quidco-review
Cashback Programs

Is Quidco a Scam or Do Members Really Earn £​300/yr on Average? – [Review]

Quidco is self proclaimed as “the UK’s number one cashback site”, but how good is this site really? Is this a cashback site that you can trust and make some decent money with? Or is this all just going to be a waste of time… A scam that isn’t going to pay you the cashback you deserve?

The last thing you want to get involved with is some sketchy cashback program that makes it very difficult for you to actually get your cash back. There are plenty of cashback programs out there so you are by no means limited with your choices. It is not like it is Quidco or nothing… You have options.

The question is… Is Quidco a good option? In this review I plan on answering exactly this. I’ll be going over what exactly this place is, how it works, the different cashback offers that they provide, how much money you can make in cashback, complaints and more.

Quidco Review

While I don’t know how true the statement of them being “the UK’s number one cashback site” is, they definitely are one of the bigger and more popular cashback sites in the UK out there, with over 7 million members and offers from over 4500 brands.

They have a lot of different cashback offers in all sorts of categories, some of which include…

  • Travel
    • Includes car rentals, flights, trains, parking, etc.
  • Electrical
    • This category includs a range of things going from TV’s, to computers, tablets, accesories, laptops, gadgets, and more.
  • Fashion
    • Here you can find cashback deals on clothing, bags, watches, sunglasses, etc.
  • Telecoms
    • Can get cashback on monthly cellular service, SIM cards, phone accessories, etc.
  • Insurance
    • Everyone needs some type of insurance and here you can find deals on health, life, car, home, pet, rental and other insurances.
  • Finance
    • This category has deals on bank accounts, credit ratings, credit cards, loans, etc.
  • Other categories include cars, food and drink, utilities, sports and fitness, supermarkets, pets, health and beauty, and more.

It it is common to see cashback offers for clothing, groceries, and so on, but seeing offers like this for insurance and telecom services is pretty cool.

As far as payments go, you can choose to receive your cashback via direct deposit, PayPal, or with an Amazon gift card.

They claim that their members earn an average of around £300 per year, but I have no idea how true that statement actually is. And I will admit it seems like a heck of a lot. I have reviewed many different cashback programs, including TopCashBack, Mr Rebates, Ibotta, DOSH, etc, and this seems a very high based on what I have seen.

How It Works

If you are unfamiliar with cashback programs, you may be wondering how these things work… How they are able to pay you money for buying things.

Well… The process is pretty simple. Basically Quidco and other cashback programs get paid to promote offers. They receive a commission when they help refer buyers, just like affiliate marketing, and then they give you a portion of this commission as an incentive to take the offer in the first place.

It is pretty much a win/win for all parties. The sellers are getting increased traffic from Quidco promoting their offers, Quidco is getting paid by the sellers for helping drive traffic there, and we (the customers) get cashback for things that we are going to pay for regardless.

 

The Process of Getting Cashback..

You are able to get cashback on offers by using their app or by logging in on a desktop computer, either way it is pretty self-explanatory.

You can browse “today’s hottest offers” which features some of the best offers currently available…

Or you can browse by category or even search in the search box for something you are looking for in particular.

They also have a list of the top offers this week that is displayed below the main menu. And currently, as I’m writing this, I see that there is a really good 22% cashback offer for Groupon…

Now if I wanted to take advantage of this offer I would simply click on it and then would be directed to another page which would basically give me more details about the offer, which you can see here…

Then all I would have to do is simply click on the “Get cashback” button next to the particular offer I want to get in it would then direct me to Groupon, or wherever it is that you want to shop, to make your purchase.

There is for you to do anything on your own to get your cashback. Your pay will automatically be tracked and the cashback will be credited into your account once the purchase is verified, which can take a while depending on what you bought.

 

How Much Money Can You Make In Cashback?

As I mentioned earlier, they claim that the average member who is active earns about £300 per year, which I’m hesitant to believe. What makes me even more hesitant to believe this number is that on their website they are saying two different things. As you can see below, in one spot they say that the average active member earns £300 a year and in another spot they say £280 a year…

Now there really isn’t too much of a difference between 300 and 280, but in my opinion both seem pretty darn high.

Unfortunately there are no statistics provided or any way for me to verify these numbers, or to try to figure out how much people are earning on average independently. That said, the amount you can earn with cashback programs is going to vary greatly depending on the person. Of course it all depends on what you are buying and how much you buy.

Someone who is getting cashback on expensive travel services is going to make a heck of a lot more cashback than someone who is just getting small amounts of cash back from grocery shopping or something like that.

I will say that they do offer some pretty high cashback percentages based on what I see and what I know from using and reviewing other cashback programs.

 

Referral Program

And of course, like all of these sorts of programs, they also have a referral program in place where you can earn a referral bonus for referring someone to join.

How it works is you get your own unique referral link and can share it with friends, or really wherever you want. Someone clicks on your link enjoins, you get credit for referring them. And after they earn £5 in cashback you will get your bonus.

I wasn’t able to find any information on how big of a bonus you actually get. I assume it is not much, but if anyone who is reading this knows, I would appreciate it if you would let me know in the comment section below this post.

 

Complaints

Overall the ratings this place receives from users are incredibly good. As you can see on Google Play it has an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars with around 10,000 reviews left…

And then on the site Trustpilot it has been over 55,000 reviews with an average of 4 out of 5 stars…

The ratings are so good in fact, that it makes me question whether or not they are legitimate. I have never reviewed a cashback program like this that has even come close to receiving the sheer amount of ratings that this place does… Not even close.

When I was looking on the Trustpilot website there were new reviews being left pretty much every minute…

Are these real reviews? Are they fake? Are people getting paid to leave them? Who knows… But it is strange and I thought it was worth mentioning.

But anyways… Even with all the good reviews there are always complaints. Some of the more common complaints that I came across include the following…

 

App Can’t Access Store

If you are using the app, some of the stores you may want to shop on are not fully compatible. So what you have to do is exit out of the app and go into the normal Internet browser to make your purchases. This can be annoying and there are some complaints I came across about it… However it is not that big of a deal.

Doesn’t Track Cashback

And then there is the common complaint about the cashback not being given out as it should have been. This is usually due to problems tracking your purchase and you will find this complaint with any cashback program out there.

It doesn’t happen often, but unfortunately sometimes there are problems with the tracking code and people don’t get credited for their purchases as they should. However, the good thing is that you can contact the support team and get your cashback manually if this happens.

Underpaid

This is one of the most common problems and complaints I came across when skimming through the reviews from users. Apparently sometimes people purchase things what they should get a certain amount of cashback, but end up receiving a lesser amount.

I don’t know exactly what goes on these particular situations, but it does seem that the support team is good at getting contact with these people who are complaining and helping them out.

 

Conclusion: Scam or Not?

I don’t see any reason to call Quidco a scam. The only people that are calling it a scam or the ones who have been underpaid, or maybe haven’t been credited with the cashback that they deserved, and instead of contacting support they started calling a scam instead.

This particular program has been around for a while and is one of the larger what is out there. They are pretty well trusted and they do pay, although there are some legitimate complaints about them. But all in all, they are pretty good.

Since you are interested in getting cashback, you might also want to look into Ibotta and DOSH. Ibotta is an app that is particularly good for getting cashback when grocery shopping and DOSH is a good cashback app for finding deals in your area.

 

But anyways… I hope you enjoyed my review and found it helpful. Please leave any comments or questions down below and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can 🙂

Read More
GetUpside Review
Apps That Pay You, Cashback Programs

GetUpside Review – Scam App or Easy Money? [Read Before Downloading]

We have all heard of cash back programs where you can earn cash back for your normal purchases, such as shopping in stores and eating out at restaurants, but what about buying gas? Well… With the GetUpside app you can actually earn cash back when buying gas, which is almost unheard of.

Sounds pretty awesome doesn't it?… Being able to get gas at a lower price than is advertised that the pump.

But is this app really that great? What are the downsides? Is it possible that it is just one big scam in one way or another, or that is going to be a waste of your time? In this GetUpside review I'll be going over all you need to know beforehand. 

Overall I like what this app is doing and it is something that I recommend if you have a car and pay for gas regularly, and live in the right area, but there are a few downsides I'll be going over that you should know about as well.

GetUpside App Review

Name: GetUpside

Availability: iOS and Android devices

Type: Cash back on gas & more

Recommended?: Yes, but there are some downsides

GetUpside
Click Here to Get Download Link Sent to Your Phone

After downloading the app you can enter my promo code - KYLE6775 - to get an extra $0.15 per gallon off on your first use.

