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The Best Shopping Rewards Programs to Join for Free

Posted on by shopkick

The Best Shopping Rewards Programs to Join for Free

I love it when something just makes common sense and I don’t have to overthink it. As a mom, common sense answers are king so I can keep my mental energy saved up for keeping up with my munchkins. I love using common sense so much that I want to wear t-shirts with a common sense logo. Yeah, that much.

One place that common sense helps me out is in finding ways to take my shopping game to the next level. I’ve been hearing a lot lately about rewards programs that let you earn money for doing the things you have to do anyway, like going grocery shopping, buying household goods, etc. Common sense tells me that this is a concept I should definitely participate in. So guess what? I do! And now I want to share what I’ve been learning about the best shopping rewards programs with you.

What’s the catch? Well, there really isn’t one. I know it’s an old cliche, but the best things in life really are free—and this includes my favorite shopping rewards programs! Here are a few of my favorites programs and apps, plus common sense reasons why they really are worth your while.

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The Best Brand-Specific Free Shopping Rewards Programs

Whenever I hear the phrase “brand loyal,” I tend to think of my 92-year-old grandmother who has proudly filled her glass with Coca-Cola since she was a kid. She’s also washed her hair with the same shampoo, worn the same style of shoes, and shopped at the same grocery store chain for more years than I’ve been alive.

I don’t think that people from my generation tend to be as brand loyal as my grannie, but there are some exceptions. For those brands that you go out of your way to buy, it just makes sense to see if they offer their own branded shopping rewards programs, right?

Here are three of the best loyalty programs for brands and companies that hold a special place in my own heart and home:

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Disney

When I was growing up, I was absolutely in love with all things Disney. I can still picture the big shelf filled with VHS Disney movies in our old entertainment center. You remember those puffy, plastic cases, don’t you? Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Aladdin—we had all the 90s classics.

It wasn’t until many years later that I realized my parents must have spent a ton of money on things from Disney, from my collection of Disney t-shirts and toys to my phase of insisting I have Ariel-themed bubble bath every night. If only their shopping rewards program had been around back then!

With Disney Movie Rewards, all of us Disney lovers can get points for buying Disney movies, tickets to Disney shows, and other Disney-related items. We can then trade these points in for more Disney merchandise. It’s like we wished upon a star and our dream came true!

Where can I use it? Anywhere that you can buy eligible Disney movies and theater tickets

What can I earn? Blu-rays and DVDs, movie admissions, collectibles, Disney experiences, and Disney apparel

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Starbucks

You know that old phrase, “a home away from home?” I never really understood how it was possible to have a store or restaurant that felt as cozy as home until Starbucks came around. There are Starbucks everywhere in my neck of the woods. There’s one by my office, one by my house, one in my favorite outdoor mall. There was even one nearby our hotel recently when we took a vacation to Puerto Vallarta—and in the airport!

I spend plenty of time in all my local Starbucks, mostly because I like the coffee, but these days I also find the similar decor and food comforting—as well as the Starbucks Rewards program. The way the Starbucks Rewards program works is simple: You buy a Starbucks gift card (or, better yet, you earn one from one of the other shopping rewards programs on our list…), you register it online, and then you use it for the purchases you make at Starbucks, earning a star for every $1 you spend. These stars eventually add up to free food and drinks!

Where can I use it? Starbucks and the Starbucks website

What can I earn? Starbucks beverages and treats

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Purina

If you ever wanted a dog when you were growing up (and, seriously, who didn’t), then you probably heard an adult tell you that taking care of a pet is a big responsibility that requires both money and time. Now that we’re adults, I think we all know just how true this is. Having a dog can be ruff (sorry!).

We have a five-year-old golden retriever named Lil’ Lucy. At this point, the name is just ironic because Lucy is no longer Lil’. Like, at all. In fact, it sometimes feels to me like Lucy goes through her dog food faster than I can buy it. I have to buy a new giant bag at least once a month. Thankfully, though, Purina is yet another brand that offers one of the best shopping rewards programs available for free.

With the Purina Points rewards program, I just cut what they call a “weight circle” off of each bag of food, download a special form from their website, and send in my circles for rewards. I receive checks good toward the purchase of more food, Purina merchandise, and gift certificates to stores and restaurants that are perfect for a lazy dog day afternoon (sorry again!).

Where can I use it? Anywhere and anytime you buy Purina brand products

What can I earn? Credits for more dog food, apparel and merchandise like Purina sweaters, and gift certificates to stores and restaurants.

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The Best Free Shopping Rewards Programs for Stores and Restaurants

I’ve always liked to chat with the cashiers at the stores I go to, like, a lot. I ask for their names and I love it when they call me by mine. I mean, at some of my favorite stores we see each other so much, why not make the interaction friendly, right?

Another thing I like? Feeling appreciated by my favorite stores that I loyally shop at. That’s where store-specific rewards programs come in.

If you’re not familiar with them, a precursor to these are those old systems based on having multiple rewards program cards. Those days may be through, but the concept of certain stores giving you rewards for repeat business is alive and well. Now it’s just usually driven by your phone number or, even better, by using an app, instead of carrying around a plastic card.

Here are three of my favorite store and restaurant rewards programs:

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Panera

With a program called MyPanera, you can get rewarded for the sandwiches, soups, salads, coffees, and baked goods you buy at Panera Bread. I know, I know…Panera can be a bit of an indulgence, but getting points for purchases that eventually add up to free food makes it less so.

There’s even a cool MyPanera app that lets you track your progress toward rewards. For the tech-savvy user, it also has other cool functions. I like to use it to order food from Panera while I’m on the go so I can just buzz in really quickly and it will be ready and waiting. That’s what I call faster-than-fast fast food!

Where can I use it? Any Panera Bread location

What can I earn? All kinds of savings on Panera Bread food

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CVS

CVS is the type of store that I find myself in quite often. I’m actually lucky enough to have one right across the street from my house. Out of paper towels? Walk across the street. Need allergy meds? I know where I’m walking. Want some peanut M&Ms for Netflix night? You bet, and I can get them in less than 10 minutes and still wearing my sweatpants (although I have to swap out my slippers for flip flops).

When I get up to the register, the cashier always asks if I have an ExtraCare card. Um, of course I do. But, if I happen to forget it, I can always just type in my phone number and enjoy this rewards program that way as well. With CVS’ ExtraCare program, I earn 2% back on my purchases, $1 in Extra Bucks that I can use on my next purchase of prescriptions, coupons to the store, and more.

Where can I use it? CVS pharmacies

What can I earn? Money back, Extra Bucks, and coupons based on my past purchases

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Office Depot

CVS isn’t the only store that I find myself in often, sometimes even multiple times a week. During the school year, my kids have all kinds of projects they have to do. This means that we find ourselves making regular trips to Office Depot for things like glue sticks, poster board, and I don’t even know what all else.

Luckily, Office Depot has one of the best shopping rewards programs that you can sign up for totally free! With the Office Depot Rewards program, I get money back on the stuff that my kids burn through all the time doing their homework: paper, ink, toner, and copy services. It’s a real wallet-saver.

Where can I use it? Office Depot retail locations

What can I earn? 10% back on paper, ink, toner, and copy services; 2% back on nearly all other purchases; and money back for recycling old cartridges.

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The Best Shopping Rewards Programs are on Mobile Apps

My favorite thing about shopping has always been having the freedom to browse. When I’m out and about on a perfect shopping day, I can take my time, peruse as long as I want, and wander around from shop to shop until I find the absolute perfect top, skirt, or shoes. That’s probably why the last category of best shopping rewards programs is my favorite.

