Being frugal wasn’t a thing I was familiar with, growing up. Being the youngest in a brood of four girls, I pretty much was the baby of the family. Granted, hand-me-downs are a done deal when you have plenty of older siblings, but I also never had to grovel for stuff I wanted from my parents, and my sisters liked spoiling me with treats and small presents out of their own pocket money.
Fast forward to today, and I am now not only familiar with being frugal but actually best pals with it! My husband and I had to make financial adjustments after we got married to accommodate having kids, sending them to school, and generally making our home and lives comfortable. This meant taking advantage of opportunities to earn on the side, as well as using available tools to save some money. With that in mind, I want to share with you five of the best cashback sites I’ve used in my years of being a frugal WAHM. Enjoy shopping and getting your cash back!
1) BeFrugal
Of course, I would pick a cashback program with the word “frugal” in it! This site/app (linked below for both iOS and Android mobile users) allows you to earn the cash you spent on your choice of thousands of featured retailers on the site. BeFrugal has over 40,000 coupons for online stores and restaurants, and users can get up to 40% cash back from using them! Plus, joining up means an instant $10 for you!
Website: https://www.befrugal.com/
iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/befrugal-cash-back-coupons/id608515559?mt=8
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cii.befrugalandroidapp&hl=en
2) Ebates
Signing up with Ebates gives you a $10 bonus on your first purchase, which is totally awesome! It basically works like this: the featured retailers pay Ebates a commission for paving the way for you to shop with them, and in turn, Ebates shares that commission with you as your cashback. Payments are done through PayPal or a paycheck - your choice!
Website: https://www.ebates.com
iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ebates-online-coupons-codes/id723134859?mt=8
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ebates&hl=en
3) ExtraBux
Claiming to have currently given members $14,017,750 in cashbacks (as of this writing, at least), ExtraBux features hundreds of retailers and coupons to choose from. Joining up with them is free and will earn you $5 right away, too. You just need to shop online, make a purchase, and then get paid via a check in the mail, through PayPal, via your credit card, or - if you’re feeling generous - by way of a donation to your favorite charity! (I like this option!)
Website: https://www.extrabux.com/
4) Ibotta
Though not in the same mold of more “traditional” cashback sites like Ebates, Ibotta is actually an app that a lot of you in this forum seem to like using, as well. The great thing about this one is how it simply works! You just need to download the app, add offers that qualify for cashbacks, go shopping for the featured products (either in-store or in-app - again, your choice!), take a photo of your receipt, and then get your cash back! Earnings are transferable via PayPal, Venmo, or your choice of gift cards.
The only unfortunate thing with this great app is it’s for US residents only...hopefully, just for now
Website: https://ibotta.com/
iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ibotta-cash-back-rewards-app/id559887125?mt=8
Android: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ibotta-cash-back-rewards-app/id559887125?mt=8
5) Pennyful
Though not as well-known as the other cashback sites and apps I mentioned above, I love how Pennyful has a referral program in place. For each friend I’ve referred who makes their first purchase worth at least $25, I instantly make $5! Plus I love the featured retailers in their roster: Macy’s, Walmart, Sears, Philosophy, The Body Shop, etc. are just a few of the shops whose products I actually like and use, so getting rebates from purchasing them is a sweet, sweet bonus for me!
Website: http://www.pennyful.com/
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pennyful&hl=en
The verdict?
Who doesn’t love rebates? When I discovered what a fulfilling deal getting a cashback is, I confess to truly feeling like an adult. I no longer have to scrimp and save to get inferior products instead of the quality ones my family and I are used to because I can always get my cash back from being smart and taking advantage of these legit platforms that make shopping a breeze and a delight.
Your turn!
Do you use cashback sites and apps for shopping? Which one are your faves? Let’s share and discuss them below to help each other out!
