In times of economic prosperity as well as regression, resourceful and fiscally responsible individuals want to maintain their preferred standard of living without going into debt to do so. Utilizing current technology, many companies offer the economical a number of fantastic opportunities to earn rebates and access special coupons and deals that reduce the cost of everyday expenses. Some even allow them to transform their regular expenditures into cash for college or savings bonds for future investments or issues. By learning how to never pay retail price whenever possible, smart consumers can earn a number of great incentives just for practicing practical finances.
1. Shop At Home : Users who subscribe to Shop At Home have access to over 2,000 online stores. By using the provided coupons for transactions, they can receive between 1% to 30% cash back from stores and outlets such as Wal-Mart, Nike, Ulta, Target, Travelocity, JCPenney, and other popular, national stores and services. It sends out rebate checks 12 times a year and provides a massive selection of free catalogues, newsletters, and discounted magazines as well. Those who choose to download their toolbar get notified whenever their favorite stores and services offer new coupons and other promotions. While the prospect of regular rebate checks sounds understandably questionable, Shop At Home is certified as credible and legitimate by the Better Business Bureau OnLine Reliability Program.
2. Upromise :Nobody considers paying for college a painless or inexpensive experience. However, Upromise helps users alleviate some of the financial burden by turning everyday purchases into funding for an education. Shopping online through the over 600 participating stores results in rebates returning between 1% and 25% of purchases. Eating at over 8,000 different restaurants as a Preferred Diner nets an 8% return, and scanning a Upromise registered drug or grocery store card results in between 1% and 3% cash back. Users who get their family and friends involve may save double than what they would participating in the program on their own. All earnings are put to use in one of three ways, each benefitting college students in paying for their schooling. The money can go towards a tax-free 529 account, a Sallie Mae student loan, or come mailed as a check for tuition payments.
3. Mr. Rebates : This Better Business Bureau accredited business provides cash-back rebates from over 1,000 retail outlets with an online presence. Shopping at Best Buy, Overstock.com, HSN, and other popular stores with their daily coupons earns a rebate of up to 30% in cash back to the buyer. Registration is entirely free, but signing up nets an automatic $5 signing bonus. Users can search for items by store or through an extremely convenient side bar listing the different items available, with everything from apparel to watches. Even traveling with participating airlines and hotels earns rebates. The program works when businesses work out a deal with Mr. Rebates whereby they pay them a commission based on how many transactions they generate. For each sale, Mr. Rebates returns a percentage of their earnings back to the consumer as a way of thanking them and offering financial help at the same time.
4. Bing Cashback: A service of MSN and their Bing search engine, Bing Cashback allows users to look for one of millions of items for sale online and compare prices between the different stores offering the desired product. Listings include sale price, bottomline price, and the amount of cash back savings for each. So not only will users save money, they will be doing so through the best deal possible. However, users cannot request their money for the first 60 days following a transaction, and they must have at least $5 in their accounts as well. Bing Cashback occasionally offers contests with registration acting as an entry. Participants elect to have the money dropped into PayPal, direct deposited into a bank account, or mailed as a check.
5. Fat Wallet: One of the most prolific and oft-discussed websites that pay users to shop online, Fat Wallet partners with over 800 online retailers – with Apple Store, Dell, and HP as their most popular collaborations – to offer coupons, special deals, and bargain prices for consumers. The award-winning services at Fat Wallet come packaged with both intelligent advice as well as a relaxed sense of humor. They provide coupons and rebates, extensive listings of gift ideas for all different individuals, and even tips on surviving Black Friday and Cyber Monday with as much sanity in tact as possible. However, in spite of the bevy of excellent and attractive offers from trusted outlets, the forums at Fat Wallet stand as the true gem on the website. Consumers from across the country gather to compare notes on their experiences and offer tips on where and when to discover and take advantage of the best deals available. The community makes for an indispensible resource on learning how to shop wisely, earnestly looking out for the financial interests of others.
