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The 5 Best and Worst Coupon Apps

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Who does not love saving money? Coupon apps are one of the best ways to save money. From grocery apps like Ibotta to Shopkick rewards, smartphone coupon apps are great options to save money on the go.

Keep more dollars in your wallet by using these apps to shop for everything you would typically buy, from groceries and family fun days to clothes or dining out.

By offering coupons, promo codes, points, or cash back, coupon apps help consumers pay less for things they would buy anyway. Most apps are free, but not all coupon apps are created equal. Scammers create fake apps to look like trusted brands, and you can safely download them from the Google Play Store. Steer clear of coupon fraud and scams by avoiding too-good-to-be-true deals, following rules, and not copying or using expired coupons. 

If you love saving money when you shop, check out these 5 best and worst coupon apps of 2022.

1.    Ibotta

You have probably heard friends rave about this popular grocery app. Here’s how it works:

  • To save money and avoid buying extra stuff while strolling the aisles, you can open your Ibotta app before you leave home to check for any coupons for things you plan to buy.
  • Ibotta lets you mark the coupons right in the app.
  • Next, head to the grocery store to buy the items you usually buy. Remember to hang on to your receipt since you will need it to claim your savings.
  • Back at home (or in your car if you can’t wait), open the Ibotta app. Select the option to redeem your previously selected coupons.
  • You will need to scan the barcode on each item and the barcode listed on your receipt. The credit shows up as soon as a few minutes or up to one business day.

All you need to do is wait until your credit reaches $20, then you can cash out your rewards via gift cards, PayPal, or as a direct deposit to your bank.

It is one of the fastest, legitimate, and most popular ways to get real cash back for your everyday purchases.

What to Avoid

Apps that offer fantastic super savings and high-value offers need to be avoided. If you see an app, email, or website that provides a $500 gift card, coupon, or promo code, the chances are that it is almost always a fake.

2.    Groupon

While it is not grabbing the news these days, Groupon is the original everyday deal app and is still a popular player in the online coupon space.

Typically, most Groupon coupons act as a discount on a specific service or experience. For instance, you can get $10 off for $20 at a restaurant in your area. Or you can get a spa experience for two at a discounted rate.

Groupon can save you a lot of money at places that you already use. It is also a great discount tool to check out deals at a new place. Groupons can be used for a wide range of services and activities, such as eating out, skydiving, wine tasting, going to the zoo, going to a theme park, getting a spa day, going go-karting, or getting home repairs done.

Keep in mind that Groupon promos are time-sensitive. This means that you will need to use them during a specific timeframe. However, if you have already paid and the promotion expires, you still have the option to redeem it to get your cash value back. 

What to Avoid

Watch out if you see an app that’s the only app that offers that great deal. For instance, if all other websites only offer a 10% off code, a 75% off deal is probably a scam.

The 15 Best Mobile Coupon Apps That Will Help You Save Big Bucks

3.    Coupon Sherpa

You might not have heard of Sherpa Coupon, but it is a solid, older coupon app that offers many printable coupons.

Scan through the list for coupons for mall retailers, local department stores, big box stores, specialty stores, or restaurants.

The good news is that you do not have to print and clip coupons to take advantage of Coupon Sherpa.

These days, the site has a mobile app that can give you savings on the go.

What to Avoid

Check if the digital or printable coupons on an app lack legal information or expiration dates. Legitimate online coupons or printed offers will have coupon rules and requirements listed on the voucher. Digital coupons must always match the manufacturer’s guidelines.

4.    Shopkick

Although Shopkick isn’t exactly a traditional coupon app, this app is a great way to earn points at stores you shop at online or visit in person.

Shopkick has joined with many popular chain stores to enable this rewards system. Just turn on your location services, walk into a store, and open the app to collect your rewards.

Once you earn enough rewards, called “kicks,” you can redeem the points for a gift card to your favorite listed retailer—Target, Walmart, Kroger, Best Buy, Yankee Candle, and TJMaxx.

You can save the most money if you take a few minutes to look for specific items on the list, find them in the store, and scan the barcodes.

Another way to get even bigger savings is to shop on big sale days of the year, such as Black Friday, where you can often earn up to 200 kicks in one day.

You can even earn kicks for visiting store sites online, watching short in-app video clips, or scanning a receipt for a purchase made in person. Check the app to see which points qualify for purchases that you make regularly. It’s a great way to collect passive points while going about your everyday shopping.

What to Avoid

Do not ever pay for a coupon. A legitimate app won’t ask for money. So, anything that requires you to pay before giving you the offer is a big red flag.

5.    Coupons.com

This is a versatile app that you can use on both Apple and Android smartphones.

If you are always on the hunt for offers, then coupons.com is a giant company that offers a ton of deals for groceries and everyday purchases.

With the app, you can take advantage of these deals while on the go. Browse digital deals at places like Petco and Old Navy, or add the coupons to your Apple mobile wallet via the Passbook app.

