8 Phone Apps That save You Money ...

1. Ibotta

Ibotta is one of the coolest apps that save you money for both your Apple and Android devices! It's completely free and pays you cash for buying your favorite products! Before going shopping, search Ibotta's lineup of products and complete the tasks associated with each. The more tasks you complete, the more cash you'll earn! Once you're done, go ahead and buy your chosen products at one of the 35 retailers Ibotta lists nationwide. Then, verify your purchases by uploading a photo and scanning the product's bar code. Real money will now be deposited into your Ibotta account that you can send to a PayPal account or donate to any school in America! Why wouldn't you want to get some money back for certain products you buy all the time?

2. Redlaser

Redlaser is an amazing free app that allows you to compare prices (while you're out shopping) on almost anything! This way, you can easily make sure you are getting the best deal on everything you buy. Simply scan the bar code of an item on Redlaser, and the app will give back prices from competing stores and online merchants that carry the same item. If you see a better price, you can actually use the app to buy the item, and have it waiting for you at the store when you arrive!

3. Valpak

Valpak is a great coupon based app to have on your phone! It is available for both Android and iPhone users, however iPhone users have the added bonus of getting to send Valpak's coupons to their Passbook app to use later on. Valpak caters to your local needs and even has a feature for alerting you of a coupon for a store that you're near! Valpak's "Savings For You" feature is also helpful as it's an automated collection of offers in your location that are most likely to catch your interest, making it easy for you to navigate quickly to great savings nearby!

4. Levelup

Simply put, LevelUp is a free app on both Android and iPhone that enables you to pay with your phone (rather than your card) at thousands of businesses nationwide. The best feature about this app is that whenever you visit a business for the first time and pay with LevelUp, you instantly save a few bucks! Then, as you go back to the same place and pay with LevelUp, you’ll unlock even more money to spend there. It does tend to work better if you live in cities, as not too many places are partnered with LevelUp yet, so there tends to be more options in urban areas.

5. Key Ring Reward Cards

Reward cards are a great way to score points or instant savings at your favorite stores. But how often is it that you either forget your cards, or don't feel like digging into your purse to find them? The Key Ring Reward Cards app for Android and iPhone users is great because it keeps all of your reward cards right in your phone! Simply add your loyalty cards to the app by scanning the bar code on each card. Then when you're out shopping, have the clerk scan your loyalty card bar code straight off your phone! You'll never have to worry about losing your cards or carrying them around with you every time you go shopping.

6. GasBuddy

This is a must have app for all of us commuters! GasBuddy helps you search for and find the cheapest gas prices in your area. What's even cooler about the app is that it asks you to share gas prices you see to enter yourself for a weekly chance to win $250 of free gas! Along with entering the contest, posting gas prices you see will earn you points and awards. It's great how the app runs on content provided by users and gives you a chance to win something every week.

7. Pushpins

The Pushpins app combines scanning a products bar code with coupons! Trying to follow in the footsteps of those women on "Extreme Couponing" by trying to clip coupons out of magazines and newspapers can be a time-consuming task. Instead, just use the Pushpins app to scan the bar code of an item while you're shopping at the grocery store. If there are any instant savings coupons available, they will automatically be added to your store loyalty card and applied at the register! You can even create shopping lists, sync them with friends and family, view weekly circulars, and even list the nutritional info for items on your shopping list! This is definitely a must have app for grocery shoppers!

8. Happy Hours

Happy Hours is a great app for showing you all of the food and drink specials going on near you! The app will let you know how much the specials are, what they're for, and what time they end. You can even see photos of the bar or restaurant, and details such as the menu, location, amenities, and reviews by other people who have been there. It's perfect for finding a great deal on after work drinks or even a night out at a restaurant with the family.

It's amazing how much our phones can do now! I know I feel completely lost whenever I don't have my phone with me once I leave the house. Keep in mind though that if you use any sort of app that has you enter your credit card information, make sure to set a password on your phone. You can never be too cautious with protecting your financial information if someone happens to steal your phone! What's your favorite phone app that helps you save money?