12 Awesome Money-Saving Apps And Websites

In the last month, I’ve bought movie tickets for half price via Groupon, ordered dirt-cheap electronics accessories on Amazon and found a real bargain for my next vacation thanks to Priceline (if you’ve never experienced the thrill of naming your own price, you’re in for a treat).

While all of those sites are fantastic money-savers, chances are you’re already quite familiar with them.

Below are 10 other money-saving sites and apps that are sometimes overlooked but just as worthy of recognition. Incorporate a few of them into your daily routine, and don’t be surprised if you save hundreds of dollars in just a few months. When you’re done, explore below for other Christian debt management apps and tools offered through our partnership with SuperMoney. 

Cartwheel – This is a discount program just launched by Target last May. I started using the app in the fall, and I’ve now saved $121.62 on items I was going to buy anyway. You create a free account, select the deals you like, and scan your unique coupon barcode once you get to the register. One of my new favorite things is explaining Cartwheel to the people standing in line with me. Many have never heard of it and download the app on the spot.

RedLaser – Have you ever found yourself standing in the store, staring at a product that’s on sale and wondering if it’s really the best price out there? Wonder no more with apps like RedLaser. Once you download the app, you can scan barcodes with your phone or enter the name of a particular product, and RedLaser will let you know if you can get it cheaper online or across the street.

Retailmenot – I never make an online purchase without first taking a quick trip to Retailmenot.com. This site allows you to search for coupon codes and printable coupons for your favorite retailers.

Ebates – This awesome site allows you to get cash back for online purchases. According to Ebates, its members have earned more than $250 million to date. One of my savings-savvy relatives has received $555 since she started using the site a couple of years ago. You can get serious cash back (sometimes 20% or more) when you use Ebates to make purchases from Amazon, Walmart, hotels.com, and tons of other retailers and websites.

Airfarewatchdog – This site has real people monitoring flight prices across the U.S. and beyond. You can sign up for email alerts for specific routes, and Airfarewatchdog will alert you when the fares drop significantly. Last week, the site sent me an alert for one of the routes I was watching. I booked a nonstop round trip flight for $89 including taxes and fees.

LivingSocial – This discount site sells everything from haircuts to bowling passes to vacation packages for 50% off or more. Just select your location, then browse the offers or search for something specific.

Restaurant.com – You can save 50% on eating out by buying a gift certificate through Restaurant.com. To save even more money, sign up for email alerts and keep an eye out for the site’s extreme deals—like $3 for $25 worth of gift certificates. Just remember to read the details of each deal carefully. Many restaurants require you to spend a minimum amount, and they generally can’t be used towards tax or gratuity. Also, check the restaurant’s reviews before you buy.

ThredUP –ThredUP is basically a giant, online consignment store. The way it works is pretty cool—you order a bag, fill it up with used women’s or children’s clothing (in good condition), and drop it in the mail. The postage is already paid. Then the ThredUP team goes through the clothing and pays you up to 40% of its resale value. They have an online calculator to help you figure out what your clothing is worth before you send it in. You can get your money via PayPal or receive shopping credit to buy deeply discounted clothes through the site. Oh, and any items that aren’t accepted are donated to charity or recycled.

MoneySavingMom –This is a great catch-all savings site that covers everything from extreme couponing to giveaways to weekly grocery store specials. The woman behind the site is a mother of three who actually figured out how to live off a $35/week grocery budget in order to keep the family from going into debt when her husband went to law school. She knows what she’s doing.

Airbnb – This is an up-and-coming site that allows you to rent space in more than 30,000 cities around the world. You can rent anything from a tree house in Washington ($40/night) to a castle in France ($170/night). Whether you need a room or an entire house, there’s probably something within your price range. You can also use Airbnb to make some extra money by listing your home or spare bedroom.

Other Christian Debt Management Apps

What better way to manage money, pay off debt, and improve your financial situation than with a handy app or budgeting tool? In partnership with SuperMoney, we’re bringing you money management tools designed to help you payoff credit card debt, create a spending plan, and become a whiz at managing money and finances.

Explore the library of apps in the widget below to discover free and premium financial calculators, apps and tools to support your Christian debt relief journey.

