#ibotta

Phone Apps That Get YOU Cash!

/ Amanda Hodson / Leave a comment

Hello everyone!

As we enter into the second month of 2019, (can you believe it?!?!?)…..where does the time go? I have learned that with all of the apps that come with our phones, why not make them work for us, and get us some extra money? I am going to share with you many of the apps that I utilize to in order to bring in small, but definitely nice little bits of change. You can use my codes (pretty please!) to get started, I will explain how each of them work.

1) Job Spotter: Job Spotter is an app brought to you by Indeed.com. I have only been using it for a few weeks, but I’ve already earned over $20, so not a huge amount, but every little penny adds up!


The process is super simple. When you find a place of business that is hiring, you take two photos: one of the actual hiring sign, and one of the store front. Make sure the two pictures are as close up and clear as possible. The better the submission, the more points you earn. You can earn up to 150 points ($1.50) per post. Every post is different, some will earn you higher points while others will earn lower points. 

You are able to see all of your submissions in one nice page to keep track of your points!
One of the ways to earn points is through verifying submissions. You are given two photos, one of the hiring sign and the other of the store front. The app will ask you if they are clear photos of the hiring sign and you either say yes or no, and then will ask if the business (it will tell you what the name of the business should be) and you either say yes or no. These submissions are worth 10 points per round of verification. You can complete a bunch of entries in one day, but you will reach a daily limit and have to wait for it to reset to resume verifying. 
2) GetUpside: With the prices of gas, groceries, and restaurants, the smallest amounts of cash back add up really quickly. I personally have only used this app for gas cash back, but there are other options as you will see. Again, you won’t make a huge amount back in a fast amount of time, but say it with me….every penny adds up. In the few months I been using GetUpside, I’ve earned $12 back already. You CAN use this in conjunction with fuel points that you earn from your local participating grocery store, however, if multiple discounts are combined for one entry, the amount of cash given back is lowered….just fyi. Once you determine which deals you want to claim…in this example gas, you simply click on the claim button, and then you upload your proof of purchase between the hours given, and then boom, wait for approval and the cash comes in. Use my referral code: AMANDA145 to get started, and get earnings from referral friend purchases as well! 

3) Ibotta: I have been using Ibotta for a couple years now, and have earned back over $200! Ibotta is also super simple to use. You can earn cash back on groceries, shopping– especially online. You can customize the retailers you use on a frequent basis, and then claim products, and redeem all by uploading the receipt. Cash will be added into your account after the software approves your submission. 

And yes, you can invite friends with your referral code and earn $5 when they sign up and use Ibotta. SO….my own plug– use my code gaotcgw to help a sister out!

 4) Ebates: Ebates—if you shop online, and of course in store, you HAVE to download this app and use the website. Seriously, I’m not kidding, hundreds of retailers will give you cash back just from going through their links provided on retail purchases you are going to do anyways. Not all categories within a retailer (ahem Amazon) qualify, but there are so many different options, that I guarantee you that you will make cash back. Because my purchases aren’t always qualifying, my cash back is low, but I still have earned back almost $30! Use my referral code link to get $25 when your referral signs up and spends $25 and they earn $10!  https://www.ebates.com/r/AMANDA67032?eeid=28187

I will be offended if you don’t use my referral codes to get started on getting cash back on your own purchases. Ok not really offended, well kinda, sorta. Just do it. You’ll thank me later 😃😃

As always, please subscribe (top right) so that you can get content delivered right to your inbox. Let me know what topics you’d like me to talk more about. Thanks loves!

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Rebate Apps are the new Savings Account Interest

/ Amanda Hodson / Leave a comment

Hello readers!

Over the last few years, I’ve really developed an interest in saving as much money as possible, through any moral or legal means, after all I don’t want to do anything that is immoral, illegal or fatning 😜.

I began searching online for different ways to save money, especially through coupons; with this research I learned about rebate apps such as Ibotta, Saving Star, Checkout 51, Ebates, etc. I was very happy and surprised to learn that you can use all rebate apps together to gain the most savings, in addition to using coupons on the same products for the same shopping trip. As my mother said, rebate apps are a new form of interest on your shopping trips. Let me explain.

