5 Websites and Apps That Will Actually Save YOU Money

There are so many websites and apps that claim they are the BEST for saving money. So which are the 5 websites and apps that will actually save you money??

*I just recently discovered another awesome app, so there are now 6 in this list!

Finding an honest opinion on “The best money-saving apps” can be so difficult because most of the websites and apps reward users when they refer friends.  I have read SO MANY reviews where it is obvious the writer is just looking for referrals. My promise to YOU is that I will never recommend something I don’t 100% believe in! I do have my referral links in this post though!

I have tried MANY websites and apps over the years.  To name a few: Swagbucks, Ebates, Ibotta, Receipt Hog, Honey, Checkout 51, Fetch, Shoprunner, and Top Cash Back.  There are probably ones I’m forgetting, and there are probably hundreds I still haven’t tried. Dave Ramsey even has a list of his favorite sites, but I’m going to narrow that list down even farther.

So what makes a “Good” website or app for actually saving money??

In my opinion, it has to:

1) Be Easy to Use:

This means little to no receipt uploading.  I hate taking pictures of my receipts and I almost never remember to do it!! I like the sites that find my saving automatically.

2) Not tempt me to spend extra money to save money:

Many sites tempt you with things you never needed in the first place.  I like sites that will save me money on things I regularly purchase or had planned on buying before I viewed the website or app.

3) Earn me money in a reasonable amount of time:

I have tried some apps where I did all sorts of uploading of receipts and surveys and never earned enough points to cash out! (Reciept Hog is an example of this!)

4) Have an easy “Cashout” system:

I like the websites and apps that offer me either a check, a gift card for VISA or a store that I will actually use.  I’m trying to save money, so the reward money has to be useful.

5) Not load spam or annoying pop ups onto my computer.  Also does not send me a ridiculous pile of email that I will never read.

So which Websites and Apps will actually save you money AND meet all the criteria listed above??  I have 5 I can recommend!

1) Rakuten (formerly Ebates):

Rakuten is a cashback website that pays you to shop.   Every time you make a purchase at a participating store you earn a % back as cash.  Checks are automatically mailed to you (even if they are only for a few pennies) every 3 months.  One thing that makes Rakuten extra easy is that after you sign up, you can install the Cash Back Button on google.  Once you have this installed, you will get a notification anytime you visit a site that can earn you cash back.  Another amazing thing about Rakuten, is that when you go to check out at a site, it will automatically apply all the available coupons and promo codes to your order and figure out which one will save you the most money!  How awesome is that!!

Our favorite stores to use with Rakuten are Lowe’s (order online, pick up in store), Wal-Mart, Amazon, Advanced Auto, and Kohl’s. So far we have earned over $600!

Sign Up Bonus: Currently, new members get $10 after their first purchase when they use this link.

2) Ibotta

So far I’ve earned a little over $220 using Ibotta!

Ibotta is another app where you can earn cash back on purchases.  I mainly only use Ibotta at grocery stores, but there are hundreds of retailers participate with Ibotta.  Before you go shopping, browse the offers at a particular store and add them to your wallet.  My favorite thing about Ibotta is that you can link your store loyalty to the app!! This means you don’t have to struggle with taking pictures of your receipts! Now, not all stores have the ability to link their store cards to Ibotta yet BUT go ahead and check your favorite store.  You can always upload your receipts if you need to.

My favorite items to earn rebates for are their “any brand” grocery rebates.  There are often several where you can get money back for buying any brand (including the store brand) of milk, eggs, bread, chips etc.  This makes it really easy to save on the things you normally buy.

One caution about Ibotta: It can be very tempting to buy things you wouldn’t normally buy just for the rebate.  For example, you could buy an air freshener for $3.00 at the store and earn a $3.00 rebate.  This feels like you are getting the air freshener for free BUT it is only free if you spend your rebate wisely.  If you cash out your rebates for a $25 Bass Pro Shop gift card, you probably haven’t really saved any money since you are using your money to buy things at Bass Pro Shop you probably wouldn’t have without the card.  However, if you get a $25 Amazon gift card and use it to buy toilet paper you are getting the item for free.