When you are in the debt battle, it is hard to imagine that one day this will be a memory. When David was facing his Goliath, he was totally focused on bringing him down. Debt may be your Goliath today, but eventually your Goliath will lose his head, and then what? There is life after debt.

Scary Freedom

One ironic reaction that many people have to becoming debt free is a new sense of fear. You might think that once you are debt free you will never have another money worry. The opposite is actually true for most people. Once you have safely navigated your way through your Christian Debt Settlement Program, you may find yourself more apprehensive than ever. You now know how damaging financial mistakes can be on your life, your family and your marriage. This new knowledge and wisdom brings with it a sense of fear over messing up again. The last thing you want to do is go backward and make the same mistakes over. However, 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us that “God hath not given us a spirit of fear.”

Careful and Confident

You have worked hard to revolutionize your finances and bring glory to God by doing so. This spirit of fear must be traded in for a spirit of confidence. Look at what you have accomplished! Many people never do this. Many people file bankruptcy or just surrender to society’s mandated cycle of debt. You have done something remarkable, and God is pleased with that. You acknowledged the problem, sought out Christian financial help, and worked hard to do right. You have earned the right to feel confident about your choices. You have the tools to continue to make good choices. Look at each financial decision as it comes up and ask yourself, “Is this wise? Is this practical? Is this going to bring glory to God?” Tell yourself every day that you have made good financial decsions and you will continue to make good financial decisions.

Be a Blessing

If you have spent years struggling just to pay your own bills, you may not have had much left over for giving. That can all change now. There are few things as fulfilling as giving to others and being able to do it without worry. The Bible speaks of being a “cheerful giver” and that is so much easier when you are out of debt.

Build the Emergency Fund

If during your Christian Debt Program you did not entirely fund your emergency account, continue working on this goal. Establishing a fully funded emergency account takes some time. Three to six months’ worth of regular expenses is quite a bit of cash by any standard. Keep working toward that goal, because once you have accomplished this there will be almost nothing you can’t handle with a spirit of confidence and wisdom.

Think About Investing

If you have not already begun investing, now is the time to consider this exciting option. When you were living pay check to pay check this was not even a possibility for you. Now, you can take control of your money and make it work for you. Keep to low risk investment options at first while you are still learning.

Reward Yourself

Now may be the time to reward yourself in some way. While you were in the trenches of Christian Debt Management, you may have made some pretty big sacrifices. You may have had to entirely reprogram your way of life. You are a better person for it. You have learned moderation, but moderation does not mean you can never enjoy yourself again. If all of your duckies are in a row, and all of your obligations are met, what little thing might you do for yourself?

Why do we establish emergency funds? Why do we buy insurance policies and pay health care and care insurance premiums every month? We are trying to prepare our self for a crisis. Whether it is a health, home, or vehicle crisis we want to be prepared. How much can this type of insurance prepare us, though? We know our health insurance policies do not pay one hundred percent of our medical bills. We know that that there are some kinds of emergencies that our emergency fund just will not cover. The fact is, there is only so much you can prepare for.

What if it’s Not Enough?

It is never wise to put you confidence in money. Money is a powerful thing which can accomplish a lot for us when used wisely. However, money is not the end all answer to all of life’s problems. Even a family that believes they have covered all of the “insurance” bases is still at the mercy of their income. And although no one likes to think about it, there are some emergencies that are bigger than all of our preparations. This does not mean we should not still wisely prepare. You should be prepared. You should also keep in mind that a life altering crisis does not happen every day or even every year. Some individuals get through many decades without such tragedies. However, placing all of your confidence in your financial preparations will set you up for serious shock should a life altering crisis come your way.

The Christian Bonus

As Christians we are instructed to be good stewards of our money, and that includes preparations like those mentioned above. However, all of these are “secondary” insurance for us. Our “primary” policy covers far more than this life could ever throw our way. We have a heavenly Father, who in His infinite providence is watching over every step we take. He has seen the crisis long before we do, and more than that, He has also seen the solution. What peace there is in knowing that our Father knows the solution to any life crisis we could possibly face, and if we will, “Be still and know that He is God,” like David admonished us in Psalms 46:10 he will reveal these solutions to us. We can confidently take on the darkest of circumstances because we are backed up by God the Father.