I was shopping at CVS and took advantage of a promotion on L’oreal hair products. I not only had manufacturer coupons to use, but there was a promotion in store wherein if you purchased three L’oreal hair dye products, you received $8 in extra care rewards (store credit toward future purchases). I was able to combine these savings methods, in addition to redeeming an Ibotta credit for $3; $2 rebate for one box of hair dye and $1 for root cover up (shameless plug for my YouTube channel, but I explain this exact shopping trip here. I highly recommend downloading the Ibotta app to your smart phone, it really does add up over time. I have earned over $160 in cash, just simply from taking a few minutes from each shopping trip and redeeming qualifying purchases. Use my referral code to get started on your earnings: gaotcgw!

I really like Saving Star because if you link up your grocery cards from Giant, CVS and Harris Teeter, and each week you look at the offers available for rebate redemption, all you have to do is select the product and then the linked accounts will do the work for you. There are a few retailers where you have to manually scan your receipt into the app to redeem for your purchases, don’t worry though, its very specific instructions in the app of what to do! I’ve only been using this app for a couple of months and have already earned back almost $20!

Checkout 51 is very similar to Ibotta, you do need to manually scan your receipts and select the items you want to redeem. It’s well worth it, I’ve already redeemed $25 since using this app.

Ebates you can use both in app for actual in store purchases but also on the website for your online purchases. Ebates is a very simple concept; if you are going to purchase an item, simply search for the retailer to see if they are offering a sale/cash back. I have used Ebates in store a few times now at Bed Bath and Beyond, the percentages are often small, but every little bit adds up! Simply link a credit card and each time you pay, you will be eligible for cash back and sales when promotions are available. Use my referral code to get started: https://www.ebates.com/r/AMANDA67032?eeid=28187.

If you are a skeptic, trust me, these apps really are great. Yes, like anything, it does take some work, but I’d rather be earning back a much as possible on purchases I’m going to be making anyways. Rebate apps won’t make you rich overnight, but every little bit will add up much faster than you’ll realize. Seriously, I had hit a slump when I was only able to redeem $0.25 here and there for items I was going to get, and the next thing I knew, I had $12 in my account…it adds up fast!

I hope this helps to anyone interested, might as well take advantage of cash back opportunities in this crazy digital age we live in.

If you haven’t already, please subscribe so you get awesome info right to your inbox 🙂

Thanks for reading!

xo, Amanda

A Good Money Saving Habit

/ Amanda Hodson / Leave a comment

Hello readers!

I have an addiction–couponing! I’ve always been very budget conscious, but now that I’m a young adult working for my own money, and live in a very expensive real estate area, every money saving tip and trick I can do, I take advantage of!

We all know about the good ol’ fashion coupons that you can cut out directly from the weekly paper, but did you know that there also other ways to save money– digitally and rebate apps?

Digital coupons are now available through different website links. The main one that I use is directly from www.coupons.com. Here you can find manufacturer coupons that work just the same as the ones that are printed in the weekly paper, the only difference is that you can clip the coupons that directly relate to your purchasing habits (coupons are based upon availability). Once you clip all of the coupons that you need, print and go shopping. Its that easy!

Most people have a smartphone. Most retailers have their digital app you can download directly to your phone and you can use coupons that are only available through the app itself. Technology does pay off at times!

Ibotta–this is a great app that you can download to your smart phone and get cash back on everyday purchases from grocery to apparel as well as your favorite dining establishments. All you need to do is select the rebate for the specific product based upon the category of retailer you are shopping from, and then provide proof of purchase and you are set! You are not going to get a ton of money back in a quick amount of time, but it does add up. I’ve been using Ibotta for just about a year and have earned $100 back! That’s $100 just from taking a few minutes from each shopping experience and seeing if I purchased any qualifying rebates. Not bad, right?

Checkout 51 is another app very similar to Ibotta. You provide proof of purchase and then select the items you would like to have your cash back from.

One trick that many people may not know about is that you can use all of these ways to buy an everyday item for a much reduced cost. How? For example, I buy Woolite when I wash dark or delicate clothing items, to keep their dark fabric and shape. There have been times where I have a manufacture coupon, a store promotion, as well as the digital coupons available through the retailer app as well as rebate apps. I’m not saying this will work every single time, but sometimes the stars are aligned properly, and you can combine many of these money saving ways to reap the most in savings.