While the previous two categories have been limited to certain brands and stores, you can use the best shopping rewards programs found on mobile apps at tons of different stores. They’re really versatile, and a lot of fun, turning the shopping I have to do anyway into a scavenger hunt for points and savings. I can even use these apps to get paid to grocery shop. Very cool.

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Ebates

Ebates is a great shopping rewards program mobile app to use if you’re an online shopper, and aren’t we all these days? I know I certainly am. With Ebates, users can get as much as 25% back at 1,200 different online stores, although the deals do vary from store to store.

Your savings will add up. Then, when you have at least $5 to your account, you can cash it in and redeem it for cash back via your PayPal account. It’s super simple, and, quite honestly, I can’t imagine shopping online without it. It also pairs well with one of my other favorite mobile apps, Shopkick. But more on that in a minute!

Where can I use it? At roughly 1,200 online retailers

What can I earn? Up to 25% back on your purchases

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Checkout 51

This is a great shopping rewards program app that works mostly through your camera. With Checkout 51, just take a picture of your receipt when you go shopping and the app pays you back a certain amount for featured products. It’s super easy and takes just a few seconds to snap a quick picture.

What I especially like about this app-based shopping rewards program is that it puts out a list of new deals every Thursday. And, remember how I mentioned apps that pay you to buy groceries? Well, this one is a great example. You can even use it to get savings when you buy groceries online because it’s eligible with Amazon grocery.

Where can I use it? Many stores, both online and in person

What can I earn? Money back on your purchases

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Shopkick

Now we get to my all-time favorite out of all the best shopping rewards programs. My favorite app is Shopkick. What can I say? I’m a loyal Shopkicker, through and through, as we like to call ourselves.

How Shopkick works is really pretty simple. Shopkick turns every trip to the store into a scavenger hunt for points, which it calls kicks. You get points for walking into some popular stores and for buying featured items. You even get points and rewards for scanning barcodes, which also gives you more info about the item before you purchase it (which, you guessed it, also earns you points!).

I think my favorite thing about Shopkick, though, is how I can combine it so easily with other rewards programs and apps since using multiple apps can really maximize your rewards. For example, I can take a picture of my receipt with Checkout 51, and score double points after scanning any that are featured items into Shopkick, items I’d buy anyway! I never even have to deviate from my normal routine. It doesn’t get much better than that, trust me.

Where can I use it? Many popular stores, both online and in person

What can I earn? Points to trade in for gift cards

Using Shopkick in tandem with the rest of these apps is just common sense. I mean, it’s an iPhone or Android app that will pay you while you shop! They should have a picture of it in the dictionary next to definition of common sense.

I love how I can use every one of these apps without having to pay for them, too. In fact, in most cases, I just do things that I do anyway, things like going to Disney movies, running out to Office Depot for my kids, and scanning the barcodes on items to learn more about them. What would make even more sense would be if I could go back in time to start using it years ago, but time travel is, sadly, not as easy to use as a shopping rewards program app you can download for free.

Get started on one of the best shopping rewards programs available to join for free. Download Shopkick’s free app today and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered how fun it is to shop with us!

And, if you love social media as much as you love getting reward for shopping, you can also join Shopkick on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

How Christmas Shopping With Your Smartphone Apps Can Brighten Your Holidays

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When I was a kid, my parents made sure that each and every Christmas was memorable for my siblings and me by going all out with gifts, decorations, and cookie baking parties, really stretching their budget to put smiles on our little faces. Now, as a mom to three beautiful boys of my own, I know the joys, and the challenges, that come with creating a Christmas my kids will never forget—and can fully appreciate everything my mom and dad did for us kids each year.

how to use apps to Christmas shop
Even Santa has been known to Shopkick | Image courtesy stokkete

My boys’ excitement for the season each December brings my husband and me an incredible amount of joy, but there’s no denying we have to keep a careful eye on our budget. Luckily, though, the shopping powers that be have given me my own Christmas gift in recent years: smartphone apps that reward budget stretching Christmas shoppers with gift cards to their favorite stores. These shopping rewards smartphone apps have helped me make my family’s holidays brighter than the giant Rockefeller Center Christmas tree!

And now here’s my gift to you: sharing what I’ve learned about how Christmas shopping with smartphone apps can make it feel like you have your very own little Santa’s elves helping you gear up for the most wonderful time of the year! Make sure not to hoard these tips to yourself, though (like you do the last frosted sugar cookie). Here’s to spreading some digital yuletide cheer!

Christmas Shopping Smartphone Apps: A Perfect Gift for Budget Shoppers

You always remember your oldest child’s first Christmas: the happy giggles as he plays with all the toys, the pictures you take together in front of the lighted tree, the adorable, tiny sweater with a reindeer knitted on the front. What you might also remember is how many times you went out to a store to pull that merry little memory off. My rough estimate is about a bajillion trips to my local Target.

While I’ve gotten more efficient in the aisles since then (have you ever tried to control three toddler boys in a Walmart?), the number of trips I make to stores during the holiday season is still pretty high. But these days, I’m getting rewarded for my frequent trips down the aisle because my shopping rewards smartphone apps are helping me to deck the halls (and my wallet) with savings!

When I go out to get blank Christmas cards for all the cousins at any of my favorite shops, I get points for simple things like entering the store, finding and scanning barcodes of featured products, and making purchases. Then, I redeem the points for gift cards that I can give as gifts or use to boost my own budget. I rack up so many points this time of year that I start to imagine I hear a ring jing jingling, and it isn’t silver bells—it’s extra change in my wallet! It’s kind of like the old days of having multiple rewards program cards, except all wrapped up like a gift inside of one easy-to-use app!

3 Ways to Shop Outside the (Gift) Box with Smartphone Apps

Every Christmas, my boys get pretty ambitious with their lists to Santa. I’ve seen it all, from a basketball stadium to pet elephant. As a creative mommy, I do my best to find little things that fit the descriptions (and my budget), like a basketball game for their Xbox or a stuffed elephant that roars when you lift up its trunk. So, when it comes to my favorite advice on how to best use your smartphone apps while doing your Christmas shopping, I suggest flexing those creative muscles yet again.

Since all of my favorite shopping apps are based on points and incentives, it’s important for you to find one that goes above and beyond just helping you earn rewards. Look for an app that motivates you to use it by turning Christmas shopping into a game, like a scavenger hunt! Once you’ve downloaded your app, here are some ways to shop outside the box—the gift box that is!

  • Plan ahead (waaaaay ahead): Honestly, I start cashing in my points for holiday gift cards in July. You can never have too many free gift cards to Target; in my experience, you’ll need them for last minute gifts (think neighbors, bosses, your kid’s soccer coach). Earning points for gift cards is always fun, but there’s an added excitement to it (which equals added motivation) when you know you’re doing it with Christmas in mind, even if it’s 90 degrees out!
  • Give the gift of gift cards: What I like to do during the holidays is make a list of all the people I want to earn free gift cards for, as well as how many points I need to earn all those cards. Then I check them off as I meet my goals, making sure to pause in my gift collecting once in awhile to slip in a few Starbucks treat cards for myself. If I score tons of points buying featured products over the course of a few weeks, I might redeem a few of them for a Peppermint Mocha for myself and then the rest for a Best Buy gift card for my brother-in-law.
  • Set weekly points goals: My favorite thing to do, though, is to set weekly points goals to help make my Christmas even merrier. Like I said above, I start this in July and I do everything I can to stick with it. The only thing that’s more fun than meeting the points goals that you set is breaking them because it’s so darn easy to earn points with the right shopping rewards app!

