With the holidays coming to a close, many people have accumulated small “holiday debts” from purchasing gifts for friends and family. However, for some people, overspending might not have been as much of an issue due to the Groupon app. Groupon is a couponing website as well as an app which is very helpful in saving people money, especially during the holiday season.

Holiday retail shopping accumulated around $630.5 billion in 2015 alone. That is a large sum of money, rounding out to about $805 per shopper. That is a lot of money for anyone to spend at once, making the holidays a struggle for many, especially low income families. However, with Groupon, cost can become less of a worry for them, and instead they can spend their time enjoying the holidays and the joy that they bring. Aside from gifts, Groupon can also help save on services, restaurants, and even trips, which makes it extremely convenient for people to use.

One reason for Groupon’s rise in popularity is because it has been recently made an app. In this day and age, everything is becoming electronic and mobile. In fact, 21 percent of all shoppers are going mobile, meaning that for those shoppers especially, groupon is most likely preferred over regular coupons or some coupon sites, simply because it can be accessed in an app.

“I find groupon really convenient,” senior Molly Frisch said. “If I make an unexpected stop at a store, I can just pull out my phone and search what kinds of deals I can get there.”

56 percent of shoppers look for deals when they are out shopping. Groupon not only makes it easy for them to find deals, but it also allows them to stack coupons with in store deals so they can save more money.

“I definitely think groupon is helpful,” senior Simon Lepicello said.  “I know my mom uses it, and when you’re shopping for groceries for a whole family, it really helps save money.”

During the holidays, Groupon increases in popularity due to the large amounts of gifts and food being purchased. With each person buying gifts for their friends and family, it becomes quite an expense, and Groupon can help cut that expense down, making holiday shopping more affordable.

“I don’t really use Groupon outside of the holiday season,” Frisch said. “But during the holidays, it’s very helpful because I can save money on all the gifts I have to buy.”

Although the opportunity to use Groupon during this holiday season has passed, shoppers can keep it in mind for next year. Even if they don’t usually use coupons or shop for deals, Groupon may be something that they love, because of how helpful and convenient it is. For 2016, shoppers may want to whip out their phones and save more money.

“I definitely recommend Groupon,” junior Karissa Cheshier said. “It really helps you save money and it’s super easy to use.”