Recently we chatted about some great apps to save you money while you shop. I wanted to take a deeper dive into one of the apps: the Ibotta app.
Our team has been testing this app over the past year as we did our typical weekly grocery and household-related purchases. Since we started we have saved/earned over $600. It’s been a very easy app to use and now has become my first stop to double-check that I’m not paying full price for any item.
What is Ibotta?
Ibotta is an app that you use for couponing and gives you cash back on items you’re already purchasing at your favorite stores including grocery stores, food delivery, movie and concert tickets, and more. Some of the most popular retailers you can find deals with through Ibotta are CVS, Walgreens, Target, Lowe’s, Petco, Domino’s Pizza, REI and over 1500 brands and retailers.
Copy code to insert into the Referral code box on Ibotta “Create account” page:
How to use Ibotta
Scan Receipts
Don’t throw out those receipts! A very easy way to use Ibotta is to scan your receipts right into the app. Some tips from our testing:
- Before you do any shopping, do a quick search to see if there is any discount available through Ibotta. Search for the offers in the app under the specific store. You can use the top search bar and either search for the specific store (i.e. “Target” or “CVS”) to see what offers are available or you can search for a specific item and see which stores the offer exists in.
- Before you scan your receipt, be sure to find the item you want and click the “+” button next to the item to add them to your Ibotta list. They need to be added first to this list before you scan your receipt.
- Look for offer details regarding offer limits and expiration dates. Ibotta will accept receipts up to a week old.
- Cash will be added to your account within 48 hours
- Check the offer, but you may try buying the smallest size of an item to get the most cashback. One of Ibotta’s rules is that there needs to be one rebate offer per receipt. If there is no limit to the number of times you can redeem the rebate, you may want to split the transactions so that they are on separate receipts. Go ahead and try it out.
- Bonuses
If you click the “Bonsues” button at the bottom of your app screen, you’ll see you can earn extra cashback for completing specific offer redemptions. At the time of writing this article, a few of the Bonuses included:
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- $10 for redeeming 16 offers
- $1.00 for being a “Weekend Warrior” and redeeming 10 offers within the app
- $1.00 when you redeem 2 Revlon offers
- Freebies
If you scroll to the bottom of the app, you’ll see a section called “Special Deals”. If you scroll, you’ll see a panel called “Free made easy: All free offers all in one place”.
Click the panel and on the next screen, you’ll see the many offers. Pay attention to the details – especially which stores the offer is valid in. Also, note in some cases the offer is “BOGO”: buy one get one free where you need to buy 2 products to qualify for the deal. Having been testing this over the past year, pay attention to this area around some key times during the year where there will be some great freebies around Back to School, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and July 4 to name a few.
Copy code to insert into the Referral code box on Ibotta “Create account” page:
Automatic money back from purchasing products through Ibotta (app or website)
Another way to earn money is if you search for the store within Ibotta. Stores include Walmart, Amazon, Costco and tons more. Once you find the offer, click the link in Ibotta to bring you to the store’s website to purchase the offer. Offers range from 1% per dollar up to 50% off.
Copy code to insert into the Referral code box on Ibotta “Create account” page:
How to cash out of the Ibotta app
Once you have a balance of over $20, you can redeem your cash into your Paypal or Venmo accounts or convert it into a gift card through Ibotta.
Copy code to insert into the Referral code box on Ibotta “Create account” page:
How to buy gift cards in the Ibotta app …and earn money doing it!
Ibotta is a wonderful app that allows you to earn cash back at some of your favorite stores like Target, Starbucks, Lowe’s, and over 1,500 other retailers. They include rewards for grocery stores, food delivery, movie and concert tickets, and more. Once you buy the gift card for your loved one, you’ll instantly receive cashback in your Ibotta account. Here’s how to purchase gift cards for others in the Ibotta app:
- Under the “shop by category” section, go to Gift Cards on the Ibotta app home screen and search or browse retailers by an assortment of categories including “nearby”, “clothing”, coffee and tea”, “electronics”, “health and beauty” and more.
- Choose the store you want and select the buy gift card option. You’ll note the % back you’ll be receiving once you purchase the gift card. As you see in the example below, if you purchase an Old Navy gift card, you’ll receive 7% back. Some cards you can receive as much as 20% back.
- Enter the amount you want to put on the gift card.
- Toggle This is a gift to send the card to your loved one once you buy it via email or text message (they do not need the Ibotta app in order to use the gift card)
- Instantly find cash back within your Ibotta account once your purchase is complete.
Copy the code to insert into the Referral code box on Ibotta “Create account” page: mpiaurm.
Have you used the Ibotta app? Comment below with any great tips.