Miracles Still Happen

The world of finances deals with hard facts. Numbers don’t lie and there is nothing magical about the bottom line. However, as Christians, we acknowledge the importance of these facts, but we can never lose sight of another fact and that is that we serve a God who works miracles. So when all of the “facts” say, “There is no financial solution to this problem,” God may have a solution that no calculator could have figured.

The Best Insurance

Christians should prepare in times of plenty, just like Joseph put aside corn during the fat years in Egypt. Prepare by investing in insurance and establishing emergency funds. Then should a crisis come that surpasses all you have prepared for, say like the Psalmist in Psalms 121: 1-2 “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.”

We often look back on certain time periods in history, like the Great Depression, and wonder, “How did people manage to get through something like that?” The answer is that they knew how to switch into survival mode. They understood when pride needed to take a back seat to priority and practicality.

No time is this more important for modern people than when they are attempting to work their way out of debt. Seeking Christian financial help and starting a Christian debt relief program is a great starting point toward the goal of a debt free life. However, there are some deep seeded changes that have to take place in the hearts and minds of many people if they ever hope to make “debt free” a way of living.

Changing the way we shop is one of the more difficult areas that people deal with when attempting to revolutionize their finances. For many people shopping is an emotional outlet which serves a few different purposes. One it is a stress relieving distraction for many people. It is their hobby. Secondly shopping, for some people, provides quite the ego massage. Buying a new shiny item, with a chunky price tag makes them feel like a different person for a while, a better person. The problem with all of this is that it is an illusion, it is short lived and it is not financially practical.

If you are attempting to heal your finances through a Christian debt settlement program, then you must seriously evaluate any type of emotional spending.

Shopping is a necessity; we need things, however, it is the way we meet that need that makes all of the difference. When you are in the trenches of your Christian debt management program you will need to look into alternative shopping. Alternative shopping simply means finding new, creative, cheaper ways to get what you need. This includes consignment, clothing swaps, yard sales, Free Cycle programs, Craigslist and yes the old thrift shop.

Sure when buying used you do have to be more careful, but that does not mean thrift shops should be entirely counted out as an alternative shopping venue. There a several myths surrounding thrift shops that prevent people from saving a lot of money on things they really need.

Myth # 1

Thrift shops are dirty. Thrift stores must meet the same standards of cleanliness and safety as all other businesses in your community. Stores such as Goodwill have very strict standards concerning their clothing, furniture and other household items.

Myth # 2

The item I buy won’t work. If you doubt if an item will work or not, ask a salesperson to plug it up so you can operate it. The salespeople are used to this request. Check it out first and see if it works.

Myth # 3

People will make fun of me. This isn’t middle school. You are an adult who needs to spend wisely. If you have people in your life who would mock your desire to get out debt and change your finances your problem lies in the relationship not in the thrift shop.

Myth # 4

They won’t have what I need. This is where thrift shopping can get fun. Each trip is an adventure. You’re on a quest. Sometimes you find what you need. Sometimes you find something better. Sometimes you find something else you needed that you never thought would be there.

If you are already in a Christian debt program then you have the guts to try something new, adding thrift store shopping to the list shouldn’t be too scary.

If you’re serious about paying off debt and building up your savings, it may be time to consider cutting the cable cord.

You’d be part of a growing trend.

In 2007, just 2 million American TV households didn’t pay for some kind of cable, satellite or phone-based television service. Six short years later, that number more than doubled to 5 million households…and growing.

Meanwhile, the cable providers are losing ground as more families give the remote control a rest and choose to watch their favorite shows via less expensive avenues. This may seem surprising, given that the rise of the 200-channel cable provider practically made channel-surfing an Olympic sport, but all of that variety comes with a hefty price tag.

According to FCC data released last summer, the average American paid $61.63 a month for cable TV in 2012. That was 5 percent more than 2011’s average price. In fact, from 1995 to 2012, the cost of cable jumped about 6 percent a year—more than doubling the rate of the Consumer Price Index during the same time period.

By ditching cable for one or more of the less expensive options below, you could save $700 a year or more. Yes, you may miss one or two of those 200 channels (most of which you don’t even watch), but think about it: is your favorite reality show worth 700 bucks?

