Rakuten (previously known as Ebates) is a must-have cash back app that gives you a % back on all purchases you make online. I discovered this app a few years ago and have been using it ever since. I make quite a few purchases online, and this cash back app has already saved me a lot of money (we are talking hundreds of dollars) by giving a percentage of my money spent back to me.
Below is a visual from Rakuten’s website that illustrates how easy it is to get cash back on your online purchases.
All you need is to sign up for a free personal account on their site. Then bookmark your account page on your computer, and download Rakuten app to your tablet or mobile phone. This way you can have it handy whenever you shop online across your devices. This platform works with a lot of major online retailers such as Amazon, Groupon, Hudson Bay, Sephora, Expedia and other well known brands. This means that you can get cash back on all your regular purchases with these companies.
If you are a new client, Rakuten will also credit $5 into your account after you make your first purchase.
The next time you want to buy something at Sephora, instead of making a purchase at their retail store, make a purchase online and log into your Rakuten account first. Not only you will escape the mall scene, which can result in overspending, you will also get an ~8% cash back on your purchase. The cash back rebate is not offered by retailers at their physical locations!
You receive cash back on both regular price and sale items.
Tip: make sure to check their double cash back page, where retailers double their regular cash back on any purchase made online. These bonus offers change, so try to time your purchase when you see a double cash back available.
Here is a snapshot of Rakuten’s double cash back offers available at the time of writing of this post.
There is only one important thing to remember to get your cash back. You must remember to log in to your account BEFORE you make a purchase online to get your cash back. I must admit, this step is very easy to forget. There were times when I bought something online and realized that I forgot to log in to my Rakuten. It wasn’t fun and I did not get any cash rebates as a result 🙁
The higher the cost of the item you are buying online, the more significant the cash rebate will be. Once you start using Rakuten, you will never look back. Hence, I selected it is a must have cash rebate app!
And please, for the love of savings, remember to log in to your Rakuten account every time before you start shopping online.