Category: Earn

8 crazy apps that you won’t believe exist

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apps that you won't believe exist I love apps. I love them when they are silly and playful, and I love them when they actually help me get through my day, like when I have to navigate traffic or take notes during a meeting. I mean, to be honest, I love apps so much that sometimes they take up so much space on my phone that I have to sit down (with a glass of wine of course) and force myself to delete some.

There are a handful of apps, however, that I just can’t bear to get rid of. Some are just wacky ways to entertain myself, but others I just have to keep because they save me money—like those crazy retail coupon apps I use. There are so many apps that you won’t believe exist that I decided to put together a list of some of my all-time faves.

Purely Entertaining Apps That You Won’t Believe Exist

Sharknado: The Video Game

If you can’t believe they made a movie about a tornado full of sharks, then you probably really won’t believe they made a mobile game about it, too. The strangely popular franchise now lets you, from your smartphone, battle sharks, while riding a shark. With a chainsaw. Or beat them with bats, golf clubs, anything you grab as you surf through the flooded, besieged city.

The Brostache

No matter whether you’ve gone crazy with the trimmers, haven’t reached puberty yet, or just lack the chromosomes required to grow a good flavor saver, “The Brostache” offers hope. Hold your phone over your mouth and talk and the Brostache mimics your words, showing you how your mouth would look if it was sporting a glorious ’stache.

iSteam

You can’t take your phone in the shower, but this app is like having foggy shower glass on the inside of your phone that you can write on. Take any photo, steam up the screen, and write your message on it. Or, write an invisible message for someone on a steam-less screen, then ask someone to breathe on the phone. The message will magically appear.

Is It Dark Outside?

If you’re a gamer, or just a vampire, looking out the window can be hard, risky work. Now you can better avoid sunlight and the possibility of making eye-contact with other human beings using the “Is it dark outside?” app. Like a Siri for the living dead, all you have to do is ask the app if it’s dark outside and, using sunrise and sunset data from your area, the app will let you know if it’s safe to venture into the gloam.

Game for Cats

Is your favorite feline resentful about her lack of screentime? Of course. This game solves that, allowing your cat to chase a butterfly, laser, or mouse across the touch screen with its paw. It’s a great app for people who are too lazy to actually play with their cat, or for someone who doesn’t have a cat but loves chasing lasers.

Entertaining, Money Making Apps That You Won’t Believe Exist

Mobee

Ever wanted to be a mystery shopper? Who hasn’t? Well, Mobee makes that dream a reality! Sign into the app and it gives you secret missions at stores and restaurants in your area. Each mission usually last between 10 and 15 minutes, and they almost all require you to do something like take a picture of a display in a store or rate your shopping experience. Then, you get points for the missions you complete, which you can swap for Amazon cards.

Shopkick

This is one those apps that you won’t believe exist because, amazingly, it turns the drudgery of shopping into a game, like a scavenger hunt. And, it saves you money at the same time! The way that Shopkick works is that it gives you points—which you later redeem for gift cards to your favorite stores—just for the things you do during a normal shopping trip. Walk into certain store, and you get points. Scan barcodes of certain items, get more points. Take pictures of your receipt after you buy the week’s groceries (or toiletries, or even those super cute boots you’ve been longing for) and get even more points!

Viggle

What’s so crazy about this app is that it pays you to watch TV! Basically, you download the app and then turn it on, or check-in, while you’re watching TV or streaming your favorite shows. The longer you watch, the more points you rack up, which (like my favorite shopping app, Shopkick) you can then trade in for gift cards, meaning you can now get paid for binge watching The Bachelor.

So, whether you’re looking for pure entertainment or a way to boost your budget, those are a few of my favorite unbelievable apps. Now it’s time to pull up my brostache and go out secret shopping . . . I’m sure no one will recognize me.

Looking for the coolest shopping apps for iPhone and Android? Download Shopkick for free and join a community of Shopkickers who’ve 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 scharfsinn86

How to earn money by downloading apps—for free

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I was recently in the market for a new piece of art, so I set out to find a bit of extra money in my budget. I love to buy new art, pick it out, and then take my time (usually with a glass of red wine) finding the perfect place to put it. But, of course, I love it all the more when I can buy art with money that I’ve managed to get for free.

earn money downloading appsSo, I went into savings mode, which in this case consisted of me mentioning to my girls at spin class that I’m trying to find the money in my budget to get some new art. One of my friends, Lety, told me she had just the idea: I could earn money by downloading apps—for free. I was enthralled. I mean, for a long time I’ve been using shopping rewards apps that let me get paid to shop, but the idea that there are other apps out there I could also download to save money? Well, it seemed to me like this was one way to get my painting in no time!

Lety and I started swapping ideas, and by the end of our little brainstorming session we’d come up with quite the list! Here are just a few of the best ways we landed on to earn money by downloading apps for free.   

Earn Money by Downloading Apps for Surveys

Lety started things off by asking me how I felt about taking surveys. I told her I wasn’t opposed to them, even though I really hadn’t taken very many. She nodded and told me that she had found a way to earn money by downloading apps that simply pays users to take surveys. Lety had started using an app called iPoll, and I too was immediately on board. I was thrilled at how simple iPoll was! With iPoll, you download the app—which is, of course, free—and then you fill out some brief information about yourself so it can match you to surveys that are relevant to you. Each survey takes 15 to 20 minutes, and you can take as many or as few as you’d like. Most surveys pay a few dollars, and once you get $35 in your account, you can cash out! It’s super easy.

Earn Money by Downloading Apps and Swiping on Ads

The next app that Lety told me about is ideal for people like me who sometimes have weeks where they are beyond busy. In fact, to use this app, you don’t have to do much at all. It’s called SlideJoy and it actually pays you just for putting ads on your Android device.

When you use Slidejoy, every time you check your Android phone, you’ll see a card that has a news story on it or an advertisement. From there, you either slide right to ignore the ad and return to using your phone as normal; slide up to see another card; or slide left to learn a bit more, although you don’t get any extra money for clicking on an ad. In other words, you could slide right every single time and still get paid the same as if you slid left or up. In my early experience, using this app has paid between $5 and $15 each month. It’s not that much, but combined with the other apps on our list, it can really add up!

Earn Money by Downloading Apps – Shopkick

After Lety so generously shared her recommendations with me, it was time for me to return the favor. So, I told her about my personal favorite way to earn money by downloading apps: Shopkick! I absolutely love Shopkick, for a few different reasons. How Shopkick works is that it gives you points for all things you do when you’re out shopping already—things like just walking into stores, scanning the barcodes of certain items to learn more about them, and, of course, making purchases. When you’ve accumulated your points, you can trade them in for gift cards to all your favorite stores and start to save serious money!