I love, love, LOVE Christmas but if my budget could talk, I’m sure it would say that it’s happy the holidays only come once a year. That’s why finding my favorite Christmas shopping smartphone apps has been such a gift. My personal favorite is Shopkick, which I can use to accumulate and track rewards, then get paid for shopping I already do by trading in my points (called kicks) for gift cards to big name stores like Target, Best Buy, Amazon, and Starbucks. Shopkick turns holiday hassles into a fun scavenger hunt for big-time rewards. I really ho-ho-hope you love it as much as I do!

This Christmas, get your savings all in one place. Download Shopkick’s free app and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered the gift of shopping with a free shopping rewards smartphone app.

Want to share your own helpful holiday tips? Join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for daily shopping inspiration.

Pack your bags! Booking.com comes to Shopkick

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Some very informative articles popping up in my Facebook feed say that the anticipation of a vacation sometimes brings even more happiness than the vacation itself. Well, now that Booking.com has come to Shopkick, we can not only enjoy the anticipation of a great trip, but also have a nice, big, free gift card waiting for us on the other side of it!

Shopkick is combining two of my favorite things: shopping and traveling. When I book my next flight, hotel, or excursion on Booking.com, I will also get to look forward to the kicks I’ll receive when the trip is over. No more post-holiday blues for me as I’ll have a bunch of new kicks to look forward to – and have fun thinking about how I’ll use them!

How Booking.com Works

I love the researching and planning stage of a trip. Booking.com makes it both easy and fun to explore different hotels and provides handy tools for figuring out where to stay. I’ll admit I like a good deal on a hotel – I want it to be central, safe, quiet, and clean while not breaking the bank. Booking.com will give me even deeper discounts on great, highly rated hotels.

[left]booking.com hotel search through shopkick[/left][right]booking.com hotel search result through shopkick[/right]

With lots of people using Booking.com and leaving in-depth reviews, I’m never surprised by what I’m gonna get. If I choose to ignore some warnings in a few of the reviews….well, I only really have myself to blame when I get that noisy room!

booking.com hotel review through shopkick

How to Get the Best Deal with Booking.com and Shopkick

Now I can open the Shopkick app, check out what’s new, grab a few kicks right then and there by watching a video or searching for an instant surprise. Then I can click on Booking.com from Online Stores to plan my next adventure and score additional kicks. I can’t wait to use a Target gift card from the kicks I earned from my last vacation (and my many grocery store runs!) to buy something cute for my next trip booked on Booking.com… and then enjoy even more kicks afterward! The travel options on Shopkick are like gifts that keep on giving — all my shopping and travel planning are fun and help fund each other. Why would I ever shop or travel without Shopkick by my side?

Booking.com is easy to use with Shopkick! From the Shopkick app, look under “online stores” and click on Booking.com to book your trip and get your kicks from your Booking.com reservations.

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[/left][right]booking.com through shopkick app[/right] I’m loving earning kicks with online shopping on Shopkick. Have you tried it yet? Watch this video to see how it’s done. Don’t have the Shopkick app yet? Download it today and get started earning reward points toward free gift cards!

 

 

Calling all beauty lovers: Ulta Beauty is on Shopkick!

Posted on by shopkick

Now shopping for your favorite blush or finding the best shampoo is more rewarding and productive than ever. Treating yourself to rewards while shopping at any of the 1k+ Ulta Beauty locations across the country using Shopkick is as easy as one, two, three! Literally.

ulta beauty store details in shopkick app

As if a trip to Ulta wasn’t enough of a treat, you can now earn kicks by scanning specific items in the aisles, shopping with a linked Visa or Mastercard and submitting receipts.

Here is how it works:

Step One: Scan

Scans are an easy way to earn rewards while you roam the aisles at Ulta learning more about the products you love. You can explore the hair aisle, get dizzy in the fragrance section, or check out some new must haves such as mascara or lip gloss, and get rewarded at the same time. Just scan the items on the Scans page to earn kicks! And don’t forget to earn additional kicks for completing all available scans in the store. It’s like getting a prize for breathing!

ulta beauty submit receipts for purchased items in shopkick app

Step Two: Link Your Card

You can also make every Ulta beauty run rewarding by making purchases with a linked Visa or MasterCard. Every dollar spent brings in three kicks!

ulta beauty linked card rewards in shopkick app

Step Three: Take a Picture

After picking up a new lipstick (or two or three) and that nail polish you’ve been wanting to try, earn additional rewards by uploading your receipt with kick-earning purchases to Shopkick. Simply take a photo of the printed receipt in the Receipts page and watch the kicks add up!

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ulta beauty submit receipts for purchased items in shopkick app

[/left][right]ulta beauty kicks from submitted receipts for purchased items in shopkick app[/right]

Best Step: Cash it In!

When you are done shopping with Shopkick, redeem all your kicks for an Ulta gift card and start over! Of course, if you have other treats in mind, you can always check out the rewards mall.

Haven’t tried earning rewards at Ulta yet? Download Shopkick here.

How You Can Use Multiple Rebate Apps to Maximize Rewards

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I used to have a drawer in my kitchen where I put all my coupons, rebates, special offers, etc., all those invaluable little pieces of paper that made stretching my budget to the max possible. It was just an ordinary drawer, but it was absolutely full to the brim with money-saving paper scraps.

how to use multiple rebate apps togetherThere were coupons that came in the mail, in the Sunday newspaper, and on the back of my receipts. Sometimes, I was able to find the brands or products I was looking for; other times, to be totally honest, sorting through it all was a bit overwhelming. Okay, it was really overwhelming.

Then I discovered shopping rewards and rebate apps and pretty much ditched my coupon drawer—forever. Goodbye old paper coupons, hello easy to use smartphone app! Now that drawer has turned into our family junk drawer and I’m not even sure what’s in there. A souvenir postcard from our last vacation? Gluesticks my boys brought home from school? I think I even saw some old banana chips. Not very a-peeling (ha!), but better than the pile-o-stress that used to be at home there.

Now, when I first switched from paper offers to using smartphone apps to help stretch my budget, I found myself asking, “Can you use multiple rebate apps?” There was a lot at stake, budget-wise, so I looked into it. The answer? A big ole YES! Yes, you can use multiple rebate apps, but it takes a little bit of planning, strategy, and skill. These rebate apps aren’t the same as the coupons of yore because with rebate apps you often get reimbursed after your purchase rather than at the register. The end result is the same, though: savings. So, get ready to take back your coupon drawer!

Can You Use Multiple Rebate Apps (and Other Frequently Asked Questions)

When I first made the transition from a packed drawer full of paper coupons to a small group of smartphone rebate apps, one of the most stressful things was figuring out exactly what each of the rebate apps I was using actually did.

It’s not hard to find rebate apps—they’re incredibly easy to search for on the app stores—and I found plenty of options right away. But, for a long time, I would open my phone and get a sense that I wasn’t using each app to its full advantage—and that if I could just learn more about them, I might be able to save even more money. And it turns out I was right!  

