(post contains referral links see disclosure)
I love point programs. Before I had a blog, I earned 600 dollars with point programs in one year, that is $50 a month with very few referral credits, plus I enjoyed a great selection of free magazines and various other products.
I also didn’t spend a lot of time on different sites. Instead, I did the simple point earning opportunities at every site only and watched the points add up. I might have only earned $10 to $100 per site over the course of the year but when you added up what I earned from every company combined it equaled $600 or $50 a month, which was a great blessing to our one income budget.
Since I started my blog, several point programs and survey companies have come onto the scene, and I now think it is possible to earn double what I was earning.
Even today with a blog, I am always on the look out for new point programs that I can add to my point income stream. To me, a program has to be simple and not time-consuming. The payouts have to be for things that will help my family, like gift cards, PayPal cash or a few mom sanity treats like magazines and coffee that might not fit into our budget otherwise.
When I find a new source, I love sharing them with my readers so that you too can add to your families income through point reward programs or use them to fuel a personal passion of yours that just doesn’t quite fit in your families current budget.
If you know of a great program, I need to try out email me at snailpacetransformations at gmail dot com.
I have divided the point earning programs into five categories
- Survey Reward Programs
- Rebate Reward Programs
- Smartphone App based companies
- Companies Offering Multiple Ways To Earn Points
- Store And Brand Reward Programs
There are lots of options to choose from, and the list will continue to grow as I add more. I suggest pinning this list so that you can refer back to it from time to time and see if I have added new ones or if you want to sign up for more than you did the first time you read the list.
For Amazon gift card lovers here is a list of the six fastest reward programs for earning Amazon gift cards.
For Paypal cash gift card lovers here is a list of 12 websites and apps where you can cash in for Paypal cash.
Love Starbucks? Here is a list of 8 places where you can earn Starbucks gift cards- plus how to make them go further.
Here are more details about the 3 survey companies listed below
Survey Companies
These survey sites listed below have several payment options, a few different ways to earn points beyond surveys and low cash out thresholds.
- Mintvine Now Called Branded
- PaidviewPoint
- PrizeRebel (also listed in the multi ways to earn category but it still is a primarily survey site)
A survey site that is exclusively surveys but that offers a great variety of surveys, low cashout thresholds and fast delivery of those cashouts is Survey Junkie.
App-Driven Companies
Several of these apps can be used at my favorite low-cost grocery store–ALDI
1. Receipt Hog
Simply upload a receipt by taking a picture of it with your smartphone or tablet and watch your points and spins add up. There are lots of stores that qualify including Aldi. Read my full tutorial on Receipt Hog here.
Earn free spins when you use my referral code YECT1667 when signing up
2. Ibotta
The Ibotta app gives you rebates when you complete various tasks for a product in the app and then take a picture of the receipt of purchase for the product you chose at the store you chose and upload it to the app. You can start your account off with a $2 bonus when you sign up for Ibotta through the links here, then download the app and complete a rebate within ten days. Ibotta pays out at the $5 threshold with Paypal cards or a small selection of gift cards at either $5 or $10 payout values.
Here is my step by step guide on how to use Ibotta.
3. Shopkick
Shopkick is the app that pays you to browse. You don’t have to purchase anything to earn gift cards through the Shopkick app. You simply sign in when you enter select stores and earn kicks just for entering in the store and/or by scanning select products while you shop.
See my tutorial a Step by Step Guide To Shopkick for more details
4. Checkout 51
Checkout 51 isn’t a point earning program but instead a rebate program. You upload your grocery receipts in the app to receive rebates on certain items that are offered with rebates that week. Once your rebate total reaches $20, you can ask for a check to be sent in the mail to you.
See my tutorial on Checkout 51 for complete details.
5. GetUpside
GetUpside is an app that gives you cash back when you get gas. In our area my family is able to use this app at several different gas stations, saving anywhere from 1 cent per gallon to as much as 10 cents per gallon
The GetUpside app is simple to use; it takes less than a minute to find a gas station, claim the offer, and then enter the information needed to start processing the cash back. Generally it takes less than 24 hours to receive your cash back in the “Cash Out” area of the app. You can opt to receive your cash out through PayPal, a mailed check, or a gift card (starting at $10).
Use my referral code YG5ZB during sign up and you will receive a one-time 15¢/gal bonus. Go here to sign up for GetUpside.
6. Fetch Rewards
Fetch Reward offers points when you buy one or more products made by a brand on their list of over 150. Simply scan your receipt and fetch your reward. Enter my referral code RE9U and receive 1500 points when you complete one receipt
Rebate Programs
Online rebate programs work by giving you links to certain stores that when you use them, you will receive a certain percentage of the sale back in the form of cashback. My suggestion is to sign up for a few different programs and be sure to check out the offerings from site to site before you shop as the discounts can vary.
1. Ebates
Ebates contains thousands of coupon, promo codes, and discounts. Ebates offers payouts four times a year, your account must have a total of $5.01 to qualify for a payout excluding bonus rewards (such as friend referrals). You can get your payment by check or by PayPal.
