Coupon apps for groceries you would be crazy not to download

CellFire

You know all of those customer loyalty cards that you signed up for and also carry around with you when you go out shopping? Well, this first selection on our list works by sending coupons directly to those customer loyalty cards. All you do when using this coupon app for groceries, is open it, go to the “My Cards” tab, and select the card you want. You can then scroll through and tap all the deals you can use.

Cellfire sends those deals to your loyalty card like magic. If there is a problem with Cellfire, however, it’s that of all the apps on our list, it has one of the most limited selections of participating stores. When there is a store on its list near you, however, Cellfire is well worth your time! At my local grocery store, for example, I recently found 21 coupons, many of which I was able to use in a single trip! That’s the type of value I’m looking for from my favorite grocery savings apps.

Coupons.com

Based on the name of this app, you can already tell that it’s an obvious fit for our list of coupon apps for groceries you would be crazy not to download. Quite frankly, Coupons.com is invaluable when it comes to saving on the groceries that you buy all the time. When you use this app, you get to choose from three different ways to collect your savings.

The first way is through an email coupon that you print and take with you to the store. This one is not my favorite, since it’s somewhat of a logistical hassle, at least in my house where one of my three boys has always used up the ink in our printer. The second way is by printing it directly from your mobile app, which gives me the same problem. The third is my preferred mechanism, and it lets you store the coupon on your loyalty card so you can scan it at checkout and save money instantly!

Grocery IQ

Grocery IQ is another coupon app for groceries that allows you to collect your deals through the loyalty card program that you may or may not have already signed up for at your local grocery store. This one, however, stands out from some of the others that we’re discussing here today. It’s actually best used if you’re the type of shopper who buys the same items each week.

The reason that it’s best for that type of situation is that with Grocery IQ, users start by making their grocery list. Next, the app works for them to match the items on their list with applicable coupons, automatically saving those same items for future usage. Finally, you can collect these coupons all the same ways that you collect your Coupons.com savings: by printing them out from your desktop or mobile device, or through your loyalty card program. My only word of caution here is to be prepared for this one to take a good amount of time to set up.

Checkout 51

This app is one of the overall simplest apps on the list. To use it, you just go grocery shopping as you normally would, and then once you’re done, you use Checkout 51 to upload a photograph of your receipt.

Checkout 51 then gives you rebates in the form of credit for any eligible items that you may have purchased. The money adds up quickly, which is good because you need to have $20 worth of saved credit in order to cash out. Once you decide to do that, Checkout 51 will go ahead and mail you a receipt. Simple, right?

Coupon Cactus

With Coupon Cactus, you get discounts on certain items at participating stores. The big difference is here you can do it online, too. Isn’t that nice? Your savings either add up to a percentage of the total price—generally up to 30%—or savings come in the form of a set amount, like $2 off a featured product.

So, it pays to literally keep an eye on the fine print so you know what to expect from this great coupon app for groceries. Once your total savings from rebates and discounts reaches $10 or more, you can cash out via PayPal or get a check issued on a quarterly basis.

SnipSnap

You’d be crazy not to download this coupon app for groceries because of how much you can save with it through rebates. This one is like Coupon Cactus in that is has a fun old-school component to it, one that lets users take pictures of printed coupons, which it then transforms into digital, mobile-ready ones. It kind of recaptures the feel of clipping paper coupons, which is something that I personally enjoy a great deal if I happen to be in the mood.

Users can also browse online directories with SnipSnap and take advantage of coupons that their friends have “snipped” as well, turning it into a shared and social database for savings. This one doesn’t exactly pay, though. Instead, users save their rebate money at the time of purchase like a traditional coupon. The idea is that coupons can all be easily kept in one digital space, instead of having an overflowing little billfold stuffed with paper clippings. To be honest, it’s a lot cleaner and easier to handle.

eBates

Ebates is an app that lets you save by giving you shopping rewards and it actually has a special place in my heart because it was the first one I used when my kids were little. Basically, Ebates is a centralized platform where shoppers can search for deals and coupons that are offered by nearly 2,000 retailers. It’s also pretty handy when it comes to shopping online, which is something I’ve done more of in recent years.

Though, I haven’t used Ebates as much as of late because I’ve moved on to more comprehensive apps to bolster my budget. I’ve actually ended up seeking out newer apps, many of which are way more fun to use! And I’m going to talk more about one of those here soon. First, though, I want to stress that finding a grocery app to earn rewards for shopping that is also fun to use is key because then it’s much easier to remember to use it. At least for me that’s how it works!

SavingStar

I use SavingStar because it pays users to shop at grocery and drugstores. One thing I like about SavingStar is how versatile it is. In fact, more than 60,000 stores are part of SavingStar; they represent more than 100 retail chains.

Also, SavingStar is generally free to use, but you do have to be careful. If an account is inactive for 180 consecutive days, they will charge a fee of $3.99.

To take advantage of SavingStar, users either link their existing store loyalty cards to the app or submit receipts after they make purchases. Their savings add up and users can eventually cash out through PayPal, Upromise, or in the form of Starbucks, iTunes, or AMC Theater gift codes.

Shopkick

Of all the great coupon apps for groceries that you would be crazy not to download, it’s my personal opinion that you would be craziest not to download Shopkick. Shopkick is a shopping rewards app, and how it works is that it gives you rewards for many of the activities that you already do when you go out grocery shopping. With Shopkick, you get your first points just for walking into the grocery store, and then you can continue to earn more points by scanning certain items for more info and, of course, for making your purchases.

You can then trade those points in for gift cards, which are just as good as cash back if you ask me. The reason that Shopkick is my favorite, though, is that it turns every trip to the grocery store into a game, like a fun scavenger hunt for points. With three boys at home, I’m a regular at the grocery store. With Shopkick, I can take that time to see if I can top my previous point totals, saving a good amount of money in the process! It’s truly a win-win situation.