Best Money Saving/Earning Apps

Who doesn't want to save money or spend less cash on everyday purchases? There are plenty of rebate and cash back apps out there. I've tried quite a few of them. I recommend the following applications based on ease of use and ease of earning. If it's easy, you'll use it more often, and thus save more money. Or, at the very least, earn additional benefits from your everyday, mundane shopping.

FETCH

This cell phone app is extremely easy to use. Users simply snap photos in app of any receipt for points. Yes, ANY receipt. It even has an easy-to-use E-receipt button which scans your email for receipts. Every receipt is worth 25 points or more. If you buy featured brands, you earn more points. The featured brands are well-known national brands like Lays potato chips, Cheerios and Doritos just to name a few. The best part? --- the app reads the receipt, recognizes the featured brands, and grants the appropriate number of points. You don't have to do anything else --- just snap a photo

The app has a one-touch snap feature to take a photo of the receipt and an in-app submit button. So, two touches in app and you have points (okay a few more if you have a long receipt, but you get the idea). Earned points can be used for gift cards for retail, restaurants, Visa Cash Cards, sweepstakes and magazines. The minimum needed for a $10 gift card is 10,000 points. 

I prefer Fetch over similar apps such as Ibotta since Fetch only requires a simple receipt upload whereas Ibotta requires an additional step of a bar code scan of featured items in order to earn. 

When you download the Fetch Rewards app, use promo code CN9W5 to earn an extra 2000 points when you snap your first receipt. 

INBOX DOLLARS

This is the best all-around rebate, cash earning web site that I have found. The app's extension, the Billy Button works just like other cash back sites such as Rakuten and BeFrugal. Activate Billy Button when you're on retail sites like Kohl's and Walmart and earn 1% - 10% back on your purchase. 

But there's so much more with InBox Dollars. You can earn cash completing surveys, doing internet searches, playing games, download apps & games, completing offers, reading email, clipping & redeeming coupons, as well as watching video clips.

You can use your cash for gift cards or, if you have a PayPal account, simply cash out. That's right you can get cold, hard, cash back or gift cards, your choice. The minimum amount you need to earn to cash out is $10.00. You can earn as little or as much as you want and reap the benefits much more quickly than with other rebate or cash back sites such as Rakuten and BeFrugal. 

I use InBox Dollars on my laptop where I think it works best but it has a phone app version, too, compatible with both Android and Apple devices.  

Check out InBox Dollars at https://click.inboxdollarsemail.com/?qs=3759636654a5f5fd944e15b719dc6cbcfee22d9a199fc2f57e4ef8f79224e27e8c510b728847aa5270d7d53d7b1a5f7f826b0b3670db5164

UPSIDE (formerly Get Upside)

Dumb name but a great app for cash back on gasoline purchases. With the price at the gas pump skyrocketing lately, it makes this app extremely attractive.

When you have to fill up, open the app and it lists participating gasoline stations and convenient stores nearby and how much per gallon of gas you can earn back at each location. 

Pick the offer location you want, head to the location, fill up your vehicle and upload the receipt. You get your cash back in 1-3 days. 

Some locations require that you check in before pumping gasoline so you will have to input a credit card into the app. But it is only for identification purposes, the whole card number is NOT stored in the app. Pick the credit card within the app and then use it to pay for the gasoline purchase. No receipt upload needed. 

Get Upside also offers cash back at local grocery stores and restaurants. More are being added all the time so after you download the app, check back regularly.

Cash back earned can be used for gift cards or cold hard cash deposited directly to your bank account. The app is available for Android and Apple phones. When you download, use promo code 22HH3 to get an extra 15 cents/gallon bonus on your first fill up with the app.

I use all three of these apps in tandem. I get to stack my savings and benefits. So a grocery receipt uploaded to the Get Upside app might earn 7% cash back, then the same receipt is uploaded to Fetch and is worth a minimum of 25 points towards a gift card and worth at least 2 cents when uploaded onto the InBox Dollars site. So one receipt goes a long way when you use all three apps together.

"A penny saved is a penny earned " -- Benjamin Franklin 

And the pennies can add up!