Best Money Saving Mobile Apps for Canadians
Whether I am busy at work or simply relaxing at home, the one thing that is always by my side is my phone. This is hardly out of the ordinary; over 30 million Canadians currently own a cell phone1. Our handheld devices are now the primary method of communicating with others, entertainment, planning our schedules, and even dealing with our bills.
Our phones can all too often send us down a spiral of time-wasting and procrastination. However, they can also be put to great use! We are going to take a look at the best mobile apps that can help Canadians save both time and money.
Gas Buddy
I get shivers up my spine during that inevitable moment where I have to pull into the gas station and fill up my poor car that has been teetering on empty for days. Gas is not cheap. I also feel like an absolute idiot when I zip by the station down the street afterwards and notice that their prices were cheaper!
Thankfully, Gas Buddy has come to the rescue. The mobile app will regularly update the cheapest gas stations near your location, saving you precious dollars every visit.
Ebates
Ebates has turned into my go-to app, it pays me to shop online! Shoppers receive between 1% - 15% cashback at tons of different stores, including Amazon, Lululemon, and Best Buy. The site is entirely free for members and Ebates pays their users quarterly via cheque or PayPal. There really is no drawback to using Ebates - unless you turn into a shopaholic - and users can earn a couple hundred bucks a year.
Flipp
There are a bunch of awesome cashback apps for grocery shopping, including Zweet and Courtesy 51, however I have found myself using Flipp the most when I head down for my weekly shop. The app declutters dealhunting by collecting and categorizing all coupon flyers near you. Flipp is your one stop shop to help decide which grocery store will be the cheapest this week. No more wasting time flicking through flyers, Flipp does it for you.
Mint
Analyzing our personal budget is a task that is essential in order to save money. However, it can be time consuming, hard to track, and frankly unappealing to deal with. Mint, the free financial tracking service, makes this necessary process simple.
By linking up all your accounts, Mint can log and label all of your expenses. It can also allow you to set goals and notifies you if your spending habits may hinder your savings. If you don’t want to spend hours putting together a budget but understand its value, Mint’s ‘hands off’ approach is definitely right for you.
Hopper
Air travel is expensive and confusing. I can’t count how many times I thought I snagged a deal and suddenly the airline has slapped on a million hidden fees. Hopper has you covered. The travel app tracks ticket prices and informs you when certain trips will be at their cheapest. If you have a dream vacation in mind, simply put in your date and destination then Hopper will let you know when prices plummet!
Resources
1. https://www.statista.com/statistics/274772/forecast-of-mobile-phone-users-in-canada/
*This content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The information provided is not written or intended as tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for purposes of avoiding any Federal tax penalties. Individuals are encouraged to seek advice from their own tax or legal counsel. Individuals involved in the estate planning process should work with an estate planning team, including their own personal legal or tax counsel. Neither the information presented nor any opinion expressed constitutes a representation by us of a specific investment or the purchase or sale of any securities. Asset allocation and diversification do not ensure a profit or protect against loss in declining markets.