Quick Navigation
What Is GetUpside?
Overview of How It Works
Location Restriction: You Must Live Here to Use This App!
Cash Back On Gas
Cash Back on Groceries, Restaurants, and more..
Referral Program
How You Get Paid
The Downsides
Complaints About GetUpside
Scam or Not?
Is This App Worth Your Time?

What Is GetUpside?

GetUpside is an app that is available for iOS devices as well as android devices that you can use to get cash back when filling your car up with gas. For example, you can potentially go to your local BP gas station and pay 9 cents less per gallon than it is advertised. And since many of us have our own vehicles and pay for gas regularly, this can be a huge deal in a really nice/easy way to save/make a little bit of extra money.


Additionally, with this app you can also earn cash back doing things like shopping at grocery stores, eating out at restaurants, and even on car-washes, all of which I will be going over in much more detail.


How Is It Possible To Save Money Like This?


But how is this possible? You may be wondering how they can possibly give you cash back for gas like this? 


Well... It works in the same way that many other cashback programs out there work, like BeFrugal, DOSH, and Ibotta for example: GetUpside partners with gas stations all over it and helps to advertise their gas prices through the app. This in turn helps drive more traffic to these gas stations and brings them more customers. The gas stations then pay GetUpside a percentage of the payment made for gas by customers for help bringing them these customers in the first place.


It is a win/win for everyone. The gas stations get more customers and make more money, GetUpside get paid for helping drive these customers to the gas stations through their app, and we (the customers and users of the app) get cash back on gas, which we are going to buy regardless. 

Overview of How It Works

I'll be going over everything in much more detail, but first I want to do a brief overview of how it all works… How you will be able to get cash back you go to the gas station and fill up your car.

Step 1: Download the Free App

The first step, of course, is to download the app which is free to do at getupside.com. You can do this by going to the App Store if you have an iOS device, or the Google Play store if you have an android device.


After downloading the app and installing it, you will be able to enter a referral code. If you use my code, which is KYLE6775, you will be able to get a bonus $0.15 off your first use… Meaning you get an additional $0.15 off per gallon on top of the discount that is already in place.

Step 2: Find Offers in Your Area

Once inside the app you will be able to find offers (cash back offers) in your area. The app will automatically detect your location and will display all the offers nearby.

Step 3: Claim Offers

When you find an offer that you like claim it. You will have to claim your offer before actually purchasing the gas or whatever it is that the offer has to do with.

Step 4: Verify Purchase

Next up you will have to verify your purchase. This is done by uploading a receipt, which is a very simple and straightforward process.

Step 5: Get Cash Back!

Once your purchase is verified your account will be credited with cash back. You will then be able to withdraw your cash back by a variety of different methods that I will go over shortly.

Location Restriction: You Must Live Here to Use This App!

One of the big downsides that this app has is that it is only available in certain areas of the USA, which include states on the East Coast. Well I guess ancient say that the app is only available in these areas, but there are only offers available in these areas… Meaning that GetUpside is only partnered with gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants, etc. in these areas.


Currently, the following states are listed on their website as having a good amount of offers available…


  • Delaware
  • Florida
  • Maryland
  • North Carolina
  • New York
  • South Carolina
  • Virginia

That said, there are offers in other states as well. For example, I live in Pennsylvania and there is a Sunoco gas station nearby that I can use to get cash back with this app. Also, I was browsing the map and found that there are also offers in states like Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky and more.


So just because your state isn't listed above doesn't mean that there aren't any offers in your area and that you can't earn cash back on gas… It is just that the states listed above are the "main" states were offers exist. The states are full of cash back offers.


Don't Live In Any of These Areas? Then check out the Ibotta app which you can earn cash back with nationwide.

Cash Back On Gas

Since cash back on gas is the "claim to fame" over this app, let's go into more detail on this.


When you first open up the app be able to choose what type of gas you normally buy, meaning the grade of the gas. You can choose from the following:

  • Regular - 87
  • Mid-grade - 89
  • Premium - 91-93
  • Diesel
  • Other - (E85, Super Premium, etc)

After selecting the grade of gas you are interested in the app will then do its thing and find all of the available offers nearby.


As you can see below, the only offer available to me is cash back of $0.09 per gallon at Sunoco, but this is because I live in Pennsylvania as I mentioned above.

But anyways, when you click on an offer to claim it, it will then provide more details about the offer and will provide you with a map and directions via Google maps.

And just to give you an idea of how good this app is in certain areas, take a look at the screenshot displayed below. I was browsing the map and this is just a section of Florida that is filled with different cashback offers. If you live here there are plenty to choose from and that the more I zoom in on the map, the more pop up.

This is just an example I wanted to give to show you the potential of this app. Where I live it isn't very good, but for some people it could be well worth the download.


The Process of Getting Cash Back on Gas

So after you claim an offer you will have four hours to make your purchase and then you can upload your receipt. Why is there a time limit? I don't really know… That's just how it is.


When you go to upload your receipt it is very simple. The app uses the camera on your phone and you will be able to easily snap a picture to verify the purchase.

Cash Back on Groceries, Restaurants, and more..

As I mentioned, getting cash back on gas is by far the main part of this app, but you can also earn cash back on groceries, restaurants, and more. However, getting cash back for groceries and at restaurants is only available for people in the DC area.


The way you can earn shopping for groceries and eating out at restaurants is the same as with buying gas. You will be able to see the offers available in your area and you will then be able to claim them, upload a receipt after purchase, and get your cash back.


Luckily when it comes to getting cash back on groceries you are not required to make your purchase within four hours. This would be rather difficult for some people and would require you to be in a frenzy within the grocery store.


It is also advertise that you can save up to 20% cashback at convenience stores and up to 60% cashback on car washes, although I have yet to actually see these offers myself.

Referral Program

This app, like most apps, has a referral program that you can make money with by referring your friends to download and use the app.


When you refer a friend in they make their first purchase they will get an extra $0.15 off per gallon and you will make $0.15 per gallon that they buy. However, after that initial purchase you will only make one cent for every gallon that they purchase. So it is nice to have a referral program, but this is probably not something many people make much of any money with.

How You Get Paid

And now on to what we all need to know… How you actually get paid. It can be exciting to see money coming into your account within the app, but this money doesn't really mean anything until it is in your bank account or able to be used in some other way.


Luckily, there are a good amount of withdrawal options available. You can choose to cash out your money via PayPal, choose to get a check, or even choose to have an e-gift card emailed to you.


One thing that is very nice, which I think is worth mentioning, is that there is not a minimum withdrawal threshold, meaning that you can withdraw your money even when you only have a couple dollars. However… If you do withdraw less than $15 to PayPal or choose to have a check sent to you of less than $50, there is a one dollar fee applied. This fee can be waived if you cash out above the said amounts, or it can be waived in cashing out via PayPal if you refer at least one friend to use the app.


When it comes to e-gift cards there really aren't all that many choices. However, they do have Amazon e-gift cards available which is nice to see, because you can buy pretty much anything with one of them.

The Downsides

As I said in the beginning, overall I really like this app and what it offers, but there are definitely some downsides to it. Some of which worth mentioning include:

Location Restriction

The fact that this app is only available in a small number of states is a real disappointment. I am sure it will continue to expand if it keeps doing what it's doing, but as I am writing this the majority of people in the United States are not going to be able to make any use of it.

The Fine Print

And there is also the fine print, which I have not whenever yet. The fine print mentions that you must use a credit or debit card, you must make your purchase within four hours of claiming the offer, that an offer is only valid for the first 50 gallons of gas purchased, cashback is reduced when combined with other discounts, and so on…

Now some of this is no problem. For example, I see no problem in having four hours to make a purchase. I think that is ample time to fill up with gas after claiming an offer.


However, the fact that an offer is only valid for the first 50 gallons of gas purchased is a bummer, and I am also a bit confused about this. Does this mean that after purchasing 50 gallons of gas at a particular gas station you can no longer get cash back at the gas station? Or does this just mean the offer is only valid for 50 gallons of gas for anyone purchase, meaning that you could purchase gas a couple days later at the same gas station and still receive cash back (because this would be a different purchase). If anyone knows the answer to this and could clear it up for me and my readers that would be great.

Complaints About GetUpside

When reviewing an app like this I always like to make sure to write a section about complaints, complaints that are common among other users.


Overall this app has really good reviews and a really good rating. On Google Play it has an overall rating of 4.5/5 stars, which is very good. But there are some complaints worth mentioning and these include…


App Crashes

There are a fair number of complaints I came across about the app crashing when you go to open it… Which of course makes it unusable and is a major problem. However, most people seem to have absolutely no problem like this.


I'm not what the technical problem is behind this, or if it happens on specific devices, but it is just something worth mentioning.