Here are the top 3 ways that you can access your coupon savings:

  • Print an email from your computer
  • Print a deal from your mobile device (this only works if you’re using an iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, and some HP printers)
  • Add the coupon to your store loyalty card and scan it when you check out

Use your phone to store coupons and scan to get the best rewards at checkout.

What to Avoid

Watch out for apps that employ scammers’ bait-and-switch strategies. For example, this scam pretends to offer you a coupon code online, free and clear. Then, once you agree to it, it makes you fill out a form with your personal information.

Top 8 Tips to Save Money Shopping on Amazon

Image credit: [Getty Images Signature]

Better Side Hustle: Uber or Lyft?

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Deciding which rideshare companies will be a better side hustle for you will depend on several factors. These will include your location, how often you drive, what time of day you drive, and your personal preference on what the brand stands for.

While Uber pays more per distance driven, nationwide Lyft pays more to its drivers on average. In addition, Uber is considered more professional, while Lyft is a more casual company.

What is required to get started?

Both Uber and Lyft require you to be of legal driving age for your state and city. You’re also required to have a legal driver’s license and insurance to drive for either company.

Your car must not be older than 15 years from the current year, be a four-door with no body damage. Both will run a driving and background check before allowing you to drive. This is where they begin to differ.

Uber

You need at least one year of driving experience. If you are younger than 23, you must have three years of driving experience.

Lyft

The vehicle must have five seatbelts, no more than eight seatbelts, and less than 350,000 miles on the odometer. Lyft also requires drivers to complete a community safety program before allowing them to drive on the platform.

Which company is easier to start driving for?

Both ensure the safety of riders using the platform. Lyft has more requirements for the drivers’ vehicle and requires an extra education program before starting.

Based on the extra things required by Lyft, it will take longer to get started on the platform than its competitor.

https://therideshareguy.com/side-hustle/

Do I get a sign-on bonus?

Neither Uber nor Lyft currently offers a sign-on bonus. However, both offer a series of bonuses that encourage you to drive during busy times, increasing your overall paycheck.

Lyft currently offers more incentives, but Uber’s can come in useful as well. Below are the different bonuses and promotions the two platforms provide.

Lyft

Lyft offers personal power zones to encourage more drivers during busy times. In addition, Lyft offers ride streaks for consecutive rides. Lyft also provides an earning guarantee and ride challenges to prompt enough drivers to satisfy its riders.

Uber

One of the bonuses for Uber drivers is the extra money for consecutive trips made. In addition, Uber also has a promotion called Quests. This consists of a bonus for making a set number of trips of a specified number of days.

Which one trains drivers more?

Both platforms give training to their drivers on how to use the app. However, Lyft tends to have more comprehensive training.

Both platforms have developed a functional app for drivers to use. For example, Lyft has a function to contact riders if they have trouble finding the pickup location.

Which one earns more?

Depending on what area you live in and how many users are regulars on each app, this can vary.

Both platforms are good if you’re looking for money right now. Lyft may be a good option for some, while Uber benefits are better for others.

Both side hustles can be lucrative. On average across the nation, Uber drivers tend to make a little more per hour. Therefore, it would help to weigh the benefits when calculating the earning potential for either of the two rideshare companies.

Which one is better to drive for overall?

While Lyft offers its highest-rated drivers some nice perks, Uber isn’t without its benefits. So, it just depends on what you’re looking for when considering this side hustle.

Lyft’s highest-rated drivers get things such as 24/7 roadside assistance and free taxes. If you use either incentive, the saving will put money back in your pocket. On the other hand, Uber offers discounts on gas while using the Uber debit card and discounts on maintenance and bodywork.

Uber offers by far the most beneficial bonus to its highest-rated drivers, with the driver or their family receiving free online tuition at Arizona state university. This online school is a great option that makes many pick Uber over its competitor.

Does either offer a car to use?

Lyft has begun offering a new rental car program. While it is not free, it does allow you to drive a car other than your own. Not to be the odd man out, Uber will enable you to rent through one of its partners.

If using one of Uber’s partners, the vehicle will be fully insured and registered. You will have to pay a rental fee, so this is good for people who have a car in the shop getting repairs or want to try before they dive into this choice of side hustle. Not everyone is eligible, so check before you make this your deciding factor.

Which side hustle is better for you?

If you’re an international driver, Uber is going to be your top choice. This is because Lyft currently only operates in North America.

You would need to weigh the different options for all North American drivers to see which will benefit you the most. Each platform is a good side hustle if you don’t mind driving and having random people in your car. On the other hand, if you are an active driver, accept a good majority of rides, and receive good ratings, you can make decent money driving for either platform.

Does it Pay to Drive Uber as a Side Hustle?

What about my insurance?

Drivers should let their insurance company know if they are driving for either platform. Your insurance rate will go up as a driver on a ridesharing platform. 

Even with the added expense in mind, you should still inform your auto insurance company because you may find yourself out of pocket if involved in an accident. In addition, drivers who don’t have the right insurance can receive coverage if involved in an accident while driving on either platform.

