Rebate Apps
ibotta is a great app for quickly and easily earning rebates on products you buy all the time. Categories include: Grocery, electronics, beer,wine and spirits, arts and crafts, health and beauty, apparel, sports and fitness, babies and kids, automotive, restaurant, special occasions, photos and prints, pet, home and office, movie theaters, travel. Once you've selected your category it breaks it down to store options and the rest is just pure magic! Scan the barcode on your purchase to confirm the proper product has been purchased, scan your receipt and bam! You're done. When you hit at least $10 in rebates earned you can cash out in a variety of ways from a PayPal payment to a Starbucks gift card. Awesomeness!!!
My favorite part of ibotta is the team-building portion. You can join my team and when you redeem just ONE rebate in the first 10 days I earn $5. Yup. FIVE SMACKAROOS! And then you can add to your team and earn the $5 for each new team member you add!
Here's the code to join my team: ymcdimj
You can sign up for this app by going online to www.ibotta.com or by downloading the app directly to your smartphone!
Snap by Groupon is the same concept as ibotta, with only grocery items, a more limited item list and a less complex redemption system. Snap only requires you to scan your receipt, skipping the product barcode scanning step. I'm slightly less infatuated with Snap as it is harder to earn as much in rebates as with ibotta. So far, in just a couple of months I've earned over $20 from ibotta, but have yet to reach the $20 minimum to receive a payout check from Snap. (Yes, a check.)
Join my Snap team here: Kristin's Snap by Groupon Team!
The great thing about both of these rebate apps is the fact that the items on their list often include milk, bread, eggs and oj - none of which are brand-specific so you can still buy your favorite brand and earn cash back for the purchase!
Walmart Savings Catcher This one is slick as snot and easy-peasy too. Download the Walmart App or go to their website. Scan your receipt code on the app or enter the barcode digits and receipt date (within 7 days) online. Hit submit and Walmart's Savings Catcher will scan for competitors prices, giving you the difference back! Redeem your balance at anytime by sending it to an eGift Card or by setting up a Bluebird Account.
Discount/Coupon Apps
Cartwheel by Target Once I figured out how to use this one, I was hooked. At Halloween I got $30 in candy and pop for $8 using the Cartwheel discounts, print coupons, my Red Card and common sense. At Thanksgiving I saved $65 on a $200 grocery trip using the same methods!
For those as confused by the Cartwheel app as I was at the start, here are my tips:
1. Make your shopping list first
2. Take the time (yes, saving money takes time) and sit down with your phone and cruise through the categories from which you'll be shopping.
3. Select your coupons and add them to your cartwheel.
If you aren't doing a big trip, or don't have time to do the steps list above, try it this way:
1. Do your shopping.
2. Find the longest checkout line
3. Scan the items from your cart using the "search" feature while you wait in line!
Or...
Scan your items as you put them in your cart. (This is tough for me because I don't love holding my phone in my hand constantly while I shop.)
Please note there is a limit to the number of discounts you can add to your cartwheel at one time. I believe it starts at 12 but I've heard more spaces open up the more regularly you use your Cartwheel! (I'm currently up to 15 spaces)
I know a lot of people have been enjoying the Shopkick app. I couldn't ever bring myself to dedicate the time to learning how to use it, draining my battery using the bluetooth (why it requires bluetooth to be activated I don't know) or running around a store finding things that aren't on my list. Seems like a lot of extra activity and I'm not really sure what I can actually use the "kicks" for anyway. I'm sure its great or so many people wouldn't be using it... it just isn't for me.
Favado is on my phone, but I have yet to spend the time to learn how to use it effectively. In all the basic glory it is a coupon app that shows you deals at the stores you select as your favorites and links you to coupons. It seems like a great idea, I'm just not well-educated yet. Check it out and let me know if you like it!
Now, go forth and start saving money and earning rebates!!!
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