At this point, Lety had a great question: what about shopping online? Well, with Shopkick you can earn points shopping online, too! You get the points for visiting online stores, watching videos about products, or making purchases.

With Shopkick you can earn points shopping online, too! You get the points for visiting online stores, watching videos about products, or making purchases.

Anyway, between the two of us, we came up with this nice little list, and we both set off to reap our savings. While I’m getting much closer to being able to splurge on some new art for my home, to be totally honest I think I’ll keep using all three of these apps long after I’ve found and framed and hung up my new painting.

Why wouldn’t I? I mean, I’ve already been using Shopkick for a pretty long time now, and the savings just keep piling up! I don’t think I’ll ever go back to the way shopping was before. This way is just too much fun.

Learn more about the best ways to earn money by downloading a free app today. Download Shopkick’s free app and get ready to be wowed. Welcome to the fun!

If you’re as social media savvy as you are shopping savvy, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for daily shopping fun and inspiration.

Image courtesy Kasia Bialasiewicz.

The rewards program best practices that inspire customer engagement

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The rewards program best practices that inspire customer engagement

There is no shortage of rewards programs available to customers in 2018; nearly every major retailer and brand has a rewards program in one form or another. However, the effectiveness of individual rewards programs varies when it comes to generating customer engagement.

While the vast majority of consumers, up to 75%, are more willing to shop with a brand that has a loyalty program, most of those consumers actively participate in very few of them on a consistent basis. While rewards may help incentivize a one-time buy, regular and recurring spending attributable to a rewards program is significantly harder to achieve. The brands that succeed at this marketing strategy are the ones that develop and follow a set of engaging rewards program best practices.

Best practices in a rewards program should attract consumers who will engage with your company or your brand; reward programs should not be used as one-time purchase drivers. Engaged and loyal consumers spend more money and spend more frequently. It’s no surprise, then, that about one-third of marketers use these programs specifically to drive engagement. If driving engagement is your primary goal, these five rewards program best practices must be included in your strategy as well.

Rewards Program Best Practice #1: Rewards Must Be Mobile

Consumers do not want to carry around a physical card in order to participate in a rewards programs. More than 70% of consumers are more likely to take part in a loyalty program if it’s on their phone. Choosing to implement a mobile-based rewards program, then, is one of the best practices suggested in order to gain an engaged customer base. Mobile rewards programs:

Appeal to younger generations:

About one-third of millennials report that they don’t like rewards programs because of the cards they must carry with them. Using a mobile option eliminates this complaint.

Stay on top of market trends:

Most companies are doing away with card programs, instead choosing to use smartphone-based approaches. It’s anticipated that three billion loyalty cards will be mobile only by 2020.

Encourage frequent use:

The top two reasons why a consumer won’t use a loyalty program they’re a member of is (1) they don’t have their card on them at time of purchase or (2) they don’t remember they’re a member of the program. Both issues can be resolved via a mobile program thanks to the convenience and visibility of apps.

Consumers want mobile programs. They encourage use, appeal to prime segments of shoppers, and keep retailers and brands on trend in the digital age. This best practice for rewards programs is truly a must, not a suggestion, in order to build an engaged user base for your program.

Rewards Program Best Practice #2: Make it Free, Ditch the Fee

A free vs. fee-based rewards program is often a major consideration for companies launching a new customer rewards program. While free might drive high adoption rates, fee-based programs may be more likely to attract consumers who are truly dedicated to the brand or retailer. Additionally, a fee-based program can act as a revenue stream. Despite those on-paper benefits to the retailer or brand, however, free is best if your goal is customer engagement. We can explore why via this brief study of the most popular app-based rewards program in the US, My Starbucks Rewards.

Starbucks initially launched their rewards program in 2001 in the form of Starbucks Gold. For $25 a year, customers received 10% off each coffee order. This program never really caught on, however, and the company eventually decided to shutter it. In 2012, they launched a new free, phone-based program called My Starbucks Rewards.  In the first year alone, the number of rewards members doubled compared to the previous program. That momentum has continued and the program is now one of the most downloaded brand-based apps in the world.

The company would not have seen this kind of wide-spread engagement had they continued with their fee-based version of the program. They were able to revive a failing rewards program model by:

Going mobile:

Starbucks went from a card-based program to a mobile-based rewards system, which was a significant motivator for adoption.

Eliminating the cost:

While $25 might not seem like a lot of money for a yearly membership, for consumers who did the math it wasn’t much of a benefit. With a 10% discount, the customer would have had to order more than 50 coffees to break even.

Adding exclusive deals and discounts:

Instead of making consumers pay for Gold status, they can now earn it. After a consumer amasses a certain number of rewards points, they’re automatically upgraded to Gold status, giving them access to exclusive discounts and additional points.

Rewards programs don’t often work as an engagement driver for new customers if they’re fee-based; that’s something that only already loyal customers are willing to pay for as they may shop or buy more frequently. As a best practice, the only thing your customer should have to invest in the rewards program is time.

Rewards Program Best Practice #3: Offer Opportunities to Earn Without Spending

Most rewards programs are dependent on the consumer making a purchase in order to see any benefits.  However, if your goal for the program is engagement, you should offer opportunities to earn points that aren’t purchase driven. Here are a few ways to do this:

Check-ins:

This can be a great option for retailers and QSRs alike. Allow your customers to earn rewards points just for entering your location. This is a benefit that doesn’t cost them anything but encourages them to visit your establishment. This increases interaction with your company while also increasing the likelihood that the customer will make a purchase.

Item scanning:

Another good tool, which can be used by CPG brands as well, is to offer rewards points for scanning product barcodes. This encourages the customer to seek out your products in store, like a digital scavenger hunt, familiarizing them with your products and their benefits.

Leverage referrals:

A time-tested method for increasing engagement is incentivizing your current customers to give you referrals. Offer customers the opportunity to gain rewards points for sharing your program with friends. This increases engagement with, as well as adoption of, your program.

Offering consumers a way to gain rewards without having to make a purchase encourages them to interact with your rewards program and, by extension, your company. It helps them find your locations and products, which can often naturally lead to sales. While the overall goal of any company should and must be sales, a best practice for a successful rewards program should be to start with activities that engagement, first and foremost.

Rewards Program Best Practice #4: Differentiate Discounts from Points

When designing your rewards program, avoid creating a transactional relationship with consumers. A transactional relationship is one where the customer is focused solely on an immediate, typically monetary-based, benefit driven by discounts; engaging them will be nearly impossible unless you consistently offer a lower price than your competitors.

