As a self-professed techie, I’m kind of picky about the apps that I download and use on my Android phone. I guess some might even call me a bit of a snob, and, hey, I admit it: I just don’t want to clutter up the home screen on my phone with a bunch of apps I don’t ever use, or even with apps that I’m not going to use all that much. Basically, when I download a new app, it has to be one that I’m really certain I’m going to get a lot from.

This is doubly true of money-making apps for Android phones. For those who don’t know, there are a lot of apps out there that advertise their ability to make you money, and, to be fair, plenty of them can. The thing is, I’m kind of a busy guy, and I don’t really want to mess with apps that aren’t going to make me much money. I’m also not a huge fan of apps that are going to take up a ton of my time. However, I have found three excellent money-making apps for Android phones that I would highly recommend.

The Best Money Making Apps for Android Phones No. 1: Make Money Earn Free Cash

The name for this app is hilariously straightforward: Make Money Earn Free Cash. Okay, I don’t know about you, but I’m on board with that, for sure. What makes this app even better is that it’s free to download via the Play Store on Android devices.

Simply put, this is one no-nonsense app, but it’s also fun to use, especially if you like learning about new apps. It’s pretty easy to use, too. All that you have to do with Make Money Earn Free Cash is download free apps, watch videos, and then complete offers from the sponsors, which usually involves signing up for mailing lists or taking surveys. Obviously, this isn’t always fun, but sometimes you learn about really cool new apps, and that can be a blast! When you’re ready, you can cash in your earnings via PayPal.

The Best Money Making Apps for Android Phones No. 2: App Trailers

The best part about this second money-making app for Android phones is that it’s actually a lot of fun to use. It’s one that gives you rewards for watching videos, which is something I do a lot online anyway. However, with App Trailers you don’t get points for watching just any video, you have to watch the ones they want you to, but the cool thing is that they have a lot of videos about things like new tech and video games.

In the time that I’ve been using it, I’ve watched videos about games from EA, Rovio (which makes Angry Birds), and plenty of other companies that I like to follow in my free time anyway. The more videos you watch, the more points you earn. Eventually, you can trade those points in and get paid via PayPal or in Amazon gift cards. It’s definitely worth your while if you’re interested in games.

The Best Money Making Apps for Android Phones No. 3: Shopkick

I’ve saved the best for last here today. Of all the money making apps for Android phones on my list, this last one is my absolute favorite. It’s an app called Shopkick, and how it works is that it basically pays you to go grocery shopping or any other type of shopping for that matter. Shopkick gives you points for the things you do when you go shopping anyway, things like walking into stores, going down aisles browsing products, and making purchases. Yes, it really is that cool.

You can then trade those points in for gift cards to some of your favorite stores, including Starbucks and Best Buy, both which are absolute musts for a techie like me who never turns down a quick boost of energy. Speaking of being a techie, there are tons of ways that Shopkickers can earn rewards right from the app—no need to physically go anywhere. These ways include getting 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 at stores like Amazon and Walmart.com. It’s really great. I don’t know how I ever did my shopping without it, but I can tell you for sure that it wasn’t nearly as much fun.

Speaking of being a techie, there are tons of ways that Shopkickers can earn rewards right from the app—no need to physically go anywhere.

I hope you find these great money-making apps for Android phones helpful. I like all of these, obviously, or I wouldn’t have put them on my list, but if I had to recommend just one, it would definitely be Shopkick. Let’s face it, even if we don’t like to go shopping sometimes, we all have to do it. Having an app that turns shopping trips into a scavenger hunt that actually pays you is a real game-changer.

I highly recommend using Shopkick. There are, of course, tons and tons of apps out there to choose from, with more seemingly popping up every day. Shopkick, however, is one that I know you’ll be glad to have on your phone. I definitely am, and, in fact, I’m pretty sure that I use it every day!

Ready to start using your own techie-approved money-making apps for Android phones? Download Shopkick for free and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered how rewarding—and fun—shopping can be!

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 Creative Caliph

I have a confession to make: even though I’m a fully-grown, adult man, I have become just a little bit obsessed with playing Pokemon Go on my phone. Hey, what can I say? I don’t even have any excuses besides that you gotta catch ‘em all. Real Pokemon players will know exactly what I’m talking about with that one. Anyway, the thing I love about this game is that it pushes you to go out and use the Pokemon Go app to hunt for new Pokemon in all kinds of different places, from a park to inside the aisles at a grocery store. 

