Having your phone download a long list of application updates to oftentimes unused applications is nothing unusual. This consumes lots of time, storage space, and bandwidth. To prevent such a situation, you can either disable synchronization with the Google Play Store, or you can backup your applications and restore it when you want to use it.

If you prefer the second option, you should check out the application by XDA Recognized Developer bartito. As its name suggests, Apps Backup backs up applications onto your SD Card and allows you to easily restore them without wasting your network bandwidth. Apps Backup also updates the saved apps and games and stored data in order to keep them as up to date as possible. With a few clicks, you can see your favorite apps back in the application drawer. Naturally, the application requires root privileges to work.

The version available on XDA is a trial, but bartito was kind enough to provide a unique code only for XDA users, which unlocks all the features of the app. You can get the application in the original thread.