Chances are you don’t live under a rock or in such a remote area that you never need to go shopping. If you shop for groceries, clothes, or really anything in-store or online you need these three apps or else you are leaving money on the table.
There are a ton of apps and services out there, but these apps are literally worth it.
Rakuten (previously Ebates)
Rakuten is, by far, my favorite. Just last year my husband and I got over $415 back from things we would have purchased anyway. The level of effort you ask? Seconds. If you remember that you want to save, you can use Rakuten. All you have to do is start your shopping from Rakuten.com, the Rakuten App, or (my fav) with the Chrome Extension.
Rakuten works as an affiliate network. This means that Rakuten gets a kickback from the web traffic and subsequent purchases they send to a retailer and, in turn, Rakuten passes some of those earnings back to you. You can get your “Big Fat Check” in three main ways: % cash back, $ cash back, and through referrals. The fact that Rakuten is available on your phone, via website, and nifty Chrome Extension really sets this cash back service apart from the others, making it easy to save from any place you are shopping.
- Pros: Available wherever you shop. CASH (not gift cards or credit) back.
- Cons: In-Store purchases require you connect your credit card
- Sign Up Deal: Use this link to get $10 back when you make your first purchase of $25 or more.
I tend to use Ibotta for in store purchases. Ibotta allows you to save or get cash back for both shopping at certain stores and for purchasing specific products. This is great if you have favorite food brands and works similarly to Rakuten, getting kickbacks from retailers and brands.
The two ways to earn are by connecting store loyalty cards like Target Circle and local grocery chains or by scanning (or uploading) receipts. Connecting to loyalty cards has the benefit of automatic savings, while scanning receipts requires that you remember to keep on top of your scans.
Overall, the app is easy to use and user friendly, however, Ibotta is a little more involved than Rakuten in that you have to add offers before shopping so there is a little more pre-planning needed.
- Pros: Best for groceries. CASH (not gift cards or credit) back.
- Cons: Must add offers before shopping.
- Sign Up Deal: Use this link (or code CCHLWMJ) to get UP TO $20 back when you redeem 10 offers in the first 14 days.
Fetch
Fetch and Ibotta are very similar in the way you earn rewards. They both excel at in-store purchases and work on both the brand and product levels. The main difference you will notice immediately is that Ibotta operates with cash back while Fetch works with points you exchange for gift cards. While not cash, the variety of offers make it feel pretty flexible. Friends say they basically use this to fund their Starbucks addiction.
The interesting thing (that might not be around forever) is that you can use the same receipts on both Fetch and Ibotta and potentially double your rewards. So, if you are going to spend the time uploading receipts, might as well do it for both apps.
- Pros: Good for groceries.
- Cons: Must add offers before shopping. Only redeemable for gift cards.
- Sign Up Deal: Use this link (or code 1N9CV) to get 2000 points on signup.
Disclaimer:Habitual Heart may receive referral bonuses from signups attributed to the links above.
