Saving $$ While
Holiday Shopping

The most wonderful (and expensive) time of the year is here!
So I’m here to share how to get $200+ and even earn some cash back (:

Step 1 ~

Get a new 0% interest credit card that also gives you a sign up bonus. If you’re new to my blog, stick around because I love to talk about how I use my credit cards for cash back, free travel, free gift cards, points, and more!

A few card options with the benefits above plus NO annual fee:
(note, you must be a new card applicant for these bonuses)

  • Capital One Savor - This card quickly became my favorite every day card, and honestly I think this card is underrated. Not many people heard of this one! This card has 0%APR for 15 months, has a $200 sign up bonus, and earns 3% on dining, groceries, entertainment (like Disneyland!), streaming services (like Netflix!), and the 3% are not capped! Most cards only give 1-2 categories, so the fact this card has 4 categories and none of them are capped is unheard of! Capital One is also highly rated by customer reviews.

  • Chase Freedom Unlimited - This card also has a sign up bonus of $200, and 0%APR for 15 months. It has a one year 5% bonus on gas, 3% bonus on dining and drugstores, and 1.5% on everything else. Chase as a company is notorious for offering generous credit card perks, so it’s a great first card to dip your toes and learn about the rewards they offer.

  • Discover it - This card has a $50 sign up bonus (be sure to click my referral link for it), with 0%APR for 14 months, and double cash back on everything in your first year! Example, let’s say you earn $250 cash back from all your purchases in your first year. Discover will double it by matching $250 and bringing your total to $500! Plus, they have 5% on rotating categories every quarter. Discover is also known for having excellent customer service.

Step 2 ~

Get gift cards at a discount! Yep, you can get gift cards to your favorite stores, restaurants, and even airlines, at a reduced price which will save you hundreds and even thousands!

How?

Use an app called Raise. To-date I have saved about $450 from buying discounted gift cards! The discount will vary depending on what cards are available. So far, the best discount I scored was $100 gift card to Outback Steakhouse for only $20!! (This is with combining a promo code and collecting ‘Raise cash’ in the app)

Each gift card has a one year policy, so if for any reason the gift card does not work the way it’s supposed to, you can get a full refund with no problem! I have gone through the process myself, and they refunded me with no hassle.

And the perks don’t end there- you can also SELL a gift card! I don’t know about you, but every Christmas I get a gift card to a place that I never really shop at… and so it sits in my wallet for years. But now? I can sell it to someone else on Raise! Of course, you will not get the full value because the whole point of the app is for buyers to get gift cards at a discount, but hey it’s at least money you can use and not a gift card anymore!

Step 3 ~

Earn cash back while shopping! This mostly is an online shopping benefit, but now these apps and websites are slowly allowing more and more “in-store” cash back as well.

The only catch is you must activate the cash back before you purchase your items. To ensure that your cash back is activated, I highly suggest adding all of them as a browser extension on your computer.

Below are all the different apps/websites that I use:

  • Rakuten (used to be Ebates) - This was the first cash back site I have ever used! They mostly work with online shopping, but now offer in-store cash back, which you need to activate before shopping in person. Rakuten even includes travel brands for cash back! They pay out your accumulated cash back every quarter via Paypal.

  • BeFrugal - This site/app works almost identically to Rakuten, but the two of them don’t always have the same stores so it’s good to cross check between them. You can get paid in cash to your bank account, to Paypal, or with gift cards.

  • Inbox Dollars - This one is like a trifecta of cash back! They offer cash back on online shopping, on receipts (upload your receipt for extra cash), and even cash on taking surveys! I have seen as much as $25 for just one survey! One last perk? You even get residual cash back! How crazy is that?! Details are explained in their terms and conditions. Also use our referral link here for an additional sign up bonus!

  • Honey - This was originally only a browser extension, but recently came out with an app to work with smartphones. It mostly scans for the best price across the internet, and looks for promo codes for you to use while shopping online. But they also offer cash back too!

  • Coupert - This app/website works similar to Honey, by looking for promo codes and offering cash back on sites that are eligible.

  • iBotta - Although this app/website works mostly as a grocery receipt app, they also offer online cash back for shopping! So now you get perks for holiday shopping and grocery shopping in one app!

This last “step” is more so a piece of advice instead of a cash making method.
However, this could help you prevent getting your money stolen or even scammed online.

If you follow me on social media, you’ll know that I have previously talked about the importance of a VPN.
With the inevitable rise of online scams, it can be scary to browse safely online -
especially when using a public network WIFI at work, school, café, etc.
(watch my TikTok here where I cover VPNs and how to use it)

VPNs help keep you safe by hiding your real IP address (which is like a social security number for your computer). By masking it, your information is more protected. Especially since most of us access our bank accounts and shop online using our debit/credit cards. If you also work online/remotely or dream of starting your first online business, VPNs are even more crucial for you to have.

Normally VPNs are cheap at $5-$10/month for their protection services. But this time of year, they go on sale for even better deals! I was able to partner with a VPN company to offer as low as $1.49/month!
(tip, click button below and wait for the pop up deal to come up)

It is so worth the piece of mind, knowing that you have protection on your money, identity, and life.
As a bonus, using VPNs are also notorious for finding cheap flights!