It is important to recognize that discounts and deals are powerful motivators in gaining the attention of consumers; however, consider sectioning off discounts and special offers into their own unique space within the rewards program app.

Nike is a company that uses this strategy very well. The brand offers a rewards points program that includes a specific section for listing current deals and events. By dividing their app into two sections, rewards and discounts, they’re able to cater to multiple groups of consumers without having to create several campaigns on separate platforms.

Rewards Program Best Practice #5: Host Exclusive Benefit Events

One way to get a surge in adoption to your rewards program is to host an exclusive benefit event that encourages individuals to sign up for and engage with your program. Some options include offering higher point values or more opportunities to earn for a brief period of time. This leverages the idea of scarcity as once the extra benefit period is closed, it will be a lost opportunity.

Amazon capitalized on this exceptionally well with its Prime Day event, which it started three years ago. For one day a year, members of Amazon Prime were given access to exclusive offers and rewards. The company reported that they saw a 60% surge in sales during the most recent Prime Day event, which surpassed their sales from Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the previous year. The company also reported that more individuals joined Amazon Prime that day than on any other day in the history of the program. The company was able to achieve this level of engagement because they:

Capitalized on exclusivity:

Only members of Amazon Prime can participate in Prime Day, which drove many individuals to sign up for the service simply for the sake of participating in a single event.

Leveraged scarcity:

Prime Day is exactly what it says it is: one day.  As the window to take part is so limited, customers are more likely to participate as they know it is a now-or-never scenario.

Timed it right:

One reason why Prime Day is so successful is that it occurs in mid-July when few other sales events are occurring. As they created a niche for the event, Amazon doesn’t have to compete with other major retailers as they do on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, for example.

While Amazon’s Prime Day is a fee-based service, it’s still worth reviewing their methods to see how a rewards program-based event can increase sales and membership numbers. Events are a great way to engage consumers with your brand while also improving overall sales, making them a best practice when implementing a rewards program.

Follow Best Practices for Rewards Programs by Partnering with Third-Party Shopping Apps

Shopping apps improve customer engagement as they combine all the best practices while also exposing your brand or company to a new target audience. As these apps are designed to be used while a consumer is in the seemingly endless shopping aisle, you can gain greater engagement by communicating with the consumer as they’re shopping.

Partnering with a third-party app gives you the ability to leverage a mobile platform, focus on rewards over discounts, and offer multiple ways to earn and engage. They also allow you to bypass the process of adoption as they come with a built-in user base; you don’t have to spend your marketing budget developing your own proprietary app. If you’re looking for a way to easily implement the rewards program best practices outlined above, a third-party shopping app may be the best—and simplest—solution for both your company and your customers.

Shopkick offers our partners the opportunity to be featured on an engaging shopping rewards app that connects with consumers while they’re on the go. To learn more about how to partner with Shopkick, contact our team today.  

Enjoy life to the fullest and earn kicks

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The New Year is here, and so is the new you. You’ve committed to get fit, save more money, and clear out the clutter. With all that hard work, it’s time for a thoroughly enjoyable resolution: enjoy life to the fullest!

live life to the fullest with shopkick

Shopkicker Katie F. from Ogden, Utah uses Shopkick to help her spend more time with family and friends. Shopkicking friends, family members, and even couples plan Shopkicking dates to get kicks together.

Whether you want to see the world, spend more time with family and friends, or try your hand at a new hobby, we’ve got you covered.

Get off the beaten path

Check out our tips and top finds to help you achieve your travel, quality time, and hobby goals. Plus, get kicks while you’re at it!

1. Work on your travel bucket list

enjoy life travel

Traveling to new places isn’t just exciting (or relaxing, depending on your destination). Studies show that visiting a new locale not only gives you wonderful memories to last a lifetime, but can lengthen your perception of time, making your trip feel even longer. That same trip can help you think more creatively once you return home.

Make 2018 unforgettable and earn kicks when you cross each destination off your bucket list. Check out our guide to the top 10 travel destinations this year.

2. Find quality time on a dime

enjoy life at concerts shows games

Set aside time to have fun this year with the people who matter the most. Get tickets to your favorite band, see a show, or go to the game together to maximize quality time with loved ones.

Need some inspiration? Take a look at these suggestions from Seatgeek. As a bonus, you’ll earn kicks for every dollar you spend.

3. Train your brain

enjoy life with new hobbies

Have you always wanted to improve your culinary skills, hone your creativity, or pick up an instrument? Dive into new experiences by trying a new hobby or activity. Staying sharp in the New Year is even more rewarding with these 10 finds from Walmart.com that will earn you major kicks.

Stay the course

According to a Shopkick poll, 64% of respondents abandon their goals by spring. But never fear! You’re more likely to keep your resolutions if you have accountability partners. Share your resolutions with friends and fellow Shopkickers for additional encouragement. We’re all in this together!

Get started

Open the app to start earning gift cards and see how Shopkick can help you achieve your New Year’s resolutions to enjoy life to the fullest. Don’t have the app? Download it here to join the fun!

 

How to quickly earn rewards for shopping online

Posted on by shopkick

I love my kids, and it shows, which is why people are always asking how I find time to do things for myself. I tell them the key is speed! When you have three boys, like I do, you have to be fast to get them ready for school, to their soccer practices, and to their friends’ houses and back. It’s always run, run, run. I feed off my kids’ energy for speed cleaning, powering through workout videos, and shopping for groceries. Lately I’ve been applying my need for speed to other stuff, too—like getting rewarded for shopping online.

earn rewards for shopping online quickly

I’ve talked about this a lot recently, but I’m a huge devotee of free mobile shopping apps to make money for what you buy anyway. If you’re not familiar, how it works is easy: you do your normal shopping stuff—go to the store, scan barcodes of certain products to get more info, check out—and these apps give you points which you can then trade in for gift cards. There’s a huge list of free apps that give you gift cards to choose from, and the best apps can be used online, too.

It’s probably because of my go, go, go boys, but I’ve found that my favorite apps that give rewards for shopping online are the ones that give you rewards fast! (Maybe you didn’t know there were even different speeds to collect your rewards, but trust me there are.) That’s why I’m here today to help you learn more about how to quickly earn rewards for shopping online. So, let’s hurry up and get to it!

Time Frames for Rewards for Shopping Online

One holiday season, I took a hard look at my budget and decided we could use some extra breathing room. So, I got a part-time job in the mobile devices department at Best Buy. This was great because the extra money and the excellent employee discount meant that I got good deals on everything on my holiday shopping list. It was one of those win-win situations!

