7 Best Apps to Save Money for Travel
Are you looking for the best apps that will help you save money for your next trip?
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Do you find yourself daydreaming about sandy beaches, bustling cityscapes, and serene mountain retreats while navigating through the mundane routines of daily life? Maybe you’re stuck in a seemingly endless cycle of work, chores, and responsibilities, and you need a well-deserved break.
I get it. You also need an app to help save money for a trip.
Because let’s face it, sometimes saving enough money for that dream trip can feel like an insurmountable task. With rent, bills, and the occasional splurge on a night out, it often seems impossible to set aside enough funds for travel.
And then there’s the constant FOMO as you scroll through social media, watching friends and influencers jet-set across the globe. How do they do it?
Here’s the good news: saving for your next adventure doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, with the right tools, it can even be exciting!
The best apps to save money for travel
In this blog post, I’ll introduce you to 7 fantastic apps. From automatic savings strategies to cashback rewards, these tools are your new best friends on the road to your dream vacation
I’ve laid out the best apps to help you save money for your next trip. By integrating a savings tool along with a few cash back apps into your daily routine, you’ll be amazed at how quickly you can accumulate savings for your next getaway.
Whether you’re a first-time traveler or a budget-conscious explorer, these apps will help you set and achieve your travel goals with minimal hassle. Let’s dive in and explore how each app can help you on your savings journey.
By the end of this post, you’ll be well-equipped to start saving for your next big adventure!
Bonus points if you start implementing while you read.
1 – Qapital
To save for your next vacation, it’s important to have a plan in place. With Qapital, you can easily set up rules to save money without even thinking about it. It’s like having a personal financial assistant who works quietly in the background.
I’ve got a bonus for you on this one, and I’m excited about it!
Use The 52 Week Rule For $1,378+
The 52 week rule is something I’ve been using for a while now. You pick the starting amount and then the app will automatically save $1 more each week for an entire year.
Even if you start super small with just $1 the first week, after 52 weeks you will have saved $1378! I’ve traveled for an entire month in some parts of the world for that.
Automatic Roundup
Another savings rule I personally use it the ’roundup’ rule.
It works like this: on every purchase you make, the app will automatically round up the total to the next $1-5 dollars, depending on what you select. I have it set to $3.
For example, if I make a purchase for $5 the app will round it up to $8, sending the extra $3 right into my travel savings. If that transaction comes to $5.13, the app will put $2.87 in savings, rounding up to the next whole number without going above $3.
It’s a small amount each time, but it adds up quickly without you even realizing it. The best part is you can choose how much to round up by. It’s a great way to save without even thinking about it.
There are many more automatic rules you can set up, but the 52 week rule and the automatic roundup are 2 of my favorites.
Keep It Separate
One of the biggest benefits of having a Qapital travel savings account is that it’s separate from your main accounts, which makes it more difficult to impulsively spend the money elsewhere.
Plus, I love opening up the app and seeing how much further my progress bar has moved and knowing I’m that much closer to my next trip.
Get a $25 Referral Bonus
Now, let’s talk about the most exciting part, the referral bonus.
If you use my referral code u35t45qm when signing up for Qapital, you’ll get a $25 dollar bonus after you make your first transfer and keep your account active and in good standing for 45 days.
That’s an extra $25 towards your savings goal just for using my code! That could cover a meal on your next trip.
Be sure to hang on to that referral code and keep a note of when you opened the account so you can let customer service know if you didn’t receive the bonus. They will be quick to adjust it for you if there’s a glitch in the system.
Your next vacation is calling. Download the Qapital app today and get your $25 bonus with my referral code u35t45qm.
2 – Rakuten
Another great way to save extra money for travel is by using the Rakuten app. I love it because you can earn cash back on purchases you were already planning on making.
Get Cash Back Every Time You Shop
Retailers on the app offer a cash back percentage, or sometimes a flat amount, for making a purchase through the app. It’s like getting paid to shop!
