Load your cellphone up with these apps that’ll assist you to lower your expenses and ship an immediate money enhance straight to your pocket.
With out sounding an excessive amount of like your granny, smartphones have modified how we do just about every thing in life, and saving cash isn’t any exception.
There are actually lots of of apps on the market with the only function of serving to you save. It is only a matter of digging them out and understanding that are finest.
Fortunately for you, we have rolled up our sleeves and executed the onerous be just right for you by attempting and testing a few of the hottest apps that will help you lower your expenses. We have checked out every thing from private finance apps, to cashback apps, to apps that inform you what to prepare dinner along with your leftover scraps.
Listed below are our favourites!
Greatest apps to save cash
Listed below are the perfect money-saving apps:
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Starling
- Value – Free
- Accessible on – iPhone and Android
- Good for – Understanding your spending and studying to price range.
Starling Financial institution is a purely app-based financial institution, main the way in which within the digital banking revolution. Regardless of having no excessive avenue branches they maintain a full banking licence, permitting you to open a present account out of your cellphone in minutes.
You even earn curiosity on cash held within the account!
As an app, Starling goes approach past conventional banking with a complete raft of helpful budgeting and safety features constructed into the expertise.
For instance, if you wish to restrict your self to £200 of spending cash every month, merely switch £200 out of your principal scholar checking account (value protecting for the 0% curiosity overdraft) to your Starling account. Then solely use your Starling card for the month and observe your spending through the app.
That is the place Starling actually comes into its personal. The app alerts you instantly once you spend cash and does an amazing job of organising all of your purchases into classes like meals, procuring and payments.
You possibly can hold a lid in your spending by setting your self some budgets, which Starling helpfully shows in clear (and vibrant) graphs. The app can even ship you notifications in the event you’re overspending.
There are not any penalties or guidelines in opposition to having a number of present accounts, so in the event you like the thought of limiting your self to a set amount of cash to spend, and monitoring what you do purchase, open a free Starling account and deal with it as a pay as you go account.
What we like most about Starling: It places the enjoyable again into budgeting by gamifying issues a bit. Weirdly, it is kinda enjoyable once you get a notification that you just simply hit your month-to-month grocery price range… till you realise meaning beans on toast for per week.
Starling is not the one digital banking app – we have reviewed all of the finest app-only financial institution accounts. -
Monzo
- Value – Free
- Accessible on – iPhone and Android
- Good for – Smartphone-based cash administration.
Now, this app is similar to Starling however we love to supply an alternate for stability.
They have all the perfect bits about app-based banking together with real-time notifications, the power to freeze your card in the event you lose it and plenty of saving options.
Learn our full Monzo overview.
What we like most about Monzo: You possibly can spend overseas with out further charges.
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ATM Locator
- Value – Free
- Accessible on – Android
- Good for – Discovering free money machines.
It is a nice little app, particularly for these days and nights out in a metropolis you do not know so properly. We have all been there, the place you are operating about like a headless rooster in search of a money machine since you’re someplace that solely takes money, or their card machine is damaged.
What’s even worse is in the event you lastly finish your headless rooster pilgrimage solely to search out that the ATM you have discovered fees an arm and a leg to make use of. Significantly?
The ATM Locator app makes use of geolocation to search out the entire nearest cashpoints in your space and shows them on a map. It even tells you which of them cost and which of them do not.
What we like most about ATM Locator: It really works worldwide – good for once you’re overseas and even much less more likely to know the place the closest money machine is.
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Chip
- Value – Free
- Accessible on – iPhone and Android
- Good for – Placing apart cash with out even attempting.
Saving cash will be onerous – particularly as a scholar once you’re reluctant to place any cash away in case you want it later (which, let’s face it, you in all probability will).
Happily, automated save bots like Chip can do all of it for you, with out you ever having to fret a couple of factor.
As soon as you have given it entry to your checking account, Chip will begin monitoring your spending. It will take a look at your incomings and outgoings and from there, it calculates how a lot you possibly can afford to avoid wasting every week.
