If you’re like most millennials, you probably spend a lot of time on your phone.  Why not use a little bit of this time to save money?

There’s an app for everything these days.  Here are my top 5 favorite (free) money saving apps!

*Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Read our full disclosure policy here. This post was republished on 8/19/2018.

Ibotta

Ibotta is hands-down my favorite app.  I don’t do much shopping (since I’m trying to dig out of massive debt), but one type of shopping that I can’t avoid is grocery shopping.

Ibotta is a free app that allows you to earn cash back on purchases made at hundreds of different retailers, including grocery stores.

Here are just a few of the stores supported by Ibotta:

  • Byerly’s
  • Costco
  • Cub Foods
  • Dollar Tree
  • Hy-Vee
  • Kmart
  • Safeway
  • Sam’s Club
  • Target
  • Trader Joe’s
  • Walgreens
  • Walmart
  • Whole Foods

In addition to grocery stores, Ibotta also offers cash back deals at pet stores (Iike PetSmart), liquor stores, convenience stores, pharmacies, restaurants, and movie theaters.

To use Ibotta, all you need to do is create an account (for free!), find cash back offers in the app, take a picture of your receipt, and then the money is deposited into your PayPal account (you can choose to receive a gift card if you prefer).  There are numerous gift card options.

Related Post: Ibotta App Review: How to Earn Cash Back on Groceries

I use Ibotta every week when I do my grocery shopping and occasionally for other items as well, like pet food, dog toys, or toiletries. Download Ibotta today to start saving on groceries!

Ebates

Ebates is another awesome money saving site.  Ebates allows users to earn up to 40% cash back at over 2,000 stores.  Whenever I’m going to buy something online, I always check Ebates to see if I can find any cash back deals.

Using Ebates is simple and easy.  Once you create an account (for free), all you need to do is browse around Ebates for deals. When you click on the link to the item you want to buy, the Ebates cash back offer will automatically be applied to your purchase.

Sometimes you might not remember to check Ebates first.  This is when the browser extension comes in handy.  Ebates has a browser extension you can download which automatically alerts you to cash back deals on Ebates whenever you’re shopping online.

I don’t do a lot of online shopping, but my husband and I ordered flowers a few months ago for my husband’s grandma who was in the hospital.  Flowers tend to be expensive, but we were able to get a good deal by using Ebates to earn 15% cash back on our purchase.

Related Post: Ebates Review: How to Earn Cash Back for Online Shopping

Credit Sesame

Your credit score can affect whether or not you’ll get approved for a mortgage or another type of loan, and it determines how good (or bad) your interest rate will be.  Do you know your credit score?

You can check it for free with Credit Sesame. They use a “soft pull”, so checking it won’t damage your score.

Once you know what your credit score is, you can take steps to improve it if needed. Find out your score by answering just a few quick questions.

Related Post: Why Your Credit Score Matters + Credit Sesame Review

Shopkick

The free Shopkick app allows users to earn free gift cards by completing simple tasks like walking into a store, scanning product bar codes in stores, buying items, or inviting friends to download the app.

My husband and I like to go mall walking (especially during the winter when it’s -20 degrees out), so being able to earn gift cards just by walking into a store is awesome!  Download Shopkick today to start earning gift cards!

Related Post: How to Earn Free Gift Cards with Shopkick

Walmart Grocery

I recently started grocery shopping at Walmart, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food.  The prices are unbeatable!

With the Walmart grocery app, you can order groceries from your phone – they’ll do the shopping for you and you can pick up your items when they’re ready. Convenient and affordable!  Download the app today and get a free $10.

Related Post: The Exact Steps I Took to Cut My Grocery Bill in Half

Save Money with Apps

Saving money with apps is super easy, quick, and convenient. Apps can help you to receive cash back on purchases, learn your credit score, earn free gift cards, and so much more!

What is your favorite app that helps you to save money?