A Few Apps + Sites I Like to Save Money
Also see:
Ibotta: Get Cash Back When You Shop
Use Paribus to Get Money Back If There’s a Price Change
I’ve been posting these piecemeal but wanted to get them all on the same page.
Yep, save real money
As you guys know, I’ve been getting into FIRE (financial independence, retire early) and am try to cut costs wherever possible.
So I’ve been exploring new websites and apps beyond the usual points and miles stuff, and wanted to share them.
Ibotta
Link: Ibotta
Link: My Review of Ibotta
Love this app. There’s more on there than you’d imagine. I’ve only had the app for a couple of weeks and have already transferred $30 to my bank account for buying things I was going to buy anyway.
It was also kinda like turning over a rock and seeing a bunch of ants that you didn’t know were there. Cuz I found like 20 of my Facebook friends and no one ever told me about it.
So now I wanna tell you about it.
Ibotta is pretty fun
You select products you’re planning to buy anyway, and watch a short video, take a survey (it takes 5 seconds, literally), or answer a question. Then your discount is “unlocked.”
After that, you select your store, click “Redeem,” and take a picture of your receipt.
Ibotta then has 24 hours to put the money in your account. But they’ve gotten me my cash within a few hours, usually.
Lots of rebates on common household items, from lots of stores
Best of all, there are frequent bonuses to earn even more money. So they turn it into kind of a game.
I use it to buy things I need for my Airbnbs. And then I get the cash back via Venmo.
Real cash money in my bank account
Easy to use and really fun. I’m… kind of addicted.
Paribus
Link: Paribus
Link: My Review of Paribus
A service that scans your email for items you’ve bought, and then submits price adjustment requests for you when a price drops.
How Paribus works
Some people didn’t like the email scanning part of it (see comments on that link).
But I use a separate email for online shopping, so it doesn’t bother me. And I’ve already gotten a few bones back from them, too.
It’s all automated, so it happens without any action on my part. Can’t complain about getting easy money.
They send an email when you get cash back. Those are nice emails to get.
SaveUp
Link: SaveUp
Loving this. A site/app that turns saving money and paying down debt into a game of sorts.
They give you “credits” that you can use to win prizes. Who knows if you’ll ever actually win or not, but whatever. I love the positive vibe of the website. It encourages saving and bill payment, and it’s a fun little thing to do each day.
Enjoying the motivation as I move toward FIRE
I look forward to getting my credits and using my 5 plays per day, ha! I wouldn’t bet that I’ll ever win anything, but it’s free and… you never know.
A few of SaveUp’s prizes
Plus, it’s nice to feel motivated about saving and getting out of debt.
So what’s the downside? Exactly.
Bottom line
It’s always good to save a few bucks. Especially if it’s free or automated, like SaveUp or Paribus. And on stuff you’re gonna buy anyway.
Ibotta does require your engagement, but I rather like it. Plus, if you join through my link, you’ll be on my “team,” which could be fun. Just don’t judge how much beer I get each week. 
