Do you use Rebate apps in conjunction with Grocery Shops?

Are rebate apps like Ibotta worth the time and effort to earn more from grocery shops? Has anyone done or looked into this? Feel free to remove if too far off topic.

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Absolutely. I also submit my receipts to Fetch (and about 6 other apps) to get points. I just did several pick-up grocery shops. When I placed my order, I carefully selected products that had cash back and that I would use. Now, if you use Ibotta and shop through Walmart, you can have your cash back turned into Walmart Cash. You can use that at Walmart and, I think, Sam's Club, too.

What other apps if you don’t mind me asking?

I've tried several times, but those apps don't seem to work for the food that I eat. And I really don't buy anything but food at grocery stores. I don't eat things from boxes and precious few cans (mostly just tomatoes). Doesn't make all the extra nonsense posting my receipts all over worth the time or the energy.

@alucegoose wrote:

What other apps if you don’t mind me asking?

Fetch, Receipt Pal, Receipt Hog, Coin Out, and Receipt Jar. I've been saving up to cash out at the end of the year. My issue is that a couple of them have adjusted the timeframe on when you have to submit receipts; they seem to change it on a whim and without warning. It is best to scan the receipts the day you get them. I find it hard to do with everything going on. Still, when I cash out at the end of the year, I should have a combined total of points that will earn me around $400 in gift cards. I'll probably get some that I will use, and the others I'll sell online.

I also use Ibotta, Rakuten, and Mr. Rebates. I've got over $100 built up on Ibotta from since about May. I've already gotten $200 from Rakuten this year (thanks to buying a new HP computer!).

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/10/2023 07:16PM by ServiceAward.

Try Microsoft Start, Pogo and Merryfield, too, if you're interested in receipt apps.

I just use fetch. every receipt gives you points and if you look at what the deals are for the month, sometimes those can add up really fast. Like there was one for english muffins worth 2,000 points if you bought 2 packs and then there was dove body wash that was 3,000 points. It adds up. I use my points for days where I can't find a free meal. I use the points to get gift cards for panera or other food places. Just beware, the gift cards take a few days to process so you can't just immediately get one on the fly. Well worth it.

I might try another one of the suggestions above but it is alot to manage for me.

@alaskathryn wrote:

Try Microsoft Start, Pogo and Merryfield, too, if you're interested in receipt apps.

I've not heard of these, but I will be checking them out! Thank you.

I used to do all the small receipt apps, but most are only a few cents for each receipt, which became too tedious for me. The only one I do consistently is Amazon Shopper Panel, which pays $1 per receipt, with a max of $10 per month. There might be a wait list for it, I can't remember.

Ibotta, Fetch, and Shopkick are more like rebate apps, and I do those often, when they have good deals.

For instance, right now Kroger has Arm & Hammer detergent 100 oz B1G1 free at $10.49, and Ibotta has a $4 back rebate limit of 5, which makes each bottle $1.25 before tax, or .0125 cents/oz, which is an incredible bargain

There are quite a few Youtubers who go through all the apps/sales each week and post the best deals. I usually watch Ohio Valley Couponer before I head to a store, as he primarily does Walmart/Kroger/Target, and his videos are really easy to follow.

@ServiceAward wrote:

Still, when I cash out at the end of the year,

Careful with stockpiling rewards on these types of apps. If there is an issue with the app, or if they lock your account for some reason, you may lose them. If there is no benefit to saving them (like a better conversion rate for using more points), it's best to cash out frequently.

I had it happen to me on Swagbucks a few years back, and I have read about it happening to others.[/quote]

Indeed, it is a risk. I'm not out any money though, just my time. Yes, I am aiming for a better deal on the points. I am very close. I may be there by Christmas and can cash out then.

I use Fetch, Receipt Hog, and Amazon Shopper Panel.

Thanks to all who have responded. I checked it out and I am not prepared to invest the time needed to learn and apply all the details and complexity to get rewards.

Fetch is the easiest. You just scan it. No need to buy specific items. If something matches for a bonus, great.

I have $662 lifetime earnings from Ibotta. That requires more work, but if you shop grocery stores a lot, it can be worth it.

@jgardn02 wrote:

Thanks to all who have responded. I checked it out and I am not prepared to invest the time needed to learn and apply all the details and complexity to get rewards.

Just try one. I agree that fetch is probably the easiest. I save my receipts and at the end of the week or even just when I have a few minutes, I just scan them. Each receipt is 25 points regardless of what you buy. That is how I started. Then you can get deeper into it and learn how to earn more points by purchasing certain products but you don't have to dive into that part right away. One day you will just scan a receipt and see oh wow, I got 2,000 points and that is when it starts to click. I just cashed in all of my points for food gift cards. I use them as I do my jobs on the weekends if I can't find a reimbursed meal to do as a job. Hate to spend money while I am making money so this was a great supplement.

