In early 2014, I left my salaried copywriting job to become a freelance writer and a student. This means I must be much more fiscally responsible than I have been since I completed my undergrad schooling.
But I still like to have a good time.
Every month, I’ll be writing about ways I’ve found to help save your money without sacrificing the fun lifestyle of a young dude.
This month, we’ll tackle saving money through mobile app use.
Smart phones and their plans are expensive. So if you have one and you’re living a somewhat frugal lifestyle, you’re going to want to get the most you can out of that investment.
There are myriad apps you can use that will actively help you save money on a daily basis. Here are X of them you might want to look into:
Living Social: The moniker says it all. This app helps you enhance your social life by offering deals on rad activities in your neighborhood. (I used it to buy cheap tickets to a How I Met Your Mother bar tour just last weekend.) Living Social will hook you up with 50-90 percent off on products, venues, and activities in your vicinity.
Groupon: Very similar to Living Social, Groupon gets you 50-90 percent off all kind of things in your neighborhood. You get a daily email rife with all kinds of money-saving choices on things like 80 percent off a shooting-range outing, or half-off flower and gift delivery from FTD.
RetailMeNot: Don’t buy stuff for full price. This app will automatically send you coupons from all kinds of retailers, and the mobile app will alert you when you’re close in proximity to a place offering a deal.
RedLaser: Don’t buy stuff for more than the lowest price on the market. This app allows you to scan any barcode and compare the price at your current location to other retailers in the area. You may end up making multiple stops when shopping, but it doesn’t cost you a thing to walk from store to store.
Price Check by Amazon: If you don’t have an Amazon Prime account, you should get one. The free shipping pays for itself almost immediately if you use Amazon to its fullest potential. I buy most of the things I own now on Amazon. This app allows you to compare the price of something with what it costs on Amazon. More often than not, it’s going to be less, and if you have a Prime account you’ll get it shipped to you quickly for free.
GasBuddy: Gas is an awful, yet necessary, expenditure. This app allows you to find the cheapest fuel wherever you happen to be.
Key Ring: Loyalty cards are your friend if you don’t have to carry them around in some ridiculously bulky wallet. Which is why I dig key ring. It organizes all of my loyalty cards, allows me to use their digital versions anywhere I go, and gives me the opportunity to sign up for new loyalty cards straight through the app.
Trivago: This app takes all the best traveling sites and organizes their offers so that you can immediately check out the best ones. It also includes user reviews and other information about amenities to help you make the best, most fiscally responsible room and board decision.
