Do you remember when your mom or granny would spend hours clipping coupons before every trip to the supermarket? There's a better way. It's no secret that food costs are skyrocketing nationwide, but if you take advantage of some great free reward apps you can see moolah back from some of your favorite food brands, grocers, and even restaurants. These are our five favorite cash apps that will get you paid at the check-out counter.
Ibotta's a simple proposition. First, find offers on the groceries and restaurants on the app. Add these offers to the app's list before you shop. Once you are in-store, you can scan your receipts on the platform or link your loyalty cards for quick rebates. When you hit $20, you can cash out to your PayPal or bank account. Note that not every purchase gets you paid. Rebates are for specific brands and products, so make sure the item you tagged on Ibotta is the one you are about to buy.
Fetch is different in that you add grocers to your list rather than items. After downloading the app, choose your favorite shops from their directory of partners. After you check out at a participating store, you snap a pic of your receipt with your phone. The app recognizes your purchases and awards you points based on what you bought. These points are then redeemable for gift cards through Amazon or Visa.
Unlike other apps, Receipt Hog can scan receipts from both online or brick-and-mortar retailers. Just upload your receipts and earn "coins." Coins are redeemable for gift cards or cash. They also have a fun spin-and-win feature that allows for even more rewards. The rewards are on the smaller side, so this is a long-tail win when it comes to savings and returns.
Checkout 51 offers rebates on both groceries and gas. You have to activate offers before purchase, so there is an extra step here. Once you've activated the deal, buy the item and upload your receipt. Once again, you can earn back some dough when you hit $20. If you see something you want on the app stating it's in limited quantity, take advantage of the offer immediately so you don't miss a sweet return.
This one is a bit different. Shopkick pays you to walk into grocery stores and complete easy tasks, almost like you are a secret shopper. Tasks include taking product pictures, scanning barcodes, or finding specific point-of-purchase displays for retailers. It also has a cash-back option for online shoppers with over 80 participating digital stores. They call rewards "kicks," and you can redeem these for gift cards.
Flipp has something for everyone. The app searches for deals available at stores near you and then gives you coupons, discounts, price comparisons at retailers, and loyalty bonuses. It's like a personal shopper in your pocket. Every week you get over 2000 weekly offers to consider, but there is one thing to remember - Flipp is based on regional retailer volume. In other words, if there are a lot of shops near you, you'll see more activity from Flipp.