My boys don’t really have the most expensive tastes. I mean, they like somewhat pricey things like video games and movies. What kids don’t? But they can also have tons and tons of fun just playing hide-and-seek with each other at the park. One of their favorite games to play is capture the flag, which in our house is more like capture the old t-shirt, and how it works is that one of them will hide a t-shirt and the other two will have to hunt around to find it. Whoever finds it first is the winner.

It’s simple, but they really do seem to have a blast playing it. It makes me happy because it’s totally free and keeps them busy for hours. It’s a win-win situation! It got me thinking recently how nice it would be if I could have the same amount of fun as an adult and also save money, too. Well, it turns out there is actually a way to do this with shopping apps that save money while also giving you a way to have fun at the same time.

Some of them do this by turning trips to the store into scavenger hunts for rewards points and others by letting you create a wish list for the items you’re most hoping to save money on. Whatever the means, the end is more or less the same: major savings while also having a whole lot more fun each time you go out shopping. I’m a huge fan, and I sincerely hope you like these apps as much as I do!

Fun Shopping Apps That Save Money

#1: Flipp

The first shopping app that saves money is called Flipp, which right off the bat even has a fun name…and also reminds me of the last time one of my boys got injured, but that’s a story for another time. The way Flipp works is great for those of us who like to make wishlists. Basically, with Flipp you make a list of all the items out there that you’re hoping to buy and the app uses that list to show you what stores you can find those items at and for the best prices.

It’s really fun to use because this app helps you find things like clothes and electronics that you’ve been coveting for a while at prices you never expected to find them. It’s a great way to essentially alert yourself to when items on your own personal wishlist have become more attainable with better prices. At least, that’s how I use it, and I’ve had quite a bit of luck saving money with Flipp while also racking up major rewards!

#2: Shopkick

This app on my list is the most fun. It’s a shopping rewards app called Shopkick, and how it works is that it gives you points for many of the activities you do each time you go shopping. These activities include scanning the barcodes of certain items to get more information, making purchases, and even just walking into the store. You can then trade those points that you earn through Shopkick in for gift cards to all of your favorite stores.

And if you don’t feel like going anywhere, there are also tons of ways to earn kicks right from the app. These include kicks for watching videos and instant surprise kicks from going on Easter egg hunts in the app. Users can also get amazing deals where you can earn big points and rewards by shopping on your phone.

And if you don’t feel like going anywhere, there are also tons of ways to earn kicks right from the app.

This is a whole lot of fun because it basically turns every trip out shopping into a scavenger hunt for points. If you’ve ever felt like shopping is a boring chore, say goodbye to that. With Shopkick, you’ll instead find yourself looking forward to going shopping so that you can hunt down all the best deals while also having a ton of fun!

So, there you have it. As a mother of three imaginative boys, I think I’m a pretty good resource for finding ways to have fun. The ways I talked about above are among my favorites because they also help me save money while I’m out shopping too, which for obvious reasons is another thing I’ve become quite good at, especially when it comes to groceries.

One last piece of advice: Shopkick is easily combined with the other app I mentioned here. You just simply use them both at the same time, thereby doubling your savings. While both of these apps are great, I just don’t know if I could live without Shopkick. Or, at least how I could shop without it. It’s become that vital to my budget and the fun I have with it has become equally as vital to my shopping routine!

Ready to start using fun shopping apps that save money while at the same time racking up the rewards? Start using Shopkick today to earn free gift cards to all of your favorite stores. Just download Shopkick and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered the rewards of shopping with us!

And, if you love using your smartphone to stay up on social media, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for daily shopping inspiration.

Image courtesy Dean Drobot