On the phones and tablets we sold, we basically had two types of rebates that helped customers save money. One let us take an instant discount at the register; the other—and this was a while back now—required customers to send in proof of purchase, then wait for a rebate check. Well, guess which one was more popular? That’s right, the one that got customers their money fast. No shocker.

My personal opinion is that’s how rewards for shopping online should work—the faster you can collect points, the better.

Here’s a list of the things I firmly believe should happen fast with the ideal app:

  • Learning to use it: You shouldn’t have to crack a code or be a tech genius to learn how to use the ideal shopping rewards app. It should be simple, intuitive, and a ton of fun!
  • Collecting points: The ideal app should start giving you points quickly during any trip to the store. The best apps give you points just for walking inside!
  • Payouts: Almost every one of these apps has a minimum award amount you have to accrue before you can cash out, ranging from $2 on the low end to $20 on the super high end. That’s an extreme example, and most of them are in the $5 to $10 range, but I personally prefer one that gives me the option to cash out ASAP because then I can do it quickly and on my schedule!

The Best App to Quickly Earn Rewards for Shopping Online

Which shopping app is the best, and quickest, in my humble opinion? For me, that would be Shopkick. Shopkick pays out in gift cards to all my favorite stores, including Amazon, Target, and Starbucks, and its minimum to cash out is only $2. That means I can get (another) Starbucks gift card to spend on my all-time guilty pleasure—the flat white—super fast, just the way I like it!

But Shopkick has tons of other things to love as well. It’s great because you can get points for shopping online and you can get cash back quickly on in-person receipts. They are always adding new products and stores, and it has one of the most active and fun social media presences anywhere. I’m always laughing at the fun jokes they put on there and sharing tips with other kickers (as we call ourselves) about ways to get rewards for shopping online even faster! It’s just so fun.

Speed is important, but so is making sure you’re up-to-date on the most effective apps for shopping online and off.

I’m glad I had a chance to slow down just a tiny bit today so that I could share all of this with you. Speed is important, but so is making sure you’re up-to-date on the most effective apps for shopping online and off. You really have to make sure you get an app that you love to use and that will give you your benefits quickly.

I don’t mean to end this briefly, but I think I hear one of the boys. I’m sure there’s a soccer game or a cub scout outing or a crisis in the backyard that needs my attention. And, if it hasn’t happened yet, it’s about to happen—fast.

Learn how you can earn big rewards and get them fast for shopping online. Download Shopkick’s free app and get ready to be wowed. Welcome to the fun, Shopkicker!

If you’re as social media savvy as you are shopping savvy, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for daily fun and inspiration.

Image courtesy Rawpixel.com.

The most popular free mobile shopping apps for earning rewards fast

Posted on by shopkick

I love love, love spin class. My preference is generally to go about three times a week but, trust me, I would go waaay more if I could find the time. In fact, I’d be there basically every day if it was practical!

This explains why I recently had a crisis when my favorite spin studio moved to the other side of town after someone bought the old building it was in and decided to turn it into condos. I didn’t want to change studios! I had my favorite instructors, my favorite ladies to ride with, my favorite times to go… I even had a favorite bike! Following my spin-sters to the new location would have added so much drive time that I probably would have started missing sessions. So, I did what we all do when it comes time to find a new anything—I took to Yelp and Google Reviews to find nearby spin classes, then chose the most popular one.

woman uses mobile shopping app in storeThe good news is, I’m really, truly happy at my new spot! The schedule is just as good as my old fave (maybe even better), the music is great and the sound system is fantastic, the instructors are intense but not too intense, and I’m even getting used to a new bike. The reviews also told me that this place is home to some of the friendliest riders around, and, guess what? They were right!

Of course, I miss my crew from my last spin studio, but I’m already making some great new friends here. I’m overall grateful I switched, and I’m super glad I could go online and easily find a place that other people in my community seemed to really like.

This is just one example from my own life of how I’ve recently discovered that popularity can be a good thing. There’s another one that I want to talk about today: retail shopping apps.

Retail shopping apps are incentive programs you use from your phone to get paid for the shopping you do already. I know, amazing right? Specifically, I want to get into which are the most popular free mobile shopping apps for earning rewards fast—maybe even as fast as I ride at my spin class! With that in mind, let’s take a look at what makes an app popular and why, starting with the features of my personal favorites.

Common Features of the Most Popular Mobile Shopping Apps

I admit that when Yelp, Google, and Amazon reviews first became a thing I was a little skeptical. I’ve always liked things that are just a bit outside of the mainstream and off the beaten path. What I quickly learned, though, is that even things outside the mainstream can score high in online reviews. To find them, you just had to know what qualities to search for. With restaurants, for instance, this meant looking out for adjectives like cozy, eclectic, charming, or little mom-and-pop.

In much the same way, I think it’s also important to look for basic features that are inherent to all of the best mobile shopping apps. Here are some common features that these apps simply must have:

  • Compatible with both Android and iPhone: This one is a no-brainer. If an app is being ranked as among the most popular, it generally has to be available to users of both iPhones and Androids. It would be pretty hard to make any popularity list without being available to the largest number of users.
  • Pays you to grocery shop: It’s no secret that my second favorite hobby (behind spin class, of course) is clothes shopping. But even someone who hits up Nordstrom Rack on a weekly basis like me still does more grocery shopping than anything else. We all have to eat after all, which makes getting paid to grocery shop a vital quality that all the most popular apps share.
  • Works with multiple big retailers, both online and off: Any mobile shopping app worth having has to work with the stores that I frequent the most, like Walmart and Target. But, since it’s 2018, it’s also vital that, in addition to giving you points for shopping at brick-and-mortar stores, mobile shopping apps let you earn gift cards for shopping online.

Most Popular Mobile Shopping Apps Statistics

My personal favorite among the most popular mobile shopping apps is called Shopkick, and it has all the common features we mentioned above and then some. Don’t take just my word for it, though. Poking around online recently, I discovered statistics that show that in 2017, Shopkick was one of the most popular mobile shopping apps. When it came to apps you can use to get points at multiple stores, my personal favorite, Shopkick, is the most popular!

It’s easy to see why. If you’re not familiar, how Shopkick works is that it gives you points for shopping online or in-person for the things you already do during your normal shopping trips. If you’re in-person, this means you get points just for walking into a store, and for scanning the barcodes of certain items to get more info, and for taking pictures of your receipt after you’ve made your purchase. It’s a similar system for shopping online, except now you get points for visiting online stores, viewing products, watching informational videos, and for using your mobile phone to buy products. Easy! 

You get points just for walking into a store … and for taking pictures of
your receipt after you’ve made your purchase.