Gas Grade Problems

Another complaint that I came across multiple times when doing my research is that some people are getting cash back for a lesser gas grade than they actually bought. For example, people are buying premium gas which usually offers a higher cashback percentage, but instead getting credited for buying regular gas and getting a lower cashback percentage.


Now GetUpside does state that if a receipt does not specify the particular grade of gas purchased then you will be credited as having bought regular gas, but some people complaining claim that their receipts did state the particular type of gas purchased.


It appears that this could be a problem with the app reading receipts or something of this nature.


Update: It seems that this issue has been fixed.


Support Issues

As with just about every app out there nowadays, this app does not offer very good support. This is just the world we live in nowadays… Full of automated answering machines and prewritten email replies.


If you do end up having some technical problem with the app or are not rightfully credited with the cashback you deserve, it is probably going to be a bit of a pain getting things sorted. That said, it does seem that the support team is honest and what they do, it just might take them a while to get around and actually support you.

Scam or Not?

The big question… Is GetUpside a scam? 


Absolutely not. I know there are some people out there calling this app a scam, but I don't see it being a scam in any way. Sure, I bet some people have been screwed over due to some technical glitch or something along these lines, but that the stone not make a scam and you will have this sort of thing with any app out there, regardless of how good it is.

Is This App Worth Your Time?

Do you purchase gas? Do you live in one of the areas mentioned at the beginning of this review, where there are lots of offers available? Do you like to make/save money and do you think it would be nice to earn some cash back when you go to the gas station, which you are going to do regardless?

Well, if you answered yes to these questions then this app is worth your time, but of course this is just my opinion.


There are people making $15-$25 in a little over a month's time with this app, but of course this completely depends on how much gas you purchase on a regular basis and on how good of offers you have in your area. But the point is that with this app you can make a little bit of extra money doing what you already do and what you are going to continue to do even if you don't download the app.


So why not download the app? After all, it's free to do and very easy to use.


And again, if you do want to download the app you can use my promo code KYLE6775 to get an extra $0.15 off per gallon on your first purchase, which can really add up. This would also help me out so that I can keep this site running and keep writing awesome reviews.


But anyways… I hope you enjoyed this review and found it helpful. Please leave any comments or questions down below and I'll get back to you as soon as I can 🙂

Read More
Is Ibotta a Scam
Cashback Programs

Is Ibotta a Scam? – Nope, But There Are Some Downsides I’ll Go Over [Review]

Ibotta claims that it is "better than coupons", but is it really? Is this cashback app really all that great? Or is it all just going to be a waste of your time? Is Ibotta a scam that you should just avoid in the first place?

All of these are good questions that should be answered before installing and spending your time using an app like this, and I intend to answer exactly these in this review. In this review of Ibotta I will be going over all you need to know… Everything from a general overview of the app, to how it works, the three different ways to get cash back, giving you an example of actually using the app, how much cashback you can realistically get, pros vs cons, downsides and more.

Overall I really like this app for making a little cash back doing what you already do, shopping, but there are a few downsides that I will be going over throughout this review. I actaully wrote an older review a while back but this is my updated and more detailed one.

Ibotta App Review

Name: Ibotta

Type: Cashback app

Availability: Android and IOS devices

Cost: Free to use

Recommended?: Yes, it is one my favorites

Ibotta App
Click Here to Join & Get a $10 Welcome Bonus

This review is going to be detailed and lengthy, with all the info you need, so feel free to use the quick navigation box below to jump to certain sections 🙂

Quick Navigation
What Is The Ibotta App?
How It Works
The 3 Ways to Get Cash Back
Using The App
How Much Money Can You Make?
Cashing Out & Gift Cards
The Referral Program
Pros vs Cons
Ibotta App Cheats
Who Ibotta Is Best For
Ibotta vs Other Cash Back Apps/Programs
Scam or Not?
Is Ibotta Worth It?

What Is The Ibotta App?

Ibotta is an app that you can download on your smart phone or tablet that allows you to get cash back for normal purchases, both in-store and online. It sounds awesome, because it is awesome. I mean who wouldn't want to earn a little bit of money back doing what they already do, shopping for groceries, clothes, personal care items, etc.?? I sure would.

Now of course you certainly aren't going to get rich with a cashback app like this, but it does help you save money and can be very rewarding.


Where does the money come from?

​

Getting cashback on purchases may sound like a strange concept, but it is actually pretty common. There are a lot of cashback programs out there, such as BeFrugal, Ebates, DOSH (and others like DOSH), Mr Rebates, Fetch Rewards, etc... Ibotta being one of the better ones out there by far.

These cashback programs make money by promoting offers and driving buyers to certain stores and they purchase certain products. They basically get paid for advertising and in return share a small portion of the profits with you, as incentive to go shopping at a certain store or purchase a certain item in the first place. And the nice thing about it all is that you are still paying the normal prices for your purchases… You are just getting cashback on top of that.

How It Works

  • 1) Sign Up & Download the App
  • 2) Find Good Offers
    • Can browse through cash back offers at hundreds of stores
    • Select offers you want before going out shopping
  • 3) Verify Your Purchase
    • Need to verify your purchase in order to get your cash back.. this is easy and I'll discuss how you do this below

Summary: Of course the first thing you have to do is download the app. This is completely free to do and if you have an android or IOS device will be able to do this. It is also possible to create an Ibotta account on your desktop computer and still earn cash back, but this will be a little bit more difficult to go about doing.

After you have the app you will be able to search for offers you are interested in. You can search by store, by category (such as grocery, clothing, health products, etc.), or even by specific product. Usually what I like to do is pick a store that I shot back and look at all the different offers they have, but you can do it anywhere you wish. After finding offers that interest you, you will be able to select them in the app and proceed to do your normal shopping.


After shopping, you will have to verify your purchase. However, if you are shopping online you will not have to do anything. Your purchase will automatically be tracked. It is only if you are shopping in-store that you will have to verify your purchase, which I will go over below…

The 3 Ways to Get Cash Back

There are three different ways that you can verify your purchases and get cash back. These include sending a receipt, linking a loyalty card, or making a mobile in-app purchase.


1) Send a Receipt


This it's what you are going to have to do in some cases when it comes to in-store shopping. You will have already selected your offers, did your shopping, and then you will have to verify that you did indeed purchase what you claim to have purchased by sending a receipt.

This process is easy. You will see a big button in the app labeled as Redeem, which you will be able to click and then choose which store you are looking to redeem offers that. For example, below I chose a Sam's Club. After that the app will use the camera on your phone to take a picture of the receipt… Very easy and can be done in around 10 seconds.

2) Link a Loyalty Card


A nice addition to Ibotta, which they didn't used to have, is the ability to link a loyalty card. This makes things even easier for you. You can simply link your loyalty card, or members card to the app and then all of your purchases will be uploaded without you having to take pictures of the receipts.


This makes things a whole lot easier, but of course not all stores have loyalty card programs and even if they do, you might not be a member. But anyways, it is nice to have this option and if this option is available it is definitely worth your time to link your card.


3) Make a Mobile In-app Purchase


Ibotta also offers cashback on mobile in app purchases. This is another very easy way to get cashback. There is no need to verify purchases here, just as with the linked loyalty card.


All you have to do here is click on which store you want to shop at inside the app and you will be directed to the store's website. You can then proceed to shop as you normally would end your purchase will be tracked by Ibotta, which will automatically give you credit and cashback.

Using The App

Okay... so now you have a good idea on how this app works, but I want to take you through the process and show you in a little more detail.

When you first open up the app you will be able to search for retailers and offers, browse popular offers in your area, browse by category, and so on.

But anyways… Let's say you have a plan. Let's say every Monday you go shopping at Sam's Club and you don't plan on changing this anytime soon. So what you can do is click on Sam's Club inside the app you will be presented with a list of "hot" offers. At the top you also see a menu of different categories.

The categories of course are going to vary depending on the store, but in my case these include…

  • All
  • What's Hot
  • New Offers
  • Dairy & Eggs
  • Pantry
  • Beverages
  • Frozen
  • Produce
  • Beauty & Personal Care 
  • Household
  • Snacks
  • Breakfast
  • Meat & Seafood
  • Kids and Babies
  • And so on...

So let's say that you are just walking through the "What's Hot" category and find a good deal on some Jimmy Dean Delights... That offers a nice $5 cash back…

You can click on the offer for more details and if you like what you see you can click on the + sign next to the offer to add it to your list of saved offers.

As you can see below the + sign turns to a checkmark once it is added. You are going to want to do this before you go out shopping..

These added offers will then be saved to your "My Offers" tab for convenience.


After doing your shopping, if you have your loyalty card a link to your account then you don't have to do anything, but of course if you don't you will have to then upload your receipt as I explained above.


