Moms-to-be can save money and get some freebies along the way!
As a new mom who is likely in the middle of the pre-baby financial planning stages, we know that your main focus may be on saving money, investing money and planning for your child’s future. However, as a mom-to-be, you’ve got a lot of purchases to make that are absolutely necessary for your child’s comfort and well being, as well as for your own peace of mind.
We know these upcoming purchases are unavoidable and we want to help make sure you not only get the best possible deals, but also get some cash back (and maybe some freebies) along the way.
Here’s our 7 favorite websites to use for cash back shopping, all of which have been hand-verified to be safe and legitimate, and all of which are completely free to use.
1. Swagbucks
(Cash back | Free Gift Cards | Coupons)
We encourage new moms to make use of all the services in this article to maximize their potential but if you only sign up with just one of these companies, it should probably be Swagbucks. They’re based out of California and, to date, have given almost half a billion dollars in cash back and gift cards. Their unique coupons have saved others many more millions along the way.
They have a huge selection of cash back shopping available anywhere from Best Buy to eBay. They also have many other discounts and coupons available that are unique to Swagbucks, and you’re still eligible for cash back with these discounts. As of today, they’ve got over 30 deals alone with BuyBuyBABY that include everything from 20% off + 2% cash back on up to $150 off Graco strollers + 2% cash back.
As an added bonus, Swagbucks also lets you earn free gift cards from large retailers such as Amazon, WalMart, and even Paypal by participating in paid surveys, watching ads, and even playing games!
2. Rakuten
(Cash back | Unique Sales)
When it comes to cash back shopping, Rakuten is one of the biggest names in the industry. They’ve got over 2,500 online retailers in their network; Kohls, Target, eBay, Nike, Overstock, Disney and just about any other online store you can think of are all part of the Rakuten network.
Their cash back can be as much as 40% from some of their retailers. They also have daily sales where they offer up to 50% off from their retailers while still providing 7%-10% cash back during the sale.
They have an easy-to-use app that you can load up before you buy anything online to see if there’s cash back available. They also have a browser extension that will automatically notify you if you’re on a website that’s part of the Rakuten network. Once you’ve reached a certain balance, you can cash out and they’ll send a check in the mail!
3. TopCashback
(Cashback)
An emerging player in the game of online cash back shopping, TopCashback still boasts an impressive membership size of over 11,000,000 shoppers using their platform. They have a little over 4,000 merchants in their network that you can earn cash back from buying the things you were already planning on purchasing.
Like Rakuten, they too have an app and a browser extension which makes finding merchants in their network super easy. Unlike Rakuten, TopCashback has 14 different ways to cash out on your earnings. Their payout options range from direct deposit and PayPal to Amazon and American express gift cards.
4. Ibotta
(Cashback | In-store Cashback)
Despite having a much smaller network of participating retailers, Ibotta is still a major player in the world of online cash back shopping. Many of the 150 or so shops that participate in Ibotta are unique only to Ibotta. Additionally, the Ibotta app lets you earn cash back from in-store, in-person shopping at some major retailers that include Walmart, Target, Dominos, and Home Depot.
How does Ibotta track in-store shopping? They do this one of three ways. First, you can link a debit or credit card to your Ibotta app and then pay with the app using the store’s point of sale terminal. Second, you can link your store’s loyalty program to the Ibotta app. Or, finally, you can simply submit a copy of your receipt. It’s very simple and submitting receipts makes it so easy.
5. Checkout 51
(Cash back | In-store Cash back)
Like the other services we’ve listed so far, Checkout 51 has a great selection of nationwide retailers that you were probably going to buy from anyways. Their service is unique in two ways. First, you can get cash back for putting gas in your car by using one of 5,000 gas stations in their network.
Second is the way that they track your purchases. You download their app, sign up, and when you’re ready to shop you take a look at the offers section in the app. Whenever you go to the store, check off items in the app as you load them into your cart and when you’re done shopping simply submit your receipt in the app to get credit for your purchases. Cash out once you’ve earned $20 and they’ll mail you a check.
6. Wikibuy
(Cash back | Coupons)
We love wikibuy because they add a unique twist to the idea of getting paid for buying stuff you had already planned on purchasing. Like other cashback industry players they have got a network of retailers you can shop at to earn cash back. Their unique twist lets you seek out item-specific deals, and not just store-specific deals. For example, if you needed to buy anything from a new printer to a 1lb bag of yeast, you can look in their network for deals and cash back offers specific to those items.
Another cool twist is that their network includes local retailers. So you could potentially be earning cash back from shopping at that nice little boutique shop by your work, or for eating tacos at the place by your house. To top it off they’ve got great discounts that are only unique to their service.
7. BeFrugal
(Cashback)
Having opened their website over a decade ago, BeFrugal is still going stronger now than ever before. Their network of retailers has grown to include over 5,000 of some of the biggest names in shopping from Groupon, Target, JCPenney, Home Depot, and almost anywhere else that you can imagine.
They’ve got two great features; First, their payout methods include Paypal, Venmo, and direct deposit. Second, they offer a cash back guarantee. If you make a purchase through BeFrugal and later see a competing site, like one listed in this list, offering a higher cash back deal then BeFrugal will credit your account for the difference. They truly go above and beyond to stay competitive in this industry.
Earning cash back for shopping online is super easy to do, every single service listed here is free to join, and it’s safe to say that you were already going to be shopping at some of these retailers anyways. You’ve got no reason not to get started today. You can save money on any upcoming baby purchases and earn cash back for doing so. It’s a win-win situation for everyone!
Other blogs in the "Financial Planning for Parents" series:
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