Take Advantage of Free Online Streaming

A growing number of networks are offering their programs online for free. PBS, for example, offers full episodes of many of its most popular BBC shows on its website 24/7. The commercials are shorter, you can hit the pause button while you grab a snack, and it’s possible to catch up on multiple episodes in one sitting.

Use a Web-Based Service and Save a Bundle

Web streaming services are gaining subscribers because they offer many of the same shows as cable providers for a fraction of the cost. Netflix and Hulu both cost less than $10 a month (plus the cost of internet service). If you already pay for internet, a 12-month subscription to Hulu will cost you $95.88. Compare that with the average monthly cost of cable, which will run up a $739.56 bill over the course of a year. Going web-based adds up to a savings of more than $643.

Buy a (Cheap) Digital Antenna

If you just can’t live without your favorite local news channel, consider buying a digital antenna and watching your basic over-the-air channels for free. These are not your grandmother’s rabbit ears. The latest digital antennae are sleek, flat and inexpensive. The cheapest ones start at about $10 and allow you to watch many channels in HD. A slightly fancier model will set you back about 30 bucks. Several years’ worth of free TV for half the price of just one month of cable? Not too shabby.

“Where is the best place to stash an emergency fund?”


If you are still taking baby steps in your personal money revolution, then this may not be a huge pressing question on your mind. You may be more concerned right now about how you’re going to pay your light bill this month. But that’s okay. You are working toward your goals. You are paying down debt through your Christian debt relief program, and you are slowly but surely building that all important emergency fund that will insure you against the horrific, “borrowing from family” scenario should your hot water heater blow up next month!

However, for those who are a little bit further along on this financial quest, it may be time to consider the best place for this emergency fund that you have worked so hard to establish.

An ideal emergency fund should be three to six months of regular expenses. This is quite a bit of cash, so it would do you well to put it somewhere in which it can gain the most interest for you. This is especially true when you consider that this money is going to stay put, hopefully.

Emergency funds are different than investment funds. You want investment funds to be active and flowing and accomplishing as much for you as possible. Investment funds are money at work. Emergency funds need to stay put, be still, and be safe. You do not put your emergency fund at risk in any way. However, you also do not want it to just sit there for five years and not earn a penny either.

The balance between risky action and stagnant inaction is to place the money in the highest yield type of savings plan possible.

Online Savings

Online only accounts have increased in popularity in the last few years. Many online only banks such as Ally or Capital One 360 can offer higher interest rates on their savings programs because they are not dealing with the overhead of running a brick and mortar establishment.

This translates into only good things for their customers.

Many of these banks offer a full range of savings products including Money Market Accounts. These online money market accounts offer higher interest rates than regular accounts, plus have limitations in place which will discourage you from touching the money except in true emergencies.

The drawback is that all types of savings plans, including online only money market, are seeing really low interest rates right now. This can improve with time, and something is always better than nothing.

Breakable CDs

Breakable CDs offer a higher interest rate right now than most online savings plans. This is because your average 5 year CD will charge you a small fee for early withdrawals. Your money is not quite as accessible as it would be with a money market account, but you will be earning more on money that is just sitting there.

The drawback is that the money is not immediately available like it would be from savings or money market.

I-Bonds

Series I US Savings bonds are a great low risk place to store cash.

If you have already established a great emergency fund putting some of the money in I-Bonds could be a wonderful option. However, putting all of your emergency fund money is not wise as I-Bonds cannot be cashed out until after the first year. However, the interest rates are better than just about any other low risk product available.

Chocolate. Meat. Sugar. These are some of the most common indulgences given up for Lent, the 40-day season of preparation that leads up to Easter Sunday.

It’s a time when many Christians honor Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice of giving up his life by making a small sacrifice of their own.

Because Lent has long been associated with traditional fasting, it’s no surprise many people turn automatically to food when choosing how they’ll recognize the season, which begins on Ash Wednesday (March 5th this year).

If giving up candy for 40 days works for you, keep it up. However, if your Lent sacrifice has become routine and expected—or if you’ve never tried giving something up for Lent—perhaps you should consider doing something a little different this year, like making a sacrifice that hits your wallet more than your waistline.

Let’s be clear: Lent in its purest form is about growing closer to God. It’s about being thankful for what we have and recognizing that all of our best efforts will never come close to matching the sacrifice Jesus made 2,000 years ago. At its heart, Lent is about our spiritual state.

