7 Money Saving Apps All College Students Should Use

By Braden Becknell

Saving money, especially while in college, is necessary but often time consuming. Coupon clipping takes weeks to master and even more time to understand, cut, and use the coupons accordingly. However, with new advances in technology simple phone apps can help you save money when making a purchase or get money for even making a purchase.

1. Red Laser

RedLaser is a price comparison app that works with online retailers. By simply scanning the UPC code in store, the app will put of dozens of other retail stores with their prices. Just one scan can start saving you money. There is even an option to choose which retailers to block, so the matches are catered to where you shop.

2. Ibotta

This app allows you to scroll through products that currently have rebates on. All you have to do is complete a little task like taking a poll or watching a commericail. After purchasing the products, scan the receipt to redeem the rebates which are on average 25 cents. Ibotta offers cash rewards through papal as well as gift cards.

3. Mint

Mint is a simple free budgeting app with an online presence as well. It allows you to create different money saving goals to help you stay on top of your savings. This app also allows you to see where your money is going with an easy to read format just by securely linking your debit/credit cards. There is also expenditure categories to allow you to create a budget based on the need per month with email reminders when you go over the budget.

4. Groupon

Groupon has been around for a while with good reasons. Groupon allows you to try something new and iferent without paying the usual cost. Groupon has daily deals from 50-90% off a wide range of activities, restaurants, and unusual things in over 500 cities.

5. Shopkick

Shopkick works at participating retailers including Target, Old Navy, Best Buy, Macy’s and many other stores. You can earn points (“kicks”) by simply entering the store with the app activated, scanning items and making purchases something at the store. The “kicks” can be redeemed into gift cards. There are also additional points that can be earned when you link your Visa or MasterCard and purchase qualifying products.

6. Key Ring

Loyalty cards from retailer stores, gyms, libraries and other membership cards seem to keep getting smaller and smaller. Keeping up with all these loyalty and membership cards can be a hassle, but thanks to the Key Ring app, you can scan and store the barcodes off each of the cards. Now, instead of weighing down your key ring, you can just show someone the barcode on the app. This app also allows you to search through coupons at over 14,000 retail stores nationwide.

7. RetailMeNot

RetailMeNot is a simple but useful app that allows you to browse thru thousands of coupons and great deals from Forever 21, Bed Bath & Beyond, Target, Starbucks, Victoria’s Secret, Sephora, and hundreds of more stores. The app notifies you when a coupon you previously saved is about to expire and will also let you search for deals based on location instead of a specific store. It also saves paper, as you don’t have to print out the coupons, just show your phone at the register.

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