Amazon Shopping App
One of the keys to my holiday shopping strategy is using a mix of online and brick-and-mortar shopping. And, you know what? I am far from alone. All of my girlfriends agree that they’re doing more and more shopping online each year.
The Amazon Shopping app makes our list of the best Christmas shopping apps for 2019 because out of all of the options on our list, the selection on Amazon is unparalleled. And the best part is that whatever you buy on the Amazon app will be sent directly to your door. Now you have time to go hunting in brick-and-mortar stores for unexpected finds to surprise friends and family on your list.
The Target App
Ah, Target, our hands-down favorite hang out for girl time. Before we were all married, we used to go there together for home decor, clothes, and makeup. Now, our Target runs are usually for baby and kid gear. One thing we never forget on our Target runs? The Target app, which is why it made our list of the best Christmas shopping apps.
The Target app allows you to do online shopping, find in-store deals, and plan trips to your local Target store for in-stock goods. It’s a crazy versatile app, and we all swear by it. The Target app has also recently integrated with the store’s loyalty program, Target Circle, giving users access to things like personalized perks, the chance to earn up to 1 percent back on purchases, and early access to sales.
The Starbucks App
An absolute necessity for me while I’m getting my holiday shopping done is a hot drink from Starbucks… or several. The coffee drinks are perfect for both picking up my energy level so I can get everything done, as well as for warming me up in the wintery weather so I don’t freeze while I’m out there doing it.
The reason the Starbucks app makes the list of best Christmas shopping apps of 2019 is that it makes it oh-so-much easier for me to get my beloved Starbucks drinks. And, it’s also a great way to get stocking stuffers and small gifts for everyone from teachers to co-workers, like mugs, ground coffee, and—the ultimate stocking stuff—Starbucks gift cards.
Instacart
Let’s face it, the holiday shopping season can be a bit hard on the budget. I know back in my younger days, I often needed to work longer days at the office to collect overtime during this time of year, or to cross my fingers and hope my annual bonus was a merry one. These days, I’ve found another helpful solution—Instacart.
Instacart pays you to go out and shop for others, which is a great way for someone who enjoys shopping as much as I do to shore up their budget this December. The fact that I get to spend my day shopping, help out others during the holiday season, and make money while doing it, is why this app lands on our list of best apps for Christmas shopping this year.
Shopkick
Shopkick, simply put, is the one app on this list that can do it all while also making shopping more fun at the same time. Shopkick is an app that you can use to earn money for Christmas gifts with your everyday shopping. It’s not only one of the best Christmas shopping apps for the 2019 holiday season, it’s also the app that my friends and I love using All. Year. Long.
The way that Shopkick works is that you earn points, called kicks, for the things you are already doing while shopping. You can get your kicks by walking into stores, scanning featured products, as well as making purchases. That’s really all there is to it, and the end result is that it turns all of your trips to the store into a fun scavenger hunt for points, which you can trade for free gift cards to your favorite stores, or cash back.
Not only that, but there are also tons of ways that Shopkickers like us earn rewards right from the app—no need to even go anywhere. This list includes getting your kicks for watching videos, as well as getting instant surprise kicks from going on Easter egg hunts within the app. Users can also earn big points and rewards for shopping on their phones at stores like Walmart, Best Buy, and more. And, you can combine Shopkick with any of the other apps on our list.
Rakuten
When one of my girlfriends suggested Rakuten as one of the best Christmas shopping apps for 2019 at brunch, at first I was confused. I’d never heard of this app, but then she explained that Rakuten had previously been known as eBates.
Rakuten is another app that works really well with my personal favorite, Shopkick. The Rakuten app gives users cash back for online shopping purchases, which is a no-brainer budget boon during the holidays, especially when you’re also earning on Shopkick!
eBay
The next entry on our list is an old favorite of mine, eBay. I’ve been using this one for years and years, and it’s still one of my favorites for finding quirkier gifts for people on my list.
eBay’s setup is still pretty much the same as it’s always been: users put items up for auction, and buyers bid on them. I’ve found rare lamps, vintage clothes, and all kinds of out-of-print media with my eBay app. Whenever I want to surprise my friends and family, I go to eBay.
Wish
Wish makes our list of best apps for Christmas shopping because of the deals you can find on there. Wish sells users unbranded items directly from the manufacturers, which enables them to offer those items at much lower prices. This was a new app to me this year, one that I’m grateful my girlfriends told me about, because I’ve already used it to find a wide range of gifts, including electronics, accessories, shoes, and more at far below retail.
