12 New Shopping Apps for the Best Deals
Shoppers have a problem. We get too many coupons and discounts thrown our way. It's hard to sort through them all so we can locate the ones we actually want to use.
Luckily, a slew of new (and some old) apps are here to help us with this dilemma. They curate the coupon pages for us. They make it easier to search for the deals we actually want, and then share them with our friends. While many of them have corresponding websites, the apps are easy to use on smartphones or tablets, so we can pull them up while shopping in stores.
Indeed, shopping with a tablet is one of the biggest trends of the moment, with two in three shoppers using tablets to make purchases this season. One in four will use both tablets and smartphones, according to Catalog Spree - one of the many new shopping apps on the market.
[Read: The Secret to Saving More.]
If you're looking for a little help as you try to score stellar deals, here are a dozen tools that will help you in your pursuit of the best prices:
1. Slickdeals: Users share what they know about deals and post them to the Slickdeals site, which is also available via mobile app. You can learn about discounts on televisions, coffee makers, lawn mowers and more. Links take you to the online retailers offering the deals. You can also look up deals close to where you live.
2. PriceBlink: As a browser add-on, PriceBlink alerts you when you're online shopping (it's also available for iPads) and tells you if there's a lower price elsewhere. You might be considering a $500 vacuum cleaner at Target, and PriceBlink might tell you that you can buy the same one for $455 at Amazon, or even cheaper at another online retailer. According to the company, most users save an average of $17 to $20 for every $100 they spend.
3. Favado: This app gathers coupons and sales from more than 65,000 grocery and drugstores. You're probably not willing to drive across country to get the best deal on chicken, however, so Favado lets you zero in on local stores. That means you can use your app to build your shopping list and decide which stores to visit.
[Read: A Guide to Frugal Holiday Shopping.]
4. Coupons.com: The latest version of the Coupons.com app collects thousands of coupons from across the web and let's you "clip" and save them for use in stores or online. You can also search for deals at local businesses.
5. RedLaser: This bar code scanning app lets you immediately compare prices when you're in a store, as well as when making purchases from your phone. If you're checking on cameras at Best Buy, for example, you can snap a picture or scan the bar code just to make sure there isn't a better deal at the Radio Shack around the corner or online.
6. PriceGrabber: Like RedLaser, the PriceGrabber app lets you scan products while you're shopping so you can check to see if other stores offer lower prices. You can also set up a price alert, which lets you know when the item you want has been marked down to your desired price.
7. Brad's Deals: The Brad's Deals app lets you search through hundreds of current deals on items from a wide range of retailers, from clothing to electronics to jewelry. Each deal comes with instructions on how to use it.
8. RetailMeNot: This app collects coupon codes and sale information from a range of retailers and let's you bookmark your favorite stores so you can check for any discounts while you're shopping. Instead of printing out coupons, the app lets you show the code on your phone while you're checking out to get the deal.
[See: 10 Saving Strategies That Can Backfire.]
9. SaleSorter: This app identifies stores with current sales that are near you. You can also customize the display to focus on your favorite stores. The app's sale database is constantly updated in real time, which means you get to see the freshest sales. You can also use it from inside a mall, or another place with a high concentration of retailers, to help shape your route.
10. Catalog Spree: The app makes it easy for users to browse over 350 virtual catalogues, which means you can feel good about saving paper while you shop, too. The app will even suggest gifts for friends and family members.
11. BuyVia: This app combines in-store and online deals and offers curated picks from its team of professional shoppers. Users can also set up alerts so they know when items they want go on sale. The app also lets users scan bar codes for easy comparison shopping.
12. Mashalot: This new app keeps you informed on the latest shopping trends and lets you share your own wish lists and comments on items with friends. You can browse beauty, entertainment, travel, grocery and other categories. It also highlights deals and best prices.