6. Ebates: Participants in the Ebates program receive both cash back and discount coupons for over 1,200 brand name online stores. Signing up costs nothing, and users receive a $10 gift card to Aéropostale, Bloomingdale’s, Sephora, Marriott, or Office Max just for starting up with their offers. Ebates sends out rewards every three months, and those involved in the program must have earned at least $5.01 in the previous quarter in order to receive their payments. If they do not meet the eligibility, the money will just sit in their account until the next quarter when their earnings line up with or exceed the minimum. Sign up and referral earnings do not count towards the accrual at any point. Most of the information on the website lay under the "Terms & Conditions" section. The more succinct explanations are available after signing up for their services.
7. Cashbaq : Certified as a reliable online program by both The Better Business Bureau and TRUSTe, Cashbaq sends earnings through checks or PayPal. Over 2,800 online stores and services participate on this site, and users receive between 1% and 50% of their expenditures back. However, some businesses such as Visa Black Card and Sitter City elect to pay back a flat rate instead. Cashbaq also serves as something of a review service where consumers can compare and contrast their experiences with the featured services. This certainly helps others make informed decisions about where to spend their money and receive the most lucrative deals. The website itself is set up in an extremely informative and user-friendly manner as well. Users see exactly how much money (expressed either as a percentage or the flat rate they can expect to receive back prior to committing to a purchase, and they shop by either store or category of product desired.
8. Big Crumbs: In addition to offering coupons and special deals for established national businesses, Big Crumbs also provides a number of opportunities for independent eBay and Etsy entrepreneurs to promote their wares as well. Over 400 shops and services participate in the Big Crumbs program, which charges absolutely nothing to use their site. Users receive a percentage of their initial expenditure back, and this is made possible by Big Crumbs returning its commission fee to the consumer. Unlike many other websites which financially compensate users for shopping online, this service only dispenses earnings through PayPal. For individuals who earn $600 or more through the program, Big Crumbs helps them complete the necessary 1099 forms that report all their major transactions as income. In addition to everything else, the site also hosts forums for sellers and buyers to interact with and discuss tips, tricks, and deals that ensure consumers do not have to pay retail prices with every purchase – either made online or in person.
9. Extra Rebates : Extra Rebates offers the usual programming. When users make purchases through a very wide variety of shops and services, the site offers them the commission fee back as a rebate. All transactions must originate through the Extra Rebates webpage, and the amount received depends either on a fixed rate or percentage. Participants elect to receive money via check or PayPal, though the program typically prefers the latter. They also offer a forum for consumers to exchange coupons and advice. However, the real standout aspect of Extra Rebates offers a matching service where users can donate their earnings to one of seven nonprofit organizations. For every contribution, Extra Rebates matches with a donation of 10% of the cash back. At the moment, the only nonprofits available involve the support of education and related institutions such as local branches of The Parent-Teacher Association.
10. Bond Rewards: Approved by the Better Business Bureau and TRUSTe as well as enjoying the attention of Time and other periodicals, Bond Rewards tweaks the cash back formula into a valuable investment in the future. They host a staggering array of popular and obscure stores alike specializing in a wide variety of products and services, and users earn rebates of up to 30%. Each of the 385 businesses lists the exact percentage that consumers can expect in return, and those who have earned a minimum of 50 credits may exchange them for US Savings Bonds rather than cash or checks. However, individuals may also opt to have the money deposited directly into their bank accounts. In the case of the former option, the Bond Rewards program allows participants to turn their everyday shopping routine into a way of setting aside finances for emergencies, major investments such as a house, college tuition, or other large expenses.
With a little bit of resourcefulness and intelligence, the crafty consumer can watch everyday expenses such as groceries, medications, gifts, and others benefit more than just their basic living needs. The coupons, rebates, and other deals hosted at these sites help smart spenders receive the best bang for their buck and stretch their bank accounts even further. A few even allow users to look to the future and invest their earnings in college tuition or savings bonds. No matter if times are grand or paltry, everyone enjoys saving money wherever possible without having to compromise on quality or lifestyle choices.