While Ebeneezer Scrooge always gets a bad rap for his miserliness - my guess is that if you are reading this post, you have somewhat of a soft spot for the old codger. Probably because he reminds you of your cheap self. You see the value in frugality - just not to the point of letting orphans freeze and starve. And although Scrooge was not a proprietor of an intelligent communication device - he would certainly approve of these penny-pinching apps (number three is not for the faint of heart):
1. JustPark - tired of paying for parking downtown? Use this app to park in available driveways near your point-of-interest.
Pros: no more parking fees, worrying about your meter running out, or full parking lots!
Cons: There may not always be a driveway close to the area that you are visiting. This started in the UK and has not really caught on yet in the States unfortunately. Also, if you do not offer up your own driveway, you have to pay depending on the time of day and day of the week. However, I think it is worth it to offer your own driveway for parking in order to get free parking close to where you are headed. Also, once the driveway is full, it becomes unavailable.
2. ZipCar - Rent a car for as low as $7/hour with this app
Pros: You could sell your car and only pay for a car with this app when you REALLY need it. All other times you could bike, take the bus, carpool, or even walk. My husband's Mom used to walk to the grocery store and back with two children and saved thousands by not having to pay for car insurance, gas, repairs, or monthly payments! I am currently doing the same thing (although I have a driver's license) and I carpool to my job - every time I see a wreck on the side of the road, I pray for those involved and thank God that I do not drive currently, because the road can be a scary place.
Cons: You have to pay a yearly membership fee. However, they are offering 50% off the annual fee now. Also, you definitely would not want to use this to get to work and back as it is an hourly rate, and hence, not money-saving.
3. LeftoverSwap - hungry?
Pros: Free food!
Cons: Someone might poison your food (although I'm not sure what satisfaction they would get from that) Like I said - this one could be risky!
4. iBotta - cash back on your groceries and more!
Pros: coupons on your phone that you don't have to cut, you just select the coupons you want and then take a picture of your receipt to get cash back within three days! However, they usually reimburse me on the same day - they are pretty fast! You can also get $10.00 automatically credited to your account using the code tenpxpi when you sign up!
Cons: You have to wait until your account hits the $20.00 mark until they credit it to your VenMo or PayPal account. You can alternatively choose Gift Cards but you also have to wait until your account is at least $20.00. Another con is that not all stores are participating (Aldi - my favorite - for example) but most major stores such as WalMart and Target are listed.
5. SwagBucks - get paid to watch YouTube videos, take surveys, and more!
Pros: You can watch a stream of videos while doing laundry, working out, watching TV or even sleeping! The surveys usually take less than ten minutes to complete and are easy. You can also get cash back shopping online at places like WalMart, Amazon, and Old Navy! You can cash out with as little as 500 SwagBucks for a $5.00 Amazon, WalMart, or Starbucks Gift Card!
Cons: It takes a long time to save up 500 Swagbucks just from watching videos or taking surveys. 100 Swagbucks = $1.00 and most surveys pay less than 100 Swagbucks. But for "watching" videos it is worth it - you have to install SwagBucksTV in order to watch, though.
Here is a post from The Frugal Navy Wife on how she earns $210.00 plus per month from shopkick and other apps just like it!
http://www.thefrugalnavywife.com/how-i-earn-210-or-more-a-month-in-free-amazon-gift-cards/
3 comments:
I love the iBotta app! I have saved over $250 since I joined last year. Make sure you ask your friends to join your team, and you can reach bonuses more quickly. I also use Checkout 51 and Saving Star, although I haven't earned as much through these apps. Shopkick is a cool app where you DON'T have to buy anything - you get points for walking in to stores and scanning items. Some stores give you points for purchases, but you have to link a credit card to do that. I have gotten several $25 Target gift cards through this app. May the Scrooge be with you :) Love, Your Momma
Thanks! I also have shopkick and checkout 51 and the nice thing about checkout 51 is that it also works at Aldi!!
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