3 Grocery Shopping Apps That Will Save You More Money
As a Southern gal that grew up on home-cooked meals and can throw down in the kitchen, I make it a priority to cook a couple of times a week. Because of that and due to the fact that I am easily influenced by Pinterest recipes, I tend to find myself spending a lot of time and money at the grocery store.
To be totally honest, I probably go to the grocery store at least 3 times a week. Last year is when I realized that I had a serious grocery shopping problem. I was going grocery shopping 4-5 times a week and I was unmarried with zero kids. Just imagine how much freaking money I was spending! When I realized that I had a problem, I decided to find help with grocery shopping saving, and productivity apps. Within this past year, I have tried almost every free grocery shopping app that's on the iOS market, some free and some paid.
If you're frugal like me, saving money off your grocery bill is an ongoing challenge. Although there are ways to save money while grocery shopping, you probably don't have the time, energy, or patience to clip coupons out of the newspaper, compare paper ads, or scour the internet and newspaper for sales.
Fortunately for you, your mobile device can make grocery shopping less stressful and easier for you to keep a couple of coins in your pocket with just a few clicks.
Here are my top 3 apps that I believe can help you save money because they have each helped me.
1.Checkout 51
Price: Free
Why you should use it: This an app that partners with brands to bring its members some of the best rebates without the hassle. You can use this app to save money on groceries by snapping a picture of your receipt and earning cash back for qualifying purchases.
How to get it: This app is available on iOS and Android
2.Grocery IQ
Price: Free
Why you should use it: With this app you can create grocery lists by typing in your desired items or using voice search. While you are creating your list, coupons will show up that you can use to save more money. You can also clip and print coupons using this app and sync your Grocery IQ account with your favorite store's loyalty card to get more savings.
How to get it: This app is available on iOS and Android
3.Flipp
Price: Free
Why you should use it: This is my favorite app for 2016 so far. Flipp has access to flyers from over 800 retails stores and helps you save money by providing the sales and associated coupons. By typing in a zip code or your current location, you can view the latest flyers and coupons, and easily save them to a list on the app. You can also create an easy shopping list and find sale items while creating the list. Last but not least, Flipp will even notify you when your coupons or sale ads that you saved are expiring.
How to get it: This app is available on iOS and Android
*BONUS*
Want more tips on saving money on groceries? Check out the bonus gems below!
1. Make a list:
Always go to the grocery store with a plan. Write down what you need before you get to the store and avoid adding to the list once you get there. This will help you stay away from impulse buying and will help you save money and time.
2. Price match:
At Walmart and Target you can price match (this will save you time and money because you can possibly get your entire grocery list at one location). Using an app like Flipp can make price-matching very easy.
3. Get a rain check:
Stop settling for “we ran out of what you want" when you go to the store. For many on-sale items, rain checks can be given but you have to ask for one. Most grocery stores won't offer them freely. If you're at the store and they run out of the advertised special, go to the customer service counter and request a rain check and ask when they will be restocked. A rain check means they will let you buy the advertised item at the sale price when the item has been restocked.
What are some your tips on saving money at the grocery store? Share with us below!
Brittani Hunter is a proud PVAMU alumni and the founder of The Mogul Millennial, a business and career platform for Black Millennials. Meet Brittani on Twitter and on the Gram at @BrittaniLHunter and @mogulmillennial.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Sheila Rashid's Androgynous Approach To Unisex Clothing Is A Lesson In Embracing Individuality
The ItGirl 100 List is a celebration of 100 Black women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table.
For Sheila Rashid, it all started with some free-hand drawings and a few strokes of paint.
The Chicago-based clothing designer and creative director of Sheila Rashid Brand recalls using her spare time in high school to hand paint designs on t-shirts and distressed hoodies, distributing them to classmates as walking billboards for her art.
Rashid sought to pursue fashion design at Columbia College in Chicago but eventually took the self-taught route to build upon her knack for crafting one-of-a-kind, androgynous pieces.
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Thanks to the mentorship of local designers taking her under their wings, Rashid was able to gain valuable experience in putting together collections and creating patterns; equipping her with them with the necessary skills to pursue her own collections.
After two years of living in New York, Rashid returned home to the Chi and uncovered the unique flair she could offer the city. “I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world,” she tells xoNecole. “That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
For the Midwest native, inspiration comes from her time around creative peers and the city’s notorious winters — known to be a main character in many Chicagoans stories. “It's a different perspective and mindset when I'm making stuff because of the weather here,” she explains. “When we get summer, it’s ‘Summertime Chi’ — it's amazing. It's beautiful. Still, I find myself always making clothes that cater to the winter.”
"I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world. That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
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Many designers have a signature aesthetic or theme in their creations. In Rashid’s design story, dancing between the lines of femininity and masculinity is how she’s been able to distinguish herself within the industry. Her androgynous clothing has garnered the eye of celebrities like Zendaya, Chance the Rapper, WNBA star Sydney Colson, and more — showing her range and approach to designs with inclusivity in mind.
“I think I do reflect my own style,” she says. “When I do make pieces, I'm very tomboyish, androgynous. My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes.” From denim to overalls, and color-drenched outerwear, Rashid has mastered the structure of statement pieces that tell a story.
“Each collection, I never know what's going to be the thing I'm going to focus on. I try to reflect my own style and have fun with the storytelling,” she shares. “I look at it more like it's my art in this small way of expressing myself, so it's not that calculated.”
"My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes."
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Still, if you were able to add up all the moments within Rashid’s 20-year career in design, one theme that has multiplied her into becoming an “ItGirl” is her confidence to take up space within the fashion industry as a queer, Black woman. “Being an ItGirl is about being yourself, loving what you do, finding your niche, and mastering that,” she says.
No matter where you are on your ItGirl journey, Rashid says to always remain persistent and never hesitate to share your art with the world. “Don’t give up. Even if it's something small, finish it and don't be afraid to put it out,” she says, “It's about tackling your own fear of feeling like you have to please everybody, but just please yourself, and that's good enough.”
To learn more about the ItGirl 100 List, view the full list here.
Featured image Courtesy