Image credit: Peter Berglund

Best P2P Lending Platforms in 2021

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Are you looking for loans to fund your next big purchase? A P2P lending platform may be able to help you! However, there are so many different options out there. You will want to make sure that you are choosing a reliable platform that is going to be worth your time. 

Many of the most trustworthy sites have more than ten years’ worth of experience. These sites are very secure and consistently deliver your loans. You will not need to worry when you decide to go with one of these long-standing P2P platforms.

What is a P2P Lending Platform?

A P2P, also known as a peer-to-peer lending platform, allows you to get loans directly from others.

This option is best when you want to cut out lenders, such as banks. Many people with lower credit choose P2P lending since they can still get loans in this way.

Many of these platforms use specialized software to match lenders with borrowers. If you are looking for more loan options to pay for something expensive, you will want to consider this method. It is worth noting that you will still need to pay interest on your loan, most of the time.

How P2P Lending Works

P2P lending is a straightforward process and works much like you would expect it to. You will experience a soft credit check, which is there to make sure you can pay back the loan.

Once you make it through this step, the platform performs a hard credit check, then assigns you a rank. This rank or grade shows lenders on the forum what levels of risk they take when investing in you.

At this stage, you have access to the platform! You can make a post about what you need for the loan, as well as what interest rates you can pay. Finally, lenders make “bids” on your post. These bids include the amount the lender will offer- then you choose the one that suits you the best.

After you accept a bid on your listing, the loan amount enters your bank account. You will have to pay it back over time, but you now have the funds for your purchase.

Why Use a P2P?

There are a variety of reasons for anyone to use a P2P platform. Many people use P2P lending to provide funds for personal projects and similar situations. If you do not want to work with an institution, then P2P is your best choice! The sites still report to the credit bureaus, so you can still build your scores using these sites.

https://www.moneyunder30.com/peer-to-peer-lending-sites-for-borrowers-and-investors

However, there are plenty of sketchy P2P platforms online. You only want to borrow from reliable sources, so make sure to check out all the options below.

The Best P2P Lending Platforms

Now that you understand how to use a P2P lending site best, you will want to choose a platform that suits you the best. There are plenty of different sites available, so you will want to choose one that fits all your needs. For example, if you have Fair Credit, then Payoff may be best for you.

1. Peerform

Peerform is an excellent P2P lending platform. The site offers competitive interest rates, does not have prepayment penalties, and is perfect for Fair credit scores. This platform is very trustworthy since it’s been around since 2010. The people running the site also have ample experience in the field because of this.

The maximum loan amount is $25,000, which is not as high as others on this list. Still, you receive great rates and reliable services. It is also worth noting that the minimum loan amount is $4,000.

Overall, Peerform is the best P2P lending platform for many people. It comes with a low credit requirement, which is a 600-credit score. If you happen to be late paying on the due date, you also have 15 days before receiving a late fee.

https://www.thebalance.com/best-peer-to-peer-lending-companies-4580285

2. Payoff

The payoff is another reliable P2P lending platform that you will want to consider. Payoff even works with those who have a short credit history or fair credit scores. Many borrowers also said they appreciated having free access to their FICO scores on the site.

You can also pre-qualify as an added benefit, giving you a higher chance of getting the loans you want. There also are no prepayment penalties, so you can pay off the loan as soon as you are ready. 

Payoff also started in 2005, giving the site many years’ worth of experience. The platform also has lower fees and sends you the funds quickly. Their maximum loan amounts also fall between $5,000 and $40,000, which is more than enough money for many situations.

Overall, Payoff is an excellent option for anyone with fair credit who wants to build on their score. Most borrows can find the loans they need there.

3. Upstart

Upstart is a trustworthy P2P lending site that you should also investigate. The starting interest rate is a bit higher than the above two options at 8.27%. However, it is still great for borrowers who do not have an extensive credit history.

To offer loans to more people, Upstart does look at your job history and education, but these factors should work in your favor when you have low credit scores. The platform accepts those with scores of at least 600, which is lower than many other lenders.

Upstart came into existence in 2012. Today, you can borrow between $1,000 and $50,000. Additionally, about 90% of borrowers pay off their loans from the platform- making it an excellent place for those looking to invest on a platform. 

4. Prosper

Prosper is another wonderful option, but it is much better for those with a long credit history. Many of their lenders mention appreciating that the site allows them to change their monthly due dates. That way, you can choose a date that will enable you to make payments reliably.

Prosper was the first P2P lending site, which came online in 2005. During the years since the platform has gained a lot of experience and is very well-known. They can be a little slow to provide you with the funds, but you can borrow between $2,000 and $40,000.

This lending platform is best for those with a more extended credit history because the venue requires at least three open credit accounts. Those just starting on building their credit may not have that many credit accounts open. In short, Prosper is very trustworthy and always makes sure that you get your funds from accepted loans.

Final Thoughts

To summarize, there are many trustworthy P2P lending platforms that you can make use of. Many borrowers use these loans to pay for home improvement, new cars, starting a business, and other large purchases- we’re sure you will find them helpful!

Image credit: Wutzkoh