Change can be hard, but knowing what to look for and having crowdsourced info about the most popular options can make trying new and different things easier. Just look at me with all my new spin class ladies. You know how I know that these new ladies are becoming my friends? I’ve already got them using Shopkick! After spin class, we usually start by talking about how tough the day’s session was, then before you know it we’re into what our favorite recent specials on Shopkick have been. It’s a great way to bond!

Start using the most popular free mobile shopping app for earning rewards fast. Download Shopkick’s free app today and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered the rewards of shopping with a free sidekick.

And, if you love social media as much as you love your smartphone, join Shopkick on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for a little daily shopping inspiration.

Image courtesy stokkete.

Get organized and earn kicks with Shopkick

Posted on by shopkick

The New Year is a perfect time to reflect on last year and set goals in areas where you’d like to improve. One of the most popular New Year’s resolution among Shopkickers is to get organized, just after getting fit and saving money.

Crush your resolution to get organized

According to a Shopkick poll, only 34% of us stick to our resolutions all year. Most people, 64% of respondents, abandon their goals by Spring. So how do you get your resolution to go from hope to achievement? Plan out your path to success. Try changing one thing or behavior at a time rather than making several changes all at once — you’ll be more likely to succeed.

If you want to get organized to start 2018 on the right foot, make a list of all the areas in your home (and your life!) that need to be decluttered. Then you can tackle one piece at a time.

Stay on track

You don’t need to go it alone. Share your resolutions with friends or fellow Shopkickers for extra encouragement and accountability. We’re all in this together!

Shopkickers like Ermalinda H. from Salt Lake City rely on Shopkick to keep them on track for their organizational and saving goals in 2018.

shopkicker uses shopkick to get organized

Check out our top finds to help you achieve your organizational goals and get kicks while you’re at it!

1. Get a closet makeover

get organized by updating closet storage

Is your closet full of old clothes or styles that just don’t fit you anymore? Get ahead of the spring cleaning craze and donate your old items to make way for 

the new! Make sure you’re set up for success by using space-saving hangers, installing shelving, or using foldable bins.

The dream: a clean closet that fits your whole shoe collection. The solution: earning kicks with these affordable organizers! Shop our guide to get inspiration and kicks for your closeting needs.

2. Perfect your pantry

get organized by cleaning the kitchenYou know what they say: “A place for everything, and everything in its place.” Up your kitchen storage game and find a place for all your cookware and gadgets. Group similar items for easy access. Donate things you never use. Condense anything you may have multiples of, like spices or baking supplies.

Need some resources? Transform your kitchen from messy to immaculate with these smart finds from Walmart.com. As a bonus, you’ll earn kicks for every dollar you spend!

3. Declutter your life — go digital!

get organized around the house and keep it clean

Tidying up is a snap when you’re digital! Upgrade to digital copies of your favorite movies, shows, books, albums, and more. Check out our guide to going digital with Amazon. Take the plunge, save space, and get kicks as you go!

 

Get started

Open the app to start earning gift cards and see how Shopkick can help you achieve your New Year’s resolutions. Don’t have the app? Download it here to join the fun!

How to choose a shopping app that gives you credit at your favorite stores

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I have a theory that, years ago, it was easier to pick favorites. At a recent dinner party, we were playing a game where we went around the table naming our favorite songs, favorite movies, favorite books, etc. It was a great way to spark conversation and get to know each other, but everyone had trouble limiting themselves to one favorite anything. Maybe it’s hard because nowadays we have so much access to information. We use music streaming services with thousands of songs, movie streaming apps with thousands of movies, and audiobook services with millions of titles.

woman uses shopping apps that give creditsI think this was easier before all of these amazing apps! In high school, even shopping came with fewer choices. Back then, I’d go to the local mall every Friday and visit a regular set of stores. We only learned about the sales when we arrived. Now, with the advent of mobile devices, I base my retail routine around shopping apps that give you credits for buying certain products and for going to certain stores. My rotation of stores for electronics, clothes, jewelry, and even grocery has become much broader.

This is a great thing! Variety is the spice of life—and also the best friend of any serious shopper. A teeny tiny problem has arisen, though: There are so many shopping apps that give you credits to choose from! Don’t worry though, today I want to talk about how to choose a shopping app that gives you credit at your favorite stores—one you will be certain to use over and over and over.

5 Qualities That All Shopping Apps That Give You Credits MUST Have

At that dinner party with the fun favorites game, the hardest question for me to answer was the one about my favorite song. I love listening to music and making playlists. In fact, I have a playlist for just about everything I do on a regular basis: driving, writing emails, spin class, unwinding at night on the sofa with a book and a glass of wine.

Luckily, when it comes to picking a favorite among all the shopping apps that give you credits, you can look for a standard set of qualities. Here are the ones I prioritize:

  1. It’s free: This seems like a super simple concept, but it’s worth remembering: To save money, you shouldn’t have to pay any money up front. That’s counterintuitive. The best shopping apps are free.
  2. It gives you credits at many stores: That dinner party helped me realize that variety is something we all treasure these days, and the best shopping apps are no different. With so many stores and shopping options out there, you want an app that gives you points for shopping at a wide variety of stores, whether that means rewarding you for the clothes you buy or paying you to shop for groceries.
  3. It lets you earn points for various shopping activities: There are some apps that only give you points for purchases, but others let you earn points for all the things you do during a typical shopping trip. The best offer points for purchases and also let you get paid for scanning barcodes to learn about products, and even for just walking into a store!
  4. It pays out in gift cards: There are many different ways that these apps can pay you for shopping. Some send a paper check in the mail (um, 2001 called, it wants its payment system back) and some go straight to your PayPal account. Personally, I like an app that pays out in gift cards to all my favorite stores, because it’s just so much more fun that way, which brings me to my next point…
  5. It’s f-u-n. Fun, please and thank you: The way to really up your savings with these apps is to use them on a regular and consistent basis.The best way to do that is to make sure the one you use is a ton of fun! My favorite shopping apps not only get me cash back on my shopping but also turn every trip to the store into a fun little scavenger hunt for points. This makes it so easy to remember to use them while I’m out and about.

The Best of the Shopping Apps That Give You Credits

Now that we have a wide variety (sensing a theme here?) in the qualities we’re looking for, it’s time to pick the app that does the best job bringing them all together! For me, that app is Shopkick. I just love the way that Shopkick does all the things we mentioned above, like letting me earn credits for shopping for everything from juice to jeans. Best of all, how it works is super simple and easy. You get points for all the things you do when you’re out shopping, like buying products, scanning barcodes, and even just walking into the store!