That being said, a 40-day sacrifice can naturally have a positive effect on our physical, emotional and even financial health as well.

Here are seven Lent-inspired ideas that could help get you back on spiritual and financial track at the same time.

Whether you give up chocolate, red meat or Instagram, remember not to do it in your own strength. When you’re tempted to indulge, pray for help. God promises to provide a way out (see 1 Corinthians 10:13). And if you do stumble, don’t be discouraged. Give your plan a reboot and keep going, and you may find yourself making—or breaking—a habit by Easter.

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Plus, see the article below. Enjoy!

When an individual is attempting to get out of debt any extra little bit of cash helps the cause. Most people think that they are doing everything they can to further their goal of debt free living. However, you would be surprised at some of the super simple ways you could make an extra $250 dollars a month or more. That extra $250 dollars a month could help to drop the balance on a credit card or other type of debt really fast.

Here are a few realistic ways to make an extra $250 each month.

Babysitting

Most folks think this is a job for bubble popping teenagers, but child care is in very high demand. Quality child care is hard to come by.

My family just went through the process to place an ad in the newspaper and go through an interview process with several adults to help us avoid the higher cost of day care. We found that we would feel much more comfortable with our child being cared for by an adult, especially one who has children of their own. If you do, parents will know that you have the necessary experience to give their child proper care.

When you consider that most babysitters charge about ten dollars an hour, you can see how quickly a few babysitting jobs could add up toward your goals.

Holiday Work

During the holidays, especially Halloween and Christmas, there are many venues that pop up for a few months offering seasonal services and seasonal employment. Pumpkin patches and Christmas tree farms are two of the most popular seasonal employment locations.

Many of these seasonal employers especially need help during the evenings and on the weekends. That makes this a great addition to your regular day job. Another perk included in this type of work are the discounts on holiday items you may need anyway. Extra income plus extra savings!

Ebay

You may not be interested in becoming an Ebay businessperson, but reselling on Ebay can bring in some much needed extra cash when you are trying to supplement your income. You may find it helpful to sell your unneeded items to supplement your debt management program. They even offer a great write-up on how to get started.

You can take this advice a step further, however, buy buying and reselling items from yard sales and thrift shops that you know will bring in a good profit. Thrift shops will often have high dollar items such as purses and shoes that can be resold for huge profits. Keep an eye out for name brands or high dollar items being sold at a deep discount.

Saving is Earning

Do not underestimate the power of saving money in places you usually spend. If you save some money on a normal monthly expense, you have earned that money. If you manage to reduce your electric bill by $50, then you have earned that $50. The same is true for all of your utilities. Conserving water, gas and electricity can really add up over time.

Renting a Room

I know of several people who have made this maneuver with tremendous success. If you have some extra space in your home, you can make it available for rent to easily make an extra $250 a month. Platforms such as AirBnB make it easy and safe to do so. I have had friends report that they earned over $1,500 in one month and made friends along the way, all by making sue of that spare bedroom.

Regardless of your situation, there are always ways to supplement your income if you are able to put a little bit of time and effort forth. Create an honest budget and start using two or three of these methods to make some extra money, and you’ll be debt-free in no time!

Our electric bills are a huge fluctuating expense which can be very hard to budget because our heating, cooling and electric needs seem to change from month to month. Obviously there will be some fluctuations between the seasons, but some common mistakes can make power bills soar unnecessarily.

Check Your HVAC

There are a lot of HVAC issues that can drastically affect your electric bill.

One thing you can keep a check on is whether all of your vents are opened properly. This is a small detail that many people rarely think about. If your system vents are closed your system will struggle to keep your home comfortable. The more your system struggles the higher your power bill will be.

Filters are another small chore that can cost you money when you do not pay it close attention. Dirty or dusty filters can greatly hinder the air flow in your system. Filters should be changed out about once a month.

Reconsider Laundry

You can also rack up savings by paying close attention to the way you do your laundry.

Washing your clothes with cold water only saves up to 90% of the energy that your washer puts out. Cold water only detergent will ensure that using only cold water settings will not cause any damage to your clothing. This is also a time saver as you will not need to separate lights from darks if you use cold water only.

