I’m on a money-making mission this year. Yes, I’m saving money being a KCL, but I decided to challenge myself to see if I could make some money in addition to saving money! My original goal was to figure out how I could generate cash by using my PayPal account as a savings tool. The only way to save money is to not spend it! Therefore, the number one rule I had for myself was not to withdraw from my PayPal account until I had reached my set goal! I can’t possibly use all of the apps that are available out there, so I chose the top three apps that I felt would allow me to earn the most and pay me directly through PayPal. The apps I chose were Ibotta, Shopmium and Receipt Hog. Having a set goal helped me to remember to scan all of my receipts for Receipt Hog, match up deals with Ibotta and Shopmium, and transfer any earnings to PayPal. I set a goal of at least $20 before transferring my earnings into my PayPal account. Also, the great thing about PayPal is that I can transfer directly into my checking account! I have the PayPal app loaded on my phone and love to watch the balance increase as I earn money!

Ibotta

This app requires specific purchases and you must scan the item and the receipt. Check frequently for updates resulting in smoother transactions. Link to PayPal for quick payouts. To date, I’ve earned $147.50 from Ibotta! That’s not bad for buying items I intend to purchase anyway!

Tips

  • Check daily for new deals.
  • Remember to scan the item to make sure it matches the offer. I learned this the hard way by purchasing an item because it looked like the picture, but when I got home, the item didn’t match.
  • Multiple rewards can trigger additional offers.
  • Credit received for inviting friends.
  • If you require the money immediately, you can cash out as soon as you earn $5!

Shopmium

This is one of the newest apps that I use, but my earnings have been slower than use with the other apps. This app deposits directly into my PayPal account as the money is earned! Some of the offers are ones that I don’t really use, so I’ve had to be creative to make money. For instance, Smucker’s Fruit Spreads was on the list of offers one week. Looking at the offer initially, I assumed it meant spreads and not jellies (we love grape jelly at my house), but after passing over this offer several times, I decided to scan the grape jelly anyway to determine if it was included in the offer. It was! Score for me! Tips

  • Check offers frequently to see if coupons and sales have combined to make a great offer!
  • Don’t hesitate to scan items to see if they apply, and be sure to read the fine print of the offer.
  • Don’t buy items you really don’t need just to get the cash—that’s not smart shopping!

Receipt Hog

This has to be the easiest app by far! After mastering the fine technique of taking an acceptable picture of my receipt, I’ve become diligent in remembering to scan each receipt into my app. My husband also saves receipts for any of his purchases so that I can scan them as well. A great way to remember to use this app is to scan before filing the receipt, processing a rebate, or doing a return. My favorite part of Receipt Hog is the slot machine game you get to play after your receipt is accepted! That’s the highlight of my shopping day! Tips

  • Each receipt’s qualifying value is determined by the amount of the receipt. For example, less than $10 = 5 coins, $10-$50 = 10 coins, etc.
  • You may upload 20 receipts within a 7 day period.
  • You may only upload 3 receipts from the same store on the same transaction date.
  • Receipt Hog is also a great way to review the amount of money you have spent for the week since you can review your receipts!
  • Earn extra points by clicking on rewards by taking store surveys, scanning products and inviting friends!

This is a guest post by Tammy from St. Pauls, NC.

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