Usually your cashback will be credited to your account within 48 hours. But now that is in your account, how do you actually use this money?? The whole point is getting a little extra money to spend, is it not?


The process of withdrawing cash is very simple and I will be going over this shortly. But first I want to answer a very important question that I know a lot of people are going to be asking… "How much cashback can you make?"

How Much Money Can You Make?

This question may sound like it has an easy answer, but it does not. The better question might be "how much cashback can you realistically make?", But this still is going to vary a heck of a lot.

The fact of the matter is that it will depend greatly on how much shopping you actually do and on what type of products you buy.


Take the example I found below… As I am currently writing this you can get $20 cashback on a 1.75 L bottle of Ciroc and you can get two dollars cashback on Excedrin Extra Strength migraine medication…

The $20 cashback offer is incredible, and even the $2.00 cashback offer is pretty good, but just look at the difference between these two. There is a massive price difference so obviously someone that is buying Ciroc is going to get a lot more cashback, but of course not everyone is going to be looking to purchase something like this.

Now this is a very extreme example, but it proves my point… Results will vary.

That said, this app is super easy to use and even a little bit of cashback on shopping that you are going to do regardless is worth it. 

Cashing Out & Gift Cards

There is a $20 withdraw threshold that you have to meet before being able to cash out or get gift cards. ​

When it comes to withdrawing your money there are plenty of options. You can choose to get regular old money sent to you via PayPal or Venmo or you can choose to receive gift cards.


And yes you are seeing that screenshot below correctly… I do have (or did have before withdrawing some money) $239.33 in my account. I've been saving up for quite some time.

I've been using Ibotta for a couple years now and I have withdrawn via PayPal as well as used my cash back to get many different gift cards.

Gift Cards

When it comes to the gift cards there are plenty of options when it comes to gift cards. You have all the big retailers, such as Amazon, Walmart, Target, etc. A full list of all of the available gift cards as I am currently writing this is as follows:

  • Whole Foods Market
  • Apple Music
  • AMC Theaters
  • Abercrombie and Fitch
  • Amazon.com
  • American Eagle
  • Applebee's
  • AutoZone
  • Aéropostale
  • Barnes & Noble
  • Bass Pro shops
  • Bath and Body Works
  • Betty Bath and Beyond
  • Belk
  • Best Buy
  • Buffalo Wild Wings
  • Cabela's
  • Chili's
  • Chipotle
  • Domino's
  • Express
  • Fanatics
  • Fandango
  • Foot Locker
  • GameStop
  • Gap
  • Global Hotel Card
  • Groupon
  • Hollister
  • Hotels.com
  • IHOP
  • JCPenney
  • Joann
  • Kmart
  • Khol's
  • Lowe's
  • Nike
  • Old Navy
  • Olive Garden
  • Overstock.com
  • Papa John's
  • Peet's Coffee
  • REI
  • Red Lobster
  • Read Robin
  • Regal
  • Sam's Club
  • Sears
  • Sephora
  • Southwest Airlines
  • Starbucks
  • StubHub
  • Target
  • Home Depot
  • Uber
  • Ulta Beauty
  • Wine.com
  • buybuy Baby
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Walmart

Once you find a gift card that you want you will be able to click on it and then select the price. Sometimes there will be gift cards available for $20, $25, $50, etc.

After selecting the price you will have to confirm your Ibotta password in the gift card will then be emailed to you.

This email usually arrives within seconds and comes in as "your gift card has arrived!". But if it doesn't arrive right away, don't panic. It arrived within a couple minutes, but there was at least one time that I remember when it took around 20 minutes to receive it… In which time I was starting to worry.


In the email you receive you will be able to click a link which will take you to your electronic gift card. The gift card will have a code on it as well as a scan-able QR code, which you can bring up by clicking the "tap to use" button.

PayPal

When it comes to using PayPal, withdrawing your money is just as easy. You will simply enter the amount you wish to withdraw and then enter your password. Usually the money arrives shortly after.


I actually haven't used PayPal in quite some time because I like getting gift cards, but I have in the past and you can see a nice crisp $100 payment I sent myself a while ago…

I haven't used Venmo but I assume it is the same process.

The Referral Program

Ibotta has a referral program where you can make a little bit of extra money referring others to join. The way it works is like this:

Every member has their own unique referral link and code. And you get someone to join through your referral link or enter your referral code when joining, you will receive a $5 bonus after they redeem their first cashback offer inside the app. In addition, they will also get a $10 bonus for joining.

So really is a win/win. If a person joins without going through a referral link, they don't get the nice $10 welcome bonus, but if they do they will.

​

And by the way: You can join Ibotta through my referral link here to get your $10 welcome bonus. 

Pros vs Cons

Pros

  • Easy to use 
    • The app is very well laid out and easy to navigate
  • Fair number of offers
  • They make things easy
    • As I went over you can upload a receipt or just link a loyalty card if possible. More and more apps are allowing you to do this nowadays which is nice.
  • Plenty of withdrawal options
    • There definitely isn't any shortage when it comes to withdrawal options.
  • Fast payments 
  • Good support
    • One thing I didn't mention is that the support that Ibotta it's very good. Having use this app for several years, I've only had to contact support one time. The reason was because my account was locked because of "suspicious activity" or something like that. I had over $100 in my account at the time and was getting worried, but the support team made it easy and I was able to get my account back in no time.
  • Great ratings
    • There our some other high rated cashback apps out there, but Ibotta definitely is one of the best. They are a very trusted company and just to give you an example of how well-liked they are, you can see on Google Play they have a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 with over 300,000 ratings…
  • Good referral program

Cons

  • Certainly won't get rich
    • You what make a lot of money with this. This is one thing you definitely need to understand or you will just be disappointed. That said… The money adds up and since you are already going to be shopping… Why not get some cash back?
  • Would be nice to see entire purchase cash back options 
    • Another con is that they don't offer all that many cashback options for entire purchases. You know, when you receive a flat cashback percentage, like say 3%, on your entire purchase at a certain store/restaurant. 
    • Ibotta does offer some of these entire purchase cashback percentages, but that is just for online shopping from what I have seen. The in-store shopping is per item. Other apps, like DOSH for example, will give you cashback on your entire purchase at certain store/restaurants, which is awesome, but this app just doesn't have all that many offers.

Ibotta App Cheats

Of course we want to all make as much money as possible, so are there any hacks/cheats that you should know about? Unfortunately there are not any Ibotta app cheats that I know of, nor are there any hacks that you can do to make more money.


That said, it is a good thing that it is this way because if you want to continue to make money with this cashback app then they need to stay in business… And if people are going to be cheating and hacking the system, they will likely go out of business.

But anyways… I am still open to new knowledge. If anyone reading this is aware of any hacks/cheats then you can share them below in the comment section for other readers to see.

Who Ibotta Is Best For

Ibotta is best for people looking to save some money when shopping, which of course comes in the form of cash back. Couponers in particular should definitely appreciate and enjoy this app.

But really I think a cashback like this is good for just about anyone. If you are a mother or father he does a lot of the grocery shopping then it will probably be worthwhile to sign up. But of course the cashback savings doesn't end there… You can save on clothing, restaurants, and even travel.

Ibotta vs Other Cash Back Apps/Programs

There are a lot of different cashback apps/programs out there and of course you want to be using the best. You don't want to be wasting your time with something that isn't getting you the maximum cash back. Two other very good ones include DOSH and BeFrugal.

DOSH is a cashback app that I mentioned earlier. It is similar to Ibotta except you are in a flat cash back percentage on your entire purchase at certain stores/restaurants. It is really nice, but there aren't all that many participating stores/restaurants in it varies a lot depending on where you live. But maybe this would be better with time.


BeFrugal it is also pretty good. They offer some pretty high cashback percentages, the downside being that the only offer cashback for online purchases, while only offering coupons for in-store shopping.


These two are both good, but I would probably say that I bought it is my favorite and there is no wonder why it is so popular. If you were to ask me which one I recommend, it would be Ibotta.

Scam or Not?

Obviously this app is not a scam. I just want to make a point to reiterate this.


If it was a scam then I wouldn't have gotten paid from it multiple times, and I wouldn't be continuing to make money with it. It also wouldn't have a 4.5 star rating out of 5 stars on Google play with over 300,000 ratings.


There are some cashback apps out there that are somewhat "scammy" and make it difficult for you to get your rightfully deserves cashback, but I bought is not one of them. They are a very reputable company and if you do, for one reason or another, not receive the cashback you are supposed to and you will be able to contact support in they will work things out to make sure you get it.

Is Ibotta Worth It?

Do you shop? Do you like money? Do you have an android or iOS device? Then it is probably worth it for you.