Also keep in mind that overstuffing your washer uses more energy because it will cause the washer to struggle with the larger load. You should only fill your machine about three fourths of the way full.

Understand Your Power Company

Take the time to research your particular power company so that you can better understand how exactly they charge and at what rate.

Many people are unaware that several power companies actually begin charging their customers a discounted rate for electricity after eight at night because this is a non-peak time of electrical use. Finding out if your company operates this way could save you money if you choose to shift large energy sucking tasks such as running the clothes drier to later in the evening.

Turn Off The Lights!

The most basic of energy saving techniques also happens to be the one most people have the least faith in. Do you really believe that one closest light burning all day affects your electrical bill?

It absolutely does.

When you are attempting to reverse your financial situation through Christian debt management you must remember that every little bit counts. Just like pennies in a coin jar add up over time, every time you switch off an unused light you are really, honestly saving money.

As a bonus, the next time you have an old incandescent light bulb burn out, replace it with a compact florescent bulb. They not only reduce energy use but because they last several years, you will save on new bulbs over time too.

Set a Goal

A great way to commit to reducing your electric bill is to set a savings goal each month. If you have a set budgeted amount each month for your power bill, you can set a goal to try and go under that amount. When you receive your next bill and you accomplished your goal, take the amount of the difference, even if it is just five dollars, and apply those five dollars to another financial goal such as your emergency fund, or Christmas fund. When you know that the saved money is designated for something worthwhile, you will try harder to conserve power and save money.

Many individuals who are currently involved in a Christian debt relief program may feel like they are doing everything they can to reverse their bad financial choices of the past. Some of the tenants of Christian money management do require a great deal of sacrifice.

You may not be able to believe that there are any other areas in your life in which you could possibly save another dime to go toward your debt relief efforts. You would be surprised, however, at how some old school savings methods can really translate into extra cash over time.

Coin Jar Magic

Simply collecting change in a coin jar can really add up if you deal mostly in cash for all of your purchases. Using only cash is a good habit to adopt for individuals who struggle with controlling credit cards.

All that change left over from each transaction goes straight to the jar and does not leave till you are ready to deposit it into your checking or savings account. Only use bills to pay with, reserve all change for your jar. Get Rich Slowly author Danny Iny, tried this experiment for seven months and was able to rack up over $700 for his emergency fund.

The Forbidden Dollar Bill

If you really want to see some savings add up with very little effort then designate the dollar bill as the forbidden bill. Refuse to pay for anything with a dollar bill. Take all of your dollar bills and hide them away in a designated place at home.

This can actually become a  fun game especially if you play with a spouse or other family member to see who can save up more each week. Each month pool the money together and apply it to your largest debt bill. The satisfaction you fell at saving that money and paying down those debts will make the dollar bill sacrifice well worth it.

The 52 Week Challenge

This is a great New Year’s resolution savings plan that can help you save up over $1,000 dollars in one year. Each week of the year deposit or hideaway in cash the amount of money corresponding to that week. Week one= $1, week 2=$2 and so on till week 52 when you will put $52 in your savings and you will have accumulated $1,378! Not bad for a rainy day.

My favorite twist: do it in reverse. Save $52 this week, $52 next week, etc. This way, it gets easier and easier as time goes on.

The Old Coffee Can Trick

Do you remember the old movie “Where the Red Fern Grows”? The young hero had a dream of owning his own set of coon dogs. The only way he knew to make this dream come true was to start doing some side work for neighbors and stuff that cash away in an old coffee can. After several months he made his dream a reality when he emptied that can and bought his dogs.

This is not just a piece of movie fiction; this is a tried and true old school savings plan that can actually make an impact on your budget.

Taking on extra work to make a budget work is what our grandparents and great grandparents considered the only answer to a tight budget. You need more money, you do more work.

Designating side income toward a single goal is a great way to feel the psychological satisfaction of actually seeing a goal accomplished. In most cases side income does not have to be a permanent change to your life. Do the extra work until you have reached your goal and then resume your usual work schedule.

If you need a jumpstart on simplifying your finances and increasing your savings, consider speaking with a Christian debt relief advisor at FaithWorks Financial. A debt management plan or debt settlement program may be a great way to reduce your monthly outgo and give yourself some much needed breathing room.