The perfect half is that when it is determined how a lot you possibly can afford to avoid wasting, it places that a lot of your cash away in an account with out you even having to carry a finger!
What we like most about Chip: The automated saving perform makes it easy to place cash apart.
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Curve
- Value – Free
- Accessible on – iPhone and Android
- Good for – Streamlining your spending.
Managing how a lot you are spending, the place you are spending it and on what card could be a difficult one to get your head round. That is why Curve has streamlined all your playing cards into one!
Enable us to elucidate. You register all your playing cards on the app and when you obtain your Curve Mastercard you’ll spend from any of your accounts utilizing simply that one card!
You possibly can select which account you’d prefer to pay with by choosing the related card on the app. The account then turns into “lively” and prepared so that you can use! You can too use your Curve card to attract out cash from cashpoints too.
There are just a few completely different choices you possibly can join. The free one features a debit card, free overseas ATM withdrawals for as much as £200 a month and fee-free spending overseas in over 150+ currencies for as much as £1000 a month.
Curve additionally ensures in opposition to all unauthorised transactions as much as £100,000.
And you may get a free tenner by clicking on this hyperlink.
To seek out out extra, learn our information that explains what Curve is and the way it works.
What we like most about Curve: On high of streamlining your spending, in the event you use the mistaken card to pay, you possibly can return in time and alter the account your cash was deducted from.
There are a great deal of different automated financial savings bots on the market, together with Plum and Chip. Give them a go and see which one works finest for you.
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CheckoutSmart
- Value – Free
- Accessible on – iPhone and Android
- Good for – Getting cashback.
If ever there is a good approach to save cash in your procuring it is by claiming cashback on what you purchase. CheckoutSmart works by offering customers with a every day record of things they’re providing cashback on, with completely different symbols indicating which main supermarkets the deal might be accessible at.
All you need to then do is chase up these gadgets, pay for them at checkout, take a photograph of your receipt along with your cellphone after which submit it on the app (though do attempt to be smart right here and solely purchase what you really want – being lead astray by gives would not actually matter as cash saving!).
You will then get cashback credit score added straight to your account which is transferable to your checking account or PayPal.
One small catch, nonetheless, is that in the event you withdraw lower than £20 out of your account, you may be charged a 5% price. Subsequently, it is value letting your earnings construct up a bit earlier than you withdraw something.
What we like most about CheckoutSmart: You possibly can earn cashback for future procuring journeys while you spend your cash.
Once more, CheckoutSmart is not alone within the cashback app world. Take a look at Shopmium and use the code HELLO to get a freebie once you enroll. -
Idealo
- Value – Free
- Accessible on – iPhone and Android
- Good for – Evaluating costs.
There’s nothing worse than shopping for an merchandise on-line or in a store solely to search out later that you might’ve purchased it cheaper elsewhere.
Idealo is a lifesaver for anybody who’s caught out by making impulse purchases. The minute you come throughout one thing you would like to purchase, get the Idealo app out earlier than you half along with your money.
All it is advisable to do is both seek for the product within the search bar or scan the product’s barcode to search out what value it might be from different retailers. It may actually be a case of strolling two minutes down the street to a different retailer and getting it for half the value.
What we like most about Idealo: It makes you are feeling actually smug understanding you are all the time paying the bottom value going… except it goes on sale the subsequent day, in fact.
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Vouchercloud
- Value – Free
- Accessible on – iPhone and Android
- Good for – Discovering reductions and coupon codes.
There are a great deal of voucher code apps on the market to select from, but it surely’s simple to see why Vouchercloud is without doubt one of the hottest ones. The simplicity of the app and easy-to-use interface is an actual plus level.
You possibly can both flick thru the highest featured offers to search out the perfect round or use the ‘close to me’ perform to search out out what the perfect offers are round your present location. Get your low cost by clicking the ‘Use voucher’ button when it is time to pay, and a code will seem that you just present to workers to redeem your low cost.
What we like most about Vouchercloud: Its ‘observe your financial savings’ perform permits you to add up all the cash you have saved utilizing the app, which makes you be ok with being saving savvy.