Another thing I love about Shopkick is that it plays well with others. In other words, if you have trouble picking just one of the shopping apps that give you credits and instead want to use multiple rebate apps to maximize rewards, Shopkick is a great choice! Plus, their social media network is a great place to talk about the app, or about anything else really. Fair warning, you’ll want to spend lots of time on there. I know I have!

I think 2018 is going to be the hardest year yet to pick favorites, but with shopping apps there’s really only one choice for me: Shopkick. Obviously, I highly recommend you give it a try. Of course, as we’ve figured out today, variety is the spice of life. Your favorite doesn’t have to be my favorite, but I’d be happy if it was! That’s because the fun factor really increases when there are other kickers out there to discuss it with.

Ready to get to know your own favorite of the shopping apps that give you credits? Download Shopkick for free and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered the rewards of shopping with us.

And, if you love social media as much as you love your local Target, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for daily shopping inspiration.

Image courtesy astremska.

The top retail apps of 2018 to earn shopping rewards

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The top retail apps of 2018 to earn shopping rewards

It’s hard to imagine now, but when I started high school I didn’t have my own phone. Not to give away my age (ahem), but nobody did. About midway through sophomore year, though, my classmates started showing up with cell phones, like the blue Nokia phones with the super addictive snake game and the Motorola Razr flip phone. I didn’t want to be left out, so I had to have one. Miraculously, after much begging, my parents agreed.

Fast-forward to 2018 and my phone is now a necessity in my life—I even use it to shop! I need to have my phone with me anytime I go shopping these days because I’ve discovered something amazing: retail shopping rewards apps.

My favorite retail apps make my shopping experience easier, help me rake in the savings, and make shopping even more fun! If you want your phone to make you money in 2018, here is my list of the top retail apps that will help you earn big shopping rewards.

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The Top Retail Apps of 2018 That Reward Loyalty

The best way to save money with your phone these days is to combine multiple rebate apps together to maximize your rewards. I like to think of the top retail apps of 2018 as the parts of a house: when you put them all together, they make your life fun and comfortable. Think of this list of store loyalty apps as the foundation, the walls, and the roof. They give your shopping app usage some structure:

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Walmart:

Walmart’s focus is already “everyday low prices,” so this app is less about helping you accrue major savings than it is about simplifying the shopping process at Walmart stores. It has a pretty wide range of features, including Walmart Pay—which lets you pay via your phone so you don’t even have to reach for your wallet—and online ordering with in-store pickup at your local Walmart (sometimes you even get a special in-app discount).

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Target:

Target’s app is a bit similar to Walmart’s; it has many features that simplify your shopping trips to Target, like notifications about deals, a copy of the store’s weekly flyer, and even maps of where to find your favorite products. Target also recently integrated its old Cartwheel savings app into its main store one, which makes it really easy to earn rewards for shopping at Target (especially if you’re also using one of the multi-store shopping apps below).

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Walgreens:

If you’ve been shopping at Walgreens for your prescription and drugstore needs as long as I have, you’re probably familiar with the Walgreens Balance Rewards program. With this app-based program, you can accumulate points whenever you make purchases at Walgreens, and then later trade them in for savings at the store. You also get to participate in the Walgreens Register Rewards program, which prints out coupons for you when you make your purchases, all of which is designed to reward you for your loyalty to Walgreens.

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The Top Retail Apps of 2018 for Online Shopping

I love groceries; you literally have to have them. But you know what I love much more? The finer things in life, like stylish clothes and modern electronics—and I suspect you may feel the same way that I do.

Did you know that there are in-store mobile apps that you can use while perusing racks and shelves filled with all the finer things in life? No? Well, allow me to blow your mind and tell you about two of my all-time favorites!

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Nordstrom:

What makes the Nordstrom in-store app among my all time favorites is the way it does all of the shopping app basics so well. Can you browse products by department or brand? Oh yeah, super easily. Are all the functions listed in an easy-to-use bar at the bottom of the app at all times? You bet they are. Is there also a fun style section that features the company’s editorial and social media content? Sure is. Okay, so maybe that last one isn’t as basic as the others, but it’s still worth including. This is a well-designed app, artsy and eye-catching, exactly the kind of sidekick I need when out looking for a dress for my cousin’s wedding or shoes for New Year’s with my man.

How you save: This app provides notifications on big sales so you don’t miss out. You can also download a version for the company’s savings brand Nordstrom Rack, which makes it easy to find locations for that store.

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Etsy:

Etsy is my go-to app anytime I’m interested in checking out some high-quality handmade or vintage goods. There really is no telling what you’ll find on there, but this app does its best to ensure you don’t miss out on anything great. With it, you can browse all the items that artisans and crafters post for sale. The two features I find especially nice are the curated collections based on fun themes, and the personalized recommendations based on your past purchases.

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Best Buy:

One of the best ways to keep up with all the latest tech trends is via the Best Buy app, which lets you quickly and easily shop for thousands of electronics and accessories. Like the Walmart and Target apps above, you can order online through your device for pickup at your local store. It’s also one of those super cool apps that lets you scan barcodes through your phone’s camera to get more info on products when you’re in the store.

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The Top Retail Apps of 2018 That Work at Multiple Stores

The last category of top retail apps in 2018 is kind of like the many small parts of your house that you can’t live without—think furniture, indoor plumbing, electricity, and all of your carefully-selected and precisely-placed decorations. These are the retail shopping rewards apps that you can use at many featured stores, not just one. The best of this bunch can be used online and in-store and easily combined with any of the other apps on our list to really put the pièce de résistance on your house of savings!

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Shopkick:

If I had to pick my favorite retail app of 2018, it would have to be Shopkick. It’s been my winner for years now. Not only does it help me really up my savings game and watch my budget, but it also makes my shopping experience a lot more fun. How Shopkick works is that it gives you points, called kicks, for the things you already do while you’re out shopping: walking into stores, scanning barcodes to get more info on products, and, of course, making purchases. I’ve even got my friends and family using it—and they have a really engaging Facebook page where I can connect with other mamas and shoppers! In other words, going back to my house analogy, Shopkick would be like the entertainment room where we all get together, hang out, and enjoy ourselves. I highly recommend it.

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Checkout 51:

Checkout 51 is a bit limited compared to an uber versatile app like Shopkick because it focuses primarily on helping you get paid for your grocery shopping. Still, it’s a great one to have. The cashback offers for groceries available through Checkout51 change every week on Thursday mornings, so waking up to see what deals are available can easily become part of your end-of-week shopping routine. Then, when you go grocery shopping, if you purchase any eligible items, just snap a quick picture of the receipt to accumulate money back. Once you reach $20 in savings, Checkout 51 will mail you a check. It’s usually easy to reach $20. One recent week, for example, I got $1 back on a box of cereal, another $2 back on air freshener plugins, and then $3 back on a disinfectant spray, putting me a quarter of the way to that $20 goal with just three items. As mentioned above, though, deals do change weekly.

