Living on a stipend: there’s an app for that

In today’s world, there’s an app for everything. You want to pay your bills? There’s an app for it. Want to order takeout? There’s an app for it. Want to save money on purchases you’d have to make anyway? You guessed it. There’s an app for that, too.

Here are six great apps that are sure to put some extra cash in your pocket and a smile on your face.

GasBuddy

In some cities where we serve, cars are the easiest way to commute to service. Carpooling is one way to save money on gas. Even still, gas prices can add up! GasBuddy allows you to find the cheapest gas prices in your area, up to a 50-mile radius. This can really come in handy for both daily commutes and long road trips. GasBuddy offers this really awesome Trip Cost Calculator to help you estimate how much a specific trip will cost; it even takes into account the make and model of your car and the type of fuel it needs.

RetailMeNot

RetailMeNot puts savings within arm’s reach by allowing you to see which sales and deals are closest to you. Whether you’re at your local mall or exploring a new city, RetailMeNot will show you what’s close and where you can save the most at more than 50,000 retailers nationwide.

ibotta

ibotta allows you to view additional discounts on products just by completing simple tasks, like taking polls, watching videos or downloading recipes. After that, you can buy those products from any of their 283 supported stores. Once you’ve purchased an item, simply submit a photo of your receipt through the app. You’ll get your cash back within 48 hours! ibotta works for stores where you might find yourself regularly like Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, Kroger and Trader Joe’s. You can view the entire list here.

Hopper

Buying flight tickets can get expensive. With Hopper, you can indicate your destination and your desired dates of travel. The app does the rest for you. It will tell you which airlines* have the best deals. The app even recommends how long to wait to book a flight even cheaper, or how much the price of the flight will increase if you don’t purchase the flight soon.

*Currently, the app doesn’t include Southwest Airlines in its search, so make sure to check those flights separately!

Ebates

Ebates is both an app and a web browser extension. It works sort of like rebates, without the hassle of mailing in anything. When you’re shopping online, the extension will notify you when the site you’re shopping on qualifies for cash back deals.  Every quarter, Ebates will pay you what you’ve earned. You also can use the app when you’re shopping in stores to compare prices by scanning items from price comparisons or using coupons when it’s time to check out.

Mint

Sometimes saving money isn’t about clipping virtual coupons, but about keeping a closer eye on how you’re spending your money. Mint offers you an all-in-one space to budget your money, track and pay your bills, improve your credit score and receive custom tips and savings straight through the app. Having a place to visually see where you’re spending your money may make you think twice about buying that extra pair of shoes or eating out at a restaurant for the third time in a week instead of cooking at home. This way, your money isn’t out of sight or out of mind.

Whether you’re traveling, shopping or just doing your groceries, there’s an app out there that can help you save and spend money wisely. Use technology to your advantage to keep more money in your bank account while still taking care of your everyday needs. Remember, those pennies add up!