I think most can agree that this is a good habit to have.

Limited Income….Love Coupons!

/ Amanda Hodson / Leave a comment

Hello everyone! It has been a while since I last blogged, my apologies! A brand new hobby that I’m proud to say I’ve become addicted to is couponing, which will explain my title. I am in my late 20s, on a limited budget and live in a very expensive zip code at home helping a family member with health issues. How do I do it over and above a straight job?  I COUPON to save money, and I’m proud of it. Let me explain how I saved around $100 on groceries and gas this week. Yes, $100 saved.

My family does the majority of our grocery store shopping at Giant for two reasons, its our closest grocery location with great deals, and also gas points at participating Shell stations. For every dollar you spend at Giant, you earn a point, get 100 points, you earn $0.10 off per gallon of gas, 200 points, $0.20 and so on…reach 1000 points, $1.00 off each gallon. Certain items have deals each week, if you buy 5 of the participating items (shampoo), you then earn an automatic $0.50 per gallon, along with all of the other points earned based on the dollar amount you spent for that particular grocery shopping trip. For example, you spend $50 on groceries, and also purchase the participating products for gas that day ($0.50 additional gas points) then you earned a total of 1000 points, or a $1.00 off per gallon. Make sense? It is a bit confusing at the beginning, but it becomes pretty routine and easy once you get the hang of it. Now people have pointed out to me that I’m still spending that money on these items, in order to redeem my gas points, so isn’t it a waste? I say no. My logic is, if I’m going to use the item anyways and it won’t expire  (non perishable items) or pantry goods that have a long expiration date, it really in the end evens out because you are saving at the pump, the same dollar amount you spent at the grocery store.

My most recent triple saver was one I am especially proud of. It was on shampoo. I had a manufacturer coupon for $2 off two bottles of a specific brand of shampoo. The store had a promotion of not only 2/$6 but also, if you buy 5 of them, then you earn $0.50 additional gas points. Bam! I was able to combine all 3 promotions. I ended up saving $20 on gas with previous points earned.

Let me just say this, I’m not a crazy coupon hoarder, I don’t just take items out of the store I don’t need just because I can get them for crazy cheap, or free, I use all of my items. I also don’t store 25 bottles of laundry detergent, I store 20…..kidding! But in all seriousness, I use commonsense when it comes to deals, and have not built any additional storage places in my house, so I have keep in mind the amount of room we have to keep everything.

Last bit I will say on this, as you can tell, I am really passionate about saving money. Go onto different coupon apps, they are a money saver….Ibotta is a major one I use, it ranges from $0.25 off of bread, to $3 off detergent, every penny adds up! I also go to coupons.com and print out deals. Check with your local stores policy, many times they will allow you to stack coupons. Good luck!

 

Money Back…AFTER Shopping??

/ Amanda Hodson / Leave a comment

Smart phones, both Android and iOS devices are owned by a vast population; benefits ranging from 4G networks to all of the apps available for download. One of the apps that I use, with some money benefits is “Ibotta.” It is a shopping app that can be used on several different items ranging from grocery to more luxury purhases. With just two grocery shopping trips, I’ve earned back almost $10. That is a lot of moola! “Ibotta” is very easy to use, once you learn all of the tactics behind the intended use.

The way it works:

1) Go to the type of shopping you will be doing (ex-grocery, at Walmart)

2)Once at the proper shopping destination link, look at the items available for rebate. They can range from $.025 and higher. Sometimes you will have to unlock the item, or other means as instructed.

3) Purchase the item and then use the camera on your phone to scan the bar-code, and then once all of the bar-codes from purchases have been scanned, take picture of the receipt to verify the purchases. Submit your receipt and wait for approval.

All of the instructions are very clear, and might differ per purchase. It’s a great way to make some change back from shopping trips. I haven’t always gotten lucky with earnings every trip, but if I’m going to  use the product anyways, then might as well purchase now, and earn the money back.

This app pays you back to shop!