Once every quarter, Rakuten sends you your “big fat check” with all of your cash back earnings, or you can have it sent via PayPal. Personally, I like to transfer that amount directly into my travel savings since it’s not money that’s allocated anywhere else in my budget. It’s an easy and effortless way to save for my next vacation.
Make Your Next Trip Even More Affordable with Rakuten
But it doesn’t stop there. Many travel brands are also on Rakuten, so you can even use the app while making travel bookings and be saving money for your next trip, while planning the current one. It’s a win-win situation!
Read more: 31 Best Ways To Save Money On Travel
With Rakuten, every purchase is another step towards your dream destination. So why not give it a try and start saving today?
Oh, and did I mention that if you sign up using my referral link, you’ll get an extra $30 cash back on your first purchase of $30 or more? Sign up now and start earning money while shopping and planning your next adventure.
3 – Upside
When it comes to saving money on travel, every little bit counts. That’s why I also use Upside, an app that offers cash back on everyday purchases like gas, groceries, and dining out.
The best part? It’s completely free to use!
You can redeem the cash for gift cards, or my favorite way to redeem is to have it sent directly to my bank account.
A little adds up fast! In one year I made about $150 just on Upside. As a budget traveler, that could be enough for even several hotel nights for me, or a cool day tour.
Cash Back On Gas And Restaurants
With Upside, you can earn cash back on your gas and convenience store purchases, at select restaurants, and even sometimes at grocery stores.
Personally, I love using it for gas because I can usually earn an extra $0.10-0.25 cents per gallon in cash back. And when it comes to dining out, there are always great offers available – I’ve even consistently seen up to 18-19% cash back at a restaurant in Vegas!
Grocery Store Offers
But it’s not just limited to gas and restaurants – sometimes grocery stores have offers on the app too. For a while I was consistently get 8% cash back on my groceries at Smith’s in Las Vegas.
If you have a car and if you eat, then Upside is a must-have for saving money while planning your next adventure.
Bonus Offer
And as an added bonus, I’ve got another promo code for you! Use promo code 5ERTXC when signing up to receive an extra 15¢/gal bonus on your first purchase. Who doesn’t love free money? Don’t wait any longer, start using Upside and watch your savings grow.
4 – Ibotta
Did you know that you can also use apps like Ibotta to save for travel? It’s a great way to earn cash back on your everyday purchases, especially on groceries.
Many well-known brands offer cash back through the app, and Ibotta also offers various bonuses for redeeming a certain number of offers.
How It Works
First, you go through the app and select the offers you want. Then, while you’re in store, simply scan the barcodes of the products you purchase to make sure they qualify for any offers. Finally, after making your purchase, all you have to do is take a photo of your receipt and the cash will show up on your Ibotta app right away.
While it does take a little time and effort to implement, it’s definitely worth it in the long run. Ibotta says the average user earns an extra $256 per year.
You can redeem this cash for gift cards, have it sent via Paypal, or even directly into your bank account.
Bonus $5
And to make things even better, I have yet another bonus for you! Sign up for Ibotta using my referral code hbxylrb and you’ll get an extra $5 when you submit your first receipt.
It’s a win-win situation! Not only will you save money on groceries, but you’ll also be one step closer to saving for that dream vacation. Give it a try and watch your savings grow with each purchase!
Why wait? Sign up for Ibotta today.
5 – Fetch
The Fetch app is another simple and convenient way to earn points that can be redeemed for gift cards. With just a few easy steps, you’ll be on your way to saving for your dream vacation in no time.
How it Works
Simply snap pictures of your receipts with the Fetch app and earn points for every snap. Unlike other cash back apps, you can scan any receipt – from groceries and dining out, to gas and household items – making it effortless to earn points on all of your everyday purchases.
Plus, you can earn bonus points on selected products with special offers. But unlike Ibotta, you don’t have to spend any time saving them in order to redeem them. Just snap and be surprised when your bonus appears.
Even More Ways to Earn
Fetch also offers a variety of games that you can play on your phone to earn extra points. This is especially great for those who enjoy gaming and want to make their downtime more productive towards their travel savings.
