This is Part 6 in a series on Couponing Basics to Extreme  that even a very beginner can master this month. Today’s topic is using Apps for coupons. What apps to use, how to use them and where to find them.

Whether or not you are trying to eat healthier,  feed your family more nutritious meals, or just get that paycheck to stretch until the next paycheck we could all save a little money using coupons. My hope is that after you have learned and implemented my tips and resources you will be able to strategically use coupons as a tool in your mom toolbox to save your family money.

In case this is the first time you have came to my blog my name is Shannah Holt and I’m a mom of 8 kids (and 8 furbabies). I’m also a SAHM that has homeschooled for about 15 years now, so living on one income and sometimes less than that with a large family I’ve had to learn the hard way how to stretch that paycheck to survive. I just want to share my tips so you don’t have to go through as much struggle as I have.

Here is a video from a live presentation I did on my Facebook page. I do post tips each day if you would like to check them out here is my page: Fit Frugal Life Facebook Page

There are so many different apps you can use to save money! Some are a way to use digital coupons right there at the store when you are purchasing, some are used after you have purchased certain items and you will earn money back as rebates, and there are others that you just use to earn points to buy gift cards and stuff, or specials just for using. There are even apps that will help you organize all this madness! I have apps for all of these ways that I will be sharing today. The more apps you can combine to use with sales, and paper coupons, the more you will save! Just keep in mind you don’t have to do ALL of this today! You will definitely get overwhelmed and just want to QUIT! Take it slow and use a few strategies, coupons, and apps at a time. Then as you feel more confident start adding to it.

Apps as Coupons

1. Target Cartwheel: Free both IOS and Android. This app is a necessity at Target. You can use this at the register when buying the items just like a coupon. You just add the items to your list and have the cashier scan the barcode of your app and it applies to all the items in the purchase. There are many different coupons to choose from including off certain items, and dollar or percentage amounts off items or groups of items. You can use this in addition to Manufacturer coupons and Target’s many bundle deals. Here is an example of what I mean by bundle deals.

In the deal above you will get a $5 Target gift card if you buy 3 Scott, Cottonelle, Viva, All, Snuggle, Glad, or Kleenex products listed. You can get the sale price listed in the add, use a Target Cartwheel coupon on each item (if there is one of course), plus a manufacturer coupon on each item, and still earn this $5 gift card as well. I will discuss more on “Stacking Coupon Deals” in another part, but I wanted to show you what I mean by being able to use the Target Cartwheel in addition to everything else.

2. Kroger app: Another one stop shop all in an app! You can download coupons to use right in the store, you can look at weekly sales, make a list, even be reminded of prescriptions, and how much fuel points you have earned.

3. Safeway (Just for U) is among the chains rolling out apps that offer personalized digital coupons based on your shopping habits (with SCAN IT!, you can scan and bag groceries as you shop).

4. Meijer app you can search coupons add to app, make a shopping list and even locate the item in the store with the app.

5.  PushPins app (linked with 6,000+ stores) automatically loads coupons to your store’s loyalty card and suggests weekly specials when you build your shopping list or scan bar codes in-store.

6.  shortcuts.com  Type in any ingredients you don’t have at home and find the lowest prices at local stores. It’ll even look for coupons and add them right to your store loyalty card.

7. CVS and Walgreens both have apps that let you do most of the same things as the grocery apps listed above. You might be thinking why these would be good apps to have you don’t need medicines. You will be amazed at what all you can get for free at one of these two chain drugstores using coupons!

I’m sure there are many more out there, but these are really good if you have them in your area.

Apps as Coupons in Reverse (Rebates)

1.  Ibotta-This app has tons of products that if you buy it you will be reimbursed for it. Just click on things you want to earn watch a quick video or take a survey and once you have purchased you take a picture of your reciept and scan the barcode of the items. You can even earn team bonuses when you and your friends redeem so much each month.
2. Savingstar–  You will link the app with your grocery and drug store loyalty cards. Then, check out a list of available savings. Payments come once you have saved $5, and you can choose to have the money sent to your bank account, received through PayPal, or forwarded directly to a charity.
3. Checkout 51-This one is like Ibotta but can be purchased at any store not just the specific one. You must reach $20 in your account to be mailed a check. Products are updated Thursdays.
4. With Shopmium, browse offers or stores near you to view special product offers. Select the item, then, once you buy the item, take a picture of your receipt in the app. You’ll get cash back deposited to your bank or sent to your PayPal account. The best part, all the offers in Shopmium are exclusive to the app and you won’t find them anywhere else. New offers are added each week.
5. Ebates is an app that allows you to earn cash back at the stores where you shop. Get up to 25% cash back from more than 1,500 retailers, and get paid every quarter! Browse stores to see the best deals and who is offering the most cash back. The grocery stores on this app include Safeway, Sam’s Club and Walmart. Get a free $10 Walmart gift card when you sign up!
6. Berry cart-is a rebate app geared towards organic, healthy, GMO Free Foods. Each week a variety of foods are added.  To get the rebate you need to upload your receipt to the app and your rebate amount is added to your Berry Cart account.
7. MobiSave offers you rebates on items that  you can choose to purchase.  Just take a picture of your itemized receipt and submit.   Rebates are posted to your account normally within 24 hours.  Cash out your account at any time, NO MINIMUMS to meet.

Apps as Rewards

1. Shopkick It is a rewards app and a deals app rolled into one tidy interface. It works using your location services, since the app records when you walk into a retailer – a major advantage over rewards programs that require you to purchase something to get points. ShopKick is also a deals app, since it alerts you of deals and coupons when you walk into a store. It’s perfect for when you’re doing a lot of shopping or don’t know which stores you’re going to visit, like when you’re walking in and out of retailers in a mall. Once you rack up enough points, you can exchange them for gift cards to retailers.
2.  upromise.com register your store loyalty cards  to earn an effortless 1 to 3 percent back on groceries toward your kid’s college account and even download coupons from the site to get extra college bucks.
3. Receipt Hog– With Receipt Hog, you can earn coins you can redeem for cash or gift cards. Simply take pictures of your receipts to earn coins or slot machine spins. Receipt Hog accepts receipts from stores like Safeway, Costco, Kroger, Walmart, CVS, Dollar General, Petco, GNC and Sephora that turn into coins, or receipts from stores like Sears, Old Navy, Best Buy, Staple’s, Kohl’s, The Home Depot or Macy’s that turn into slot spins

Apps to organize or Find Coupons

1. Grocery IQ has integrated coupons from coupons.com. You make a grocery list and when you add something, it alerts you if there are coupons available to print or load to your grocery-store loyalty card.
2. Yowza Free and on both IOS and Android platforms. Search for coupons even by locations. These coupons are uploaded by the retailer or manufacturer of the product and you can save in your coupon wallet.
3. Snipsnap This is free and on both IOS and Android platforms. This is for non-grocery type coupons though not manufacturer coupons. Think store, restaurant, or local coupons. It is a coupon finder and a virtual binder all in one. It even has reminders so you don’t forget about a coupon.
4.  CardStar app Consolidate all your store cards in one place all on your phone with this app.
5.  Grocery Smarts Coupon Shopper app makes matching up sales (for stores such as Target, CVS, Rite-Aid, and Walgreens) with available coupons to show your ultimate bottom line (it’ll hook you up with printable coupons or tell you newspaper circular dates).
6. Retail Me Not You can enjoy exclusive deals, discounted gift cards, cash-back offers and more—all in one place. Simply show your phone at checkout.