Chicago Sun-Times

These apps can save you money on Black Friday

We all have that friend who always seems to get the best deals while shopping. Oh, you know the one. You spend $ 100 on designer jeans, and they seem to find the same pair for $ 60. Their 4K television is bigger, thinner and smarter — yet you paid the sam

- Marc Saltzman Special for USA TODAY

Ebates

The premise is simple: Shop where you already like to shop, but get cash back after your purchases, whether you opt to pay by check or a PayPal deposit.

Be aware the percentage varies depending on the online retailer or marketplac­e, and there are more than 2,000 to choose from, including Amazon, Walmart, Macy’s, Target, eBay, Kohl’s, Best Buy, American Eagle, Old Navy and Groupon, to name a few. The app will also notify you of sales and special offers.

Flipp

Another “must- have” mobile companion, Flipp aggregates all your local circulars ( flyers) in one place — now with more than 1,000 popular retailers — whether you want to browse through weekly ads or search for something specific by keyword.

When you land on a product you’ve had your eye on, Flipp looks to match the deal with coupons, to save even more cash.

Shopkick

Updated this week, Shopkick rewards you with free gift cards for stores such as Target, Walmart, Amazon, Sephora, Starbucks and more.

To get going, open the Shopkick appwhile you’re at the mall, and you’ll start to earn points (“kicks”) for simply walking into select stores, scanning products and purchasing products.

All the kicks you earn could be redeemed for gift cards or products ( fromabout 20 to choose from), or you can donate your kicks to charity.

DealNews

Rather than scouring the Web for the best deals, DealNews has an “obsessive” team of deal experts who look for the best prices on the biggest brands and then publishes the 300 best deals and coupons ( and in some cases, freebies) to the DealNews app.

EBay

Whether you’re looking to buy new or heavily discounted “previously enjoyed” items, you can save quite a bit by considerin­g an online marketplac­e such as eBay. From tech and clothing to cars and jewelry, the eBay app makes it easy to search, browse, bid or buy. And, hey, the product is shipped to your door, too.

Mint

Finally, a savings app as opposed to a shopping app. Intuit’s Mint. com Personal Finance app helps you set budgets, track expenses and reach financial goals.

Receive alerts when it’s time to pay a bill or if you’ve exceeded your budget or face possible late fees ( notified via email or text message).

 ?? EBATES ?? With Ebates, earn cash back on online purchases at more than 2,000 stores and marketplac­es, including Amazon, Walmart, Macy’s, Target, Kohl’s and Groupon.
EBATES With Ebates, earn cash back on online purchases at more than 2,000 stores and marketplac­es, including Amazon, Walmart, Macy’s, Target, Kohl’s and Groupon.

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