Rebate Apps ~ How to Shop for F-R-E-E from Your Phone!
If you’ve been following HowtoShopforFREE.net you’re probably getting pretty good at shopping for FREE. Now it’s time to kick it up a notch. There are lots of rebate apps available that are going to pay you just for buying the things you already buy.
If you’re new to this you may be asking, “What exactly is a rebate app?” They are apps that you can use to get cash or other rewards for shopping. Some apps allow you to attach your store rewards cards and some require you to upload your receipt.
There are lots of rebate apps available ~ here are our favorites:
SavingStar
SavingStar is a smart phone app (for non-smartphone users you can register for SavingStar HERE) that helps you save money by either scanning your receipts, linking your store card, or making in-app purchases with online retailers. It’s important that you select any offers you’re interested in before you go shopping. If you have linked your store card, once you make your purchase you don’t have to do anything else but wait for your rebate to be credited to your account. If your store is a receipt scan store, take a picture of the receipt and submit it either through the app or at SavingStar.com. To save online, choose the “shop now” option and you’ll be taken to the selected retailer’s website to complete your shopping. Your savings will automatically be issued to your account.
Your savings will not appear on your receipt when you make your purchase. You will see your savings anywhere from 2-30 days later in your SavingStar Account. You can cash out your savings at any time as long as there is at least $20.00 in your account. Payout options include your bank account, PayPal account, gift cards & more! Payouts are generally processed in 1-2 business days.
Ibotta
Ibotta is an Android and iPhone app that allows you to earn money by purchasing participating items. You can earn this money in addition to using manufacturer and store coupons. Simply add offers to your account and then go shopping! The more offers you add, the more cash you can get back. Another bonus is that in many cases you can use Ibotta with other coupons and discounts – who doesn’t love a double dip?
There are three easy ways to earn with Ibotta ~ upload a receipt, link a loyalty card, or make a mobile in-app purchase. There are also bonuses that you can earn based on your activity.
You can cash out your earnings at any time as long as you have at least $20.00 in your Ibotta account. Payout options include PayPal, Venmo, or Gift Cards.
There are currently about 300 supported stores ~ that’s a lot of opportunities to earn $$
Download the Ibotta App to your smartphone or sign up HERE to start saving!
Checkout 51
Checkout 51 offers can be purchased at any store. Offers run from Thursday to Wednesday and you need to upload your receipt while the offers are still “live”. Once the purchase has been confirmed you will receive your rebate in your Checkout 51 account. Once your account reaches $20.00 you can request your funds to be issued to you in the form of a check.
Keep in mind that the offers are available in limited quantities and may disappear at any time so it’s always best to check before your shopping trip and then upload the receipt as soon as you can. The nice thing about Checkout 51 is that some of their offers can be done more than once. If you tap on the offer, you’ll be able to see the rebate limit.
Download the app to your Smartphone or sign up HERE and start saving.
Fetch Rewards
Fetch makes it easy to save on your every day grocery purchases ~ No store limitations, no having to clip special offers, no worrying about missing out on savings. All you need to do is snap a picture of your receipt and points will be put into your account.
Participating brands earn points in two ways. They are called Base Points and Bonus Points.
Every participating brand listed on a receipt will earn Base Points determined by the dollar amount of the item. You will also receive individual item Bonus Points as well if the price for that item exceeds the target price (this is based on an algorithm that’s always changing)
Use the Fetch Referral code: TY9VY when you sign up HERE
Receipt Hog
For every qualifying receipt you snap a picture of and submit, you’ll earn coins or spins depending on the retailer on your receipts, and a sweepstakes entry for a monthly drawing. The monthly sweepstakes drawing could earn you up to 5,000 coins!
The more active you are, the more opportunities you have to earn. You could become eligible for surveys, barcode scans, and spins at the “Hog Slots”.
Coins equal cash and Spins equal fun! Each time you spin the Hog Slots, you have a chance at even more coins and 1 lucky winner each day will win the value of their last shopping trip in coins. Once you’ve collected enough coins, you can redeem them for a PayPal credit, an Amazon e-gift card, or a magazine subscription!
So now that you’ve earned all these coins, how much are they worth?
Amazon, Visa e-gift card, & PayPal redemptions:
1,000 coins = $5
2,900 coins = $15
4,300 coins = $25
6,500 coins = $40
It can take up to 7 days to process your redemption.
Download it he app to start saving!
BerryCart
BerryCart is a rebate app for healthy products. You’ll find deals on organic, gluten-free, or non-GMO foods. Whoever said you can’t get good deals on healthy items is not a How to Shop for Free Member. You can shop anywhere that can give you a valid receipt so you’re not limited as to where you can make your purchases.
After you buy the product and snap a picture of the receipt, you will receive credit to your account, Credits are usually issued within 24 hours. You can cash out your credits to your PayPal account or purchase gift cards for retailers like Amazon.
Sign up HERE
Berrycart FAQ
Cartwheel
Cartwheel is a little different than the other apps we’ve featured since it doesn’t offer you a rebate. It’s more of a digital coupon that you would redeem at Target (or online for specially marked offers) and get your savings instantly at the register.
Cartwheel is super easy to use. Just add an offer to your Cartwheel list, scan your barcode in store right from your phone and you will receive the savings right there at the register.
Sign up HERE or download the app to your smartphone
Ebates
Ebates is one of our favorite apps. Do you shop online? Would you like to earn money for buying the things online you were going to buy anyway? All you need to do is start off at Ebates first and select your online store. Ebates opens up a ticket and tracks your purchase for you. Once the order has been processed, the rebate is credited to your account. Quarterly, you are mailed a check for your earnings.
Ebates is currently partnered with over 1800 online retailers. Here’s a tip ~ start at Ebates, do your shopping, then choose in store pick up for items at stores like WalMart, JC Penney, and Kohl’s. It saves you time in the store, eliminates any shipping charges, and puts a little extra money in your pocket. Of course, you can always go the traditional route and have the items shipped to your home.
Sign up HERE and earn a $10 gift card when you complete your first qualified order.
Hopefully, you’ve got enough to get started in the wonderful world of rebates. This list is certainly not all inclusive but it does highlight some of the most popular and easiest to use applications. Also, as an added bonus, most of these rebates are stackable with other rebate offers (check the FAQ for the individual app to see if you can stack offers).
Happy Shopping!