Redeeming Your Points
Here’s the best part – redeeming your hard-earned points! With a wide selection of gift cards available, you can choose which one suits your needs best.
Personally, I love to redeem my points for travel-related gift cards, such as hotels.com. However, if there are other gift cards that interest you, like Amazon or Starbucks, those are also available for redemption.
They do offer visa gift cards in the redemptions, but beware that they often cost more points than other gift cards.
Yet Another Bonus
Don’t wait any longer – start earning points towards your next adventure today! And don’t forget to use my referral code G8WQ62 for 1,000 bonus points when you sign up for Fetch.
When it comes to saving for travel, every little bit counts. That’s why I love using Fetch – the effortless way to earn points on all of my everyday purchases.
6 – Receipt Hog
Another great app to earn points for your travel savings is Receipt Hog. Just like Fetch, you can upload photos of your receipts and earn “coins”, which are their version of points.
Personally, I like to use both Fetch and Receipt Hog to maximize my rewards on every receipt. Plus, with Receipt Hog’s slot machine feature, you can also earn extra coins by spinning the wheel after uploading a receipt.
Keep an eye out for bonus coin opportunities by completing quick surveys within the app. I do mean quick. They’re usually only a few questions and take me less than a minute to complete.
Once you have enough coins, you can redeem them for payments to PayPal, Amazon, or a VISA gift card. As always, I recommend putting it all towards your next adventure!
Sign up for Receipt Hog now and you’ll receive some bonus spins when you snap your first receipt.
7 – Fluz
If you’ve never heard of Fluz you are probably wondering what it is.
It’s another cash back app, but unlike Rakuten where you click a link to get cash back on your purchases, on Fluz you purchase gift cards for brands with cash back offers. Lots of popular retailers put offers on Fluz.
What’s great is you can purchase gift cards for the exact amount that you need for your purchase, so you’re not stuck with random leftover amounts.
Fluz also allows you to “team up” with family and friends into a buying group. Then you will earn even more cash back on each other’s purchases.
When you want to withdraw your earnings you can transfer it directly to your bank account.
Combine Rakuten and Fluz
The best part is that you can use both of these apps together if the brand you’re about to make a purchase from has offers on both.
The first step is to buy the gift card on Fluz. Next, go to Rakuten and click the link to take you to that retailer. Finally, pay using the digital gift card you just bought on Fluz.
Boom! You just maximized your cash back.
Bonus Referral Code
Yes, of course I’ve got another referral code to help boost your travel savings. Use code ANNAFREITAG3999B107 to get an extra 25% cash back on your first purchase with Fluz.
I used a referral code when I first signed up and it helped me save massively on my trip to Cuba. Airbnb is pretty much the only option for American’s traveling to Cuba, and when I signed up Fluz was offering 5% cash back at Airbnb.
Combining that with my 25% referral bonus meant I got 30% cash back on my Airbnb bookings for my trip!
Sign up for Fluz today with code ANNAFREITAG3999B107 for your 25% cash back bonus.
Grow Your Travel Savings By Implementing Small Changes
In today’s world with skyrocketing inflation, we are constantly looking for ways to save money and make our purchases more meaningful. By implementing small changes in our spending habits, such as using cash back apps like Rakuten and Fluz, we can make a significant impact on our travel savings.
These are the best 7 apps to save money for travel.
Did you play along?
And if you were playing along and downloading as you read, you just earned at least $60 for your next trip! That’s just counting flat rate bonuses. The variable percentage based bonuses, plus the actual offers you choose to redeem on these platforms means your actual earnings will be even higher.
The best app to save money for vacation
Overall, Qapital is the app that will get you the furthest on your trip fund goals since it’s an actual savings tool. The others are just additional great ways to earn money on the purchases you already have to make.
So start making those small changes today and watch as your travel savings grow!
Save this Post
Don’t forget to save this to Pinterest so you can refer back to it if you implement each of these apps slowly into your regular routine.
Happy exploring, and remember to Be Free and Travel! 🌏✈️
