Use one shopping app to make money at your favorite stores

When I was little, my mom had a plastic case to store all the coupons she cut out of the newspaper. Her coupon case was red and inside it looked like a miniature file cabinet with little tabs for all the different stores that she and I shopped at all the time. When she got to the cash register at many of these stores, she would put on her glasses and tab through, looking for the perfect coupons to match her purchases. I was a little kid then, but I remember thinking: “there has to be a better way!” 

Thankfully, nowadays, there is a better way. If you’re a savvy tech-friendly shopper like me, you have moved on from using coupons, and instead, you’re using a shopping app to make money. A lot of stores have their own shopping apps or rewards programs, which you can pull out at the register just like my mom used to do with her coupons. The apps for specific stores are fine, but they’re really just like fancy coupons in my opinion. I prefer to use one shopping app that can be used at my favorite stores. 

If you’d like to reduce the number of apps you have to use to make money or earn rewards points at stores, you’ll definitely want to check out what I have to say. 

How to Use One Shopping App to Make Money

As I mentioned before, there are a number of store-specific shopping apps that reward you for being loyal to one store; these are fine but not as versatile as I’d like. That’s why my favorite type of shopping app to make money is a shopping rewards app, which—as the name implies—gives you rewards for shopping!

Find a Shopping Rewards App That Works for You

use a shopping app to make moneyOne challenge with shopping rewards apps is that there are quite a few out there, which is why I suggest putting some thought into what would make you want to use a shopping rewards app each time you go shopping—which is very important because, in order to really maximize your rewards, you need to use the app frequently.

I like shopping apps that work with both Android and Apple smartphones. I have an iPhone but I like to share different deals with my mom who has a Samsung Galaxy. I also like a shopping app that works both in stores and when I shop online. I’m about 50:50 when it comes to how much shopping I do in-person versus online, and so I need an app that works for both. Finally, I want a shopping app that’s fun to use! That way I don’t have to try hard to remind myself to use it when I go to the store. 

Give Shopkick a Try

With all of that in mind, my favorite shopping app is this app called Shopkick! In my opinion, it’s the perfect shopping app to make money at your favorite stores. The way that Shopkick works is that it gives you points it calls “kicks” for doing things you do when you shop already, things like walking into the store, scanning barcodes on items, and making purchases both in-store and online. Once you’ve earned enough kicks, you can trade them in for store gift cards—which are just as good as cash. I’ve redeemed some of my gift cards to restock my groceries for the week or buy household items

My favorite thing about Shopkick is that it turns every trip to the store—in person or online—into a fun scavenger hunt to earn kicks. Once I started using Shopkick, I found myself actually looking forward to shopping. I also love that I’m rewarded for learning about new products by watching videos on the app. Not only is Shopkick fun, but it’s also helpful; the “Discover” tab in the app is great when you need recipe inspiration or want to learn about new products.  

My favorite thing about Shopkick is that it turns every trip to the store—in person or online—into a fun scavenger hunt to earn kicks.

Shopkick really is an amazing thing—a single shopping app to make money in the form of gift cards that can be redeemed at your favorite stores. If you already have shopping apps you love, you can even pair Shopkick alongside them to earn kicks through Shopkick while claiming discounts or points through other apps. Shopkick is also available for both Android and Apple smartphones, and you can use it for both online shopping and when you go out to the physical store. That kind of versatility is just so valuable, and I can’t say enough good things about it.

It’s time to get your kicks with one shopping app at your favorite stores! Shopkick makes shopping a rewarding experience. Download the app today and start earning kicks today! 

Image courtesy of Dean Drobot

5 Easy At-Home Craft Ideas for Kids

If you’re like us, you’re suddenly spending a lot more time at home. And, you’ve likely had more than one moment in which you (or your kids) asked what to do next. So, we thought we would launch a new series of five easy things you and your kids can do together. From crafting to cooking and even outdoor fun, we think there’s something for everyone in our top five ideas for each category.

First up: let’s dive into five easy crafts to do at home!

5 Easy At-Home Crafts for Kids:

Homemade Play Dough:

For an added layer of creative fun, try your hand at making Play Dough at home! With flour, salt, water, and food coloring or paint, Play Dough proves to be a simple and easy thing to make at home. With 1.7+ million views, we recommend following the recipe and instructions found in this YouTube video by Sea Lemon.

Shaving Cream Marble Art:

Marble art is abstract, so it’s impossible to create pieces a “right” or “wrong” way! Whether you have young kids who enjoy sensory play or older kids happy to try any craft, creating marble art with help from shaving cream and food coloring is sure to please. Simply add white shaving cream to a tray, spread evenly, add drops of food coloring, swirl together with a toothpick or stirring stick, and place your paper on top to create your masterpiece. Here’s a great tutorial with more information from Alice and Lois.

Friendship Bracelets:

Did you grow up making friendship bracelets every summer? Teach your kids this vintage and fun art! Rather than explaining all of the different designs you can make, we recommend checking out this blog by DIY Projects for Teens or this video by A Girl and a Glue Gun. Both have step-by-step instructions with visuals. Purchase thread and enjoy! P.S: While kids can’t see friends, making bracelets for them and dropping off finished creations in mailboxes is a wonderful way to still feel connected.

Cool Whip Bath Painting:

Think about making bath time more fun with painting! Cool Whip acts as a great base for paint. Simply separate Cool Whip into cups, add a few drops of food coloring, and mix together. In minutes, your kids have paint they can use in the tub that’s completely washable. Busy Toddler mentioned this has provided many minutes of fun for toddlers who can sometimes be hard to keep entertained!

Coloring:

Don’t forget about coloring! Markers, colored pencils, and crayons can provide hours of entertainment, and there have also been studies done that suggest coloring helps to lower anxiety (adults: we’re looking at you!). If you type “coloring book pages” into your search bar, plenty of free printables will pop up if you don’t have coloring books on hand. You can also color freeform on computer paper. Think about hanging up your pages on your front door and windows to help to brighten the sights your neighbors can see while walking through your community.

Let us know what you and your family are doing together on Facebook! Don’t forget: we’re all in this together!

P.S.: We think our schedules will resume again soon, so save these ideas for a rainy or snowy day when you’re back inside once more.