6 Apps that help you save money

As the saying goes, "mo money, mo problems".
But what about NO money, mo problems?

If you're having trouble making your wages and living expenses meet and the penny pinch never goes away, how do you make the most of your hard earned buck?

So how do you make the most of your hard earned buck?
Enter: Apps.

Those magical little icons on your smartphone open a world of money saving abilities that will take you from zero to hero in no time.

Here's a roundup of our favourites.

Flipp (Web/iOS/Android)

Flipp is a grocery shoppers dream. It may look like just another coupon and flyer app, but I use it to search for a specific item I'm always on the hunt for. Say you're looking for good deals on chicken breasts. Search for that term and it'll give you results for that product at the stores in your area. You can also connect your loyalty cards to the app for extra savings. More information and download links.

Loyalty Cards (Various)

If you shop at certain stores on a weekly basis you've probably got some loyalty cards. Most stores now have app versions of these cards so that you don't even have to pull out a physical card.

The money saving benefits of these cards can be big:

• Starbucks: Free drink on your birthday; free food or drink when you reach 125 stars
  • Pro tip: If you drink drip coffee, ask for your coffee in the next size up cup (a tall in a grande). Most baristas tend to fill over the lowest size and you've got room for all that milk and sugar.
• PC Points: Everytime you swipe your card, PC learns your buying habits and presents offers to you based on that information. That then bumps your potential point earnings up which then turns into money which can be used to purchase free groceries.
• Shoppers Drug Mart: With Shopper's Optimum points, money you spend is transferred to points which can be then transferred to money off your next purchase. Free money!

Hopper (iOS/Android)

Hopper is a free app that will save you money on that planned trip to Ibiza where you'll party with the Kardashians. Just type in your arrival destination and Hopper will give you a calendar to let you know when the best day and week to book the flight. It can even send you push notifications if it notices a flight you're watching has gone down in price.More information and download links.

Honey (Chrome/Safari/Firefox/Opera)

Honey isn't a mobile app (yet). It's an app for your web browser that you can install to save you some much needed money. Once you're ready to check out at your favourite online retailer, click Honey in your browser window and it'll scour its database to find coupon codes that will work with your purchase. It'll even input it for you. More information.

Gas Buddy (Web/iOS/Android)

GasBuddy will help find the cheapest gas in your area based on your postal code. Prices are generated through user feedback, and might not always reflect the current price at the pump. More information and download links.

Ebates (Web/iOS/Android)

Ebates pays you to shop. Every time you make a purchase through one of their verified vendors, ebates will send you a cheque. That's cash back on top of the regular sales your favorite stores are having - and bonus, the app rounds all the deals up for you as well. Ebates earns a commision every time you make a purchase through their website, and instead of keeping it, they pass it on to you. More information and download links.