But this largely depends on how much shopping you actually do. If you are a 17-year-old that lives at home with your parents and does little to no shopping, it probably wouldn't even be worth the time to install it. But if you do your shopping for yourself, or maybe you are a parent that shops for multiple people, then it probably would be worth it. It just all depends.


Give It a Try... Its Free

The good thing is that is free and there is no harm in giving it a try. You can install the app, tested out and see if it is worth your time, and go from there.


Join Ibotta & Get a $10 Welcome Bonus!

Anyways... I hope you enjoyed this review and found it helpful. Be sure to like and share if so. Also, leave any questions or comments down below and I'll get back to you as soon as I can 🙂

Read More
Cashback Programs

Is Shop Smarter a Scam? – What You Should Know

Is Shop Smarter a scam

Shop Smarter is a cashback program that pays a flat rate of 10% cashback on purchases made through them. But that is a heck of a high percentage to be giving back to members, so what is the catch? How are they able to give this much cashback and are there any downsides to this program? Is Shop Smarter a scam in one way or another?

There are a lot of different cashback programs out there so it is best to take the time and look into them beforehand so that you can choose the one that is best for you. In this review I’ll be going over how Shop Smarter works, how much money you can save, getting paid, membership cost, complaints and more.

Shop Smarter Review

Shop Smarter has three things that they offer: cashback, coupons, and a price comparison tool that you can use to compare prices on over 100 million items online.

There cashback program is the main part of the entire site in this is where they give you 10% back on your purchases that you make through their site. I have looked into and reviewed many cashback programs over the years, including TopCashBack, Ebates, Ibotta, BeFrugal, Mr Rebates, etc and I can tell you that 10% cashback is very high compared to others.

Now you might be wondering how they are even able to give you cashback. How can they possibly give you 10% cashback on your purchases? Well, they are actually affiliates for these different websites that they give cashback for shopping at. They get paid to drive business to these different sites, so when you use their portal to shop at an online store they get paid a commission for your purchase and Shop Smarter then turns around and gives you a share of this commission, which is 10%.

Shop Smarter looks like an amazing cashback program at first glance but there are some definite downsides to this place and some complaints that I will go over that you should know about.

How It Works

Once you are a member you will be able to browse through their 1000+ stores and shop where you wish.

You can use the price comparison tool to find specific items at the lowest prices and you can also find coupons at these stores plus earn cashback of course.

The coupons are somewhat of a hit or miss. You never really know what to expect. You might get coupons for free shipping, buy one get one free, a discount on certain products, etc.

After that you will complete your purchase as you normally would and you will receive your cashback usually within a week, after your purchases verified and everything

How Much Money Can You Save/Make?

They have a $1000 limit set for each calendar year, meaning that you only can earn up to $1000 each year in cashback and after that the site will be pretty much useless, except for getting coupons in using the price comparison tool.

This it is something that is pretty disappointing to me. Why would they have a $1000 limit like this? I mean as long as you are shopping through them they are still earning money, so why put a limit like this? It doesn’t really make much sense to me and this is definitely a downside to using this particular cashback program.

Getting Paid

You will be able to receive your cashback via a check once a month.

Checks are good and all, I mean at least you aren’t forced to receive your reward be a gift card, but I would still like to see some other payment options, such as PayPal for example.

Membership Cost

If you thought that membership was going to be free then you were kidding yourself. This is the big catch and this is why they are able to pay out such high percentages in cashback.

There are lots of free cashback programs out there but they generally don’t pay anywhere near 10%.

To become a member they offer a seven-day trial that only costs $1.97. After that you will have to pay $9.97 per month to remain a member. I have seen some people saying that it costs more than this to be a member each month, but I’m not sure what they’re talking about. As of right now, for me, it is $9.97 per month.

Support

One of the nice things about being part of a cashback program that you have to pay for is that they have a fairly good support team.

Maybe you are having trouble using their site, maybe a link isn’t working properly, maybe you didn’t get credited for a purchase like you should have, or maybe you just want to cancel your membership… Well luckily they have a support team on standby to help you out.

When contacting support you have two options: You can email them and they will get back to you within 24 hours or you can call their life phone number at 800-254-6536. I’m not sure what times exactly they will answer the phone but it is nice to see a cashback program like this offering live phone support.

Complaints

Everything sounds pretty good up to this point, right? You can earn up to $1000 per year in cashback and the membership only cost $9.97 per month… Not too bad. But are there any other downsides the site? What are other members complaining about?

Whenever I look into complaints for programs like this I look on independent review sites, such as SiteJabber where anyone can go in easily leave their own review. What I found when looking into the complaints here is that there are a heck of a lot of them. On SiteJabber they actually have a pretty bad rating of only 1.5/5 stars with over 100 user reviews.

Some of the top complaints that I have found include the following…

Account Locked For No Reason

Some people claim that their accounts have been locked for alleged Terms of Service violations, which they say never happened. For example, one person says they were accused of using this site for business purchases, which is a violation of the TOS, but in reality they were never using it for business purposes… It was a false accusation that led to their account being locked.

That said, I don’t really see the point in Shop Smarter locking people’s accounts for no reason because they want people to use their site and chop through them, which is how they get paid.

Being Charged Without Signing Up

I have actually read multiple complaints about people saying they have been charged without actually signing up as a member. I’m not sure how this would happen and how this place would even get a hold of their credit card information without them signing up, but I think this is worth bringing to your attention.

Misleading Ads

Apparently Shop Smarter has some fairly misleading advertising practices that some members claim they have signed up through without realizing that there is going to be a recurring monthly fee.

Some members have one on for a year without even realizing they have been charged each and every month and then have been unable to be refunded for their payments.

I have not personally seen any of these ads, but just be careful and make sure you know what you’re getting into before hand.

Make It Difficult to Get Cashback

There or a fair number of people claiming that this place is just a pain in the butt and makes it very difficult for you to get your cashback, which you rightfully deserve. Some people are saying that they will make you jump through bunch of hoops and submit evidence to them showing that your purchase is legit.

I know that places like this have to make sure that you are following the roles, but this place seems to be policing their members a little too harshly and just making things overly difficult.

Final Thoughts – Worth Joining or Not?

Ok… Well first off Shop Smarter is not a scam. They are a legitimate cashback program and you really can earn money via cashback through them. That said, whether they are worth joining or not is a different question. They do pay high amounts of cashback but you have to pay a monthly membership cost to be able to retain your membership and there are a lot of complaints from people basically saying that they screw their members over.

There are many different cashback programs out there and personally I would go with BeFrugal over all of them. BeFrugal is a free cashback program that has a very good reputation and pays rather high cashback percentages for being free. They don’t pay 10%, or at least not as often as Shop Smarter does, but they do pay high compared to other free programs. Another upside to BeFrugal is that they are partnered with nearly 5000 stores and have a lot more offers to choose from.

 >> Visit BeFrugal Here <<

Anyway, I wish you luck on your cashback shopping and if you aren’t receiving cashback on this shopping you already do then you’re missing out.

Looking to earn more than just cash back? Check out my list of top ways to make money online HERE.

Please leave any questions, comments, or concerns below and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can 🙂

Read More
Cashback Programs, MLM's

Is Lyoness a Pyramid Scheme? – What You Should Know

Lyoness reviewLyoness is a loyalty shopping program that rewards its members for shopping. In addition to this they also reward their members for recruiting in other members and from the members that those people then recruit in. Sounds a bit like a pyramid scheme doesn’t it? But is it really? Is this a good loyalty program that is worth joining or is Lyoness a pyramid scheme that you should stay far away from.

The promotional material thrown out there by Lyoness can be very luring. They make it seem like members are living the dream from being a member and receiving all the rewards/incentives offered…. but is this really the case? In this review I will be going over the reality of this all. And by the way, I am in no way affiliated with this program so this review is going to be as honest as possible.

Lyoness Review

Ok, so Lyoness is a cashback program at its core. Basically what they do is partner with different merchants and the merchants pay them for sending customers their way. So what Lyoness does is offers cashback as incentive to shop at their partner merchant stores and when you do shop their they get paid, giving you a small cut of that pay. They tell you that they pay up to 5% cashback but it usually seems to be around 1-2%.

They are partnered with over 90,000 merchants worldwide and have a cashback card that you can use or a mobile app.

The other way that Lyoness rewards members is with shopping points (SP), which are equivalent to money. For example, each SP equals about 5-10 euros.

Below is a short 2 minute video that does a good job of explaining this all…

But anyways… that isn’t really the point of this review. Cashback programs are legit and I have reviewed plenty of them on this site. The point of this review is to look into the question of whether or not this all is just a pyramid scheme or not. This question comes into play when you look at how Lyoness rewards members for recruiting in others.

