With food prices steadily increasing, finding ways to trim your grocery bill might be at the top of your shopping list. Clipping coupons, cruising the sales and buying generic brands can save you big but the real answer to your food budget woes might be on your cellphone. There are tons of apps out there that are designed to help money-conscious shoppers cut their grocery costs but they’re not all created equally. We’ve put together a list of the best apps to help you save the next time you head to the supermarket.
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1. Ibotta
With Ibotta you can earn cash back for the purchases that you make at certain stores. This is a bit different than other apps because you’re not saving but instead earning cash based on what you’re spending. Every time you head to the grocery store you can see if there are cash back opportunities at any of your local stores and plan your grocery shopping around those deals. To earn cash you just have to scan your receipt in the app and then the company will send you the cash within one week.
2. Shopper
The Shopper app lets you keep up with weekly deals from your favorite retailers and collect coupons for your preferred brands, focused on your shopping list. Users can create multiple shopping lists, search the site for recipes or share their favorite meal ideas with friends and family through Facebook. To create a new list, you type in the item’s description or use the built-in barcode scanner to enter the information. The app features an extensive database of retailers and Shopper is currently available for iTunes and Android users.
3. Coupons.com
Coupons.com offers an app where you can earn cash back by purchasing specific offers at your local grocery stores. You can earn the rewards at any retailer that offers the items and that also offers itemized receipts. The app also includes a feature that enables you to earn more quicker by linking your store loyalty card to the app to read all of your transactions instantly. There is no minimum balance payout requirement and you can get paid out every time you earn.
4. Fetch Rewards
The Fetch Rewards app works similarly to Ibotta where you’ll take a picture of your receipt that you purchased items on offer and upload it to the app to earn rewards. You can find a large array of item types from alcohol to cheese, and everything in between. This app is product-driven so you can buy it from any store, as long as you can prove in the app that you paid for the item.
5. Food on the Table
One of the best ways to save on your grocery bill is to plan your meals based on what’s on sale for the week. If you don’t have time to sift through the different sale ads, the Food on the Table app does the work for you. All you do is enter in your family’s food preferences and the app will give you five meal plans based on matching items that are on sale at your local grocery store. As long as you stick to the plan, you won’t have to worry about wandering the aisles aimlessly or throwing unnecessary items into your cart.
6. Checkout 51
If you can’t seem to get the hang of coupon clipping or you just don’t have time, the Checkout 51 app may be right for you. Every Thursday, the app posts a new list of savings offers that are good until the following Wednesday. You go to the store, buy the items on the list and scan your receipt while the deals are still live. The app applies the virtual coupon to your account and once you accumulate $20, you’ll get a check in the mail. Just make sure you include a photo of your entire receipt to get credit for your purchases.
The Bottom Line
Budgeting hundreds of dollars at the grocery store each month doesn’t make sense when there are so many tools out there to help you save. These are just a few of the many apps that are available to help budget-conscious shoppers cut their food costs. The best way to save is to create and live by a budget. You can do this on your own or make it part of your greater financial strategy with a professional like a financial advisor.
Tips for Saving Money
- So many people reached out to us looking for tax and long-term financial planning help, and we started our own matching service to help you find a financial advisor. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
- It might be a good idea to invest the money that you save from your groceries. You can use our free investment calculator to see what you could earn.
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