100%. I’ve made $1,990 back on just Ibotta!! Let alone Fetch And many others. I don’t do the grocery shops, but just my general shopping makes me money!

I've got to start investigating these things. Currently I am registered with all of the retail places I shop with their rewards program. I got some decent freebies through mystery shopping and when I bought things for the place where I worked back in the day.

I've made over 2k back on Ibotta since downloading it 5 years ago. Now, some stores like CVS and Walmart will let you know if you forgot to claim an offer, which is a no brainer if you are already shopping. I also use Rakuteb for online shopping which is super easy and a no brainer. We bought a TV from Sam's Club shipped for Black Friday and earned $200 back. Fetch pissed me off because they took my earnings without telling me I needed to scan a receipt in a certain time frame (6 months I think). And I had a lot of earnings. This was back when the app was first made but I didn't like that they didn't even inform me that my points were about to expire.

I finally signed up with Fetch. It is easy. You just scan receipts.

With Ibotta it looks like you have to select the products you are going to buy, and then scan your receipt (twice the work is a deal breaker for me).

I have reservations about linking my online accounts (Walmart, etc) to these guys....anyone else?

If you link Walmart and CVS to Ibotta, you will get an email after your purchase offering to claim rebates you missed to mark prior to shopping. I haven't had any issues linking my reward accounts.

As mentioned, I started scanning receipts into Fetch. My question for the forum: How do you scan digital receipts from pickup shops? I tried shrinking to one page, but Fetch does not recognize.

@ServiceAward wrote:

@alucegoose wrote:

What other apps if you don’t mind me asking?

Fetch, Receipt Pal, Receipt Hog, Coin Out, and Receipt Jar. I've been saving up to cash out at the end of the year. My issue is that a couple of them have adjusted the timeframe on when you have to submit receipts; they seem to change it on a whim and without warning. It is best to scan the receipts the day you get them. I find it hard to do with everything going on. Still, when I cash out at the end of the year, I should have a combined total of points that will earn me around $400 in gift cards. I'll probably get some that I will use, and the others I'll sell online.

I also use Ibotta, Rakuten, and Mr. Rebates. I've got over $100 built up on Ibotta from since about May. I've already gotten $200 from Rakuten this year (thanks to buying a new HP computer!).

I'd probably cash out sooner. It would suck if one of them went under and you lost all that work.

Yep there's an app called Drop that used to be reliable but no one has been able to cash out their rewards (its all over their review page and on a reddit page as well).
I generally like to cash out when I'm at about $25, but some apps I'll cash out at $5 or $10.

@olympia tennenbaum wrote:

@ServiceAward wrote:

@alucegoose wrote:

What other apps if you don’t mind me asking?

Fetch, Receipt Pal, Receipt Hog, Coin Out, and Receipt Jar. I've been saving up to cash out at the end of the year. My issue is that a couple of them have adjusted the timeframe on when you have to submit receipts; they seem to change it on a whim and without warning. It is best to scan the receipts the day you get them. I find it hard to do with everything going on. Still, when I cash out at the end of the year, I should have a combined total of points that will earn me around $400 in gift cards. I'll probably get some that I will use, and the others I'll sell online.

I also use Ibotta, Rakuten, and Mr. Rebates. I've got over $100 built up on Ibotta from since about May. I've already gotten $200 from Rakuten this year (thanks to buying a new HP computer!).

I'd probably cash out sooner. It would suck if one of them went under and you lost all that work.

I used to do Fetch- then they increased the number of points to get rewards. I quit doing it- too much work for too little rewards would take me years to get anything. They got cheap- once the referral bonus was more- and the points to earn rewards was lower- once they changed it I said adios- my time is worth more than their stupid points.

I gave it a try and I agree with SueW70 completely. My receipts have accumulated less than a third of the Fetch points needed for the smallest ($5) Fetch rewards....and there is always the possibility of losing points or devaluated points.

My household has had a rough month for shopping purposes. Cars needed new tires and some repairs, and my son and I have both had the flu.
I started playing some of the games on Fetch and some of the other apps and some of the points added up quite nicely. I usually find a game that I can turn on and put on "auto" spin or something while I'm doing other tasks. I wound up making about $100 between Fetch, Pogo and Swagbucks apps. I try to cash out to paypal but for Fetch points, I used Advance Auto which is still pretty aligned with the $$ amount (I think 51,000 pts for $50 gift card) and has been useful with the abovementioned car repairs. Advance Auto also has their own points system and it doubles up with points at Shell gas stations.

@jgardn02 wrote:

I gave it a try and I agree with SueW70 completely. My receipts have accumulated less than a third of the Fetch points needed for the smallest ($5) Fetch rewards....and there is always the possibility of losing points or devaluated points.

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