Whether you are heading online or to the store, purchasing groceries or a new pair of shoes, you are wasting money if you are not using one of these cash back apps that pay you real money!
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Below are my four must-have apps that I use each and every time I make a purchase. While rebate and cash back apps are not a way to get rich quick, you can save significant amounts of money by using them on a regular basis. With all four apps combined, I have saved over $1,000 to date just by buying things I was going to purchase anyhow!
Check out my 4 favorite apps below that can help you to save and make money on each purchase you make.
My 4 Favorite Apps that Pay You Real Money
#1 Ibotta
Ibotta is one of my favorite apps that pay you real money and gift cards for doing your regular grocery shopping. Be warned! It can get almost addictive to see how much you can each back by taking advantage of their awesome rebates and bonus offers!
How to use the ibotta app
While using the ibotta app, taking advantage of the cash back and gift card offers is easy, but just like anything new it takes a bit to learn the ins and outs. Follow the guide below to make sure you are getting the most bang for your buck!
How to Use Ibotta to Save Money
Ibotta allows you to rack up cash back by purchasing select items at particular stores or redeem a percentage back from other stores. Grocery rebates are the most popular ways you can earn money back, but by heading to your favorite online retailer for a variety of items you can receive a percentage back on your purchase.
Head to your store in the app and select each item that you may be purchasing. Be sure to pay attention to the requirements (like limits, sizes, and quantities needed) and add them to your grocery list.
Some stores allow you to link up your store card or account (Kroger, Meijer, Family Fare, and Rite Aid are just a few) so you just scan your card or put your rewards number in when you check out and your rewards will come automatically. Most others require you to scan your receipt to earn.
You can save money on more than groceries with ibotta! There are several online retailer that you can earn percentages back by going to the website through the ibotta app.
Cashing Out for Cash or Gift Cards
When you are ready to cash out your earned money, head to your account and withdraw the cash. You can redeem the earned money for cold hard cash by linking your paypal account or redeem it in the form of a gift card to several popular retailers and restaurants.
#2 Fetch Rewards
Earning gift cards is as simple as scanning your receipts every time you shop for groceries with Fetch Rewards. You can maximize your earnings by purchasing the over 300 featured brands on the app, buying special offers, and even by just scanning a receipt- even without any particular purchase. Download the Fetch Rewards app using my referral code “5GHN4” and earn 2,000 points just for signing up!
How to Earn Points
You can maximize savings by checking out the brands and special offer items that are available for extra points on the app. This works well when there are items that you would buy anyway or items that you need, but may not have purchased that particular brand of before.
Even if you don’t purchase any of the 300+ featured brands or special offers, you will still earn at least 25 points per receipt. Your receipts able to be scanned for up to 14 days after the purchase date. This makes it easy to mark off 10 minutes every week (or even 2 weeks) to scan your receipts at once!
If you purchase your groceries online for delivery or pick up you can still take advantage of Fetch Rewards! They accept receipts from several online retailers, and all you have to do is connect your Fetch account via email.
Redeeming Points on Fetch Rewards for Gift Cards
Points can be redeemed for gift cards when you have at least 3,000 points. Gift cards are available from popular retailers in several categories; restaurants, beauty, entertainment, and more. You can even cash them out as a prepaid visa or mastercard to use as you wish. The points equal out to 1,000 points for $1 in gift card credit and the gift card amounts vary from $3 to $50.
Use my code “5GHN4” when you sign up and get $2.00 in points automatically added to your account!
#3 Rakuten
Rakuten (formerly known as ebates) is a must-use app for anyone who shops online. You can earn anywhere from 1% on the low end to 40% back on the high end at a variety of online retailers.
How to Earn Money on Rakuten
Head to the Rakuten’s app or the website prior to making an online purchase. Search for the store you are heading to, or if you are not partial to a particular store, search the category of item you are looking to purchase and choose the store with the biggest cash back offer.
Not only can you get cash back, but you can automatically add coupon codes and see current deals on the Rakuten app. To take full advantage of the savings they offer, download the Rakuten button extension on your web browser.
Redeeming Cash on Rakuten
Each quarter you will get an email to select if you want a Big Fat Check mailed to you or if you want to cash out for a gift card and earn even a little extra.
By using my referral link to sign up for Rakuten you will automatically receive a $10 bonus after you spend your first $25 at an online store by going through Rakuten!
#4 Checkout 51
Checkout 51 is exclusively a grocery rebate app that offers cash back on select items. The offers are not as extensive as the ibotta app, but money is money and they often have items on their that I was intending to purchase either way.
How to Use Checkout 51 to Save Money
When you open the app, use the filter to select the store you will be going to. When you see an item that you intend to purchase, click the “+” button and select the quantity that you want to purchase to add them to your shopping list in app.
Don’t be surprised if you select items a few days prior to heading to the grocery store and by the time you are ready to go the rebates are “all out”. Checkout 51 has a select number of rebates they give on each item. T
his is not a problem if you are selecting just prior to your shopping and submitting your receipt the same day. Waiting several days between selecting, shopping, and scanning your receipt may allow time for the rebates to be used up by other people.
When you are ready to scan your receipt, head to the redeem button at the bottom of the app and select the items and numbers of the items you purchased, then scan your entire receipt. Snap a pic then wait for the receipt to be approved.
Redeeming Cash on Checkout 51
Once your account reaches at least $20 you are able to request either a check or a Paypal deposit of the earned money!
Use this link when you download Checkout 51 for $5 to get you started!
Save and Earn The Most With These Money Making Apps
If you are like me, sometimes it’s hard to turn down a good “deal”, even if you wouldn’t have bought the item anyway. Use these apps to save on those items that you were going to purchase anyhow. The savings are not a get rich quick scheme, but they can add up to a big chunk of change if you use them regularly.
I use these apps each and every time I shop. Each year I accumulate gift cards and cash to help with our christmas spending at the end of the year. in 2019 I had almost $400 earned in cash and gift cards to spend on christmas gifts!
However you use the money you earn, start TODAY by downloading these four cash back and rebate apps that pay you real money and start saving today!
Pin the picture above for a quick reference on what apps you need and how to use them!
What is your favorite money saving app to use and how do you use the money you save?!
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