Ibotta Review + 7 Ways to Make More Money With It

I have been making a little extra money using my smartphone for a long time. Today there are several legitimate apps that pay you to do small tasks like taking photos of help-need signs or grocery receipts. Ibotta is one such app.

I joined Ibotta in 2013. I have used it off and on for years. This past year I started to get serious. When they emailed me my year in review last week, I thought it was time for an official Ibotta review. I was a little surprised at my earnings!

Get $10 when you sign up for Ibotta using this link

How does Ibotta work?

So, we’ve already established that Ibotta is a smartphone app that’s been around for several years. It’s easy to earn some extra cash with this company doing what you’re already doing – grocery shopping.

Before heading to the grocery store, check the app for available rebates. Like this coupon, but no clipping. Everything is fine on your phone.

You must select the store you are visiting. Available at most major chains such as Walmart, Target, Sam’s Club, Publix, Kroger and Costco. You will also find your regional chain. Here in the Midwest, I can get discounts on purchases at my favorite Bakers, Hy-Vee and Fairway. You’ll even find a military commissary and Whole Foods here.

Once your store has been selected, you can select the interest rebate available. One of the reasons I really started focusing more on Ibotta this year is because they usually have several “non-brand-specific” discounts on products like milk and eggs and staples. Since we started clean eating, I had to hang up my extreme couponing cape. Finding coupons on fresh foods is a little harder. Ibota is a great option for couponing whether you’re eating healthy or not.

However, you may need to complete a little work when you select your rebates. It could be watching a video or answering a question, “Is this your first time buying this product?” It’s really simple stuff. My favorite is when it comes across a recipe for your newly found item. Sometimes, especially in the case of those no-brand rebates, nothing works. You just need to press the button to put the item in your shopping list.

Now, go to the store and do your grocery shopping as usual. For some stores, you’ll be able to link a loyalty card. For others, you need to submit your receipt. For the latter, your next responsibility comes when you go home.

Once you get home and start unpacking your groceries, you’ll need to scan the barcodes of the items you want a discount on. It gives you a little beep to let you know that your item matches the selected rebate. It goes really fast and the app works really well.

Once you’re done scanning your items, all you have to do is take a picture of your receipt. You need to make sure you capture the whole thing with the store name at the top and the date and time at the bottom. Once you hit submit, you just wait for the funds in your account. It usually takes no more than an hour or two. On really busy days, you can wait up to 48 hours.

If you shop at a preferred partner store that has your loyalty card linked, all you have to do is wait for your discount. You don’t need to scan your item or receipt. At some stores, like Walmart, you just need to scan the QR code on your receipt.

Get $10 when you sign up for Ibotta using this link

7 Ways to Make More Money with Ibotta

In-App Shopping

Ibotta recently added in-app shopping rebates for a few partners. Right now, those partners include Groupon, Hotels.com, eBay, Jet and Boxed. If you’re a Groupon shopper, you can earn 2% to 10% cashback on clicks from Ibotta.

Read new members

Ebota is really appealing to those of us who would love to coupon more but don’t have the time or excitement to do it. You probably know several of those people, too. For every person you refer to Ibotta who redeems a rebate within two weeks, you’ll get a $5 bonus. And you can entice them a bit more by letting them know that they will also get $10 if they sign up through your referral link and start using the app. Who doesn’t want $10 fast?

Create your team

Another benefit of referring people to the app is that they become part of your team. Every month, Ibotta announces new team bonuses that will earn you some quick cash based on the participation of your team members. For example, in January, you’ll earn an extra $1 when you personally redeem 15 rebates and your team members redeem $6 worth of rebates.

And team members don’t just refer to people you bring in personally If you connect your Facebook account, all your friends using the app will also be counted as group members Excellent!

Check for bonus opportunities

You can’t control what other members of your team do, but there are probably some bonus opportunities you might miss out on that don’t involve their participation. Check those bonuses regularly. Usually coincides with a new or holiday each month. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve missed out on a $2 or $5 bonus because my total rebate was $.25 short. In the month of January 2017, you can get an extra $2 if you redeem just four rebates by January 11. You got it perfectly!

Read the fine print

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten home and started scanning my items only to find out that I need to buy a different size or buy two items to qualify for a discount. Know the details. And with your smartphone probably in your purse while shopping, there are no excuses. You can even scan the item before buying to make sure you have the right one.

Use the app

It seems like a silly thing to include on our list, but you can’t win if you don’t play. Grocery rebates are some of the easiest ways to earn cash back through this program and it only takes seconds.

Knowing I’m going to the store Friday morning, I check the app for rebates Thursday evening. By now new rebates are usually available. If you forget, or don’t want to be tempted to buy goodies that aren’t on your list, check the app for rebates when you get home. Then simply scan your item and receipt.

Work at home for Ibotta

Did you know Ibotta hires home agents? It’s true! And this is an awesome gig.

Ibotta customer service representatives work from home answering user inquiries via email. That’s right. No phone. Pay is $12 per hour. The only drawback – you have to live in Colorado to work for Ibotta as there is onsite training in Denver. Maybe a few days!

Does Ibotta Cash Expiry?

You can cash out your Ibotta earnings as soon as you meet the minimum threshold, $20 for PayPal, or you can let them ride until you need them. Many users save their earnings throughout the year and then exchange gift cards or cash when holiday shopping rolls around.

All you need to do is inaction. If you don’t redeem an offer for 12 consecutive months, Ibotta will begin charging an inactivity fee of $3.99 per month until you run out of earnings. If your account is terminated for fraudulent activity or similar, you will lose your earnings.

Ebota is a great way to earn extra cash to fund your emergency or holiday shopping. There is no reason not to use it!

Is Ibotta worth it?

Absolutely! See how much I earned in 2016. Even if you shop at a store where you have to scan your items and receipts, you’re only looking at a few minutes to earn some extra cash. And this cash is readily available after hitting your account. And, you can withdraw your cash via PayPal. We always prefer getting actual cash over gift cards. (But you can also get gift cards.)

Product selection is extensive. In addition to healthy foods like fresh produce, you’ll find beer, baby food, soups, pizza, and more. There’s always a lot to choose from, especially compared to many other grocery apps.

I highly recommend Ibotta. I’ve never had a problem with payments and it’s made me a lot more money than other grocery shopping apps like Savings Star or Walmart Savings Catcher. It only takes a few minutes to see the big prize.

How do I get started and make money with Ibotta?

1. Download the Ibotta app for free. Get $10 when you sign up for Ibotta using this link.
2. Open the app and scan through available rebates. Unlock those discounts for items on your shopping list anyway.
3. Do your grocery shopping just like you normally would.
4. Take a photo of your receipt through the Ibotta app.
5. To be paid.

That’s it! What are you waiting for?