Don't Throw Out Your Receipts ! Here Is How To Make Money From Them

Last updated on January 1st, 2020 at 12:17 pm

Stop throwing out your receipts! You are throwing cash in the garbage every time you do. Read on to find out how to make money from your receipts.

Don’t Throw Out Your Receipts! Here Is How To Make Money From Them

(Links in this post may be affiliate links. I will be compensated when you make a purchase by clicking those links. See my disclosure page for more information)

1. Use Apps To Earn Cash and Gift Cards

This tip works for more than just grocery store receipts! Using these apps won’t allow you to quit your day job, but little streams of income do add up. For instance, the Ibotta app, which is on this list, reports that the average consistent user of their app earns over $100 a year! If you can receive one hundred dollars in a year using one app regularly, imagine what you could make by using all nine apps I found.

Fetch Rewards

It is super simple to earn points using FetchRewards, just shop wherever you shop for groceries and when you are done, upload your receipt to FetchRewards. Within 24 hours (sometimes longer) you will receive points for your receipt. What you earn depends on what you bought and what their current offers are.

Go here to sign up for Fetch Rewards: Use my referral code RE9FU at sign-up and receive bonus points when you complete your first receipt.

Ibotta

Use Ibotta to collect cash back on groceries, clothing, pet supplies, home decor, entertainment and more. Chances are the stores where you shop work with Ibotta.

Once you sign up, click on the account icon. At the bottom, you will find “how to use Ibotta.” Click on it and you will see a tutorial explaining how and where you can use it.

Go here to sign up for Ibotta and then download the app.

Shopkick

You can earn more by purchasing specific products and uploading the receipt, but you don’t have to buy anything to collect gift cards through the Shopkick app. You can sign in when you enter select stores and earn kicks for entering the store and/or by scanning select products while you shop.

Go here to sign-up for Shopkick for iPhone

Go here to sign-up for Shopkick for Android

Swagbucks

The Swagbucks Answer app gives you 2 SB points for every grocery store and convenience store receipt you upload. One SB point is essentially worth a penny so getting 2 cents per receipt might not seem like much, but Swagbucks has over 20 ways to earn points and many of them are super simple. If you were to combine this way of earning SB points with a few others you should be able to receive a gift card or two a month through Swagbucks–and their selection of gift cards to choose from is enormous.

Go here to sign-up for Swagbucks and then download the Swagbucks answer app

Receipt Hog

This app is so simple to use. Upload a receipt by taking a picture of it with your smartphone and watch your points and spins add up in Receipt Hog. There are lots of stores that qualify. And it works at grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants, clothing stores and more.

Go here to sign up for Receipt Hog. Use the code YECT1667 during sign-up to earn free spins.

SavingStar

Earn cash back on your groceries with exclusive freebies, coupons, and significant savings on your favorite brands using SavingStar. You can link deals to your store loyalty cards, but you can also submit a picture of your receipt to earn money in your SavingStar account.

Go here to sign-up for SavingStar.

Checkout 51

Go here to sign-up for Checkout 51

CoinOut

CoinOut earns you cash back with almost any receipt/purchase. You can choose from three payment options (PayPal, Bank Deposit, or Amazon) and two of them have zero minimum earning amounts. There is a limit on how many receipts you can upload in a day, but the receipts can be a few days old before you upload them–which is a nice feature for us forgetful folks.

Go here to sign up for CoinOut and then download the app.

Makeena

Makeena is an app I am just starting to explore. It offers rebates on organic foods including many “any brand” offers that include items like milk, eggs, and various organic vegetables and brand specific deals.

Go here to sign up for Makeena and use my referral code TWNAVD during sign up to earn 1000 points (equals $1) once you upload your first receipt.

Here are those nine apps again with the links for you to sign up and get earning!