One of the keys to knowing how you can use multiple rebate apps to maximize rewards is knowing everything there is to know about each app, from how they reward you for purchases to when is the best time to use each one. Here are the most common questions I found myself asking, and the answers I found:

  • FAQ #1: What exactly is a rebate app? Rebate apps help you earn cash back on your purchases. Unlike coupons that save you small percentages as you buy, you get reimbursed later, typically in a lump sum that accounts for several purchases.
  • FAQ #2: Do rebate apps cost money to download or use? None of the apps that I use cost a cent and I would highly recommend you stick to free rebate and rewards apps as well. It seems like common sense to me, but I don’t think you should have to pay money to save money. That’s not good for your budget.
  • FAQ #3: Do I need to mail in paperwork to get rebates with these apps? Say goodbye to holding onto scraps of paper. With rebate apps, there’s no need for paperwork. You should hold onto receipts, of course, but to get rebates with most of these apps all you have to do is take a picture of your receipt to prove you bought an item. Some apps even have scanners that you can use to scan a barcode to do this.
  • FAQ #4: What payment methods can I use with rebate apps? Cash, checks, credit cards, debit cards, prepaid bank cards, gift cards…basically, however you usually pay for your groceries, clothes, household goods, etc. is how you can pay while using rebate apps!
  • FAQ #5: How do I get paid by rebate apps? One of the biggest differences between most rebate apps and the old coupon-in-the-drawer system is that those coupons used to save you money at the time of purchase. That’s not how most rebate apps work, though. Instead, you use the rebate apps at the time of purchase and then you have to wait until the app approves your receipts. It usually totals up how much you’ve earned in rebates over several purchases and then gives you the option of when you want to redeem your points, generally paying you via an online service like Paypal, or via gift cards you can use at your favorite stores, like Amazon, Target, and Walmart, just like cash.

What Features Should I Look for in the Best Rebate Apps?

To be totally honest, there is one thing I miss a little bit about my old stuffed coupon drawer: I used to make a little game out of clipping coupons, turning each Sunday morning into a scavenger hunt through my junk mail, newspaper, and receipts to find all the best deals. So, maybe that’s why, in my personal opinion, the best rebate apps are ones that turn the actual shopping process into a fun game.

With my favorite shopping rebate app, you get rewarded for scanning barcodes or photographing your receipt, as well as for just walking into some of the most popular stores, in the form of gift cards at places like Best Buy, Target, or even Amazon, turning your time in the aisles into a fun scavenger hunt! And, if you really miss couponing, there are even coupon apps you can pair with a rebate or rewards point app to earn even more.

Of all the apps available on the app store, my personal favorite is Shopkick, which does all those things I described above—and more! There have been shopping trips where I use a rebate app after a purchase to get money back that goes into my Paypal account, while at the same time collecting points, called kicks, on my Shopkick app that I can save up for gift cards, all while having fun with my husband and my boys working together to turn our afternoon at the store into a game.

So, yes, my old packed-to-the-brim coupon drawer is now a thing of the past, but my budget savings are still alive and well. In fact, now that I’ve figured out how you can use multiple kinds of rebate apps to maximize rewards, I’m saving more than ever—and having fun with my family and friends in the process! I don’t even know where my old coupon clipping scissors ended up. Oh wait, they’re probably in that junk drawer with the rest of the stuff we don’t use much.

Ready to explore the best free shopping rewards app—and have fun doing it? Download Shopkick for free and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered the rewards of shopping with us.

And, if you love social media as much as you love stretching your budget, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for daily shopping inspiration.

Image courtesy Pixabay user juliaorige

How to Earn Amazon Gift Cards the Fast and Easy Way in Time for Christmas

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We all have friends who use social media as their go-to for advice, right? They ask where they should eat when they visit a new city or they ask if anyone’s seen the latest movie. Or, maybe they just want to know what everyone is doing this weekend. And when I see those questions as I’m scrolling through my Facebook feed, I’m the friend who can’t help but give advice.

quickly earn amazon gift cards using an app
Even Santa’s getting his kicks | Image courtesy Wavebreak Media Ltd

I’ve written at least 100 reviews on sites like Yelp and Amazon and Tripadvisor. At least. Maybe I have a helping my friends on social media just a little too much problem? Okay, I know I do, but to be honest, I probably won’t ever change. I love helping my friends out.

Recently, one of my friends put out a holiday advice red alert: “Getting an early start on my holiday shopping. I need to know how to earn Amazon gift cards for Christmas gifts the fast and easy way. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. Go!”

And go I did! Actually, I had to break my answer down into three different posts, which I’ve shared below. So, without further adieu, let me offer my favorite advice for stocking up on Christmas gifts early by earning free Amazon gift cards.

How to Earn Amazon Gift Cards for Christmas Pt. 1: Take Surveys

Why, you might wonder, do I spend so much time responding to my social media friends when they have a question? I know my husband definitely wonders this. Ha! Anyway, I’ll admit it: on social media, I can be a bit chatty. So, that’s why when I love something—like, really love it—all my friends and family tend to get an earful (or is that an eyeful since they’re reading it on their screens…). Anyway, you get the point.

I think that’s also why I’ve always been a good fit for this first way to earn Amazon gift cards online: taking surveys. Here are a few I like to use:

  • Quick Thoughts: Quick Thoughts is probably the fastest and easiest way to snag Amazon gift cards. With Quick Thoughts, you fill out surveys and get paid between $1.00 and $3.00 for each, plus $.10 every time you try to qualify for a survey. You can take as many as five surveys a day. FYI, this app doesn’t generate its own surveys, but instead searches for paid surveys from more than 1,000 sources and then directs you to them. Once users collect $10.00, they receive a $10.00 Amazon gift card. Fast and easy!
  • Opinion Outpost: Okay, to be honest here, I think the name makes me like this one even more. Like Quick Thoughts, you simply take surveys and earn credits that you can redeem for Amazon gift cards and claim codes. A bonus here is that they have a quarterly contest and every time you take a survey you’re entered into it. After each quarter ends, there’s a drawing and the winner gets $10,000. You can buy a whole lot of Amazon gift cards with that. Well, $10,000-worth to be exact.
  • Survey Junkie: This is the third survey site I love to use. It works the same way as the other two except that the surveys come directly from retailers and brands, which always makes me wonder if my opinion influenced that new sheet set at Target that I want for my imaginary guest room (aka my kids’ playroom). Pretty cool!

How to Earn Amazon Gift Cards the Fast and Easy Way Pt. 2: Trade-Ins

I have to admit to something else I do all the time: I share my friends’ social media posts when they have something for sale like a car, a bike, their little ones’ outgrown clothes, you name it. I just think that part of being a great friend on social media is sharing posts the way you’d want your own posts to be shared. It’s the golden rule of the digital age.

When it comes to how to earn Amazon gift cards fast and easy, though, you don’t have to try and sell your old things online by having your friends share posts. Nope. Amazon actually has its own trade-in program! Basically, they’ll buy your old and used items in exchange for Amazon gift cards. It’s super easy to use and pretty fast to find out exactly how much they’ll pay you for that stuff at home that’s spilling out of your spare room closets or the cardboard boxes in your garage.

There are literally hundreds of items that I know you have at home that are eligible for this. Just go to Amazon, find out if your item is eligible, print out the free pre-paid shipping label, and send it in. Then the folks at Amazon evaluate it and send you an e-mail in about two days letting you know whether it was accepted. If it’s accepted, they put the money directly onto your trade-in balance. If not, they send it back to you free of charge, making this not only a fast and easy way to earn Amazon gift cards but also a great way to get your house organized!

Here are some items you probably have at home that might qualify:

  • Video games
  • Kindles
  • Cameras
  • Calculators
  • Books
  • Cell phones
  • Smart watches

Easily Earn Amazon Gift Cards Fast Pt. 3: Shopping Apps

After I comment on my friends’ statuses offering them advice, I almost always go back a few times in the next day or two to see if they’ve responded. I mean, that’s the point of social media, right—sharing about your life with your friends? Another thing that’s more fun when shared? My third way for getting free Christmas gifts from Amazon gift cards—using shopping rewards apps that pay you in gift cards.

