I have been using Ebates for just over 3 years now. This is probably the easiest site to use to earn cash back on your purchases.
They have a nifty button you can install on your browser and every time you shop on an eligible site, it will notify you that you can get "5% back," or whatever the amount the site offers, by using Ebates.
Ebates just recently updated their button, so now it lets me know that there are coupons and will automatically apply them, if they are applicable, to my purchases! I don't have to go digging around for coupon codes anymore!
I don't shop online that often, but as you can see below, I have received over $70 back in cash via Paypal (They also have a check or donate to charity option).
I have earned a total of $78.02, but have only redeemed $73.03 (screenshot taken by me) |
Downsides?
They send out your cash every 3 months and you have to reach the $5.01 threshold in order to receive your payment. However, this is not a huge deal considering coupon apps like Checkout 51 and Ibotta required you to accumulate $20 before you can redeem.
Another downside is that sometimes Ebates does not register your cash back and you have to submit a form to them with the order info, so save all copies of your orders! They are pretty quick to respond though and my cash back usually shows up the next day. Also, it does take a few days before your savings show up since the store has to verify the purchase, which can lead to forgetting to check if it shows up. I swear I have forgotten to check a few times, so I probably could have earned more.
So is it worth it?
YES! It is not that time consuming once you are all set up. It is kind of like a coupon, except you don't get the discount right away. Ebates is great for anyone who loves shopping online and are big into saving every cent they can! Plus, who couldn't use a little extra cash?
Ebates also has a sign-up bonus where after you make your first $25 purchase, they will send you a $10 gift card of your choice! However, you have to make your $25 purchase within 90 days of signing up, so I recommend waiting till you plan on making a purchase and then sign up.
Join here for free and start getting cash back from online purchases!
Another site similar to Ebates is Swagbucks. At Swagbucks you earn "swagbucks," so it is a point based system and you can use those points towards gift cards. I prefer Ebates because you get cash back, which can be used anywhere, and don't have to get a gift card to select stores. However, Swagbucks does have some stores that Ebates does not, so if you are big on saving, I would recommend using both. I still use Swagbucks from time to time, but I haven't gotten much back from it. Usually, I just redeem the $5 Amazon gift cards.
Swagbucks also offers other ways to earn points, like taking surveys or watching videos, so if you have more free time, you can earn more points faster. They also have a search engine and you get points for searching, just like Bing Rewards.