I’ve played it so much, in fact, that the other day I started thinking about how great it would be if there was an app out there that paid me to do this kind of scavenger hunting in other ways. When I thought about it for a minute, I realized that there actually is an app that does that.

Today I’m going to go over the type of app I’m talking about, how you can use it to get paid for playing a fun scavenger hunt that’s pretty similar to that Pokemon game, and then how you can use your points from that game to find the best deals on electronics, that are hiding on your smartphone like a rare pokemon! Oh, and I’ll close by suggesting a specific shopping app that I think all electronics aficionados like myself must have on their smartphones.

Use Third-Party Shopping Apps to Earn the Best Deals on Electronics

The first step to finding out where the best deals on electronics are hiding on your smartphone is to learn what a third-party shopping app is and how it works. It’s actually a pretty simple concept. Third-party shopping apps give you rewards for shopping, or they help you save money on your purchases. There are actually two main types of third-party shopping apps that you should know about, which if you’re a Pokemon player like me isn’t that many at all, not compared to all the different Pokemon that are out there.

Anyway, the first type of third-party shopping app is called a coupon app, and how it works is actually super similar to old-school coupon clipping. Depending on the app, you can either sign up and select from a list of coupons that you apply to your purchases retroactively, or you can even use it to scan paper coupons and then show them to the cashier at the store in a much cleaner and more organized way. The other type of third-party shopping app (which I prefer) is a rewards app that gives you points for the things you do while you’re out shopping already, but we’ll go into more detail about that below. First, I want to talk about how these apps can turn shopping into a game where your prize is the best deals on electronics.

Use Third-Party Shopping Apps to Turn Your Hunt for Electronics Into a Game

With the Pokemon Go app, even just taking a simple walk in the park feels like a fun scavenger hunt. Well, that’s how the best shopping apps work, too. You go out to the store, and you find yourself hunting for points, points you can later trade in to make sure that you get the absolute best deals on electronics.

It’s really cool. I may have mentioned this before, but I’ve always been kind of shopping adverse. Not with these new shopping apps, though. Now, I actually look forward to my trips out to the store, even if I’m just going shopping for groceries. It’s all because of the cool incentive system. Hey, I’m a gamer. Give me a chance to earn points and I’ll jump at it every single time!

The Best Third-Party Shopping App to Find the Best Deals on Electronics

The last thing I want to do here today is give you a recommendation for a specific third-party shopping app that you can use both to turn your shopping trips into a fun game and to find points that you can trade for gift cards, which you can then use to find the best deals on electronics that are hiding on your smartphone. My favorite is this app called Shopkick, which basically works just like the scenario I described above. The app gives you points for a few different things that you do when you go shopping, things like walking into stores, going down aisles browsing products, and making purchases.

Unlike Pokemon Go, to play this game you don’t always have to get up and go somewhere. There are tons of ways that Shopkickers can earn rewards right from the app—no need to go anywhere at all. These ways include kicks for watching videos as well as instant surprise kicks for going on Easter egg hunts right on your smartphone inside of the app. Users can also get amazing deals where you can earn big points and rewards by shopping on your phone at stores like Amazon, Walmart, and more!

The first step to finding out where the best deals on electronics are hiding on your smartphone is to learn what a third-party shopping app is and how it works.

I suspect that one day I’ll get a little bit tired of hunting Pokemon. I mean, my entire life there’s always been a really cool new video game that comes along and makes the older games feel obsolete. That’s just how it goes, and I’m okay with it. I’m having fun playing Pokemon now while I still can.

However, I don’t think I’ll ever stop using Shopkick. I mean, it’s an app that both feels like a game and helps me get gift cards that I can use on electronics! It’s so good that I can no longer envision shopping without it, and that’s a very good thing.

Ready to start having fun with your shopping while at the same time finding the absolute best deals on electronics? Download Shopkick for free today and get yourself hooked up with a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered how rewarding—and fun—shopping can be!

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 Mbruxelle

One of the greatest feelings that you can feel happened to me yesterday: I put on a pair of jeans that I hadn’t worn in a long while and I found $20! I squealed so loud that my boys actually put down the video games they were playing in the other room to ask me what happened. After I told them, they asked if they could use the money to go get a new game from Redbox, but that’s beside the point. What I’d like to talk about today are money-stretching apps that give cash back, recreating this wonderful experience of finding money over again.

There really is nothing like finding money when you least expect it, and with the three apps on today’s list, you can get that feeling all the time. They’re all fairly different in nature. However, the one thing these all have in common is that they give you cash back for things you already do on the regular basis. Much like finding some cash in an old pair of pants, you don’t have to go out of your way to boost your budget with these!

