Winter weather, cozy coats, festive cookies and gingerbread lattes—what’s not to love about the holidays? Long lines, heavy shopping mall traffic and depleted bank account are just a few holiday headaches that come to mind. Before you call me a Scrooge, I need to make it clear that I absolutely love December and the holiday season. Growing up, I’d scour catalogs and magazines for the perfect gifts for family and friends. I’d spend hours curating a cut-and-paste collage of my holiday shopping list. So what changed? My time.
As much as I’m still a child a heart, I have an adult life with adult commitments that don’t leave too much time for crafting the perfect gift list. (A large part of me has yet to accept this!) Thankfully, as I evolved, so did technology. I live on my phone—while some say it’s an addiction, it’s actually the lifesaver that allows me to get so much done in so little time. We can waste our life away in mall lines galore OR we can shop smart and get by with a little help from our friends. In this case, “friends” means the phone apps for holiday shopping that make our lives easier in a few clicks.
1. Pounce
Ever fall in love with an item in a store, but wish you could find a more affordable version? Or maybe wish you could find something similar to a discontinued product? Pounce is that wish granted. In the click of a button, you can take a picture of an item you want and be given options that look similar to your wish list item. From there, you have a tap-to-buy option to seal the deal.
Available for iPhone & Android
2. WantList
TechCrunch describes WantList as “Tinder for shopping”—I can’t think of a better term. Swipe left to deny a product you’re not into and right to add the product to your “WantList.” As the app gets a sense of your taste, you’ll have products recommended to you. Once an item is on your WantList, you have the option of buying it, saving or sharing it. This app is great for keeping tabs on your personal gift list, or even as a medium for friends to communicate what they’d like for the holidays.
Available for iPhone
3. Ebates
Ebates is a no-brainer for savvy shoppers. In a nutshell, Ebates is an affiliate of 1,700+ online stores. What’s so unique about Ebates is that unlike most brand affiliates the website shares it’s commission made. Shop online using Ebates and you get a fraction of the company’s earnings. Plus, Ebates offers coupon codes to save you even more.
Available for iPhone & Android
4. RedLaser
On the chance you brave a trip to the mall, you can be sure to get the best price possible with RedLaser. Just scan the barcode of a product and get a price comparison to find the best deal online or in another store.
Available for iPhone & Android
5. Point Inside Shopping & Travel
After living next to Houston Galleria for months, you think I’d be a pro at navigating my way around gigantic malls. Think again. Thankfully, this mall directory app will give you a floor-by-floor layout of the shopping mall you’re visiting.
Available for iPhone & Android
6. Wanelo
Wanelo is by far my favorite app for finding amazing products…it’s particularly great for those moments when you’re stuck on a Secret Santa gift. With more than 550,000 stores and 30 million products, Wanelo allows you to search and follow your favorite stores online. You can often find really obscure and awesome gifts through the search tool.
Available for iPhone & Android
7. Santa’s Bag
I have a habit of getting in over my head in gift shopping. My concept of money flies out the window and doesn’t hit me until Dec. 26 when I check my sad, depleted bank account. Keep your shopping list organized and budgeted with Santa’s Bag. You can organize by gift recipients and even set a budget for how much you should be spending per person.
Available for iPhone
Do you have a favorite shopping app? Share it in the comments below!
This post originally ran as a guest post on amber-oliver.com. Check out Amber’s home decor, DIY and each tips here.
