stores. Trust me, once you start using Shopkick on the regular, you won’t be able to remember how you used to get by without it!

Are you ready to start getting the most out of your own budget with these apps that save you money, too? Well, simply download Shopkick 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