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Cash back apps that will give you rebates for your regular shopping!
I love technology! It makes it so much easier to save money. From digital coupons to virtual payment options, there are so many ways to get the most out of savings. One thing that I have noticed is that many people overlook using technology to get cash back after they shop.
Cash back apps (or rebates apps) make getting money back easier than ever. I have gotten well over $1,500 back for my normal purchases! Need proof? (Watch my video below).
Remember back in the day (I’m telling my age here) when you had to submit rebates by filling out a form, including the UPC code and a copy of a receipt, then stamping the envelope and walking it to the mailbox? Those days are over, Honey.
Now, many rebates consist of downloading a rebate app (or a bunch of apps as I do), scanning the product in the app, and taking a photo of a receipt. Then, sit back and wait for your cash to come back to you.
Most cash back offers are good for a week, so you may have several days to scan your receipt after making your purchase. Keep reading to see my list of favorite cash back apps to get more money:
#1 Checkout 51
Checkout 51 has rebates for a variety of groceries, health and beauty, and even alcohol. For most rebates, you will not even have to scan the product’s barcode, just mark the product you bought (each item had a star next to it) and take photos of the receipt.
Sometimes, the offers can be claimed multiple times. Once you reach a rebate total of $20, you can request a check.
Pros: The app will activate your phone’s camera flash so the receipts are clear. You do not have to scan a barcode, usually just upload the receipt. Also, they offer bonuses for specific purchases. Credits are usually given in less than 24 hours.
Cons: Checkout 51 does not do direct deposit to Paypal or a bank account like many other apps. They also have a limit to the number of rebates they will give for specific items. So don’t be surprised if you bought an item only to go in there and see that there are no rebates remaining on that product.
#2 SavingStar
If you do not want to scan receipts, SavingStar is the perfect rebate app for you. This app will link to your store cards and if you purchase an item that is featured, you will likely be given credit for the purchase. I say “likely” because sometimes they will deny you a rebate credit if you use a coupon or if the item is on sale. I don’t think it’s fair, but hey, it is what it is. Some affiliated stores for which you can link store cards include Kmart, CVS, Shoprite. Some retailers require that you scan the receipt instead of linking a store card.
The best way to work this app is to go in and activate every offer. I will say it again, activate EVERY offer. You are supposed to activate the offer before you shop but I always forget. As long as you activate the offer by the end of the night, you should still get the credit. It takes a split-second to touch the picture of each item. Once you get a total of $5 back, you can cash out. The money can be sent to your Paypal account.
Pros: You don’t have to scan receipts. You can cash out when you reach $5 (it’s $20 for most other apps)
Cons: If you have to use a coupon or discount, you may be denied credit. Some retailers require you to scan your receipt. Credits can take up to 2-3 weeks to get, although most times it takes about 2 days.
#3 Ibotta
Ibotta has the widest variety of rebates than any other rebate app. Not only can you get rebates on items that you buy from a brick and mortar store, but you can also get rebates for online purchases.
Some of my favorite online rebates include Groupon and HSN.
There are also rebates for in-store shopping. Groceries make up the majority of rebates.
Some rebates will allow you to claim multiple offers. Also, you can get bonuses for certain purchases. For example, they may offer you $2 bonus if you purchase both Ruffles Chips and Ruffles Dip or $1 bonus if you purchase 12 rebate-eligible items.
Plus, there are incentives to build a team. Your team can consist of people you have referred or that have referred you. With a team, you can earn more bonuses. A team offer may look like “get $1 bonus if your team earns a total of $12 and redeems 8 rebates.” The incentives get higher for individuals and teams. The more rebates you redeem, the more bonuses you get. If you are looking to join a team, I’d love for you to join mine and get a $10 welcome bonus here.
Pros: A lot of rebates and bonuses. Most rebate credits are given fast, sometimes within a minute.
Cons: Online rebates take longer to get back. Usually around 45-60 days.
#4 Box Tops
This is for you shop-savvy parents out there. Box Tops earn money for the school of your choice. I’m sure you’ve all seen box tops on cereal boxes, Reynold’s foil, and toilet paper and many other products. It used to be that you had to physically mail in the box tops. You can still do that too! I do. But if you have the Box Tops app and you purchase specific products listed, they will accumulate the money and send it off to the school of your choice twice a year.
Pros: The credit is applied pretty fast, usually within 24 hours.
Cons: They have often claimed that could not see some items on my receipt even though I could see them clearly. You can resubmit these receipts, but sometimes it’s not worth the 10ยข per item.
#5 Fetch Rewards
Fetch Rewards is a little different from the other cash back apps. Instead of cash, this app will give points which can be redeemed for e-gift cards.
This app is the most confusing to me. Unless a product is featured, it’s difficult to tell which products are eligible for points The app is full of companies that participate, but there are so many to pick through, that it gets time-consuming.
Also, there is a limit of 4 photographs of your receipt that can be submitted. So if you have a long receipt, you’ll have to figure out which items are eligible for points and fold your receipt to make sure those items are counted.
Pros: The points can be redeemed for some cool gift cards. My first one was a Dunkin’ Donuts gift card. You will get a points bonus for signing up.
Cons: Receipts must be submitted in four images or less. There are so many companies that it’s difficult to figure out which items on your receipt are eligible for points.
#6 Earny
Earny is a virtual personal assistant. It gets you money back for purchases you make online if the price drops after your purchase. Earny takes the least amount of work. You link a credit card and your email account before making your purchase and Earny will track your purchase. Your credit card must be one with “price protection.” Earny will let you know if the card you are using is eligible for the program. If the price drops, you will get an email from Earny stating that they are attempting to get you a refund of the difference. Earny takes 25% of your rebate. I just got a rebate of over $8 which I previously wrote about.
Pros: Once you sign up, you usually don’t have to do anything, just let Earny get your money back.
Cons: Some retailers will require you to contact them directly to get your rebate. Walmart asked me to call their 1-800 number. Other retailers, Kohl’s, will refuse to give the refund because they know Earny is a third party app working on your behalf. That’s crap.
Some people are under the impression that cash back apps either don’t work or will not get you much money back. Well, I’m here to tell you. THEY WORK AND THEY ARE WORTH IT. Really, there is not one cash back phone app that I know of that costs money. So, why not download a free app that gets you a some of your money back after you shop?
Be sure to check out my YouTube video about cash back apps:
