17 Android Apps Everyone Should Have Before Christmas

Woman in a Santa mask complete with hanging beard wearing a reindeer sweater
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There’s nothing worse than realizing you missed out on an awesome holiday deal or knowing after the fact that you could’ve used a promo code to get that extra discount. Like, what, I could’ve saved an extra $10 on that skincare set? 

According to the National Retail Federation, people on average spend just over $1,000 on shopping. Yea, I’ll take whatever savings I can get! Especially when retailers are moving up sales to make all of November and December crazy shopping months when they know online sales will soar this year.

Whether you’re a super planner or a wing-it type of person, these fun make money apps and practical services will help you get more money back than without. Don’t go shopping without them and make some side cash first!

1. Play New Games and Earn Branded Gift Cards

The more you play, the more rewards and gift cards you can get. That’s the gist of Mistplay, an app where you can try out new Android games to earn units/gems and make optional in-app purchases. Redeem units/gems for real gift cards, including Uber, VISA, Spotify, and more!

Play as many games as you want since you can earn more gift cards that way. Plus, there’s nobody to compete against! New members get a BONUS of 200 points just for signing up.

And yes, it’s legit and already has 10M+ downloads. Download the app for free and start racking up those gift cards!

2. Please Spot Me Up to $2001, So I Don’t Get an Overdraft Fee!

We got you. Or, more specifically, Chime ® has your back; the award-winning mobile financial app and debit card will have you saying goodbye to overdraft fees!

That’s because their SpotMe®️ tool can literally spot you up to $2001 without charging a fee as long as you receive qualifying direct deposits.

You need qualifying direct deposits of at least $200 a month into your Chime Checking Account to qualify, and one of the easiest methods is to route your paycheck there so you don’t have to think about it.

Other perks:

  • Get paid up to 2 days early3 with direct deposit
  • Get 2.00% Annual Percentage Yield (APY)4 with the high-yield Chime Savings Account5
  • Access to a new way to build credit history with the Secured Chime® Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card6
  • FDIC-insured up to $250,000 through The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC.7 (it’s safe!)
  • No minimum balance, no monthly fees, and no foreign transaction/transfer fees

Sign up for Chime and say goodbye to overdraft fees and other benefits!

3. This Paid Survey Panel Gives Out 7,000 Gift Cards Daily

There are a lot of survey programs out there, but none as popular as Swagbucks, a free rewards program where you can earn cash for your time and opinion. Members can earn an average of $50 a month!

You get rewarded for doing surveys, searching the web, reading articles, watching videos, and playing fun games but the one activity that earns you the most points is completing surveys. (Don’t skip out on those!)

Points can then be redeemed for free gift cards, cash, and sweepstakes entries. All just by completing fun activities and giving your opinions.

New members can get a free $5 just for signing up, so join the other 10 million members already part of Swagbucks and start earning free rewards!

4. Don’t Go Shopping Without This Free Money-Making App

Do you shop at brands like UberEats, Walmart Grocery, Old Navy, Groupon, Sephora, Lululemon, and Sam’s Club? You’re missing out on free gift cards for those purchases if you’re not using Drop as you shop online and in-stores at brands like these.

Drop, is a 100% free app that lets you earn reward points back on your normal shopping! All you have to remember is: Start with Drop before you shop. From there, it’s as simple as “Tap, Shop, Earn, Redeem.”

  1. Tap on the brand’s offer on Drop
  2. Shop through the brand’s app/website as you normally would. Drop will direct you there!
  3. Earn points back on your purchase.
  4. Redeem your points for a gift card of your choice – whenever and wherever you want!

Plus, when you link the debit/credit cards that you use most, you’ll get access to exclusive deals (like earning points back on every Postmates order) where purchases will automatically get tracked. You’ll even get personalized recommendations based on your shopping preferences.

And use Drop on top of your loyalty and credit card points to stack rewards!

The bottom line is: Not using this app would be like going to an all-inclusive resort, not knowing about all the free food/drinks/activities, and just staying in your room and eating crackers the whole time. No one wants that!

BONUS OFFER: Use promo code SMARTWALLET to unlock 10,000 points ($10!!) automatically when you earn your first 1,000 points.