Could your trusty smartphone be the key to spending less? We all know there’s an app for everything these days, so whether you are looking to keep a closer eye on your spending or make sure you’re getting the best deal when you do splash out, we’ve compiled our five favourite money saving apps that could help make your money last a little bit longer.
Money Dashboard
Staying on top of outgoings can be tricky. Luckily, money management apps like Money Dashboard are on hand to help you keep track of your finances. This app links to your bank accounts and credit cards to track your outgoings, so you have a clear record of where every penny goes! The simple layout categorises your spend too, so that you can see where you spend most. Keeping a record of what you spend could highlight opportunities to cut or optimise your spending, whilst keeping you financially in the know.
Hopper
There are so many options out there now for booking holidays and flights, it’s virtually impossible to keep track of all the different sites and work out which is the most cost effective way of reaching your destination. Should you book everything separately, or does a package work out cheaper? Which airline offers the better deals? It’s madness! Fortunately, you can use Hopper, a flight comparison app, to find the best deals without tearing your hair out over a million browser tabs. Simply enter the dates for your trip and let the app do the rest. It’ll help you find the best deal on the days you want to fly, and will even tell you whether to wait for a better day to purchase the tickets or buy now for the best price.
MySupermarket
Lots of supermarkets price match these days, and will give you vouchers off your next shop if what you’ve bought from them could have been cheaper elsewhere. But, remembering to take those vouchers with you the next time you shop is a bit of a faff, and doesn’t diminish the disappointment of knowing you needn’t have spent so much in the first place!
MySupermarket works by comparing the price of your shop across 16 different supermarkets, and lets you know if you could get your shop cheaper elsewhere before you buy. It’ll even tell you if you’re missing out on an offer, or if you could get better value from a multi-pack or different unit size. You create your virtual basket as you would with any online supermarket, and then the app does its magic and comes back to you with the best deals. According to the app you could save up to 30% on your weekly shop – definitely worth having!
VoucherCodes
An old favourite amongst seasoned bargain hunters is VoucherCodes. It provides a wide-range of discount deals for fashion, food, health & beauty, technology and much more. Most codes are available to use online, but some are valid in store too. Make sure you have the app to hand if you’re out and about so you can check for discounts before you make a decision.
Hive
Have you ever gone on holiday or left for work, then realised halfway to your destination that you’ve left the heating on, or one of your appliances? No worries! Hive has you covered. Taking advantage of ‘smart home’ technology, Hive started out as a thermostat that let you control you’re heating and hot water from your smartphone, tablet or laptop. Now, you can also control your lights and electrics using Hive compatible bulbs and plugs. As well as giving you the ability to turn off anything you’ve forgotten about while you’re out, you can also use Hive to turn on lights at home if you’re going to be back late – handy for security – and get the heating going so you don’t come home to a cold house.
Hive has estimated that some could save up to £130 per year on their gas and electricity bills by tapping into this very clever technology, and while it does take a bit of an investment to get all the kit you need, it’ll pay for itself over time.
All of these apps are available to download for free on iOS and Android. What’s your favourite? Let us know in the comments!
