13 Apps and Services That Save (& Earn!) Parents Money

Kids can be expensive. We've rounded up a list of apps that can help you save when it's needed most, and in some cases even earn money!

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By
Jef van de Graaf
-
June 4, 2018

Kids are always leaving the lights on, eating all the food in the fridge, and breaking things “accidentally”. As a parent, you bear the brunt of this punishment and it’s costing you plenty.

(I kid! Kind of ... )

Unfortunately, I personally cannot save you from your kids. Perhaps, a dedicated list of apps that save parents money can? Let’s find out!

Apps that save (& earn) money on electricity

OhmConnect

Here’s a service devoted to providing cleaner energy and not only saving parents money, but also giving parents money.

OhmConnect is the only service that pays you to reduce your electricity bill. You’ll receive a text message whenever your home’s energy usage is high and it’ll ask you to reduce the electricity demand in your home for an hour. The more you reduce, the more you get paid. Before you click the link above and sign up for your account, be sure to note that you’ll need an electricity bill with the following companies:

  • Southern California, Edison
  • Pacific Gas & Electric Company
  • Toronto Hydro
  • San Diego Gas & Electric

 

If you have a bill with one of those utilities, you can set up a new account today. After that, whenever you receive notifications you can earn up to ~$100-$300 per year.  (Some users with larger, more energy hogging homes are earning thousands!)

CLICK HERE TO START SAVING (AND EARNING)

Apps that save on groceries

SavingStar

You’re going to love this money saving app because you can use it every time you need to buy groceries.

SavingStar offers a cash-back rewards program when you go shopping at eligible grocery stores. The first step to start saving is to start an account online or through the app. Next, you link a loyalty shopping cart to your account. Finally, you upload your receipts proving you’ve purchased specific products.

This app offers a list of coupons you can use when you go shopping. You have to browse through the offers and select coupons from more than 60,000 stores (e.g. Walmart, Costco, and more). When your SavingStar account has accumulated up to $5, you can cash out and send the money directly to your PayPal account.  

Download SavingStar for  iOS | Android | Web

National Consumer Panel

Instead of browsing for coupons before you go shopping, you can go shopping for whatever you need and then upload your receipts. National Consumer Panel is an app that lets you earn money when you go grocery shopping. After you sign up for an account, you’ll be provided with a scanner to use to upload your receipts.

Each week your receipts will be processed and the National Consumer Panel will award you points. You’ll need at least 8000 points before you can start converting it into cash rewards.

Alternatively, there are cash lotteries offered weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly which can earn you an additional US$20 000.

Download National Consumer Panel for iOS | Android | Web

For more cashback apps that help parents save money on their weekly groceries, try these:

Apps that save water

H2O Tracker

Instead of sticking to the (potentially stinky) practice of “If it’s yellow, let it mellow, if it’s brown, flush it down” -- use this app to save on your water bill.

H2O Tracker is designed to help you understand how much water you are using. It can track both inhouse and outdoor water usage. You’ll have to enter some technical information, such as what kind of shower you have, how many times you flush, and more. If you don’t know the answers to these questions, the app will show you how to find them.

Once you have finished the survey, you’ll get feedback and tips on how you can reduce your bill. This app is free for Apple and Android.  

Download H2O Tracker for  iOS | Android

Water1der

You know how much the water bill costs each months, but your kids don’t! With this app, you can (potentially) save money by teaching your kids about water conservation.

Water1nder is a trivia app that has facts and information all about water. While some of the facts are irrelevant to your household, at the very least it will keep your kids occupied for a few minutes or more.

Download Water1der for iOS

WeTap - iOS | Android (Coming Soon) | Web

Imagine drinking water for free? You might already be enjoying free water if you’re drinking from the tap, but how about when you go on a family outing?

WeTap is a smart money saving app that shows you all available water fountains in town. Instead of buying bottled water for all the littles, get them a reusable bottle and have them fill them up when you’re at the park, on your way to the zoo, or exploring your local community.

Apps that save your sanity

Oops! There isn’t an app that actually saves your sanity (I wish!), but maybe if you put these on your phone, they’ll give your kids something to do and give you a little bit of quiet time.  

SwagBucks - iOS | Android | Web

This is a money making app that lets you earn cash rewards for almost everything you do on your phone:

  • Watch Videos
  • Shop online
  • Take surveys
  • Search the web
  • And more

GrabPoints - Android | Web

If you put this money making app on your phone and give it to your kids, you can earn cash back for the games they play and the shows they watch.

To avoid any repeats of apps that either save you money or make you money, be sure you give these a read:

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