A New Years resolution you can keep!

Happy 2016! We all make resolutions in January and truly hope to keep them but let's be honest, most we don't.  (Well I don't)  So how about an easy one like "I will make extra money with....." and fill in the blank with any website or app that I have already given you or pick this weeks!  Easy peasy!  By all means, feel free to use them all but if you feel that is too time consuming, just pick one and see how much money you can rack up by the end of 2016!

This week I'm going to tell you about my favorite rebate app, Ibotta.

I started using this app in January 2015 and have gotten back a total of $183.55 so far!

What I love about this app is that it has rebates for EVERYTHING, not just groceries.  Everything meaning, clothing, pets, movie theaters, bars and restaurants, beauty and more!  For example, I had to restock at Sephora this past week and they had a $10 rebate on a $100 purchase that I took advantage of.  If you're spending the money anyway, why not take advantage of it?

The other thing I love about this app is that when you shop at a grocery or drug store for alcohol, they have rebates for that too! They have vodkas, whiskeys, and wines!  I haven't seen any other rebate apps that cover booze!

It's simple to use, you just pick your store, unlock the rebates by getting recipes, info or watching short videos (30 seconds or less) then go shopping.

Some stores use your frequent shopper card, others you have to take pictures of your receipt or for Walmart, you just scan the QR code on your receipt and they will post the money to your account within 24 hours.  You can cash out when you have a minimum of $20 via PayPal or Venmo or you can turn your cash into gift cards.

They also have bonuses every month.  There are several different types.  One is, if you connect your Facebook account, any Facebook friends that use Ibotta will be your "teammates" and if you reach your monthly goal and the "team" does too, you get extra money.

Another way is if a company has multiple products listed and you purchase all of them, you'll get a bonus.  For example, Rubbermaid has TakeAlongs and a Party Platter rebate.  If you redeem both, you get an extra $.50.

The final example of a bonus is if you redeem a certain number of rebates in a specific time frame, you get a bonus.  Currently they have one that will give you an extra $6 if you redeem 18 rebates by 1/7/16.  Again, if you were already going to buy these items, getting an extra $6 is awesome!

I especially use this app for products that I know I will need.  If there are laundry detergent, toilet paper or paper towel rebates, I will purchase those products whether I need them at the moment or not because I know they will get used eventually and it's always better to buy them when you are getting a deal! (In my mind anyway, I love getting deals!)

This app is definitely the best app of the four that I use (I've gotten the most cash back with them) so you should at least check it out and give it a try!  You can download the app from the either of the app stores for free or use http://ibotta.com/r/oilgygh and you'll get an extra $5 when you redeem your first rebate! (They have a $10 promo running but I don't know when that ends!)

Happy shopping in 2016!