Best Money Saving Apps In The UK Right Now
Being a student isn’t cheap — there’s food, nights out and plenty of textbooks to buy and on a tight budget, you need to save money wherever you can. That’s where money-saving apps come in handy.
Whether you’re looking for cashback, discounts or rewards on your purchases, there are plenty of apps out there to help you save. We’re here to help you decipher the best money-saving apps in the UK right now so you can always feel like you’ve got a good deal.
From Plum cash ISAs to Quidco cashback (and of course, discounts on the Student Beans app!), there are plenty of ways you can make your money stretch a little further. Check out our comprehensive list below.
Top money-saving apps
Student Beans
We couldn’t not drop ourselves onto this list now, could we? As much as we love to blow our own trumpet, we really don’t need to on this one as tens of thousands of students have done it for us, rating us an amazing 4.8 out of 5 stars on Apple and Google app stores.
We have discounts on thousands of your favourite brands, both in-store and online as well as weekly giveaways. You can even follow your favourite brands so you’re always alerted when they’ve got an extra special deal on. Genius.
Download the Student Beans app.
Plum
If you’re looking for an app that saves you money without you having to even think about it, then you need Plum. It helps you build money-saving habits by automatically putting a little aside as often as you like.
Join saving challenges to reach your goal, whether it’s saving for a holiday or to buy yourself something special. One of its most popular features is Plum Brain which offers a variety of rules to help you automatically put money aside according to your chosen savings challenge.
Airtime
Phone contracts can be expensive, but what if you could cover the cost by buying the things you love? With Airtime, you can save on tons of brands and either have the cashback sent to your bank account or use it towards your phone bill.
The app is completely free and you can even earn bonus rewards by completing challenges. Challenges can be spending a certain amount or buying from a specific brand — it’s never been easier to earn back on the things you buy.
Quidco
If you haven’t used Quidco before, then where have you been?! This site has been around for ages but now its app makes it even easier to get cashback on the things you buy.
With thousands of brands available, all you have to do is access the site you want to shop with through their app or website in order for them to track it and send you the money.
They also have a guarantee to always provide you with the highest cashback rate, so you know you’re always getting the best deal. New sign-ups can also often access extra cashback, as well as when you refer a friend to sign up.
Idealo
Feel like you’re getting a good deal? But how do you know it’s the best deal out there? Well, with the Idealo app, you can always be sure that you’re getting the best price.
This handy app gives you real-time prices of whatever you’re buying as well as a price history, so you can spot whether you’re actually getting the best deal. Not in a rush to buy? Why not set up price alerts so you get a notification when the item reaches your set price.
Vinted
Spring, winter, autumn, summer — there’s never a bad time to clear out your closet. While you might not make money while you buy with Vinted, you can make money off the things you already own.
Whether it’s a unopened perfume you got for Christmas or clothes that you just don’t love anymore, you can make cash and someone else’s day by selling them at a discount.
Check out our handy Vinted hacks and all the other places you can sell clothes online to bolster your bank account today.
What is a money-saving app?
A money-saving app can take many forms — from offering cashback to rewards or simply money off your shopping. We recommend using all of the above to make sure you’re always saving money, whether you’re spending right there and then or putting some cash aside for a rainy day.
How to choose the best money-saving app
Think about your lifestyle and what you spend your money on to help decide on the right app for you. We love being able to save money while we shop, but if you’re cutting back on spending, then maybe an app like Plum can help you put away a little here and there with their handy saving hacks.
Are money-saving apps safe?
We always recommend you check carefully before putting any money into apps or online. Read reviews for the app online and make sure you only download apps from the official app store.
With more scams out there to trap students than ever before, it’s important to do your due diligence. You can also check the app’s website and social media to make sure they’re a legitimate business.
How can I save a lot of money fast?
Money saving is generally a slow process, but putting money away little and often into an instant access ISA or legitimate bank account with good interest rates is a good place to start.
Using tools such as cashback apps like Quidco and Airtime as well as discount codes also means you can save money right there and then on the things that you buy. Check out our guide on student budgeting to extra tips and tricks.