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O2 Precedence Moments
- Value – Free
- Accessible on – iPhone, Android and Home windows
- Good for – Unique offers.
O2 Precedence Moments app is an absolute goldmine for bagging freebies and main reductions at excessive avenue shops.
O2 additionally supply heaps of tickets to gigs, restaurant vouchers and different freebies. Simply keep watch over what’s accessible and the time-frame you need to redeem it.
Not an O2 buyer? Do not let this put you off! Try our sneaky little trick to getting the advantages of O2’s app with out having to vary networks. You’ll need to unlock your cellphone first although.
What we like most about O2 Precedence Moments: The offers are sensible and actually imaginative. There’s such all kinds of gives that you just by no means know what’s across the nook.
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musicMagpie
- Value – Free
- Accessible on – iPhone and Android
- Good for – Making money off your previous music and DVDs.
You would possibly suppose that is extra of a cash making app than a financial savings app, however when you concentrate on it – what higher approach to save cash than recycling and promoting video games you have already accomplished and DVDs you have solely watched as soon as?
musicMagpie is a platform for promoting previous CDs, DVDs and video games on-line. They’ve now obtained a free app which makes the method lots simpler and extra enjoyable, as you possibly can keep watch over your gross sales on the go.
The inbuilt barcode scanner permits you to simply scan your gadgets wherever you’re and the app will inform you how a lot they’re value. You then ship the gadgets to musicMagpie (in the event you’re pleased with the cash they’re providing) and the money might be in your account the subsequent day.
What we like most about musicMagpie: It is free! Any postal prices to ship your gadgets to them are lined by musicMagpie, so you have zero bills to fork out.
Further tip: Earlier than you promote something to musicMagpie, take a look at how a lot your merchandise goes for on websites like eBay. You would possibly discover you may make extra promoting on eBay regardless of musicMagpie’s free postage coverage.
Have not obtained the storage for all of those apps? Listed below are the perfect methods to liberate house on Android and iPhone.
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JouleBug
- Value – Free
- Accessible on – iPhone and Android
- Good for – Monitoring your utility payments and decreasing waste.
We’re all responsible of being a bit wasteful on occasion in the case of vitality consumption – whether or not it is being a bit too free and simple with switching the heating on, taking gloriously lengthy showers or leaving our laptops charging for days on finish. It is easy to place off occupied with what you are spending till that dreaded utility invoice drops via the letterbox.
Joulebug is a superb app that’ll definitely prevent just a few bob. This sustainable residing app encourages folks to create and stick with sustainable and environmentally pleasant behaviours, in the end saving you cash in your vitality payments.
Joulebug organises sustainability ideas into Actions (akin to doing a chilly moderately than sizzling wash) that you just Buzz within the app once you do them in actual life. The app can then observe the energy-efficient actions you absorb your day-to-day life, and inform you how a lot cash you may have saved by doing them.
Try our further data on how to save cash on vitality payments.
What we like most about JouleBug: Joulebug turns residing sustainably right into a sport the place you possibly can compete in opposition to associates and neighbours to see who’s making the largest impression.
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My Information Supervisor
- Value – Free
- Accessible on – iPhone and Android
- Good for – Lowering your knowledge utilization.
End up continuously operating out of information? That is the app for you.
My Information Supervisor is a superb app that will help you take management of your cellular knowledge utilization, benefit from your cellular knowledge plan and forestall overspending in your cellphone payments.
It really works like so: the app units up a neighborhood Digital Non-public Community (VPN) service in your cellphone to dam undesirable knowledge utilization (ie. apps which can be lively within the background consuming up your knowledge regardless that you are not utilizing them). You possibly can then observe your knowledge utilization and see which apps are utilizing up probably the most knowledge.
It is mainly making a price range, however to your cellphone.
Whilst you’re at it, ensure you’re getting your cash’s value out of your cell phone contract.
What we like most about My Information Supervisor: You possibly can set customized utilization alarms to inform you when you’re operating out of information and keep away from getting charged further.
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Trainline
- Value – Free
- Accessible on – iPhone and Android
- Good for – Funds journey.