For those of you who don’t know, shopping apps are these really cool (and free!) apps that you can download right to your smartphone that give you points for the shopping you do every day, even when you’re out having fun with friends. The best ones also give you points just for walking into certain stores. What do you do with these points? By now, I bet you can guess: you cash them out for Amazon gift cards, or for gift cards to tons of other stores you know and love. Basically, these are free apps that pay you to shop.

My personal favorite, and the one I recommend to all my friends, is an app called Shopkick. They call their points kicks, and there are just so many ways to get your kicks with this app (pun intended). This app is seriously fun! Plus, how it works is really easy: shop like normal, get your kicks, and trade them in for Amazon gift cards.

Another thing I really like about Shopkick is that it’s a great way to stay social. Shopkick has a really cool social media atmosphere, and I don’t know how many hours I’ve spent on their Facebook and Instagram pages trading Shopkick tips with other expert kickers. So, yes, Christmas is coming and maybe you’re like my friend who wants to earn Amazon gift cards the fast and easy way just in time for the holidays. I just hope you find my advice helpful; that, my friend, is my little Christmas gift to you!

Learn how you can start to earn Amazon gift cards just in time for Christmas. Download Shopkick’s free app and get ready to be wowed. Welcome to the fun, Shopkicker!

If you’re as social media savvy as you are shopping savvy, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for daily shopping fun.

User-Friendly Apps That Pay You for Scanning Barcodes

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I have a bit of a reputation amongst my friends. Nothing scandalous, mind you. My reputation is for being a bargain hunter. I’m always in the know about unadvertised sales—and when you should buy that little extra that feels a bit overpriced.

get paid for scanning barcodes on smartphone apps
Yes, it is that easy to earn rewards… Scan. Earn. Repeat. | Image courtesy Aunging

Recently, after a particularly grueling spin class, my friend Lisa came to me for advice. Now, she’s never had what I would call a love for shopping, so I was a little bowled over when she told me she wanted to up her shopping game (or maybe that was just the wobbles from racing the spin instructor for 60 minutes).

I was, of course, happy to help. Lisa said she’d been hearing a lot about incentives and apps that pay you to shop, not like a part-time job, but definitely enough to get a bottle of wine and some fancy cheese for a date night in after the kids have hit the hay.

I had to think for less than half a second before I paused for theatrics and held up a finger. “One word,” I said. “Barcodes.”

“Barcodes?” she replied.

“Barcodes,” I repeated.

Then, I proceeded to fill Lisa in on exactly what I was talking about. I explained that there are apps that pay you for scanning barcodes. Can’t you just taste that first sip of crisp pinot gris (or craft beer—you do you, friend!)? If you’re anything like Lisa, you’re probably anxious to hear more right now so you can get to scanning and earning extra money of your own—and I don’t blame you. Date night awaits!

How Apps That Pay You for Scanning Barcodes Work

The day of that spin class was one of the rare afternoons that Lisa and I had extra time to spend together. So, we went to this new outdoor mall that I’d been dying to visit, which was great because a) shopping and b) I got to show her firsthand how apps that pay you for scanning barcodes work.
I made sure to point out to her that there are actually a few different styles of these apps but they all have several things in common:

  • Download the app: Of course, one cannot use an app that one has not downloaded. So, start there.
  • Go shopping: Go to your favorite mall, grocery store, or retail outlet—almost all of these apps work at multiple retailers.
  • Scan product barcodes with your app: Open the app. It will tell you how to scan the barcodes of featured products.
  • Get info about the product: Most of these apps give you some insights into the products they feature, including its price, how many points you’ll get from the app if you decide to buy the featured item, and more.
  • Earn points: Get rewarded with points just for scanning a product, regardless of whether you decide to ultimately buy it or not.
  • Redeem points for cash rewards: Once you’ve earned enough points on your app, you get paid! Generally, your cash rewards come in the form of gift cards. My app even lets me pick out which of my favorite shops I want to apply my rewards to (cough, cough, Target, cough).

Ways to Make Apps That Pay You for Scanning Barcodes Even More Fun

I absolutely loved the excited look on Lisa’s face when she saw how easy it was for me to earn points and get paid for using my favorite app—just by scanning barcodes! More than that, though, I loved all the ideas she immediately started brainstorming about ways to have more fun doing it! If my reputation is for being a savvy shopper, Lisa’s reputation is for knowing how to make absolutely anything more fun.

Here are some inspired ideas for making shopping rewards apps even more fun:

  • Set personal bests: As our group’s designated bargain hunter, this one was my favorite. Keep track of how many points you rack up from scanning barcodes in any given week and then try to top it the next. Simple, but fun—especially for someone like me who is just a little obsessed with stretching her savings and becoming the ultimate shopping machine.
  • Scan with friends: Go shopping together so you can clue each other in when you find big points. Rinse and repeat week after week.

I think I can speak for both Lisa and myself when I say the best shopping rewards app out there is Shopkick. It’s my personal favorite because it’s so easy to use—and even Lisa, who I wouldn’t exactly call a shopaholic, thinks it’s fun since it turns every trip to the store into a scavenger hunt for points (called kicks). How Shopkick works is simple, too. And, it gives you points for more than just scanning barcodes!

With Shopkick, you can get rewarded for all kinds of activities, from purchasing that new product you’ve been tempted to try out to simply walking into some of your favorite stores! When you’ve earned enough points, you can redeem them for gift cards to a ton of stores, like Best Buy, Amazon, and Target. You know, places you shop all the time that can easily free up extra cash for the wine weekend getaway of your dreams—even if the destination is your own sofa.

Get to know one of the best apps that pays you for scanning barcodes. Download Shopkick’s free app today and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered the rewards of shopping with a free sidekick.

And, if you love social media as much as you love your smartphone, join Shopkick on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for a little daily shopping inspiration.

The Best Free Smartphone Apps That Pay You Money in 2018

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The Best Free Smartphone Apps That Pay You Money in 2018

Every year on my birthday, I still get a check in the mail from my grandma. A paper check. In the age of digital, well, everything, opening those colorful envelopes always feels like a sweet blast from the past. It makes me a little nostalgic for the parts of my childhood my kids will never know. As silly as it may sound, it almost makes me a little sad they won’t ever stand in line frantically filling out a deposit slip with a pen that’s more than a little dry. That is until I take out my smartphone, go to my banking app, scan in grandma’s check for deposit—and instantly have my birthday cash available in my account. Dang, smartphone apps make life easy. Maybe I should save my nostalgia for Punky Brewster and slap bracelets.

In all seriousness, though, really think about all the ways smartphone apps are the yin to your yang. Apps have changed our lives, from the way we pay bills, get directions when we’re on the go, snap pictures of our friends and families, listen to our favorite music, and even go shopping. You name it, there’s probably an app that makes it easier, faster, or more fun. There are even ones out there that help you earn money, with more and more popping up in the app store every year.

From filling out surveys to taking pictures of new restaurants, scanning barcodes while you shop to evaluating product displays, the number of apps that claim to let you cash in for a little of your time and energy is more robust than my grandma’s yarn stash. With all of that variety, it pays—literally—to know as much about the different styles of these apps as you can. Let’s explore a list of the best free smartphone apps that pay you money in 2018.

 

The Best Smartphone Apps That Pay You Money to Take Surveys

In college, my job was to call people up and ask them survey questions about their cable TV subscriptions. I used to get around 200 phone numbers a night, but out of that list maybe 10 people would have the time or energy to answer my questions. It can be hard to motivate people to participate in surveys; maybe that’s why there are so many apps these days that are willing to pay you to take them.

