Here are a few of the latest grocery apps to help you earn cash back, find deals, and even help combat food waste.
Flipp
Tired of clipping coupons and sorting through the circulars? Flipp may have you putting down those scissors for good. According to research conducted by Flipp and Nielsen co., 79% of primary household shoppers utilize print and digital coupons on a weekly basis. Flipp aims to save bargain-hunting consumers time, energy, and piles of paper by delivering digital coupons from over 800 retailers straight to their devices. Flipp uses a shopper’s postal code to help them discover conveniently located deals on preferred brands and boasts handy features such as a coupon match up tool and a notifications option that can alert users of expiring vouchers. Flips is currently available for free on the App Store and Google Play.
Checkout 51
Some consumers shop like it’s their job, so Checkout 51 provides a way for users to actually make money doing it. This rebate app provides a weekly list of cash-back offers shoppers can redeem by simply purchasing select products and uploading a photo of their receipt. Once receipts are processed and the account reaches $20, users can request a cheque and cash out. Wondering if those nickels and dimes really do add up? In 2015 the National Post reported that the app had saved its users more than $15 million since its launch. Available on the App Store or Google Play.
Out of Milk
No more hard to decipher chicken scratch shopping lists—this mobile shopping list wizard endeavors to help users organize and streamline their grocery experiences. Featuring practical tools like multiple list management, auto-suggestions, barcode scanning, and list synchronization across devices, Out of Milk could be a great option for busy families. Take a divide-and-conquer approach to getting household shopping completed by splitting up lists among family members. Out of Milk is free to download on Android and iOS.
Flashfood
Canadians waste $31 billion worth of food annually, according to a 2014 Value Chain Management International report. Flashfood seeks to combat food waste by connecting the grocery surpluses of retailers and restaurants with a consumer base looking to cash in on deeply discounted foodstuffs and reduce shared environmental impact. Currently available in select Farm Boy locations in London, Ontario and select Longo’s locations in Toronto with plans to expand, the app allows users to see food deals in their area, shop directly from their devices, and pick up their items from the vendor any time on the day of purchase. Downloadable on the App Store and Google Play.
BigOven
May no ingredient get left behind! BigOven allows users to bring their favourite recipes along with them to the store aiming to assure that home cooks have exactly what they need in the kitchen. The first recipe app for iOS, Android and Windows phone, BigOven has been downloaded more than 13 million times and offers users access to a searchable database of over 350,000 recipes. It boasts helpful features like list sharing and a meal-planning calendar, and may even help you dream up dinner out of those pesky leftovers. See what family, friends and food bloggers have got cooking by following them on the app! Basic version available for free on iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, Windows Phone. Upgraded version currently offered at $2.79 CAD monthly or $27.99 CAD annually.
Smartphones may be the key to smart shopping. With the right grocery app at one’s fingertips, errands could be completed more quickly, easily, and cost-effectively. If clipping coupons, making lists, and combing the aisles have you feeling checked out, a new app can be a great way to get excited about going to the store again.
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