I’m a Shopping Expert: 3 Money Apps I Deleted from My Phone Because They Cost Me More Money
Written by
Josephine Nesbit
Edited by
Amen Oyiboke
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Despite their promises to save users time and money, certain apps may encourage overspending.
“When it comes to saving cash, apps can be a major impulse-shopping trigger; some worse than others,” Alexander Ketter, consumer expert at Coupons.com, wrote in an email. “Personally, I have disabled all push notifications from retailers on my device, meaning that the temptation to shop when a ‘sale now on!’ message comes through is removed entirely.”
But some apps can also help you save money. “Coupon and deals apps, as well as cashback apps, can help you save on items you’re intending to purchase; well worth always checking out before you hit that checkout button,” he added.
Here are three money apps these shopping experts deleted from their phones to save money.
Shein and Temu
“Sites like Shein or Temu thrive on flash sales and although tariffs have impacted them quite a bit, they can still put a hurting on your wallet,” said Mike Kern, CPA and founder of FreeBudget. “Sometimes it’s hard to ignore the notifications, but removing those apps helps you break that overspending cycle.”
Robin Westerling, CEO at Longvadon, a luxury Apple Watch band designer, wrote in an email that the Temu app was a waste of time and money. He installed the app when it first came out and made a purchase, but it went downhill from there.
“I started getting constant notifications about deals and things that looked really cool, but when I bought them, I was disappointed in the quality,” Westerling explained. “Ultimately, it felt like I was being seduced to buy cheap stuff, and I decided to delete the app.”
Amazon
Amazon’s convenience is one of its biggest selling points, but features like one-click ordering, personalized recommendations, deal alerts and fast shipping often encourage impulse purchases that quickly add up.
“If you want to save, log in on desktop only when you truly need something,” Kern said. “Uninstalling the app cuts off that midnight urge to grab whatever’s on sale.”
Grocery and Food Delivery Apps
Grocery and food delivery apps make it easy to skip the store or kitchen, but it comes at a major cost.
“Grocery and food delivery apps such as Instacart, DoorDash or Uber Eats add a mountain of service and tip fees to every single order. You think you’re just getting some chips and dip, and all of a sudden, you just spent $40 after all is said and done,” said Kern. “Do yourself a favor and delete those apps ASAP.”
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