Clippin' ain't easy..

In 2016 the average income for a single family home was between $34k to $35k; that average is based on an average household size of 5. Imagine this income with a household size greater than that… more like 11! I don’t know about you but that calls for saving literally every penny in any and every way possible. Welcome to my life; is it weird though – that I actually like saving? I couldn’t possibly be the only one in this world doing a change sweep under the cushions each week…. at least I would hope. Now that I think that through it sounds depressing; Eh, whatever.

I consider myself to be pretty resourceful, never afraid to look for answers but most importantly have always loved a good challenge. Since I am almost positive I am not the only one out there in this situation, I am going to share my routine with you. If you have followed any of my previous posts you might find some of this information repetitive however I assure you there will be things I neglected to share or might not have known at the time. Let’s get to it shall we?

Step one: Make your downtime count… literally!

If you find yourself with a little bit of extra time try taking surveys online. These are multi-benefit sites paying real cash, points for cash, gift cards and even airline/hotel miles. The most beneficial survey sites that I have succeeded with and highly recommend are InboxDollars, SwagBucks, Qwest Mindshare, eMiles, MyPoints, Bizrate and MySurvey. Check the Apps that Pay page for updated info on other opportunities as well as any updated information you won’t want to miss. Now, don’t be shy – take a look around – these sites are multi-beneficial for a reason; many times you get paid to try products, apply for credit, sign up for services etc. If this confuses you then sign up and just browse the site; I have collected extra cash applying with DoorDash, Uber, Uber eats, Lyft and much more. SwagBucks currently has a major sign up bonus’ for DoorDash, Lyft and Uber anywhere from 5000 to 205,000 SB points. Surveys and offers are updated often so be sure to check throughout the day, I find the most success in the early mornings and late at night.

Step 2: Shop smart

1 Scan your receipts, clip coupons and check for rebates when you shop. This might sound tedious and time consuming; this also is where my referrals usually get turned off, but when you see the bigger picture you’ll be grateful in the long run. I learned about some of these apps shortly after Christmas and wish I would have found them sooner because Christmas would have literally paid for itself; do you know how much 15+ people at Christmas costs? Trust me, you don’t want to know. My mother in law turned me on to Ebates which is a site that gives cash back for online shopping; I typically toggle between Ebates and SwagBucks to see who offers a better return. I highly recommend installing the Swag and Ebates buttons for the address bar, this will alert you as to what the cash back amount is, easily allow you to compare rebates as well as show any coupons available – this is great with Ebates because upon checkout it runs through all the coupons and applies it for you.

If you are shopping at Walmart (in store) be sure to utilize the Savings Catcher tool by scanning the QR code from your receipt within the Walmart mobile app; Walmart will check all advertised prices and if any deal beats theirs they credit you the difference plus tax and credited to a gift card which can be used at checkout through Walmart Pay. I managed to gather $37.61 using this feature so far

2 Use reward apps like Shopkick, Fetch Rewards and ReceiptPal to scan your grocery, convenience and club store receipts to earn points which can be redeemed for gift cards and cash. I recommend Fetch Rewards because the points add up quickly and they run bonus point specials on certain products which are usually updated on the home page weekly but both hold their own benefit. Receipt Pal is great for scanning all kinds of receipts – fill out the cards and earn pints, because you are limited on how many cards you get any additional receipts give you sweepstakes entries; on the plus side you are able to upload food, gas and department store receipts also. If you’re going to use the Fetch app add my referral code G1KAA and get a 2,000 point ($2.00) bonus after you scan your first receipt.

3 Consider using grocery rebate apps like iBotta and Checkout51; these apps are almost better than coupons! If you’re already using the receipt apps then this shouldn’t be a hassle. Cash back rebates are updated weekly and monthly and often include “any brand” rebates in which you can cash back for any item on your receipt. New users get $10 just for trying the iBotta app, what is there to lose really?

4 Speaking of coupons… Earn points with InboxDollars and SwagBucks by printing coupons through their web page; bonus.. get extra points for redeeming them. SwagBucks offers 1 SB for each coupon printed and 10 SB for those redeemed. Say whaaaaaaa? Save money, make money!

5 Don’t be afraid of cash games! Trivia, Scratch card, lotto and slot games could land you a little extra change. KO Trivia, CashShow, SwagIQ, Lucktastic, Panel App and Lucky Day are some of the few I use and have luck with. I’ll leave my referral codes for each which will give you extra lives and/or points. Cash Show: XCC4C4, SwagIQ: OhAshyB and Lucky Day: KHCB1VZ.

Step 3: May the luck be with you

Once you get used to a routine this doesn’t take up much of your time at all. It does however require patience and an open mind; I try to keep my earnings updated on the Apps page so you're able to see what is working and what isn't. I must say that I have turned many people on to these apps and they have surpassed me on earnings so there is a chance that you could be better at this than I am, lol. I sure hope you find this information useful; I welcome any and all feedback and if you’re needing help or clarification on any of these tips just send me a message.