The essential money apps, as chosen by money bloggers
We’re a nation of avid smartphone and tablet users, and the computer in our pocket is changing the way we spend, save and earn money.
There are hundreds of apps out there focusing on shopping, banking, budgeting and making a little cash, so how do you choose the handful that you really need to download?
Well, some of the top UK Money Bloggers have joined together to share their picks in our guide to the essential money apps.
Here are the 10 you need to download, now!
The essential app for saving on food shopping…
mySupermarket, as chosen by Thrifty Lesley
Want to find the cheapest groceries? MySupermarket is a great tool to help, and I use it a lot when building my meal plans.
Simply enter the item you want, eg yogurt. You are then shown all the entries for yogurt, all the prices per item and by 100g, and one click gives you the same information in any of the other supermarkets.
Super easy to find the cheapest. Print off your list with prices, split it between different shops for maximum savings, or click to do an online shop.
Want more food and money apps? UK Money Bloggers say try Olio, helping you pick up and give away unwanted food for free
The essential app for keeping track of your money…
Money Dashboard as chosen by Bola Sol from Refined Currency
Keeping all your receipts after using your card can be a bit of a bother. So can using Excel spreadsheets to keep a track of your budget. Luckily there’s an app called Money Dashboard to help.
Linked to your bank and credit card accounts, Money Dashboard helps you track your spending by categorising what you spend your money on. It’s also a great way for you to see where you may be spending too much.
If you’re looking for an app that shows your EXACTLY where your money is going then this is the app for you.
The essential app for vouchers…
VoucherCloud as chosen by Lynne from Mrs Mummy Penny
This is super handy app for when you are out and about and gives you extra discount at loads of big branded shops and places to eat. It works by location and gives you a list of all the places nearby offering a discount.
Before a trip out shopping or heading out for dinner do take a look as it may influence your choice. Great offers I can see today are for Prezzo, Body Shop and Partyman world. Just show them the code from the app and the discount is yours. Really simple.
Want even more money off? UK Money Bloggers say try O2 Priority Moments and Latest Free Stuff to get hold of high street goodies for nothing
The essential app for getting loyalty points…
Loyalive as chosen by Andy Webb from Be Clever With Your Cash
My wallet is full. Not with cash, but with cards. There’s my bank card, credit card, driving licence, Oyster card, work pass, another work pass, a couple of gift cards… the list goes on. And it means I’m stuck for space for all the different loyalty cards I’ve acquired.
Which is where Loyalive becomes an essential addition to my phone. I’ve got my Clubcard, Nectar, Boots, Waitrose, M&S and more digitally stored via a quick in app photo, ready for me to flash at the scanner each time I shop, and not miss out on valuable points!
The essential app for getting cashback…
Quidco as chosen by Lotty Burns from Lotty Earns
If you are a shopper, you need the Quidco app in your life as you can get cashback on everything you spend. It’s free to download and available on Android and Apple, and with it you can get offers online and in-store when you register your credit or debit card.
You just have to like the offers to activate them on the app, and then go in-store. You then get the cashback paid in our account when the purchase has been confirmed – which basically, is free money!
I’ve personally made £650 through Quidco and couldn’t bear to spend money without checking out the app or site first.
Want some more cashback? UK Money Bloggers say try ClickSnap and CheckOutSmart to get money back from your supermarket shop
The essential app for finding the best price…
PriceSpy as chosen by Mrs Bargain Hunter
Shopping around is essential to get the best prices, but manually checking multiple sites can take time.
PriceSpy however lets you search dozens in one go.
The app is easy to use. The search function gives instant results that clearly display the lowest price available for each product. You can also receive notifications of price drops and view price history.
It’s a great way to make sure you don’t pay over the odds when shopping online or on the high street, especially for electronics.
The essential app for earning easy money…
Bounts as chosen by Jenni Hill from Can’t Swing A Cat
Finding the motivation to exercise can be tricky – but now there’s an app to help! Whether you’re walking to work or taking part in an exercise class, Bounts will track your physical activity and reward you with points every time you’re active.
As these points mount up you’ll earn vouchers which will save you money on everything from your Sainsbury’s food shop to a meal at Pizza Hut.
You’ll have to do a significant amount of exercise before you start earning vouchers, but if you’re already fairly active or you’re thinking of improving your fitness, this app is definitely worth having!
The essential app for your holidays…
XE as chosen by Kalpana Fitzpatrick at Mummy Money Matters
It’s not cheap going away with a family, especially with the pressure of price increases during school holidays.
With that in mind, it’s important, more than ever, to stay in budget when you’re away, but it’s very easy to lose track of your spending when using foreign currency.
I often find myself calculating the cost of things in my head; this can be frustrating when you’re in a hurry or you have kids nagging away at you – but not anymore thanks to the XE currency app.
I rate this app as it’s easy to use with simple snapshot views (so you can quickly see the cost of things), easy conversion, live mid-market rates, currency history charts and you can also send the information to friends using my other favourite app – WhatsApp!
The essential app for selling old books…
WeBuyBooks as chosen by Leanne from Broke in the Big Smoke
I don’t know about you but I read a LOT. I’ve started using my Kindle a lot more now but I still find myself with physical books that I no longer want and getting rid of them can be a bit of a pain!
Enter WeBuyBooks an innovative app that lets you sell your books quickly and easily, it’s particularly good for those old textbooks you have lying around! Just scan the ISBN using your phone camera and you’ll get an instant quote. Minimum offer needed is £5.00 but you can also sell CDs, DVDs & computer games too.
The essential app for budgeting…
Fudget as chosen by Esther from Money Nuggets
Fudget is a great option if you find yourself intimidated by some of the more convoluted or visually -driven apps.
This app’s magic lies in its simplicity – it isn’t packed with features; instead it is an app that allows you to easily create a “fudget” (budget) and keep track of your spending.
If you like, you can use it to create a “fudget” for any event you are saving up for, whether it be a holiday abroad, Christmas shopping, that cute new dress or designer bag you’ve been eyeing, etc. Or you can just use it to keep a weekly or monthly budget. Easy peasy.