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SavingStar

SavingStar is a digital coupon app that pays users to shop at grocery and drugstores—anywhere you get all the vital things you put in your fridge and medicine cabinets. More than 60,000 stores are part of SavingStar, and they represent more than 100 retail chains. It’s generally free to use, but beware: If an account is inactive for 180 straight 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 until they can eventually cash out through PayPal, Upromise, or in the form of Starbucks, iTunes, or AMC Theater gift codes, so it’s pretty versatile in how it rewards you.

So there you have it, my favorite retail apps that I’ll be using on my smartphone to save money in 2018. That old Nokia snake game may be hiiiissss-tory, but I’ve replaced it with something even more fun: rewards apps that pay me to shop!

Download Shopkick, one of the top retail apps in 2018, for free. Join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered the rewards of shopping with a smartphone app sidekick that pays you to shop.

And, if you love social media as much as you loved your first flip phone, join Shopkick on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for a daily shopping inspiration and fun.

The best pharmacy rewards program apps for your smartphone

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Having three boys who are all pretty close in age can be a lot of fun. They’re always inventing games to play with each other, having loud and crazy video game sessions downstairs, and just making me laugh until my sides literally hurt.

the best rewards programs for pharmaciesI, of course, love that my boys get along so well, but sometimes wish they weren’t that close to each other, like when it’s cold season and, like clockwork, they all seem to get sick at the same. exact. time. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear they plan it! One starts with the sneezing, sniffles, and runny nose and, before I know it, there’s a chain reaction of sick boys curled up in blankets surrounded by Kleenex.

Doctors visits, prescriptions, and jug after jug after jug of Gatorade don’t fit into my regular monthly budget; I never really plan to spend as much as I do each winter at the pharmacy. Luckily, I’ve become quite the expert at which are the best pharmacy rewards program apps—and why!

These pharmacy programs can really help you find products you need on sale and earn rewards points you can trade in later for cash back in the form of gift cards. If your family is anything like mine, believe me, the day will come when you’ll be grateful you downloaded your pharmacy rewards program apps.

The Best Pharmacy Rewards Program Benefits and Mobile Apps

Our town has plenty of pharmacies for me to choose from when my boys get sick, from CVS to Walgreens to Target to our local grocery store—and I think I’ve tried them all. As a result, I’ve enrolled in a pharmacy rewards program at basically every one of the pharmacies within driving distance of my house.

The first step when trying to maximize your savings is to enroll in multiple rewards programs. Let’s start with the branded store-sponsored programs first before we get into shopping apps you can use at multiple locations. Here are the best pharmacy rewards programs available from specific stores:

  • Walgreens Balance Rewards: This is a simple program that gives you points for making purchases at Walgreens. When you accumulate enough points, you can trade them in for savings. It doesn’t get much simpler than that! The program is available on an easy-to-use mobile app, too. Another great benefit of this program is that it gives you access to something called Register Rewards, which are coupons you earn at checkout, usually somewhat related to the things you just bought. They won’t save you money on your first stop, but if you’ve ever had three sniffly boys at home, you know that you’ll probably be back at Walgreens in a day or two and can redeem your savings then.
  • CVS ExtraCare: We are fortunate enough to live directly across the street from a CVS. So close, in fact, that when one (or all) of the boys are under the weather, I can just buzz on over there and grab them the tissues, juice, or decongestant they need to feel better without even starting up my car. Oh, and with the CVS ExtraCare program, I can take advantage of some fantastic savings while I’m there—2% cash back on most purchases, to be exact. Almost every time you use your CVS ExtraCare card, you rack up rewards points. Then, those reward payouts are issued to you on a quarterly basis, coming as a nice little surprise on the first of January, April, July, and October. Like the Walgreens Balance Rewards program, this one is also available on a mobile app, making it super convenient. Maybe 2% seems small to you now, but, trust me, it really adds up—especially during cold and flu season!
  • Target REDcard: This one is a little different than the other two programs because it’s also a credit or debit card, but if you go to Target as much as I do, it really would benefit you to sign up! With this card, you get these great benefits:
    • 5% savings in-store and online
    • Free shipping on most products you buy online
    • Access to an extended return policy

How to Pair the Best Pharmacy Rewards Program with a Shopping App

My boys make a really great team—when it’s not cold season anyway—but one team I like just as much is pairing a shopping rewards app with the programs offered directly by my favorite pharmacies. My pick for the best shopping rewards app is Shopkick, which can be paired with any of the best pharmacy rewards programs I described above.

How Shopkick works is just so simple: I go to Target or CVS or Walgreens to get my boys their meds (or anything else the house needs) and Shopkick gives me points for the things I do while I’m out shopping, like scanning barcodes for more info on featured products, making purchases, and even just walking into some stores. When I’ve earned enough points, called kicks, I can trade them in for gift cards to my favorite stores. And, I can do all this while enjoying the many benefits of the store-branded rewards programs. It basically doubles my savings!

When I’ve earned enough points, called kicks, I can trade them in for gift cards to my favorite stores. And, I can do all this while enjoying the many benefits of the store-branded rewards programs. It basically doubles my savings!

Obviously, I’m never happy to see my boys start to feel crummy, but having these great rewards program apps on my phone to help lessen the costs has been a real lifesaver for me and my budget. I honestly don’t remember how I used to get by without programs like Walgreens Balance Rewards, CVS ExtraCare, and my shopping sidekick, Shopkick.

I could go on and on about the benefits of the best pharmacy rewards programs out there, but I think I just heard one of my boys sneeze. Now I have to listen for any subsequent coughing or sniffling; it may be time to run to the store again and rack up some more pharmacy savings and rewards.

Ready to combine your favorite pharmacy rewards program with the best all-in-one shopping rewards app? Download Shopkick for free and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered the rewards of shopping with us.

And, if you love social media as much as you love your local Target, CVS, or Walgreens, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for daily shopping inspiration.

Image courtesy leaf

Stick to your New Year’s resolution to save money with Shopkick

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The #1 New Year’s resolution among Shopkick users this year was to save money, with almost 65% of people we polled making this a goal in 2018!

But while many of us may still be feeling optimistic about our 2018 resolutions, many have also already dropped them to the curb. In fact, about 80% of us will forget our resolutions by week 6.