Fetch Rewards: Go here to sign up for Fetch Rewards: Use my referral code RE9FU at sign-up and receive bonus points when you complete your first receipt.
Ibotta: Go here to sign up for Ibotta and then download the app.
Shopkick: Go here to sign up for Shopkick if you have an iPhone. Go here to sign up for Shopkick if you have an Android-based phone.
Swagbucks Answer App: Go here to sign up for Swagbucks and then download the Swagbucks answer app.
Berrycart: Go here to sign up for BerryCart and then download the app.
Receipt Hog: Go here to sign up for Receipt Hog. Use the code YECT1667 during sign-up to earn free spins.
SavingStar: Go here to sign up for SavingStar.
CoinOut: Go here to sign up for CoinOut and then download the app.
Makeena: Go here to sign-up for Makeena and use my referral code TWNAVD during sign up to earn 1000 points (equals $1) once you upload your first receipt.

2. Use Your Restaurant Receipts To Earn Free Food Through Apps

More and more restaurants are offering frequent customers rewards through apps. Many allow you to upload receipts to earn points. Here is a list of over 50 different restaurant apps from fast food to fine dining that offer rewards for purchase.

3. Did You Buy A Certain Brand With A Rewards Program?

Some brands have rewards programs and when you upload a receipt that shows you purchased that brand, you get points that you can cash in for gift cards or other rewards. One such program is Kellogg’s Family Rewards.

4. Check The Bottom, Top Or Back Of Receipt For Coupons & Free Deals

Just yesterday I went into Dunkin’ Donuts to buy a half dozen donuts and at the bottom of the receipt was a code for an online survey. If I take the time to complete it, I will receive a validation code that I could write down and give the cashier the next time I visit to receive a free donut with a purchase of a medium or large beverage.

I then went to Ruler Foods to purchase some milk and at the bottom of that receipt is a code for a survey that if I complete online will enter me into a monthly sweepstakes for a $5000 gift card (that is a serious amount of groceries).

I will admit I don’t often take time to do these surveys–especially not the sweepstakes ones–but I will now and again fill one out for a free product with purchase if I regularly purchase the item anyways.

Other times I have found coupons for local retailers on the back of my receipt that have come in handy for things I was going to purchase anyway.

5. Use Your Receipts To Compare Prices With Online Stores

From time to time I will take my receipts from ALDI and Meijer and compare their prices with the prices of items available through the Amazon Subscribe and Save program. This is helping me save money on things such as running hydration tablets, deodorant, and vitamins.

6. Check For Mail-In Or Online Rebates And Use Your Receipt To Claim Them

Often when we shop at Menards there will be rebates on an item or on the entire receipt (their 11% off sale). At the place where we get our oil changed the brand of oil they use gives a $15 rebate–making it worth my time to claim it.

How do you find out if the item you are buying has a rebate? It might be written on the box, in the sales flyer for the store or the cashier may tell you about it. At some stores, there is a rebate bulletin found near the customer service area.

Do You Shop Online And Not In Store? Use These Browser Extensions To Save Money

If you shop online don’t forget that you can save money on your purchases there too through the use of these web extensions. I have been using them faithfully for months now and the savings are adding up to a tidy little sum!

No time to click over to the article? Here are the web extensions I use and the links to sign up for them.

Honey: Go here to sign up for Honey.
Ebates: Sign up for Ebates here
Mr. Rebates: Sign up for Mr. Rebates here.
Swagbucks: Sign up for Swagbucks here.

Once you have gone through these steps with your receipts, you can then throw them out–unless you need them for tax purposes, but that is another blog post.

For a list of 52 different websites, apps, and stores our thrifty family uses to help us keep our expenses low, click here to visit our Thrifty Tools Resource Page.

3 More Posts That Will Help You Save Money On Common Household Purchases

Available in paperback and Kindle on Amazon–get your copy here!

Get snail-e-mail in your inbox each week!

A weekly email with the feel of snail mail. A peek into my week, a few deals so good I just have to share, and links to all of Snail Pace Transformations latest posts!