Compensation Plan

As a member you can recruit in other people to earn more than just cashback if you wish too. So the people you recruit in will be normal customers and other marketing members like yourself…

The overall compensation plan is pretty darn confusing, and you can read it here if you want to, but I’ll try to break it down for you so that it is more easy to understand.

Friendship Bonuses

With these bonuses you can earn a 0.5% direct friendship bonus and indirect friendship bonus. These bonuses are paid based on the amount of cashback your personal recruits (direct friends) earn and the cashback that their recruits (indirect friends) earn.

So if you recruit someone in and they buy something to earn cashback, you earn 0.5% of that. And if they recruit someone in that earns cashback you also earn 0.5% of that.

Loyalty Cash

After accumulating at least $75 in your loyalty account you have what is called an “accounting unit”.

The goal is to get at least 35 of these accounting units above and beneath you, which is something you will do by recruiting others into the program. After doing this you will be able to earn “loyalty cash” which is basically a cash bonus paid out based on the number of people you or your downline recruit in and the amount of money they accumulate in their loyalty accounts.

Of course its more complicated than that but this is the gist of it.

Loyalty Partner Bonus

Here you will be able to get 18.75% from direct recruits and 6.25% from indirect recruits. Again, this is just paid out on a 2 level structure just as the friendship bonuses. You earn from the people that you recruit in and the people that they recruit in.

Volume Commissions

These are commissions paid out based on volume…. its also all about recruitment here. The goal is to recruit more and more people in, increasing your team’s volume, and advancing up the ranks, or what they call “career levels”.

Pyramid Scheme?

Whether something is a pyramid scheme or not is not as straightforward as you might think. Just because a company has a recruitment based compensation plan like this does not mean that they are a pyramid scheme. Whether they are a pyramid scheme or not depends on how much they are relying on recruitment vs earning money from selling their products to the general public, which in this case would be their cashback service.

What one government considers a pyramid scheme another may not. And this is actually the case here. Lyoness was actually rolled a pyramid scheme in Norway but continues to operate lawfully throughout most of the world.

Why did Norway conclude this? Well its likely because of how over-inflated their promotional material is and how they have all these Lyoness marketers running around and pretty much misleading others to get them to join… which is the result of the incentive Lyoness has created to recruit other people in.

The committee that made this ruling in Norway (Lottery Authority) stated that Norwegian participants in Lyoness do not receive or consume goods, services or other benefits from the sales system that correspond to the value of what is paid when they pay for them. 

Thinking About Joining… Consider This First

There are 2 different types of people who are joining this place… normal members and promoters. I want to talk to promoters in particular here and let you know that mlm (multi-level marketing) structures like this that have a pyramid-like shape may bring about potential to earn good money but the reality is that very few people ever do.

I review mlm’s similar to this all the time, such as World Global Network & Visalus recently, and its always the same story when it comes to the income disclosure. Below is a screenshot I took of the official income disclosure from 2017…

As you can see, 97% of marketers have the average earnings of $72.14 for the entire year…. very few people make good money as a marketer here.

Final Thoughts

Personally I am not a fan of this place. Just like most mlm’s out there, they have a very confusing compensation plan that they try to make seem more lucrative than it really is. When I come across something like this I tend to avoid it because it tells me that they are not being as straightforward as they could be and are doing this for a reason.

To me this seems like a massively over-hyped opportunity that many people are actually losing money with rather than getting rewarded.

But remember… this is all just my opinion… and the opinion of Norway, but join if you want to.

And since you are looking for an income opportunity like this where you get to run your own business in a way, you might be interested in taking a look at how I make a living working online. The reason I say this is because I have talked to others who were looking into mlm business opportunities and decided to try out what I do. You can click the button below to learn about what I do, how it works and how beginners can get started.

Please leave any comments or questions below and I’ll get back to you soon 🙂

Read More
Mr Rebates
Cashback Programs

Mr Rebates, Scam or Good Way to Earn Money Back on Your Shopping? – [Review]

Mr RebatesMr Rebates is a cash back shopping program that anyone can use to earn money back when doing normal shopping online. But is it really worth your time? Or is Mr Rebates a scam that isn’t going to do what it claims?

I’ll jump straight to the point here and tell you that no Mr Rebates is not a scam. It is a legitimate cashback program that has been around for a while now and that many people use to earn a little money on their shopping. In this review I will be going over how this place works, how much cashback you can actually make, complaints and more.

Mr Rebates Review

Mr Rebates (at MrRebates.com) offers cashback if you shop at over 2500 stores. Additionally, they also offer coupons for certain stores which can save you money.

The reason that they pay you is because they make money for getting people to shop at the stores. They get paid commissions when you shop at the different stores they are promoting the end of a share  of these commissions with you in the form of cashback. So cashback is the incentive they give for you to shop at all of these different stores which makes both you and Mr Rebates money.

Overall Mr Rebates is a decent cashback program but it is not my favorite, and you will see why in this review.

The Process of Getting Cashback

The process of getting cashback is pretty simple. First of course you have to sign up for an account, which is free by the way, and then you simply search for stores that you are planning to shop at.

You can choose from a list of different categories for stores that fall into these categories, you can search for specific stores or products in the search bar, you can look at their featured stores, newly added stores, etc. There are a lot of ways that you can go about finding stores that you want to shop at here and all in all its pretty simple and straightforward.

So just as an example I clicked on babies, kids, and toys. And as you can see there are quite a large of stores available to shop at here. In this category alone there are well over 100 different stores.

As you can see things are laid out pretty simply. It tells you the store name, the amount of cashback you will earn, the number of coupons they have if any, and then to the very right there is the shop now button. When you click the shop now button you will automatically be directed to the online store to shop.

And that is pretty much all there is to it. You search for the store you want to shop at, you click their shop now button, and you show up just as you normally would shop online. The cashback that you earn will automatically be deposited to your account once your purchase has been confirmed. There is no need to do anything else. Once you click on the shop now button and go to the store that you were going to buy something at there is no need to return back to Mr Rebates.

How Much Can You Make In Cashback?

Mr Rebates’ cashback percentages are pretty typical compared to other programs. I have reviewed probably about a dozen of these cashback programs and Mr Rebates is good but nothing great. One thing that I always do when looking into these programs is look at the cashback percentage offered for big name stores like Walmart, Target, Best Buy, etc. And right now as I’m writing this both Walmart and Target are offering 2% cashback… Which is pretty normal.

Usually what you see on sites like this is the bigger more popular stores offering cashback percentages between 1 to 3% and the lesser-known stores varying a lot more. It’s not uncommon to see some stores offering over 10% cashback but don’t expect this for major retailers.

BeFrugal is another cashback program which is very similar to this one but from what I have seen offers slightly better cashback percentages.

One Thing That I Really Like About Mr Rebates

One thing that I really like about this program is that they make it really easy for you to earn the cashback you’re trying to get. They have a Google Chrome extension that will automatically alert you when you are on a website you can earn cashback on. And when it does alert you of such an opportunity all you have to do is click a button to activate it.

This makes things very easy for you and you will be able to earn cashback stores that you otherwise wouldn’t even know offered cashback.

They also have apps available for both android and IOS devices which make things more convenient at times.

Complaints

Overall the general opinion of Mr Rebates is pretty good. But you will find complaints which are typical of cashback programs. Some include…

Not Getting Credited With Cashback

Your purchases will be tracked so that you get credited for them. This will happen automatically but there are times where the tracking code will get “messed up” for one reason or another. And this means you won’t get credited with your cashback. Most of the complaints you find are about this.

Its doesn’t happen often but it does still happen. If you do run into problems like this you can manually submit a cashback claim to Mr Rebates and they will sort things out. However, this can get very frustrating and annoying.

No In-Store Shopping

It would be nice if they had in-store shopping offers but they do not. This is just a little complaint of my own worth mentioning.

Conclusion on Mr Rebates – Good Opportunity or Not?

Like I mentioned earlier, Mr Rebates is good but not great. This place definitely isn’t a scam but at the same time I think there are better choices out there. If you are looking for a program that is very similar but better, in my opinion, than I would take a look at BeFrugal. They have better cashback percentages and a lot more offers available.

And if you are interested in some good cashback apps that are out there then I would suggest DOSH and/or Ibotta.

As always, leave any questions or comments below and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can 🙂

Read More
is BeFrugal.com legit
Cashback Programs

Is BeFrugal.com Legit or Is It Not Worth Your Time? – [Review]

is BeFrugal.com legitBeFrugal.com is a cashback/coupon site where you can save some decent money shopping as you normally would. But is it worth your time? Is BeFrugal.com legit even? Or is this a scam type site that is going to make you think you are earning cashback but then never allow you to ever actually get your hands on it?