2. Top CashBack
Top Cashback offers higher cashback rates than most rebate companies. There is no minimum payment threshold with Top Cashback. Payment is made through either direct deposit or Paypal, or you can get an ext 2.5% when you choose an Amazon gift card code for your form of payment. Their list contains over 3,200 online stores.
3. MrRebates
MrRebates has a website, app and Chrome extension button making earning a cashback simple. You can request a cash back once your account hits $10. They offer cash back at thousands of stores.
Programs Where You Earn Points For Multiple Actions
Here is my top 4 list of websites for earning cash in your spare time.
1. PrizeRebel
Prize Rebel offers a good mix of ways to earn gift cards and delivers those gift cards to your email inbox in around 24 hours. Their cash out level is low meaning you don’t have to wait around forever to cash out, and they have a huge selection of gift cards to choose from. They also offer Paypal as a cash out option.
Here is my tutorial on the 9 ways to earn gift cards with Prize Rebel.
2. InboxDollars
You can earn Inbox Dollars through a variety of different ways including, paid to click through emails, surveys, watching videos, shopping online, games and more. My two favorite non time consuming ways to earn points at InboxDollars is by clicking through their emails and once a week taking a bit of time to let their paid video selection play as I am doing other mindless activities. You have to earn at least $30 or a payout which you can receive either as a traditional check or as an InboxDollars visa cash card. Visit my tutorial 10 Ways To Earn Cash With InboxDollars for more info on how InboxDollars works.
3. Swagbucks
Swagbucks pays you random points to search through their site. The best way to earn Swagbucks is to download their toolbar or make the site your home page so that you remember to enter all your searches through them.
$5 gift cards start at 450 points for an Amazon card, and you can easily earn at least one a month by doing nothing but entering all your searches through their site. Earn a few more by doing just a few additional point earning activities that will cost you just minutes a day.
I have written many a post on how to earn gift cards using Swagbucks here are the top 3
- 10 Simple Ways To Earn Gift Cards With Swagbucks
- How To Earn $30 A Month With Swagbucks in 5 Minutes a Day
- 10 Ways To Maximize Your Swagbucks Earnings (earn enough Swagbucks in a year to pay for Christmas)
***please note that Swagbucks, as well as many other companies on this list, are continually changing point values as well as options to earn points, so these point earning guides of mine do become somewhat outdated BUT they do give you a good idea of how to earn maximum points in minimum time.
4. MyPoints
Get points by shopping on line through Mypoints. You don’t have to shop though; you can also earn points by clicking the emails they send you, answering survey’s, printing coupons, downloading their search bar and much more.
How much you earn depends on how many things you do. $10 gift cards to various restaurants and stores start at 1600 points.
Here is the tutorial I wrote on the 7 different ways to earn with MyPoints.
5. Recycle Bank
This program pays you to learn about environmental actions you can perform in your everyday life. What you earn depends on what actions you can take part in.
Payment is in the form of either high-value coupons and discounts, to free magazines, and if you a high-income earner even gift cards.
Recycle Bank is where I get a lot of my free magazines.
6. instaGC
I recently joined instaGC and love the fact that they offer instant gift card codes. That is right, no waiting for your gift card. I also like that you can cash out at just 100 points for a $1 gift card code, and reaching 100 points isn’t that hard.
Here is my tutorial on instaGC: My Favorite Ways To Earn With InstaGC
Store And Brand Reward Programs
I use many of these brand reward programs to collect free photo book codes.
1. Kellogg’s Family Rewards
Kellogg’s Family Rewards is a brand loyalty program that gives you points when you purchase Kellogg’s products and upload the receipt to the website. You can also register your store loyalty cards and then your points will be automatically added for you. I get most of my points from free codes found over at Money Saving Mom. You can cash your points in for prizes like gift cards, free Shutterfly album codes and more.
2. Pampers Rewards
Okay so obviously since I have teenagers I don’t use this program personally, but I have heard so many good things about it I wanted to share it here for those of you with younger children. Points can be found on boxes of Pampers wipes and diapers and entered at the Pampers Rewards website. The program also offers bonus free points from time to time which Money Saving Mom lists.
3. My Starbucks Rewards
Starbucks is my office away from home. I have many tips and tricks to keep the cost of Starbucks low, but the My Starbucks Rewards program is my favorite way.
4. My Reader Rewards
My Reader Rewards does not reward with gift cards but instead with free books, devotionals, and bibles. When you first sign up head to the earn points tab and when you add in your birthday, complete a few short surveys, sign up for a devotional and share the site to your Facebook or Twitter. These actions could earn your first free book within the first 48 hours of signing up (depending on what book you set your goal on they start at 35 points and go up to 250 points or more)
Here is a post I wrote on how to earn a free book within minutes of signing up for My Reader Rewards which was once called Tyndale Rewards.
I am always on the lookout for more point earning programs and when I find one that I think is worth the time and effort I will share them here, so be sure to pin this page and refer to it from time to time.
Interested in saving money as well as earning it? Check out my Money Saving Tips page with all the links to all my money saving posts.
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