Best apps to get Black Friday deals

Calling in sick on November 25? You’re not alone.

Bargain hunters might just develop a nasty head cold on Black Friday to take advantage of slashed prices ahead of the holiday season.

If you’re looking to buy gifts for family, friends, and coworkers, or want to treat yourself to something new, there are deals to be had on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

To help get the best price possible, there are a few “must have” shopping apps to download from Google Play (for Android devices) or App Store (for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch).

Whether you’re shopping at retail or the “endless aisles” at online stores, the following are a few of my favorites.

Flipp

Consider it the ultimate flyer and coupon app: Flipp lets you use your fingertip to flip through the flyers of all your local stores – whether it’s an electronics retailer, clothing store, home improvement center, department store chain, kids place, or supermarket – and you’ll be able to see and save the latest deals, add items to a shopping list, digitally clip coupons to show the cashier, or tap and hold a product to get more information on it.

It’s a lot cleaner and more convenient than going through all the paper flyers and coupons we receive every week. Plus, you can also do a keyword search on something you want, browse by category, or use a touch slider to only see more aggressive discounts. Flipp is also a loyalty card holder, so you can load all those rewards cards and then leave the plastic at home.

Ebates

Saving money is great, but what if you could earn cash back by shopping? That’s the concept behind Ebates, an app and website that gives you a percentage back of your purchase every time you shop online through participating retailers and marketplaces – and there are more than 2,000 of them.

To get going, sign up for a free account, and then start shopping where you would normally – places like Amazon, Macys, Kohls, Walmart, eBay, JCPenney, and Groupon, to name just a few – and you’ll start accumulating cash that can be sent to you via check or deposited into a PayPal account.

Each store offers a different cash back percentage, typically ranging from 2% to 6 %, but expect the percentage to climb as high as 40% this time of year. Ebates says stores pay them a commission for sending you there – so you always need to start by launching the Ebates app or visiting the website – and then Ebates shares a portion of the fee with you.

SudoPay/SudoApp

Launched just in time for the holiday shopping season, SudoPay creates a virtual MasterCard for you to shop online with – based on a credit or debit card you already have enabled through Apple Pay – so you can buy what you like without fear of data breaches or hacks that could lead to identity theft. Available for iPhone users but with an Android version in the works, SudoPay also lets you customize your virtual card’s appearance and the dollar amount, ranging from $10 to $1000, and if you like, you can also create and text someone a personalized gift card to their phone, even if they don't have SudoPay.

To use SudoPay and its companion app, SudoApp, costs are about 4.5% of the total amount of the virtual card you create – a small price to pay for peace of mind while giving out a credit card number to online merchants over Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the holidays.

eBay

Don’t forget about online marketplaces, such as eBay, and its newly-updated app makes it easy to browse, search, buy, and sell. Contrary to popular belief, not all goods on eBay are “previously enjoyed” – in fact, roughly 80% are brand new, says the company — and if you don't want to bid for something, many items can be purchased outright (look for the “Buy It Now” icon).

It’s also easy to find specific deals tied to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, including discounts on top brands and with free shipping, plus there’s an improved search feature, personalized recommendations based on your shopping habits, and the ability to follow your favorite sellers to see when the products you want are available and on sale. If you’re selling stuff – perhaps to make cash for holiday shopping – you can now use your phone to scan the product’s barcode to help auto-create a listing.

Follow Marc on Twitter: @marc_saltzman. E-mail him at askmarcsaltzman@gmail.com.