One of the fastest and easiest ways to make money through a smartphone app is to take paid surveys. Here are some of the best apps offering them for 2018:

Surveys have gone digital, but they’re still not much more fun than on paper | Image courtesy Pixabay user andibreit

Google Opinion Rewards:

It’s never a surprise when Google tops the list for something in the tech world; including them on the list of the best smartphone apps that pay you to take surveys in 2018 is no exception. Google is, quite simply, everywhere. The way this app works is pretty simple: Google sends a survey once a week asking for your opinion on a wide range of questions, anything from where you shop to what you watch on TV or where you like to eat. Really, anything that marketing companies might be interested in goes. Users get paid anywhere from $.25 to as much as $1.00 per survey in Google Play credits that can be used for downloading books, songs, or movies.

Ipsos Mobile (iSay Mobile):

Ipsos is focused on gauging public opinion, especially when it comes to finding out what the population thinks about advertising, politics, and other topics that are hot sources of debate on the national level. The average user gets about 8 survey invitations a month, which can be accepted or declined. Users earn points for completing each survey that can then be cashed in for prizes. The number of points earned per survey depends on its length, difficulty, and other factors.

Quick Thoughts:

With Quick Thoughts, users fill out up to five surveys a day about a wide variety of topics, often depending on the type of demographic info they give (age, gender, location, etc.). Users get paid between $1.00 and $3.00 for each survey taken and even get paid $.10 every time they try to qualify for a survey. The app doesn’t generate its own surveys but instead searches for paid surveys from more than 1,000 sources and then directs you to them. Once users have accrued $10.00, they receive a $10.00 Amazon gift card.

Apps that pay you to take surveys have some advantages and disadvantages:

The advantages:

Survey apps are easy to use and none of them require very much time. The ones that ask for opinions, like Ipsos, are also nice because instead of arguing with family on Facebook, you can channel your opinions through the surveys—and get paid to do it.

The disadvantages:

Easy isn’t enough to be engaging. Surveys are often dull to muddle through, which makes burnout a major risk with these types of apps. Constantly answering questions gets repetitive—fast. There is also almost always a cap on the number of surveys you can answer, which makes the reward ceiling low for these types of app. The bottom line, though, is to be paid for using smartphone apps over a sustained period of time, you need to be engaged—and survey apps don’t generally accomplish that.

The Best Smartphone Apps That Pay You to Work and Run Errands

I took a trip with some friends to Dallas recently. We stayed at an Airbnb instead of a hotel and used Uber and Lyft to get around all weekend instead of renting a car. Ten or so years ago, we wouldn’t have been able to do any of that. Crazy, right?

Crazy, but true. These types of sharing economy apps have been around for a few years now and they’re such a big deal that they’ve totally changed our options for how to travel. In fact, it sure feels like Airbnb is taking over the hotel industry! So, I would hazard a guess that these apps are only going to increase in popularity in 2018.

For those of us who want to earn a quick buck without renting our home or using our car like a taxi cab, though, there’s a new type of smartphone app that pays you money to do simple tasks and small errands, like checking to see if a road is closed or going out to snap a quick photo of the front of a cool new restaurant.

Here are two popular smartphones apps that pay you to work for them:

Getting paid to check out a new restaurant isn’t a bad gig—as long as you were going there anyway | Image courtesy Pixabay user Pexels

Field Agent:

Field Agent is a retail auditing app. Users get paid to go to stores like Target and Wal-Mart and take photos of displays of anything from batteries to potato chips so that brands know their end caps are being set up correctly and are appealing to shoppers. In exchange, users can make a few quick bucks for each task they complete.

Gigwalk:

Gigwalk is in the same family as Field Agent, but a bit newer. With Gigwalk, users open up a map of the area around them and see a bunch of pins on it. Each pin represents a task they can get paid for, which can take anywhere from three minutes to an hour to complete. The actual gigs, as the app calls them, are pretty varied in terms of what they entail, but they all have to do with helping brands make sure their products are visible, kind of like Field Agent. So, a user may be asked to go to a store and take pictures of how branded displays look or might verify that certain prices are clear and listed on retail store shelves.

Here are some advantages and disadvantages to these types of apps that pay you:

The advantages:

You go to stores already; with these apps, you just have to take a few extra moments while you’re there to complete some small tasks. They also provide a higher rewards value than survey apps and a little bit more engagement. Some even give you tasks to do based on your geographic location, which is convenient.

The disadvantages:

Similar to survey apps, these apps pay you to do things that are not automatically part of your routine. There’s relatively little money to be made for the inconvenience as well, with individual tasks rarely earning users a significant amount. It also requires you expending more time in stores than you ordinarily would. As with survey apps, all of this can add up to quick burnout, which has the ultimate effect of limiting how much you can earn.

The Best Free Smartphone Apps That Pay You to Shop

So, I’ve been going to Target for years and years and recently found an app that helps me earn free Target gift cards. I absolutely love Target. I didn’t think I could find a way to have more fun in that store, but I recently found out about shopping rewards apps. Basically, they enhance the shopping you already do, either by saving you money or by turning the whole experience into a kind of scavenger hunt that pays you in free gift cards for completing tasks. Sounds like a lot of fun, right?

Let’s take a look at my favorite options for free smartphone apps that pay you to shop:

Get paid to stop and smell the flowers at your favorite grocery store | Image courtesy Pixabay user StockSnap

SavingStar:

SavingStar is a digital coupon app that pays users to shop at grocery and drugstores. More than 60,000 stores are part of SavingStar; they represent more than 100 retail chains. It’s generally free to use, but beware. If an account is inactive for 180 straight days, they will charge a fee of $3.99. To take advantage of SavingStar, users either link their existing store loyalty cards to the app or submit receipts after they make purchases. Their savings add up until they can eventually cash out through PayPal, Upromise, or in the form of Starbucks, iTunes, or AMC Theater gift codes.

SnipSnap:

This is another mobile coupons app, but this one lets users take pictures of printed coupons, which it then transforms into digital, mobile-ready ones. Users can browse online directories and take advantage of coupons their friends have “snipped” as well. This one doesn’t exactly pay, though. Instead, users save money like a traditional coupon. The idea is that coupons can all be easily kept in one digital space, instead of having an overflowing little billfold stuff with paper cut outs.

Shopkick:

Shopkick is my favorite shopping rewards app—and it’s a total blast. The app gives users points, called kicks, for doing shopping they would be doing anyway, things like making purchases, scanning barcodes of items, and even just walking into some favorite stores. How it works is incredibly simple, too. Basically, it turns shopping into an actual game, like a scavenger hunt. And it’s really social. They keep a great community vibe on their social media, and users get awarded kicks when they refer friends to sign up. Users trade in kicks to get paid in gift cards to the stores they love to shop (or to splurge on a quick Starbucks treat). Shopkick is great for both the budget stretchers and savvy master shoppers looking for new ways to spice up the time they spend cruising the aisles—and get paid to do it.

The advantages and disadvantages to apps that pay you to shop are:

The advantages:

Apps that reward you for things you already do are absolutely fantastic, especially ones like Shopkick that let you cash them in for gift cards—what amounts to actual cash at your favorite stores. These apps are also quite a bit more fun than the survey and small tasks apps because they are much less monotonous. This means you’ll continue to use them over and over again, earning an unlimited amount of rewards. And, they tend to be incredibly social. What isn’t more fun when it’s shared with a friend?

The disadvantages:

While there aren’t really any downsides to the shopping rewards apps, the coupon apps are often limited to certain stores and certain time periods—and some can come with a steep price for the occasional user.