If you end up making a number of journeys residence by practice to go to the parents, or travelling between cities to go to mates at different unis, you have in all probability used Trainline earlier than. And if not, it’s best to!
Trainline is without doubt one of the least expensive methods to search out practice tickets and lower your expenses when travelling, particularly in the event you e book prematurely. The app is simple to make use of on the go, tremendous good to make use of, and even nicer once you save just a few kilos.
Warning: We would not suggest utilizing Trainline to truly e book your journey. Their reserving charges imply that, though the ticket value may be low, it could generally work out dearer than different providers. Uncover the perfect reserving websites in our information to saving cash on practice journey, and browse extra about adjustments to practice delay compensation legal guidelines right here.
What we like most about Trainline: All of the cool instruments. Whether or not it is checking how busy the practice is or monitoring the value adjustments, this app helps you get probably the most from practice journey.
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Parkopedia
- Value – Free
- Accessible on – iPhone and Android
- Good for – Discovering free parking.
When you’re fortunate sufficient to personal and drive a automobile as a scholar then this good little money-saving device is for you. This app is extraordinarily helpful in the event you stay within the metropolis, and are sick and uninterested in paying via the nostril for costly parking.
Parkopedia is an app designed that will help you find the entire free parking areas in your present location, so that you by no means must fork out for parking once more (or for any pesky parking tickets both!). It is also an amazing money-saving app in the event you journey lots to different cities and are not accustomed to free parking areas there.
What we like most about Parkopedia: We love the concept that site visitors wardens might be completely hating that this app exists.
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PetrolPrices
- Value – Free
- Accessible on – iPhone
- Good for – Discovering the most affordable petrol.
One other nice app to assist lower your expenses when driving, PetrolPrices is a gas value comparability app that compares petrol costs close to you or in any particular location within the nation.
Petrol costs typically fluctuate between garages and this app can save customers as much as £200 a yr on gas. The app permits you to filter by gas kind, distance and model, and covers virtually 8500 petrol stations within the UK.
Simply ensure you do not drive too far out of your option to get an excellent deal, as the additional gas you employ may wipe out any financial savings, plus it is not going to assist the surroundings!
What we like most about PetrolPrices: For the forgetful amongst us, the app has a helpful MOT reminder. When you add your automobile to the digital storage you possibly can even get gives associated to the automobile you drive.
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Meerkat
- Value – Free
- Accessible on – iPhone and Android
- Good for – Eating out and take away reductions.
This app won’t instantly strike you as one you’d use for eating out, however with Meerkat Meals, you may make nice financial savings on some superb eating places.
All you need to do is take out a qualifying product (akin to insurance coverage or a brand new broadband contract) and you may earn a yr of reductions on meals at a few of your favorite eating places. Simples!
Offers embrace 2 for 1 on chosen meals Sunday to Thursday, 25% off your complete invoice at numerous new eating places and 50% off pizzas from Domino’s, Pizza Hut Supply and Papa Johns once you spend £30, seven days per week.
And to make issues much more attention-grabbing, we have found an amazing hack which means you may get Meerkat Meals by spending as little as £1.
What we favored most about Meerkat: By no means having to pay full value for a supply pizza once more!
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Large Oven
- Value – Free
- Accessible on – iPhone and Android
- Good for – Utilizing up leftovers.
Studying which meals complement one another and what combos ought to be averted in any respect prices is one thing that takes a number of trial and error to get proper.
Large Oven is a superb app for saving cash on meals. It has a ‘leftovers’ perform that permits you to enter any components you may have and suggests what to make with them.
This, in fact, helps keep away from the state of affairs of getting to bin inedible dinners by guiding you to make the perfect out of what components you’ve obtained. Experimenting with meals could be a dangerous and costly sport!
The app really has over 1 million recipes so that you can take a look at, however we’re extra fussed in regards to the leftovers perform.
Do not forget we have heaps of nice scholar recipes so that you can collect some extra inspiration from too.
What we like most about Large Oven: It might probably make cooking extra enjoyable for much less assured cooks, and cuts down on meals wastage.