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Nov. 23, 2018 / 1:39 PM GMT
By Alyssa Newcomb
More than 116 million people are expected to be on the hunt for deals on Black Friday, making it the biggest shopping day of the year, according to the National Retail Federation.
But while retailers are luring the Black Friday crowd with doorbuster deals, there are a few apps that will help shoppers find the best bargains, coupons and even get cash back on purchases.
Flipp
Instead of lugging actual copies of circular ads around, Flipp makes it simple. The app is a one-stop shop for checking out deals in your area. After downloading it, enter your zip code to browse ads for nearby stores or search by category or item. Clip the deals and coupons you’re interested in to create a shopping list. The result makes the holiday shopping frenzy feel a little more organized.
Swagbucks
Earn points when you shop online at more than 1,500 retailers, including Target, Amazon and Walmart. Swagbucks points can then be redeemed for gift cards or cash back, via PayPal. Swagbucks points vary by store and are sometimes $1 per point, while other times points are earned based on a shopper’s subtotal. Those points are worth around one cent, so a $10 gift card will require having about 1,000 points in the bank.
And when you’re tired of shopping, Swagbucks will also let users earn points by watching videos, playing games and filling out surveys. Or, if you don’t mind searching the internet logged into Swagbucks, you can also earn points for searches made through their Yahoo-powered search engine.
Ebates
Similar to Swagbucks, Ebates passes along part of its commission referral to shoppers using its app. Ebates offers cash back for purchases made through 2,500 retailers. The company said it has given shoppers back $1 billion since 1999.
Shopular
Ebates also owns Shopular, another popular savings app known for its geotargeting technology that makes sure its users know when they’re near a deal. Shopular asks shoppers about the stores they like, then delivers a tailored home screen full of coupons and deals. And, like Ebates, there’s also an option to get cash back by shopping through the app at various retailers. For instance, the app currently offers 8 percent back at Banana Republic and 4 percent back at Bed, Bath & Beyond.
Brad’s Deals
This app will help shoppers find bargains on items they didn’t even know they needed. In addition to curating the best deals of the day, Brad’s Deals serves as a handy price comparison tool and will let shoppers know of any in-store coupons. Best of all, Brad’s Deals is free and doesn’t sell anything, so shoppers are getting money-saving help from a neutral source.