Ho ho ho! This time of year is a blast, a blur and costs serious bank.  It is hard enough to get through the season with the endless shopping lists, the merriment of a million parties and, oh yes, the bombardment of cheery ads on TV.  It is enough to make an elf’s head spin! As we all get through..ahem, enjoy…this holiday season, some of my must-have and best holiday shopping apps to make sure you get those on your “nice” list the very best and save a few bucks along the way!

1. ShopAdvisor 

Killer feature: alerts you when that specific item you want to buy is on sale… at the very best price!

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One of the best shopping apps on the planet – I love this app for a lot of reasons, including a recent upgrade that helps you discover new products in a Pinterest-type setting.  It gives product reviews and does price comparisons on over 200k products which is great if you’re into data mining before buying something.  That’s not really me or why I like this app.  What makes this key for the holidays is the ability to tag items you want to purchase – like a 55 inch Samsung LED TV –  and then it watches the item and alerts you when the price drops or when the right time for you to buy it is, knowing the trends of the season (it is kind of like airline ticket pricing).  No more guessing at the store or fears of the price going down again. On iOS and Android.

Get it now: shopadvisor.com

2. Retail Me Not

Killer Feature: While at the store, open up this app and it pulls up every coupon you are eligible for, creating instant savings

Holiday shopping ap

I have to say that I am a Retail Me Not junkie.  I never purchase anything online without doing a quick scan of this website before I buy anything online using a promo code I get from this site.  It boasts coupon codes for virtually any retailer, large or small, you can think of.  I used it to get a discount on my custom holiday card order this year, flowers I sent to a friend and even saved a few bucks buying a web domain, oddly enough, thanks to Retail Me Not.

But when it comes to shopping in person, I rarely come with clipped coupons or shop with flyers.  The Retail Me Not app does all that for me.  Simply look up the retailer by name, the cashier can scan in the coupon with the barcode.  You can view nearby sales going on too.  You won’t be disappointed. Available for iOS and Android

Get it now: Retail Me Not app

3. Santa’s Bag

Killer Feature: This the best Xmas shopping list organizer – ever. Keeps track of everyone you need to give a gift to, budgets for them, even organize gifts by store you need to purchased them in.  

holiday shopping app

For the holidays, using your phone’s To-Do list or a piece of paper won’t cut it when it comes to getting organized.  Stocking stuffers, co-worker gifts, hostess gifts, there are a million things to keep track of in December.  This app is where you start when you’re setting up your holiday shopping list.  You add each person on your list, budget an amount, tag ideas (like a new iPhone for your boo or the Apple TV for mom) and the app gets to work.  The next time you’re in the Apple store, it tells you what products you need to buy while you’re there, who you need to shop for next and how much you’ve spent.  This is WAY better than anything you can come up with in your iPhone’s Reminder list.  Start here and finish ahead later! Available for iOS

Get it here: Santa’s Bag

Honorable Mention:

4.  Shop For Kids

Killer Feature:  tells you what’s hot in the world of kids toys and price compares so you can buy them for less.

holiday shopping app

Chances are we all have little tikes to shop for this season and if you’re clueless about kids or want some inspiration for your own, this is app will hold your hand and guide you to the coolest (and safest and cheapest) gift for the little ones.  Don’t be the guy who gives sharp objects to a 2 year old. Instead become the infamous Uncle Joe who gave the best gift ever this year to your niece – Elsa.  Shop for Kids shows you what’s hot and trending in the world of kids products, has great product reviews and price compares so you know where the get the Elsa doll for the least amount of money.  You can even create reminders for birthdays and bookmark items for future purchase.

Available for iOS and Android

Get it now: Shop For Kids

Any other apps you can’t live without this season?  Share them with me!

 

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