I’ll just straight to the point and tell you that yes, BeFrugal.com is legit. They are one of the better cashback sites out there and in this review I’ll be going over how it all works, what they offer, how good they are compared to other cashback/coupon sites, complaints and more.

BeFrugal.com Review

BeFrugal.com is one of the bigger cashback and coupon sites that exist. They have been around for a decent amount of time which is one of the reasons for this but another reason is because they are good. They are partnered with over 5,000 retailers and have loads of deals. On top of this their deals are on the higher side when it comes to savings.

I have reviewed many different cashback/coupon programs including Ibotta, Drop Rewards, Fetch Rewards, Coupons.com, TopCashBack, etc and BeFrugal is definitely on the better side.

However, like anything there are complmaints which I will be going over later.

How It All Works

Cashback

They have plenty of cashback deals. With over 5,000 retailers there isn’t a place you shouldn’t be able to find here. They even have cashback offerings for places like Amazon, which for some reason you don’t see too often on cashback sites.

When you want to shop cashback you can browse stores based on what category they fall into, you can search for specific stores, or you can just browse through the massive list of thousands of stores.

When you find a place you want to shop you can just click on it and it will take you to a page that shows all the available coupons down the center and a bit Shop Now button for cashback shopping over on the right…

When you click to shop now with cashback you will be directed to their online store and you can do your normal shopping. There is no need to go back and do anything at BeFrugal. Your account will automatically be credited with the cashback.

Coupons

There are both online coupons and printable coupons that you can use in stores/restaurants offered which is nice.

Based on what I’ve seen the coupons are pretty good. If you are fast food eater then you can definitely save some money here. Most of the restaurants with deals are fast food places although you will see some others, like for example right now as I’m writing this they are also offering a deal at Olive Garden…

This place is definitely one of the better online coupon/cash back sites I’ve been on when it comes to printable coupons. They have tons of deals at any given time and this is something you don’t see too much. Usually sites like this offer more online coupons and lack in the printable coupon area.

As you can see, there are 4,183 printable grocery coupons alone, 225 of these coupons fall into the “Babies and Kids” section…

For online coupons you just click to shop now, you are directed to the online store, and you do your shopping as normal, just as you do with cashback.

Stack and Save

You are able to stack all the cashback and coupon deals together. So its not like you have to choose one or the other. However, this only works for online shopping. You can’t get cashback when using printable in-store coupons.

How Good Are BeFrugal’s Deals Really?

It can be hard to compare the different coupon deals to other savings sites like this because coupons vary so much. However, I will say that BeFrugal is without at doubt at least one of the best when it comes to coupons. There are a lot of offers with both the online and in-store coupons.

Now cashback on the other hand is easier to compare. And from what I see BeFrugal’s cashback offerings are very good. I compare to other cashback sites by looking at the amount of cashback offered at the bigger stores. It might change but right now they are offering 5% cashback at Walmart. If you are familiar with other cashback sites then you know this is a darn good deal.

Generally for most cashback sites I would say a 1-3% cashback offer is pretty typical for the major retail stores like Walmart, Target, Best Buy, etc. Here its more like 2-5%.

They tell you that they actually do have the highest cashback around and have a “Guaranteed Highest Cash Back Rate” policy in place which states that if you find a better cashback deal they will match it and give you an additional 25%.

I’m not sure how true this actually is because I’ve never presented another cashback deal to them that was better, but by looking at what they offer its going to be difficult to find one.

Getting Paid

So whenever you use coupons of course you save your money on the purchase but with cashback you actually pay the normal price and then get cash back later. This cash is first deposited into your BeFrugal account and then later you can cash it out via a check, PayPal, direct deposit, or choose to get an Amazon gift card.

You can’t really ask for more here. Its a lot better than some cashback sites that only offer gift cards.

Complaints

Overall they have very good ratings from users. For example, on SiteJabber, where anyone can go to review a site and usually this means complain, they actually have a 4/5 star rating with over 300 reviews. Anyone familiar with this site knows that is a pretty solid rating because usually this is where people come to tear sites apart.BeFrugal Reviews SiteJabber

There are other sites out there too that allow user to review like this. Still… overall the view is pretty good. However, there are some complaints.

Some of the more common complaints include…

Slow Cash Back

The speed at which your account is credited with cashback will depend on where you shopped. Some stores will credit you very fast whereas others can take up to a week, and in rare cases longer.

This is one complaint you will find online from people who are impatient. Its really not too big of a deal though.

Missing Cash Back

Now this one is a problem and unfortunately it does happen. There are times when people do not receive the cashback they deserve and complaint about it, which they should.

This is a complaint you will find with any cashback program. Sometimes the “cookies” that track your purchases get messed up and do not track the purchase as they should, which leads to you not getting cash back. This is rare but it does happen. One way you can help to avoid this is by shopping as soon as you are directed to the store from BeFrugal.com. If you wait a long time or close the window and go back it might not work.

Fortunately BeFrugal does work with people on this and if you provide them with proof of your purchase they might be able to credit you manually.

Conclusion on BeFrugal – Good Site for Savings?

BeFrugal is definitely one of the better cashback sites out there and if you are looking to save a bit of money using coupons and getting cashback this is a place I would give a shot to see how you like it.

If you are going to sign up you can use my referral link to get $10 in free cashback in your account. It will also help me out as I will get a $10 bonus as well.

Referral Link: BeFrugal.com/join

If you are looking for an app that you can easily use on your phone for cashback then Ibotta or DOSH would be my choices. These make things convenient because they are right on your phone but they don’t offer the number of deals that BeFrugal does.

As always, leave any comments and questions below and I’ll get back to you soon 🙂

Read More
Cash Back Apps Like Dosh
Apps That Pay You, Cashback Programs

4 Good Cash Back Apps Like DOSH

Cash Back Apps Like DoshIf you are looking for cash back apps like DOSH then here you go. In this post I’ll be going over 4 others that I consider to be pretty good and similar to DOSH.

I’ve been using cashback apps for a while now and have looked into and/or tried many of them. A lot of them are junk and wastes of time while others are good and include lots of offers that anyone should be able to earn some decent cashback with. In this short post I’ll be going over some cash back apps like DOSH that have some more to offer.

My first pick on the list is Ibotta.

#1 – Ibotta App – Review Here

Ibotta is another cashback app that has been around longer than DOSH and is a bit more popular. I’m guessing there is a good chance you already heard of this one.

Like DOSH, Ibotta has a ton of different online cashback offers that you can easily shop through the app. The online offers from what I have seen just consist of different sites you can shop at, like AmericanEagle.com, Shoes.com, etc. They don’t require you to purchase any specific product.

However, when it comes to the in-store cashback Ibotta is different. For DOSH its usually the same type of deal as the online cashback, where you just shop at a certain store and get cashback on the total that you spend. But with Ibotta they require you to purchase certain items…

Both apps are great when it comes to cashing out. Ibotta allows you to pick from a variety of different gift cards of transfer your money to your Paypal account, which is what I usually do.

I’ve never had a problem using Ibotta and this would be my number 1 pick as an alternative to DOSH. It could also be used in conjunction with DOSH because they differ in the deals they offer. So by using both you could earn more overall.

Also Ibotta offers a $10 sign up bonus which is nice.

#2 – Drop Rewards App – Review Here

The Drop app is one that is very similar to DOSH. Like DOSH, with Drop you link your credit/debit card up to the app and there is no need to scan receipts or anything like that. However, you will have to accept of decline offers inside the app. Its not like DOSH where you can just go shopping at one of the locations they support and get cashback without even using the app.

The Drop app also has a point system. So how this works is you get paid in points which can then be redeemed for gift cards. One of the downsides to this app is that they don’t offer Paypal payments but overall the app is good and easy to use.

One thing that this app has above the others is that you can earn cashback when you eat at Mcdonalds, Starbucks and others. So if you frequent places like this then I would read my review on this one and see if its something you would like. 

#3 – Fetch Rewards App – Review Here

The Fetch Rewards app is nice and has some features that the others on this list do not. The “claim to fame” of this app is that you can get cashback on brand offers where you can purchase any products made by a certain brand. This is nice because some brands have dozens and sometimes hundreds of different products, all of which are ripe for the picking.

This app also has special offers which is more of what you normally see with cashback apps. These include offers for specific products. They usually pay more but they are more difficult to get.

With the brand offers it also doesn’t matter where you shop. You could go into Walmart and do your normal shopping, then just upload your receipt after and wait for the cashback if there is any to be made.