I like some more than others, as you’ll see below, but I definitely recommend using them all, integrating them with your normal routines. That way the money will start to roll in without you even thinking about it. Jumping up and squealing like I did when I found that $20 is, of course, totally optional!

Apps That Give Cash Back No. 1: Walmart Savings Catcher App

The Walmart Savings Catcher App is a pretty great way to make sure you get the best possible price that you can when you shop at Walmart. Let’s face it, there are just some things that will be cheaper at Walmart, so if you’re anything like me, you find yourself there often. Once you get there, this app is easy to use. All you have to do is scan your receipt after you check out.

Then when you’re all finished, the app automatically checks the prices you paid against the prices that are currently being offered by other stores in the area. If there’s a case where you could have gotten a lower price somewhere else, Walmart gives you back that difference. Awesome, especially when you use it to shop for groceries!

Apps That Give Cash Back No. 2: App Trailers

App Trailers is free and fun. It’s also an app my boys and I enjoy together because it pays you to watch videos. I like it a lot, too, mostly because many of these videos are about something that’s very near and dear to my boys’ little hearts: video games. 

Now, normally when they watch videos about video games with me, they’re calling me over from whatever thing around the house I’m busy with. App Trailers is a game changer because now I get paid for those interruptions. We’ve watched videos about games from EA, Rovio (which makes Angry Birds), and plenty of other companies that my guys know far more about than I do. The more videos you watch, the more points you earn. You can eventually trade those points in and get paid via PayPal or in Amazon gift cards.  

Apps That Give Cash Back No. 3: Shopkick

I’ve saved my favorite of these apps that give cash back for last. It’s actually called Shopkick, and how it works is that it gives you money for an activity you do all the time, anyway: shopping. Yes, what Shopkick does is give you points for the things you do while you’re out shopping, things that range from simply walking into the store to going down aisles browsing products, and making purchases. I can then trade those points in for gift cards to all my favorite stores, which are as good as cash!

Another thing that I absolutely love about Shopkick is that it’s not just limited to in-person shopping at brick-and-mortar stores. There are tons of ways that Shopkickers can earn rewards right from the app—no need to go anywhere. 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 at stores like Amazon, Walmart, and more!

Another thing that I absolutely love about Shopkick is that it’s not just limited to in-person shopping at brick-and-mortar stores.

To be honest, these apps have all become such a regular part of my budget and my routine, that I don’t even remember how I used to get by without them. I recommend them all.

As I said above though, the one I like the most is Shopkick. With three growing boys at home, I find myself out shopping all the time. Luckily with apps like Shopkick, I can get a little boost that makes it just a bit easier! If that’s not something to squeal about, I don’t know what is!

Get to know one of the best money-stretching apps that gives cash back, as well as one of the all-around best shopping apps period. Download Shopkick’s free app today and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered how much you can earn with the help of a shopping sidekick.

And, if you’re on social media catching up with friends, be sure to also join Shopkick on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for a little daily fun and inspiration.

Image courtesy Olivier

Get the most out of this summer! Explore the top activities near you on Groupon, or discover the best hotel for your next getaway on Booking.com with an epic 25 kicks per $1 spent.

Need to beat the heat? Stay cool with up to 15 kicks $1 spent on HSN and Fandango. You can also take advantage of AC in stores while earning kicks when you scan, buy, and submit receipts for select products.

Epic kicks online

Get Outside

25 kicks per $1

Get outside without breaking the bank and earn epic kicks on Groupon and Booking.com. Check out deals on top restaurants, getaways, or summer activities near you.

Beat the Heat

15 kicks per $1

Beat the heat with refreshingly big kicks on Fandango and HSN. Get to the movies to find respite from rising temps or try to stay cool by making your own popsicles or ice cream with the family.

Cool kicks in stores

Snag some AC time while earning kicks near you.

Teavana® Craft Iced Tea

Scan for 20 kicks and submit a receipt for 150 kicks at select stores.

Tyson® Chicken Nuggets or Strips

Scan for 10 kicks and submit a receipt for 100 kicks at Walmart.

Hillshire Farm® Lunch Meats

Scan for 10 kicks and submit a receipt for 100 kicks at Walmart.

Wasa Crispbread or Flatbread

Scan for 20 kicks and submit a receipt for 250 kicks at select stores.

Open the app to check out more kicks in stores near you!

