Saving and Making Money is Right At Your Finger Tips!!

By: Steve Cecchetto | Real Estate Sales Representative

Now, more than ever, people are paying attention to their finances.  Not only how we spend our money, but how we earn it.  I took a dive into researching the best money-saving apps and websites on the market to determine the easiest way for you to save and earn money as you spend.  Below, in no particular order, are the apps I found as offering the best programs and likely ones that you can use on a regular basis.

Rakuten

Rakuten, formerly Ebates, is one of the most popular cashback apps. It’s an app that pays you for purchases you make at over 750 retailers.  Rakuten gets a commission when you purchase at selected retailers through the app, that commission is shared with you.

You get paid via Cheque, Paypal transfer or Amazon gift card 4x a year.  You are paid on amounts over five dollars. If you haven’t accrued at least five dollars in the period, no problem, it carries over to the next period.

Head over to the app and see how much money you get back from participating stores.  Some offer 10% or even 20% on purchases and you’ll often find that Rakuten even includes a sign-up bonus such as a gift card to use at one of the retailers.

Flipp

Flipp is to today’s generation as coupon clipping was to our parents’ (or grandparents’) generation.  All-in-one deals and specials in one easy to use app.  Flipp works with retailers to reduce the requirement for those annoying paper flyers, and puts them all in one convenient spot! Open the app and browse through thousands of weekly ads or search a specific store item or brand.  Work through your shopping list and Flipp will find deals for you.

Flipp has a lot of built-in flexibility and will load coupons directly to your loyalty card and allow you to access the hottest money-saving deals near you.

Simply download the app for iPhone or Android, or visit their website, type in your postal code and check out the savings near you.

GasBuddy

GasBuddy is quick and easy, simply download the app, register with your postal code and email and now you’ll see gas prices within three, five and ten kilometers (or more).

Opening the app as I write this, I found an eleven cent difference within five kilometres of my home. Let’s just say on average you could save 5c a litre and you’re filling a sixty-litre tank, that’s a $3.00 savings with each visit to the pump. If you are filling once a week that’s over $150 a year and, if you have two vehicles, well…. you can do the math.

Gasbuddy.com has a great blog talking all things oil and gas, there’s some interesting stuff!!

Honey

Honey is an extension on your internet browser. While doing your online shopping, Honey will be comparing what’s in your shopping cart with coupon codes in its database. Before you check out, Honey will prompt you if it finds relevant coupon codes and then enters them automatically, trying each one to see if they work.  Honey takes all of the hard work out of searching for coupon codes and could provide you with heaps of savings that you had no idea were available to you.

To test it out, I went to four sites, loaded up my cart and Honey found coupon codes for three of the four, saving me anywhere from 5%-15%!!!  I would not have known about these if I didn’t have a little Honey with me!

More information can be found at joinhoney.com

Interested in saving money in other ways? Download our guide: 37 Money Saving Tips for Home Owners and Tenants

Checkout 51

This neat little app that gets you cashback on gas and groceries, with very little effort. Checkout51 has partnered with a long list of companies and these companies provide incentives for you to purchase their product.  Every Thursday, you’ll find an updated list of promotions, if you happen to see a promotion for a particular grocery item that you need, add it to your shopping list and then scan your receipt with the app to get your credit.  You’ll start to build a nice little account of cash immediately and once you’ve earned $20, you can have a cheque mailed out to you.

You can sign up on their website or download the app for iPhone/Android to get started.

Mylo

Mylo is an app that helps you save and invest as you spend. Remember when we use to pay cash for everything? You’d have a collection of change for your piggy bank each day, or accumulating on your dresser (guilty).  Mylo automatically rounds up every purchase you make and invests the spare change. There’s no investment knowledge required, and you don’t have to change your lifestyle. With Mylo, you turn your spending habits into saving habits. For example, If you spend $3.25 on a coffee using a linked credit or debit card, Mylo automatically rounds up your purchase to the nearest dollar ($4.00) and puts 75 cents into your Mylo account.  Every Monday, your roundups from the previous week withdraw the total from your payment source and invest the money in your investment account.

Learn more at mylo.ai or download the app directly!

Caddle

Caddle gives you cashback for your engagement with Ads and Surveys, as well as everyday purchases. Simiply browse Caddle’s offers, engage in the Ads & Surveys, and then buy the promoted products at any store in Canada, unless otherwise stipulated. Take a photo of your receipt to get Cash Back Credits into your account. Once you earn $20 in Cash Back Credits, you can “Cash Out” and they mail you a cheque!

Check it out in the app store of go to getcaddle.com

Paymi

Paymi is a rewards program that focuses on putting cash back into the consumer’s pocket.  It does this when you make purchases in-store and online with Paymi partner brands. The first step is to link your credit and/or debit cards through online banking. This enables Paymi to transfer money to you automatically. Paymi has also partnered with CIBC; if you’re a client you can register with Paymi through their Mobile app and Online Banking!

Check out Paymi by visiting  app.paymi.com and begin the registration process

Afford to buy your dream home with these 37 Money Saving Tips for Home Owners and Tenants

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Steve Cecchetto is a Real Estate Agent in Milton, where he also resides with his wife, Erin. In 2019, Steve joined The Kormendy Trott Team, a top-performing real estate team in the country for Century 21 Canada.  Steve helps clients buy and sell real estate in Halton, Peel and the surrounding Regions.  He primarily works out of the team’s Milton real estate office at 75 Main Street East. If you have questions about this blog or would like to chat Real Estate with him, hit him up with a call or text to (905) 299-5047 or email him at [email protected]