3) Honey

You have probably seen ads for Honey all over Facebook.  This site works in the same way as Ebates where you can earn cash back on purchases.  That's great, but that isn't where I have found the biggest savings.

Honey's money saving power comes when you link it to your Amazon account.  With Honey, you can view 90-day price histories for all items.  This will let you know how great a "sale" really is, and see if you should wait a little longer before buying.

You can also set it up so that you receive an email anytime an item in your shopping cart goes on sale.  I saved so much money using this feature at Christmas! I added everything I wanted to purchase to my shopping cart and then only bought the item when the price dropped!!

Another great feature is that you can set up price notifications on items you regularly buy or are planning to buy in the future.  You set the price you are willing to pay, and when your item hits that price Honey sends you an email.  I have notifications set up for my favorite toilet paper, air filters, vacuum bags, and other household needs.  I also have notifications on items like diapers I know my readers will want to know about!

4) Swagbucks:

Swagbucks has the potential to earn you a lot of money.  I have heard of people saving all their earnings to completely pay for their Christmas or a Disney vacation!

I've been using Swagbucks consistently for a little over a month and have already cashed out $23 in gift cards and I have another $10 I can cash out whenever I want.

Swagbucks basically pays you to let them track what you do online.  You can also earn money for taking surveys, shopping through their links and watching videos.

I typically spend about 20 minutes per day working on my "daily activity" list. I've been earning the most points from taking surveys or playing the "SWAGO" game offered a few times a month. One major plus about Swagbucks is that you can earn SB points without ever having to spend money.

Another way to earn SB points is by printing digital coupons. I discovered an amazing little hack!! You can earn 50 SB points per day by printing 50 coupons. You don't actually have to print though!! After you hit "print" the screen to select your printer will pop up. Chose "print to PDF". Then simply save the PDF to your computer and you will be credited with your points! I name my PDF "coupons" and simply replace the previous version. Note- SB points for printing coupons takes a few days to show up.

When you sign up for Swagbucks you automatically get $3, so you might as well try it!

If you want even more tips for earning with Swagbucks- check out my post all about tips for earning more HERE.

5) Upside

Upside is an awesome app to earn cashback on your purchases of gas. When you sign up, you'll earn $0.15 per gallon of your first fill-up. After that, you earn an average of $0.05 per gallon.

Some gas stations require you to take a picture of your receipt, but many are being updated to automatically credit your account. I make it a rule that I don't leave the gas station until I've uploaded my receipt.

Another great feature of Upside is that it lets you compare gas prices so you know which gas station will be the best deal. One downside is that some areas have a limited number of stations participating.

Upside has one of the best referral programs I know of. When someone signs up under you, you earn a $0.01 for every gallon they purchase!! My husband and I maximize our earning by having him signed up under me. Whenever we are together we buy gas through his app. Then we both earn money!

Upside lets you cash out your $$ in the form of gift cards. Our favorite option is to get Dominos gift cards. We are able to get free pizza with our gift cards about every other month.

Click here https://upside.app.link/4TX4A to get an extra 15¢/gal cash back on gas -- on top of whatever great offer you find. **They are currently running a promotion that new users get a bonus $10 on their first fill up!!!

6) FlashFood

Flashfood is a mobile app that allows shoppers to buy fresh food like meat and produce nearing their best before​ date at massively discounted prices before the food is wasted.

It's still pretty new with only a few stores participating but I was able to find a store in my town that does! (Martins in Harrisonburg for any local newsletter readers!!).

After downloading the app, enter the code CARR3ENCA in the rewards section and you'll get $5 off your first purchase (I get $5 too)See more about it here: FlashFood.com

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Want more ways to save money??

Read 10 Quick Ways to Earn Extra Cash