Need to download the app?

Download Shopkick today to start earning your free gift card for the shopping you already do!

I don’t know about you, but after a long summer at home with my three boys, I tend to have a whole lot of emotions about back-to-school shopping—both good and bad. I’m excited for them to be advancing into new things: new classes, new teachers, new lessons, new friends, etc. And I’m excited for myself, too, because let’s just say that things are a bit quieter around my house when school is in session. If you have kids, I bet you know exactly what I mean. I’m also excited for the guys to get some spiffy new clothes. 

However, what I’m least excited about is all of the money we have to spend each year on new wardrobes plus, the mountain of school supplies that their exciting new classes require us to purchase. In recent years, I’ve found an exciting new way to make that cost a heck of a lot easier by using a shopping app. This helps to make sure I get the best back-to-school deals.  

By all means, enjoy your newfound free time that comes with having the kids go back to class. But don’t get too bummed out by all the money you’re going to have to spend. By the time we’re done here today, you’ll have all the know-how and expertise on how to get the best back-to-school deals.

How to Get Back to School Deals on Your Smartphone

When I was a kid, we only got to shop for back-to-school clothes once the prices were discounted. I swear, my mom had an extra sense of knowing when the best back-to-school deals were and once she found them, she would swoop in like a hawk. We didn’t get to go to just any store we wanted—no—we got to go to the one my mom knew had the best prices!

Things are different nowadays, or at least for me, they are. I didn’t inherit my mom’s uncanny abilities to find the best back-to-school deals, but I do have newer technology that can help me generate those deals on my own. The concept I’m talking about is a shopping app that you can use to get rewards and deals for shopping that you do every day. Never heard of it? That’s okay, until recently neither had I. That’s why in the next section I’m going to explain what this concept is and how it works!

What is a Shopping App?

Simply put, a third-party shopping app is an app that you download to your phone and it helps you save money when you’re out shopping. Believe it or not, there’s a pretty wide variety of these apps, and as a result, you’ll have some choices about how you can save money. It really behooves you, though, to find the type that works best for you.

Here are the different types of shopping apps I’ve used in the past:

• Coupon Apps: Coupon apps are basically digital approximations of old-school paper coupons. You either use them at checkout, while you shop online or after making a purchase. There are a lot of different apps, and some of them take money off your bill in advance while others funnel your savings into an account you can cash out later.
• Store-Branded Apps: Store-branded apps are apps offered by big stores like Target, Best Buy or Walmart. Some of them give you points that you can cash in for gift cards, while others alert you to new sales and deals or automatically scan prices in your area to match the lowest.
• Third-Party Shopping Apps: This last category is my favorite. These are special third apps that give you points for the shopping that you do every day, points that you can then trade in later for gift cards. In the next section, I’ll tell you about my personal favorite!

The Best Third-Party Shopping Apps for Back to School Deals

Now that you know about the different ways to get back-to-school deals on your smartphone, as well as what a third-party shopping app is, it’s time to talk about my personal favorite: Shopkick. How it works is super easy. You just go out to do your back-to-school shopping like you normally do, making sure that you’re going to one of the many stores that partner with the app. Then the app gives you rewards—which it calls kicks—for the things you do while you’re out shopping already, things like walking into stores, going down aisles browsing products, and making purchases. Then you trade your points in for gift cards. It’s that easy.

There are tons of ways that Shopkickers can earn rewards right from the app—no need to go anywhere.

But I think my overall favorite thing about Shopkick is you don’t even have to technically go anywhere to use it. In fact, there are tons of ways that Shopkickers can earn rewards right from the app—no need to go anywhere. 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 at stores like Amazon and Walmart. If you’re a modern, online shopper like me, you are going to love Shopkick, both for back-to-school deals and for the shopping you do on the regular basis.

I hope you learned a lot today, especially when it comes to using Shopkick to save money. Back-to-school time is one of my favorite parts of the year. Don’t get me wrong, I love it when my boys are around the house all summer, but it’s nice to see them engaged and excited about something new.

Once you start earning back-to-school deals with an amazing app like Shopkick, trust me, you’ll find yourself enjoying it even more. You’ll go from worrying about your budget to being excited about all the free time that’s headed your own way in the fall.

Looking for a way to earn the best back-to-school deals on your smartphone? Download Shopkick for free and join a community of Shopkickers who love the rewards of shopping with us!

Or join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and check in every day on your phone, no matter where you are, to learn about the hottest, newest deals.

Image courtesy Rido81