These are my favorite free smartphone apps that pay you money in 2018. There’s a pretty wide variety, but apps that actually pay you to shop are clearly a cut above the rest. You don’t even have to go out of your way to start earning—not even a little.

Of all the apps that pay money that I’ve tried, though, the champion is definitely Shopkick. It walks this really cool line of rewarding its users and making shopping way more fun, turning the in-store experience into a scavenger hunt you can do with your friends. It works at countless retailers, grocery stores, pharmacies—you name it. That means you get rewarded for the things you have to do anyway. And, I can use it with my friends, husband, and sometimes even my kids. We’ll all be out roaming the aisles, using our Shopkick app to scan items and scoop up kicks. No more complaining about grocery shopping with mom!

My grandma may still send paper checks, but even she has a smartphone these days—and loves to Shopkick!

Why choose Shopkick?

  • Always free
  • Can do from home
  • Choose how you get paid
  • No cap on earning
  • Can do with friends
  • Is fun/like a game
  • Rewards you for what you already do
  • Keeps you engaged/coming back

Get one of the best free smartphone apps that pay you money in 2018. Download Shopkick’s free app today and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered the rewards of shopping with a free, smartphone app sidekick.

And, if you love social media as much as you love your smartphone, join Shopkick on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for a little daily shopping inspiration.

Banner Image courtesy Unsplash user Luke Porter

How to Earn Target Gift Cards Using a Free App

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They know me at my Target. I can be found roaming the aisles every Sunday afternoon while my husband hangs out with the kids and helps them finish up their homework for the week ahead. I usually start every trip with a treat to enjoy while I browse the Target app for deals: an iced vanilla latte from the in-store Starbucks. The staff starts making it as soon as I walk in and, get this, they even spell my name right! Yeah, they definitely know me. What can I say…it’s my favorite store.

earn target gift cards using an app
You, yes you, can get paid to shop at Target | Image courtesy Unsplash user Anthony Ginsbrook

I’ve been shopping at my Target for years now; at some point, I started to wonder if there was a way I could get rewarded for that kind of loyalty. You know how delis will give you a punch card to earn a free sandwich after you’ve eaten there ten times? Well, that’s what I wanted from Target. Basically, I wanted to know how to earn Target gift cards for being a frequent flyer down their aisles. To be honest, I thought my idea was merely a Target shopper’s dream—until recently. But, as it turns out, earning Target gift cards is actually a thing (and a lot of fun).

As a Target devotee, I already love the Target app—and I really love the savings I get by using it. But I recently discovered there are free shopping rewards apps you can use alongside the Target app to help you get even more out of every shopping trip! They turn going to Target into a cool scavenger hunt for points, which, most importantly, you can redeem for free gift cards. For budget shoppers like me, these rewards really hit the target (#sorrynotsorryforthepun).

How to Earn Target Gift Cards: First, Do Your Homework on Apps

So, you want to learn about how I earn Target gift cards using a free app? Step one is to do your homework (groan). I know, I know, but, just like we tell our kids, homework isn’t so bad if you really want that A. And who doesn’t want an A in earning free Target shopping sprees?

Here’s your homework to-do list:

  • Download the Target app (if you haven’t already): This app lets you plan your trip, get the low-down on deals, order online, browse the weekly ad, and more. You can use it in-store to scan barcodes and get prices. It’s pretty darn handy to have as a shopping companion.
  • Pick out a shopping rewards app: More on this below, but the CliffNotes version is that you want to choose a free shopping app that’s intuitive and easy to use alongside Target’s app, one that will help you earn points for the shopping you already do. It should also be fun! The one I use gives me points for scouting for and scanning new products, showcasing items that I might have otherwise missed. It makes my weekly trips to Target kind of like a game (as if going to Target wasn’t already fun enough). And, most importantly, all those rewards and points add up to, you guessed it, free Target gift cards. It’s like getting paid to shop!
  • Put your Target and shopping rewards apps to work: What? You need a reason to go to Target? How about getting rewarded for shopping?

Okay, okay. Class is dismissed. Time to head out to the mama playground known as Target. But, before you go, I think it’s my turn to be put to the test. After all this talk about earning free Target gift cards, don’t you want to quiz me on my favorite shopping rewards app? Because, yeah, there’s an awesome app for that. And, I can point you to it so you can skip the research.

The Best App for Earning Free Target Gift Cards

When I first started studying up on shopping rewards apps, I knew the key would be to find one that complements the Target app I was already using. I wanted an app that was easy to use so it wouldn’t feel like a chore (the way collecting bundles of multiple rewards cards for every store I visited used to). After all, you get the most benefits from a rewards app you actually use so I had to find one that would blend with my long-established Sunday Target routine.

apps that pay you in Target gift cards
Browsing the aisles? Get paid! | Image courtesy Pixabay user kc0uvb

I also wanted to find one that was fun. There are a lot of rewards apps out there that will give you points and incentives for taking surveys (not my cup of iced vanilla latte, thank you very much). They may be easy to pair with the Target app, but I didn’t want to spend my precious alone time filling out survey after survey. That just feels like another task to check off my neverending to-do list.

Call me crazy, but I wanted points just for walking into Target (trust me, I never leave empty handed so I felt like this was well-deserved). I also wanted to be rewarded for scanning barcodes of both my favorite products and new finds and, of course, for all the goodies that make it up to the self-checkout with me. I wanted my Target app to tell me about weekly steals and deals, but I wanted my shopping rewards app to, well, reward me for rolling that red cart around. And, believe it or not, I found my dream app!

My favorite rewards app is called Shopkick, and how it works is pretty simple. Shopkick gives me points (which it calls kicks) for the shopping I already do—and turns every trip to Target into a treasure hunt that helps me earn free gift cards. I just rack up the kicks, then redeem them for codes I can use just like gift cards. Pro tip: you can also invite friends to use it and earn even more kicks! Plus, their social media is awesome. I’ve made some new mama-on-a-budget friends in the comments of their Facebook page.

So, get ready to reap your free Target gift card rewards. After all, now that Target’s combined its store app with its Cartwheel app into one mobile savings machine, all of us Target fanatics out there (woot, woot!) have a little more room in our lives—and on our phones—for a shopping rewards app to pair with the old classic. Can you tell I get as excited about scoring rewards in the aisles with Shopkick as I do about my weekly iced vanilla latte? I’ll raise my green-strawed cup to that!

Ready to combine the best free shopping rewards app with your trusty Target app? Download Shopkick for free and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered the rewards of shopping with us.

And, if you love social media as much as you love your local Target, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for daily shopping inspiration.

QUIZ: Which movie icon should you be for Halloween?

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Before we transition to the gift-giving season, we here at Shopkick are ready to celebrate Halloween — but are you? Here to help with some iconic costume ideas, is a quiz. We hope it gets your creative juices going.

 

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A Toast to Kicks & Cocktails – Welcome Minibar to Shopkick

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Minibar has been added to Shopkick!  Now we can earn kicks while having our beverage of choice delivered to our doorstep. Cheers to that!

Minibar joins Shopkick

Seriously, apart from the convenience of not having to make a run to the store when it looks like the drinks are running low, Minibar is also helping my inner hostess reach her true potential!

I’m never quite organized enough to think about what wine to have with what meal when I’m grocery shopping or have enough time to make it worth my while to specifically make a run to the liquor store.  Now neither my lack of organizational skills nor time matter – in the morning when I decide what’s for dinner – I can place a minibar order for delivery and get drinks plus kicks delivered the same day!  

