In this episode, I cover some of my favorite hacks for discounts and cash back on purchases. www.bemovingforward.com.
Moving Forward is also available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music.
Getting the most out of your online purchases
I’m all about getting the most value for my dollar. Sometimes, I can get obsessive about it. If it weren’t for the fact that I can’t stand newspaper print, I would be the type to spend Sunday afternoons clipping coupons.
Fortunately, it’s a lot easier to maximize your savings and even earn cash back for online shopping.
Credit card
Start with the purchase power source for your shopping. Credit cards offer a variety of rewards, including airline points and cashback. Depending on what is most beneficial for your needs and lifestyle, you can find a credit card that can provide a reward that will reward your purchases.
Rakuten
Rakuten (formerly eBates) is one of my favorite sites for cashback. If you’re comfortable giving access to your purchase information, Rakuten will give you a percentage back on your purchases. As this accumulates, once you hit a certain threshold, Rakuten will send you a check. That’s it.
The tricky part is making sure you remember to turn it on or to link into a vendor through Rakuten in order to get the credit. If you use Chrome, you can download a plugin. Rakuten also has a mobile app.
You can sign up for an account for free. If you use my affiliate link, we’ll both get a bump from your first purchase.
Honey
If you’re like me, you also like to take advantage of the latest coupons and savings. In the old days, I’d search for coupon codes, copying and pasting each one, to see if they would work. Half the time they wouldn’t. Honey is a plugin and website that will automatically search for the latest coupon codes and apply them to see if you can save on your current purchase.
You can sign up for free. I have an affiliate link for while I receive a bonus if you’d like to sign up.
Other apps
Here are some others that will help you manage your receipts and give you points or rewards on things like restaurant reservations and purchases:
Receipt Hog: scan your receipts. I use this for organizing purchases but you can also earn “coins” on receipts which you can redeem for things like gift cards.
Starbucks App: I’m not much of a Starbucks guy but I had a ton of leftover gift cards that I received over the years. Rather than carry these with me, I loaded them all onto the app so I could have a wallet of credits which made it easier to redeem for coffee or other treats.
Target App: If you shop at Target, this one is great for finding the latest coupons and you can also store gift cards on there.
OpenTable: A website and mobile app that allows you to book reservations to many restaurants. For each reservation you book, you’ll earn points, which you can redeem for gift cards once you hit a certain threshold.
Restaurant apps: Check to see if your favorite restaurant has its own mobile app. Often you can pay for purchases quickly and/or earn rewards. You’ll also get free stuff or deep discounts on your birthday. Some of my favorites are below:
Maximizing your savings and earning on your purchases can cut down on those expenses plus give you extra cash that you can use to offset other purchases or invest. Today, it’s much easier to do and more accessible through a variety of tools and apps.
What I’m reading / read
Barbarians at the Gate: The Fall of RJR Nabisco by Bryan Burrough (****): a fascinating account of the RJR Nabisco takeover wars that took place during the 1990s. The book reads like a thriller and makes complex concepts behind leverage buyouts (LBOs) digestible and suspenseful. Highly recommend. It was also a great movie starring James Garner.
Books by John
Check out my Amazon author profile.
Support the Podcast
The Corporate Cliches Adult Coloring Book: makes the perfect stocking stuffer or white elephant gift.
Try out Audible (affiliate link).
Try out Amazon Prime (affiliate link).
Connect
Follow John on IG
Follow John on Goodreads
Comments