15 apps and websites to help you save money at checkout

Shopping, whether online or in-store, shouldn’t put an unnecessary strain on your hard-earned finances.

Apps and websites are an easy approach for savvy shoppers to spend less: from finding big discounts to redeeming dollars in the form of cash or gift cards.

Read on to find out about the best money-saving apps and sites to keep as much money as possible in your pocket on your next checkout.

Buyers should remember that only one refund program can work per purchase, which means consumers should better select one and stick to it.

Ibotta (iOS and Android)

Ibotta is the popular app that promises to generate cash back rewards on groceries, clothing, travel and more.

The app allows buyers to earn real money every time they complete a ‘task’.

These can range from sharing items of interest on Facebook, taking a survey, to simply watching a clip online.

Any pending money is then transferred to your bank account, which you can access once a product is purchased from one of Ibotta’s 50 business partners.

Shopkick (iOS and Android)

Described on its site as “the fun and easy way to earn free gift cards for shopping,” Shopkick is suitable for both online and in-store purchases.

This popular money-saving app allows users to earn reward points, or “kicks,” from multiple activities.

Best of all, some of these options you do anyway; visit a physical store, purchase qualifying items, and watch clips online.

Performing simple tasks can save a few dollars with gift cards and discounts for retailers including Amazon, Starbucks, and Target.

Capital One Shopping (Chrome and Firefox)

Capital One Shopping is the popular plugin app that automatically applies coupon codes for free.

Android and Apple users can also download a mobile version of the app.

But Capital One Shopping stands out from the competition because it offers supercharged savings features beyond just coupons.

The intuitive website navigation provides options to shop by store or purchase the product for savings and points to redeem for gift cards on a wide range of products.

Honey (iOS and Android)

Honey is promoting itself as the site to save time and money by helping users discover coupon codes from over 30,000 websites.

Once the add-on is installed as a web browser, Honey can then automatically apply the relevant coupons to a cart during checkout.

As a result, it will save you a great deal of your precious time searching the web just to save money.

And arguably Honey’s best feature is when shopping on Amazon, the app can notify users if a seller elsewhere is offering the item at a lower price.

CamelCamelCamel (iOS and Android)

CamelCamelCamel is the unrivaled price tracker for online retail giant Amazon.com.

Via the CamelCamelCamel site or browser extension, users have access to graphics and price history details for almost any product available for sale.

Since Amazon’s prices can fluctuate frequently, the ability to compare prices up to date offers obvious advantages in getting a good deal today.

Rakuten (iOS and Android)

Rakuten is considered one of the most popular shopping portals because the site offers up to 40% cash back on purchases made at thousands of partner stores.

There are no complicated points to worry about, just a simple percentage refund program on all qualifying purchases.

Rakuten offers a browser extension, eliminating the need for users to remember which stores work for which discounts.

Cashback monitor (iOS and Android)

This site tracks cashback rates for a wide variety of cashback programs.

Therefore, savvy shoppers should definitely consider visiting this app before finalizing any purchase, in order to maximize their chances of realizing significant savings and rewards.

RetailMeNot (iOS and Android)

RetailMeNot app users can take advantage of over 200,000 offers, including over 19,000 in-store coupons and 24,000 restaurant offers.

Billed as the “easy way to save on the go,” the budget app allows users to browse coupons and deals on an incurable range of popular retailers.

RetailMeNot saves the coupons you want to use for easy access and users will also receive notifications for coupon expiration dates.

There’s also no need to worry about printing coupons – just show your phone at checkout.

SnipSnap (iOS and Android)

The SnipSnap coupon app eliminates the need to arrive again at a store armed with a coupon book.

But what sets SnipSnap apart from the competition is the way the app allows users to photograph physical coupons from multiple retailers.

This nifty trick allows SnipSnap to scan these images into mobile-friendly versions.

And users can also browse the online directory and find out which good friends have “cut”.

IQ grocery store (iOS and Android)

Grocery iQ allows those who download the app to stay focused on their task and avoid impulse buying.

The amazingly detailed shopping list platform allows users to both create shopping lists by searching through the millions of products in the Grocery iQ database and use both speech recognition or reading bar codes.

Grocery iQ also has a store locator feature that offers coupons.

This application is therefore particularly useful for people who are short on time or who simply want to control their grocery budget.

Groupon (iOS and Android)

This popular app allows users to find, buy and redeem Groupons right from their smartphone.

Groupon’s incredible offers allow users to save up to 90% on everything from restaurants to stores and hotels.

Users can search by location to discover various deals nearby, which means Groupon is great for those who are stuck in a rut and want to try new things.

LivingSocial (iOS and Android)

LivingSocial gives app users access to a surprisingly wide range of great deals.

Simply search for amazing discounts in your area to receive alerts on exciting local events.

The app is also an easy way to save money on hotels, restaurants and many other places and events.

Such discounts aren’t just great gift ideas; users can receive an event for free if a discount is shared through social networks.

Amazon Local (iOS, Android, and Kindle Fire)

This app is an amazing way to discover Amazon level deals on the go.

One of the best features of Amazon Local is the app’s ability to search for deals, allowing users to purchase them directly from their smartphones with the push of a button.

Amazon Local also allows users to set specific preferences, allowing the app to understand which deals you’re most likely to purchase.

And as an added incentive to download the app, there is no need to print coupons or vouchers, saving time and unnecessary paperwork in the process.

Military cost cutters (iOS and Android)

Military Cost Cutters is the must-have app for members of the US military and their families.

This free app allows veterans to find military friendly businesses in their area offering discounts for their service to the nation.

Military Cost Cutter users can search by city, state, and zip code to get the best results.

And another of the useful features of the app is the ability to leave feedback about the experience.

BestParking (iOS, Android and Blackberry)

Spotting affordable parking, especially when traveling from out of town to shop in-store, is both notoriously stressful and can hit you hard in the pocket.

BestParking will help you avoid parking garage scams by suggesting the nearest and cheapest parking options available.

And according to their promise of accuracy, any inaccurate price reporting can be compensated with a $ 5 Starbucks Gift Card.

ThuFly

Gamefly is widely recognized by gamers around the world as a great resource for saving money.

Users of the app to use can browse, rent, pre-order or purchase their favorite games at competitive prices.

And besides learning the latest video game news, users can even earn GameFly rewards and use coupons to save extra cash.

One of the most popular features is Game Of The Day, which highlights a free or discounted game every day.