Wine for dinner, beer for the game on the weekend (and more beer on Saturday when it looks like we’re running out!), and gin and vodka for our cocktail-loving friends.   They’ve got the big brands and they’re helping me to discover some new ones that I’d like to try – and give me some talking points for introducing them to friends (again that inner hostess wants to come out)!

Rose sounds good – and I love the look of this bottle

Minibar Rose!

I’m totally intimidated when it comes to hard liquor – but the descriptions make it easy to select.  And new brands are fun to introduce and try with friends.  “New Amsterdam Gin” sounds like just the ticket for our Friday night cocktail party.

minibar gin

Speaking of cocktail parties, I’ve always had trouble estimating how much alcohol I’ll need to buy.  Minibar is here to help – they have a tool under “Extras” called “Event Planner” where they ask you how many guests you’ll be having and for how long.  Voila, here’s the answer:  for a 3-hour party with 15 guests, you’ll need to provide about 60 drinks – and they suggest a breakdown based on alcohol type and whether the party is during the day or night.  Helpful!  

And for that really special party – my husband’s milestone birthday is coming to mind –it might be time to call in the professionals – say a bartender.  But where does one find a local bartender who wants to do parties at people’s homes?  Ahh look no further, under “Extras”, Minibar has a feature called “Book a Bartender”.  Now I can serve those fancy cocktails at my husband’s party without worrying about having to pull it off myself.  

Minibar is easy to use.  When you are in the Shopkick app, look under “online stores” to get your kicks with your Minibar order.  The first thing Minibar will ask for is your address – delivery is available in a lot of cities but not everywhere, so good to start there.  They then show you the exact selections available for your area, and the next available window for delivery.  

Minibar and Shopkick

I’m loving earning kicks with online shopping on Shopkick.  Have you tried it yet?  Watch this video to see how it’s done.  Don’t have the Shopkick app yet?  Download it here and get started earning reward points toward free gift cards today!

Mobile Shopping Apps: Why You Must Have One to up Your Shopping Game

Posted on by shopkick

“I coulda been a contender.” Brando may have made that line famous, but I prefer a sentiment closer to “I am always a contender!” I can turn just about anything into a personal challenge, even trying to beat my personal record for Instagram likes. Shopping for my family is no different.

A couple weeks ago, I found an absolute steal on trendy accessories at Target. I even pointed out the savings to the cashier who agreed I had hit the savvy shopper jackpot—it was a nice little bonding moment. Hey, I can’t possibly be the only one on a first name basis with my local Target associates!

the must have mobile shopping apps
Swap your outdated loyalty cards for an all-in-one app always at your fingertips | Image courtesy Pixabay user RawPixel

For me, experiences like that make shopping more fun—and let me modernize my wardrobe guilt free. I’ve gone to what some might consider extreme lengths to keep my savings on point and my deal record strong. I wake up at 2 a.m. for Black Friday every year. Every. Year. I’ve hidden dresses at the back of a rack so I could come the next day when I knew they’d be on sale. And, I’m a pro at finding the nearly unnoticeable flaw on a designer handbag so I can snap it up for half off. But who hasn’t, amiright? If you’re a master shopper, I’m looking at you.

I thought I knew every trick in the book—and then came rewards apps. Let me tell you, one shopping diva to another, there are some unbelievable shopping apps you simply must have if you’re always looking for ways to up your shopping game! Since I downloaded one to my smartphone, I’ve pushed my shopping to a whole new level. I’ve finally discovered smartphone apps that reward me for the type of competitive shopping I’ve done for years. It’s like, finally.  

So, get comfortable while I tell you why I can’t stop raving about these shopping rewards apps. Then, let’s hit the aisles with our smartphones out and start racking up some rewards points together. No coulda or shoulda; it’s easy to get out there and be a shopping rewards contender!

Mobile Shopping Apps: Why You Must Have One to Focus Your Rewards Game

As someone who’s more than a little obsessed with beating my own personal bests at pretty much anything, I can assure you the key to improving your shopping game is focus. And paying attention to mobile shopping rewards apps is step one in getting your focus on point.

The new generation of mobile rewards apps centralize the points you earn from the stores you already visit and the brands you buy time and again, whether it’s an incredible pair of wedges at Marshall’s or running to Target for your favorite face wash and a gallon of milk. There’s no need for multiple rewards cards that you can never find anymore. One thing I always have on hand? My smartphone. It’s so nice to solve these problems.

My favorite app also makes me feel like I’m part of a secret society of covert, competitive shoppers going under the radar to snap up points for big rewards, like free gift cards to Best Buy and Amazon. They really do help me focus my rewards game to make sure I’m earning while I spend—and that I have fun while I roll down the aisles.

How Mobile Rewards Apps Change the Game by Incentivizing Browsing

Incentivize your shopping with mobile apps you must have
Earn a free pick-me-up while you shop. Cheers to a new era in shopping! | Image courtesy Unsplash user Clem Onojeghuo

You’re sitting down, right? Your favorite store may be trying to reward you just for walking in. Am I blowing your mind? I know it blew mine when I first learned about it. See, all you need is a smartphone with space for a free app, and I know you have one of those (how else would you get driving directions to the mall out in Timbuktu for a mega sale?). All you have to do is hit download, open the app, then start getting paid to shop!

By downloading a free retail rewards app, I earn points for every aspect of my shopping experience, from walking through the door to exploring new products, and even buying kitchen staples. As soon as I’m in sight of that store entrance, my app and I are on the hunt. A shopping rewards scavenger hunt, that is.

How to Pick the Best Retail Mobile App for You

The new era of digital shopping has inspired a wave of retail mobile apps, each uniquely innovative in their own way. Every serious shopper needs to sit down and explore their options, comparing apps with their own shopping style. Here are a few things I personally looked for before choosing an app to be my shopping partner-in-crime:

  • A fun way to earn: Some retail rewards apps only offer points for filling out surveys. I don’t mind filling out the occasional survey, but they can start to feel more like work than something I’d do for fun. Make sure you’re going to enjoy the process of earning rewards. Your app should engage you while you shop, like a best friend with an eagle eye for new, hot products that have just hit the shelves.
  • Great rewards you can actually use: Look at the types of incentives an app offers before you download it. Some offer coupons to help you save a few cents here and there, but my app helps me gather points so I can earn bigger rewards, like gift cards to my favorite stores or a Pumpkin Spice Latte and a cream cheese danish at Starbucks (mid-shopping fuel, y’all!).
  • Easy to use: One of my closest friends isn’t what I would call technically savvy, but the retail mobile app my group of besties uses is so simple that even she’s using it like a pro. She’s snapping up rewards as fast as I am, and it makes me so proud to have her out there with me!
  • Free to download: This should go without saying, but don’t pay to play. Make sure the rewards app you choose is free to download and use.

If an app that offers all four of my criteria sounds like a savvy shopaholic’s dream, let me introduce you to my (very real) favorite shopping rewards app, Shopkick. The first time I opened this app, it was a revelation. I was getting rewarded for browsing the aisles and buying the latest fashions—and it all felt like a game (or a dream come true, perhaps?).

Shopkick was instantly rewarding me with points, called kicks, just for being my motivated shopper self. Plus, I’ve been getting bonus points for encouraging my crew and their families to sign up as well. I’ve been pushing myself to shop better most of my life but, with Shopkick, there’s never been a better time to be perusing the product shelves. Rewards, aisle 10!

Explore how Shopkick’s innovative retail mobile app works to bolster your shopping game, changing your shopping experience forever. Download the free Shopkick app to start Shopkicking before the next time you walk through those double doors. You can also get real-time updates on how Shopkick is revolutionizing shopping by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.