The holiday shopping season is upon us, and it’s incredibly tempting to empty your bank account buying gifts for family and friends. And with holiday shopping starting earlier and earlier every year, it seems almost impossible to keep your spending under control and your bank account from going into a negative balance. But fear not, holiday shoppers, there are tons of simple ways to save some extra cash to help you get everything on your list.
Make money while shopping with your smart phone
Do you ever wish that you could get paid for shopping? Well, there’s actually a way to make that dream come true. The free smart phone app Shopkick, which is available for both iPhone and Android devices, allows you to earn points, called “kicks,” which can be converted into gift cards. Shoppers can earn points by scanning bar codes on specified items or even just walking into one of Shopkick’s approved retailers.
If running around the store scanning bar codes doesn’t sound appealing to you, then never fear, there are still other ways to make money while shopping. Ibotta is a free app for iPhone and Android devices that works as a rebate system and gives you money back on the items you normally buy. Before you go shopping, the Ibotta app will give you a list of items that are eligible for rebates at specific retailers.After you buy these items, simply scan the item’s barcode and upload a picture of your receipt, and Ibotta will transfer whatever money you made into your account within 48 hours.
Ibotta supports rebates for over 300 stores and restaurants, giving shoppers a greater opportunity to earn money back. One of the best things about Ibotta is that the money you earn back doesn’t have to be converted into gift cards; the money you made through rebates can be easily added to your PayPal or banking account.
Turn loose change into cash or gift cards
Loose change plagues the wallets and purses of most consumers. But don’t let your nickels and dimes get lost under your coffee table or between your couch cushions; turn loose change into cold hard cash instead. Coinstar is an easy way to turn coins into cash, and Coinstar kiosks can be found in most supermarkets, including Walmart and Winn Dixie. The supermarkets do charge a 10.9 percent service fee for converting the coins into cash, but a simple way to avoid the service charge is by converting your coins into an eGift Card instead. These eGift Cards are offered for a number of locations and retailers, such as Amazon, Best Buy and Nike. Whenever you get change back from a purchase, instead of letting pile up in the back of your wallet or the cup holders of your car, put it in a jar and take it to a Coinstar kiosk right before you go out holiday shopping. You’ll be amazed at how much money you had just lying around.
Sell old or unwanted items
Everyone has a closet full of outfits or shoes they never wear, so why not turn those clothes into cash? Garage sales, eBay and Craigslist are often more of hassle than they’re worth. Vinted is a website where you can buy, sell or swap old clothes, shoes and accessories. Once you have chosen the items you want to sell, upload a picture, description and price for the item, then sit back and wait for it to sell. Once someone has bought the item online all you have to do is ship it. If you want to keep track of your sales on the go, Vinted even has a free app for iPhone and Android devices.
If you’re looking to get rid of other items that don’t fall into the clothing category, LetGo is a great way to sell just about anything to people in your area. The LetGo app uses your location and alerts others in your area of what you’re selling. Like Vinted, all you need to do is upload a picture, description and price for the item that you are selling and then wait for someone in your area to buy. The upside of LetGo, which encourages local buying and selling, is that you can save on shipping costs and put the entire payout from your sale into your pocket.
Learn to coupon
In the end, sometimes there’s no better way to save money than the old fashion couponing method. But in the age of smart phones, couponing really isn’t so old fashioned any more. With the free app RetailMeNot, coupons are now literally at your fingertips. RetailMeNot is a coupon hosting app where users can search, share and save coupons for just about anything. With RetailMeNot, users can even enter their zip code and find deals exclusive to their area. This couponing app takes the monotony out of couponing and makes saving money more convenient. With RetailMeNot, the days of flipping through the Sunday paper and clipping coupons are long gone.
It’s never too late to start saving up some extra money to spend on holiday shopping, and there are countless ways to earn money with very little effort. So boost your shopping budget this holiday season, and start saving now.