Let’s be honest: sometimes willpower is just not enough to stick to our plans in moments of weakness (looking at you, Starbucks!). Let us clue you in on a few secrets that will help you set your savings habits on auto-pilot and end your year with a bit more cash in the bank!

Spend less, save more

See how Shopkick can help users like Adriana M. meet their savings goals in 2018.

resolution save money with shopkick

1. Buy in Bulk

Sites like Boxed and Jet.com offer amazing deals on everyday products when you buy in bulk, all delivered right to your door – it’s like Costco from home!

Stock up on staples you know you’ll go through like pasta sauce, healthy snacks (the more you have in the house, the more you’ll have to stick to that other healthy eating goal), or…wine, anyone?

Plus, get kicks for every $1 you spend on Boxed or Jet.com when you buy through Shopkick. Saving money for saving money? Inception!

Check out our roundup of some of the best bulk buys in the app this week.

2. Cook at Home

Research shows people spend an average of $2,000 a year on buying lunch alone! Add that to dinner for a family of 4 every night, and you can imagine how much you would be able to add to that piggy bank if you opted to make your meals instead.

Need the tools to get started, or maybe just re-inspired? Check out these great kitchen appliances from Walmart.com, as well as some other at-home sidekicks that will save you money over time when you make things like coffee and seltzer water on your own, too.

3. Make More Money to Save Money!

We know it sounds crazy, but the best way to save more money is to actually to make more money. So hypercharge those kicks and get paid for what you already do – shop!

Shopkick users rack up kicks to cash in for gift cards for everything from checking into stores and scanning products, to making online purchases, or even simply watching videos.

“Shopkick has been like a part-time job for me,” says April Mahoney from Houston, Texas. “It has helped me make money to buy items for myself and my business, as well as Christmas gifts for family.”

The best part? Shopkickers who save don’t have to sacrifice all their little indulgences or take away from their savings to do so!

Sarah Johnson from Bristol, TN, for example, plans to save money without having to give up her love of shopping. “The more I earn in gift cards the easier it will be to stick to a budget, because momma loves to shop.”

We’re with you Sarah!

Many Shopkickers use their gift cards to fund their annual Starbucks budget, while others save up for family vacations to Disney World with little to nothing out of pocket. After all, the third most popular resolution among Shopkickers this year? Enjoy life to the fullest.

So set a goal, earn more kicks, and save your paycheck for the important things.

Get Started

Visit the app to check out the latest kicks and start working toward your savings goal this year. Don’t have the app? Download it here to join the fun and start earning your free gift cards!

How are you using Shopkick to stick to your New Year’s Resolutions this year? Follow us on Facebook and let us know!

 

How to make the most of retail store apps for Android or iPhones

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Without realizing what I was doing, I’ve apparently gotten most of the people in my life hooked on using retail store apps for their Android or iPhone. I mean, I’m well aware that I love using these apps, but I guess I hadn’t realized I’d been selling their greatness to anyone and everyone who would listen. You see, I’m a business major and, to me, shopping is serious business.

Android apps for retail storesHow most retail store apps work, whether for Android or iPhone, is pretty simple: shop, earn, and redeem. But what I wanted to know was how to make the most of them to really up my shopping game with a free app. I wanted to pinpoint what my college business professors might call a set of best practices for using free shopping rewards apps on my smartphone.

Let’s take a look at some of my personal recommendations for getting the most out of retail store apps—because you don’t have to be a business major to get down to the business of savings and rewards.

Free Is the Way to Be for Retail Store Apps for Androids and iPhones

Here’s a definition of what best practices are, taken straight out of my old college notes: Commercial or professional procedures that are accepted or prescribed as being correct or most effective. And here’s the definition of them that we’re going to use today: retail app usage procedures that are accepted or prescribed as being correct or most effective.

Now that we have that clear, let’s start with the most obvious tip I can offer when it comes to retail store apps for both Androids and iPhones: free is the way to be.

You simply shouldn’t have to pay a cent to use a great retail store app, whether it’s for a specific store or one you can use at all the spots you shop.

This is more than just a catchy little rhyme, it’s also vital to understand. You simply shouldn’t have to pay a cent to use a great retail store app, whether it’s for a specific store or one you can use at all the spots you shop. The point, after all, is to save not to spend. Or maybe I should say save while you spend in 2018.

Retail Store Apps Should Be Versatile

Since I started urging all my friends to use retail store apps for their iPhone and Android smartphones, I have, on rare occasions, encountered some hesitation. Like most of us these days, many of them have started to do the bulk of their shopping online.

They understandably worry that taking the time to download and start using a retail store app won’t be worth it to them, since they find themselves going online to buy almost everything, from paper towels to books to clothes to electronics. Hey, I’ve been there. I get more and more things online every year, too!

That’s why our second best practice for using these apps is to make sure the one you choose will also help you earn points for shopping online. My favorites are the ones that let you get paid to shop online, even if you’re making purchases from your mobile device. It’s generally pretty simple to use them when you shop from a desktop, too—as simple as it is to use them in person at brick and mortar stores. You get points for plenty of online shopping activities, including:

  • Visiting online stores
  • Viewing select products
  • Making mobile purchases
  • Watching featured videos

These are all things you’d probably be doing anyway, so why not earn while you do? This is why making sure you get an app you can use when you shop online ranks second on our list of best practices.

Go for the Best Retail Store App

When I went back to look for an exact definition of best practices in my old college notes, I noticed something else I’d underlined: always collaborate with the best and brightest. I think this is also true of using retail store apps. While using multiple apps to maximize rewards is definitely a great strategy, my advice is to never lose sight of which app is the best. To me, that means the app that is both the most fun and gives you the most chances for savings.

While using multiple apps to maximize rewards is definitely a great strategy, my advice is to never lose sight of which app is the best.

Since shopping is a thing we all have to do all of the time, it’s vital to get an app that gives you reasons to look forward to using it, like turning every trip to the store into a fun scavenger hunt for points. For me, the app that does this best is Shopkick.

How Shopkick works is cool because when you use it, you literally start scoring points, called kicks, the moment you walk into the store. Then it becomes a hunt to find featured products and scan their barcodes for prices and info. Finally, it also gives you points once you make your purchases. Plus, it fits in with the first two best practices for shopping apps we established above.

You may have your own school of thought on these apps, but for me, the choice is easier than Business 101: Shopkick is not only at the top of the class, but in a class of its own.

Start making the most of retail store apps for your Android or iPhone by using Shopkick. Download the free shopping rewards app and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered the fun of shopping with us!

And, if you love social media as much as you love your smartphone, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Image courtesy Wayhome Studio