Free Apps to Save You Money in 2016

We're nearing the end of the year. Have you thought about your New Year's resolutions yet? Since you're reading the Frugal Shopper blog, chances are you are savvy about saving money or at least would like to be. Get a head start on your resolutions and download a few of these free apps that will help you manage your money and cut your costs all year long:

GasBuddy

You can take advantage of the serious savings this app has to offer if you're heading home to see family or friends this holiday season. GasBuddy is a free app that uses your location to determine the cheapest gas available nearby. Users report prices when they visit a gas station, and the app tells you when the most recent price was spotted. The simple, easy-to-use app even makes reporting gas prices fun with challenges and leaderboards. It's crowdsourcing at its best, at least as far as drivers are concerned.

RepairPal

If you've ever left a mechanic feeling like you overpaid but unsure how to address it, this app is for you. RepairPal asks you questions about your vehicle in order to determine an estimate for repairs. The app also helps you find a trusted mechanic nearby. RepairPal partners with shops across the country to certify that they will honor their pricing standards and never overcharge.

Apples2Oranges

Ever wondered whether you should continue to buy an individually packaged item or foot the bill for a bulk order? Apples2Oranges is a free app that figures out tricky conversions and can easily help you calculate a better buy. Bonus: You can compare nutrition facts and serving sizes in order to make a smart eating decision as well. No need to do all the tricky math in your head.

Raise

This is the perfect app to download during the holiday season. Raise sells and buys discounted gift cards online and on its free mobile app. In case you get a gift card you won't use, you can sell it for cash instead. You can also save money by purchasing a discounted gift card and using it to shop later on. It doesn't even have to be for a gift; you can save by purchasing discounted gift cards for yourself, too.

Mint

This highly-rated budgeting app keeps track of all of your spending and automatically categories every purchase you make. It's easy to set budgets for every category, create goals attached to different bank accounts and keep a close eye on your investments. Mint will even send you reminders and alerts if you're approaching a spending limit, going over budget or getting hit with fees. You can download the app and use the service for free.

Santa's Bag

Keep a close eye on your holiday shopping with free app Santa's Bag. You can set an overall budget as well as a budget for each person on your shopping list. Other helpful features of this app include noting whether you have wrapped the gift, where it is located in your house, where you bought it and whether or not it's a stocking stuffer. Not only will you keep your spending on track, but you will bring your holiday organization to the next level.

BestParking

This app monitors parking costs in dozens of cities across the country, and will show you on a map the cheapest spot near you. It's simple to use and can save you a lot of money when you're visiting an urban area with costly parking garages and limited street parking.

Onavo Extend

This app addresses an issue many people have with smartphones, which is data overages. If you've ever gone over your monthly data allowance, you know how quickly the fees add up. Onavo monitors your phones activity and displays the amount of data you use in each app. It also compresses your data, loads images only if you scroll down to them, and balances image quality with the preferences you have in your settings. If you're constantly paying overage fees, this one's for you.

Even if you only use a few of these apps in the New Year, you're bound to save money on everyday expenses. Happy downloading!

Jon Lal is the founder and CEO of coupons and cash back website BeFrugal.com, which saves shoppers an average of $27 per order thanks to coupons plus an average of 7 percent cash back at more than 4,000 stores.