ShopKick. No one likes seeing money leave their wallet while shopping for the holidays, but having money come in? That's a little easier on the eyes. Participating in rewards programs will ultimately return cash, but you can earn additional points—or, "kicks"—with this app. Link your Visa or MasterCard to your smartphone and go shopping at participating stores. You'll start earning kicks simply by walking in the store, and you can earn more by scanning barcodes on featured items and purchasing certain products. Unlike standard rewards cards, SmartKick also offers users exclusive deals. If you have trouble saving up for a particular gift, you can pick the desired product from the app's rewards mall and check your progress so you stay on target.
Price: Free
Available on: iPhone, Android
FastMall. Navigating from store to store can be a challenge if the mall is jam-packed. If you're tired of getting lost, use FastMall to find your way around. Load the mall's map on FastMall and the app will give you turn-by-turn directions to bathrooms, stores, and restaurants (without the use of Wi-Fi or GPS). If you use a baby stroller or a wheelchair, you can turn on the "elevator only" feature for easy access. The app also saves the location where you parked, so you don't waste precious shopping time looking for your car if you have to bounce from one mall to the next.
Price: Free
Available on: iPhone, Android, Windows Phone
Twitter: @danielbortz
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