Mike's NBC-TV stories

Back to School Savings Apps

For parents and students alike, the countdown is on for that first day of school – and with that comes the inevitable back to school shopping.

But with the right app, shoppers can a fighting chance at getting the best possible deals.

Retale shows the latest ads for dozens of retailers, from Kmart and Target to CVS and Rite Aid. Type in your ZIP code for the latest circulars near you. Retale also lets you search for specific products, practically guaranteeing the best deal, and it can be set up to send an alert when the price of an item drops. The app is free for iOS and Android.

The app called Ibotta lets shoppers get cash back on purchases at more than 300 retailers, such as Walmart. It can be used for clothes, food for all those lunches to be packed, and school supplies, among other things. Simply sign up, and start getting rebates, deposited into your Paypal account. Free for iOS and Android.

The developers of the RetailMeNot app claim it saves users an average of $20 per transaction – a number that can add up quick for back to school shoppers. It offers coupons, promo codes, and digital rebates on everything at about 50,000 retailers. The app can be tailored to a specific region, too, providing info on the best local deals. The app is free for iOS and Android.

Mike is a veteran journalist whose video "PC Mike" reports have been distributed weekly to all 215 NBC-TV stations since 1994, making him one of the most experienced tech reporters in the country. His tech stories and videos have appeared on MSNBC, CNBC, the Today Show, The New York Times, USA Today and in numerous national newspapers and magazines. In addition to the PC Mike tech blog, he also publishes the Roadtreking.com RV Travel Blog in which he travels North America in an RV reporting about interesting people and places.