Saving Everyday

As you all know, I heart cash back programs ~

Almost every time I post about it, I get an email asking how I make so much. The answer is simple: Order everything you can online, through a cash back program. I average anywhere from $500 to $1000 a year depending on how diligent I am. This year I have really made a point to order everything I can online. Here are a few more tips:

Remember, nickles and dimes add up:

• If you’re thinking ”why do I care about getting 2% back?”, you’ll be surprised how quickly it adds up. I regularly have cash back deposits of anywhere from $2 to $10…in FREE money! It adds up very quick!

Watch for promotions:

• Once you’ve joined, you’ll be notified of promotions via email. Double point opportunities, gift card offers and more. Take advantage of these as they can add up to big deposits in your account.

See it in a store? Buy it online:

• If you see it in the store, come home and buy it online. With all the coupon codes and free shipping offers these days, it is usually cheaper to but it online anyway. Add cash back to the equation, and it’s a no-brainer. See my post on this HERE

Think outside the box:

• Don’t limit yourself to the obvious things like gifts, shoes, apparel or toys. I order office supplies, tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, etc… Some of these companies offer as much as 5-10% cash back, which is a sweet chunk of change. I recently made $17.88 for a hotel stay! Office supplies are a HUGE earner for me. Several of the ink supply stores offer 15-25% cash back AND free shipping! Staples.com and Office Depot.com give 6-6.5% cash back and run free shipping offers all the time. Drugstore.com offers free shipping on any order of $25 or more. With over 60,000 products in stock and killer deals that update daily, this has always been a go-to for me…and they give 6% cash back.

Double dip with gift cards:

• This is my little secret, and I’ve been doing it for years. I buy a TON of gift cards through Ebates and then turn around use those gift cards to shop online…and earn cash back! So I earn once for buying the gift card and again when I shop. Not all stores offer cash back for gift cards, so be sure you know which ones do.

Know when to cash-out:

• Since I use all of my “free money” for our Disney trips, it’s important to withdraw my funds in time for our trip. Ebates sends you a check (or Paypal) quarterly (see schedule below), Sunshine Rewards allows you to cash out anytime but it can take 30-45 days and MyPoints is the same.

Ebates “big fat check” schedule:

• Purchases Posted Between Jan 1-Mar 31 – Big Fat Check Sent – May 15
• Purchases Posted Between Apr 1-June 30 – Big Fat Check Sent  – Aug 15
• Purchases Posted Between July 1-Sept 30 – Big Fat Check Sent – Nov 15
• Purchases Posted Between Oct 1-Dec 31 – Big Fat Check Sent  – Feb 15

Here are my three favorite programs:

• Ebates: Shop online & use their coupon codes when available. Get a FREE $10 gift card for joining.
• MyPoints: I just click emails & take advantage of my favorite offers. Read my full review HERE
• Sunshine Rewards: Have been with them for years! Go HERE to see how I earned $900! Plus, exclusive to my readers only, you’ll get a free $2.50 just for joining!

See how online surveys helped me pay for our last Disney vacation and for ways to make money online, read my guide Make Extra Money At Home: My Tips & Recommendations

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