#4 – Coupons.com App – Review Here

coupons.comCoupons.com came out with their own app which has some pretty good reviews overall. The app has a good bit of offers on a daily basis and they claim that there are over $500 worth of cashback savings offers on any given day. Now of course there is no way you are going to be able to claim all of those offers but it shows what they bring to the table. However, I don’t really know how this statistic compares to other apps but it sounds good.

With the Coupons.com app you are able to earn cashback in one of 2 ways: By claiming offers and using a loyalty card that you link to your account or by uploading a receipt after purchase. The Ibotta app is the same in this way. It can be a hassle uploading receipts so if you have a loyalty card available then you are going to want to link it if you use this app.

This app differs from DOSH in the way that you have to purchase specific items within stores rather than just getting cashback from purchase totals at specific stores.

Other Cash Back Programs

There are a lot of different cashback programs out there. If you are looking for the best apps that you can use for cashback right on your phone then DOSH and Ibotta are my top picks but Fetch and Coupons.com are also good choices.

Aside from cashback apps there are lots of cashback programs that you can become members of online that don’t offer apps. They are good and all they just aren’t quite as convenient I guess you could say. Two good ones that I know of right off the top of my head are Extrabux and TopCashBack. The cashback programs that offer apps like I went over above are definitely nicer but you still might want to check out others.

Also, on a completely different note. Since you are looking for extra cash you might be interested in taking a look at how I make money online here. Its something you can do in your spare-time starting out and I actually turned it into a full-time money maker.

If you know of any other good cashback apps or programs that you think should be on the list let me know! Also if you have any questions or comments just leave them below and I’ll get back to you soon 🙂

Read More
Fetch Rewards
Apps That Pay You, Cashback Programs

Fetch Rewards App Review – Good for Earning Cashback or Not?

Fetch RewardsThe Fetch Rewards app is one of what I would call the better cashback apps out there. I have been a fan of the DOSH & Ibotta cashback apps for a while now and use them both… but Fetch Rewards brings something new to the table and makes it easier to get cashback for your shopping in a way.

If you are looking to earn some cashback through this app then you will want to read my Fetch Rewards app review first. I’ll go over how it all works and what it is about this app that makes it easier than most others.

Fetch Rewards Review

If you aren’t using a cashback app then I don’t know what you are doing. Apps like Fetch Rewards are free and earning cashback on normal shopping that everyone does seems like a no-brainer to me.

The way this all works is like this: Brands pay Fetch Rewards commissions for the products that they get people to buy. So they offer cashback as an incentive for people to buy products and get paid for doing so. And of course you get paid the cashback. So its a win/win. You pay the normal price of the items and get some money back on top of it + they make some money.

The Process of Earning Cashback

Well the process of earning cashback through the Fetch Rewards is pretty simple. When you go into the app you have 2 choices: Brands and Special Offers.

The special offers are the types of offers that you would normally see on cashback apps like this. There will be offers for specific products and when you buy those products you earn a certain amount of cashback. The good thing about this though is that you don’t need to shop at a specific location. As long as you buy the right product you will earn cashback.

But what really makes the Fetch Rewards nice is the Brands section. If you click on brands you will see a list of brands. You can purchase any products that these brands have at any store and earn cashback. This is what I was talking about when I said that the Fetch Rewards makes it easy to earn cashback.

In this section you will see all kinds of food & snack brands, such as Kraft, Quaker, Heinz, etc… as you can see to the right, as well as personal care product brands and more. Right now they have over 180 brands (around this amount) that you can buy from and ean buy from and earn cashback. This is pretty good but I expect to see a lot more added on as this app grows.

Anyways… after buying special offers or brand products you will have to upload your receipt within the app. This is very easy because the app has a camera feature where you just snap a picture and click to upload. After the receipt is verified you will earn points. And these points can then be redeemed for rewards of real value.

Getting Paid

Ok, so when you earn you first get points and then these points can then be redeemed for gift cards. At this time they don’t offer Paypal as a method of payment but they do have Visa Prepaid Debit Cards that you can redeem your points for which is just as good in my opinion.

Every 1,000 points = $1. You will need at least 3,000 points before you can redeem them for a reward because the lowest gift cards they offer are $3.

How Much Cashback Can You Really Make?

Well of course this largely depends on how much you buy and what you buy, but I’ll give you some numbers so that you know what to expect.

The special offers pay the most cashback. On some offers you might be able to earn 2,000 and sometimes even a little more just for buying one product, which means you can potentially earn $2+ cashback for one product. Usually I would say you can expect to earn $0.50 – $2 or so for each special offer product you buy.

When it comes to the general brand products it is easy to get cashback here but the downside is that you won’t get as much. Generally speaking you won’t earn any more than $0.50 (500 points) for any product you buy that falls into this category.

Conclusion on Fetch Rewards – Good Opportunity?

The Fetch Rewards App is pretty good and definitely not a scam for all of those wondering. Its one of the better apps out there and is up there with the greats.

The fact that you buy any products within certain brands and earn cashback is really nice…. I only wish you could earn more doing this. I will probably start using this app more regularly but I still think I would give the upperhand to both the Ibotta app and the DOSH app.

If you have any questions or comments about this app, or cashback apps in general, let me know below in the comment section and I’ll get back to you soon 🙂

Read More
coupons.com
Apps That Pay You, Cashback Programs

Coupons.com App Review – Scam or Good Way to Earn Cashback Shopping?

coupons.comThe Coupons.com app is a cashback savings app where you can earn money back on purchases that you make at the store. Pretty cool right? If you know me then you know I am a fan of cashback apps because they pay you for buying things that you are going to be regardless. I mean sure… you won’t make all that much but you are still getting some extra money when you otherwise wouldn’t have.

If you are wondering is the Coupons.com app a scam I can assure you that it is not. I know there are some people out there saying it is and some are right to be frustrated but the bottom line is that this app is legit and it does pay. In this review I’ll be going over how it works, complaints and more.

Coupons.com App Review

If you are familiar with the Ibotta app, then you pretty much already know how apps like this work. Brands pay them to get people to buy their products. So the Coupons.com app offers coupons as an incentive for you to go out and purchase these products.

But this doesn’t work like normal coupons where you receive a discount in-store. Its basically a cashback app where you get paid money back after the purchase.

Overall the app is decent and I would say its one of the better ones out there. However, as with anything there are some complaints that I’ll get to.

How It Works

Its pretty simple really. After you download the app (which is free by the way) you will have to create an account and then you can get started.

The app has location tracking software which I recommend enabling because it will give you coupons that are specific to your area. And don’t worry, you can trust this app. You don’t have to worry about it tracking your location.

You can skim through the different stores in your area and browse through all the coupons. One thing that is nice is that you can select stores that you frequent so that you don’t have to bother with the stores that you aren’t interested in.

Once you find a coupon that you want you can claim it on your app and go do your normal shopping. Its important to make sure that the item you are buying is the exact same. Brands and everything must be exact. The store you are buying the items at must also be the right store. There might be a coupon for a chocolate bar at Walmart, and although they also sell the same chocolate bar at Target, the coupon might only be good for Walmart. Just be aware of this.

Once you purchase the item, or items, you can then either upload a receipt of the purchase or you can use a loyalty card at checkout. Once your purchase is verified your account will be credited with cashback.

If the store you are going to shop at does have a loyalty card you should link it right away, before you go shopping. Actually I would suggest linking all your loyalty cards right at the beginning so you are done with that part of the process.

How Much Cashback Can You Get?

There is no telling how much you will earn. Of course this is completely subjective to how much shopping you do and how crazy of a couponer you are. Some people will probably barely make anything while others will make a steady flow of cashback each week.

Cashback coupons will range in price a lot. Some items you might be able to save $10.00 while others you will only be able to save $0.50 on. There is just no way to give a good estimate of how much you can save.

They offer hundreds of dollar in cashback coupon savings at many of the stores that you can shop at, but of course no one is going to go buying all the offers they have available.

Getting Paid

One thing that is nice is that you get paid after every offer is verified. You don’t have to reach a minimum withdrawal amount or anything like that.

Paypal is the payment method of choice and you will get cashback in your account with every purchase.

Conclusion on Coupons.com App – Should You Use It?

Overall its a good app and you can save some decent money at times, but I would still go with the Ibotta app if you are looking for cashback savings. They both have many offers and decent cashback opportunities, however the one thing that really gives Ibotta the upper hand is the usability.

In the Coupons.com app you aren’t able to sort through different categories of coupons and end up wasting a bunch of time going through coupons you have no desire in using. In Ibotta you can easily navigate through categories and find coupons that you are looking for in less time. Its just more user friendly.

If interested you can read my review of Ibotta here.

Questions, comments, concerns? Leave them in the comment section below and I’ll get back to you 🙂

Read More