As college students, most of us do not have loads of cash lying around. You just cannot spend money frivolously on anything you want. You usually have to stick to budgets and learn how to make your money last throughout the semester. This can get tough and no matter how hard you try, sometimes your bank account ends up being overdrawn or your card gets declined at the gas station. However, you can avoid these situations if you use the savings tools that are available to you. There are real, legitimate ways that you can save a lot of money per year if you know about them and how to use them to the best of your advantage! So, if you want to save money this year, check out these nine easy ways to do so:
1. Target's Cartwheel App
If you do not already know about Cartwheel, then you are seriously missing out. Cartwheel is an app that allows you to find and use coupons exclusively for items sold at Target. I have been using Cartwheel for a year now and have saved $170.50! Every time I go to Target, I just browse the coupons in the app and save any of the ones I think I might use during my shopping trip. Then, I present my unique barcode to the cashier when I check out. The cashier then scans the code and discounts are applied to all of the items I purchased that I saved coupons for. It is that simple! Cartwheel is a lifesaver (especially when I purchased a lot of things for my dorm last year). I have saved a lot on towels, Command Hooks, snacks, cleaning supplies, and so much more. You can really save a lot of money if you are diligent and actually use the app for every purchase. The coupons change a lot so be sure to check for new discounts before every trip! You may not think that saving five percent on vitamins is worth bothering for, but that twenty cents you save adds up quickly. When you combine larger and smaller discounts together on every trip, you can really save a lot.
2. Coupons.com and Mailed Coupons
Coupons.com is where you will find tons of "manufacturers' coupons." These are coupons that are distributed by the makers of individual products. These coupons are usually for common items that you can find in Target, Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, and etc. Things like foods, toiletries, cleaning products, vitamins, and etc. are usually what these coupons are for. These coupons can be found on this website where you print them out and use them at any store that accepts coupons. Manufacturers' coupons can be combined with most coupons on Cartwheel and with store-specific coupons. Some manufacturers' coupons are also mailed to your house. You should look through them as well and save the ones you want for your next shopping trip. I have used these coupons for things like Cheerios, shampoo, toothpaste, mouthwash, paper towels, plastic Ziploc bags, and much more. You can save a lot by using these regularly.
3. Ebates
You have probably seen the television commercials for Ebates. For the longest time, I thought it was a scam and refused to check it out. Eventually, someone I knew invited me to try it so I did. As someone who shops online a lot, I love Ebates now! It is not a scam. You get cash back for shopping at most websites online. You even get a ten dollar bonus just for signing up. Ebates does not make you put in any credit card numbers, bank information, or your social security number. You simply create an account and choose if you want to receive your cash back via Paypal or a check in the mail. To earn cash, you simply go to the Ebates website or app, find the store you want to shop at, click the link to that website, and shop as you normally would. That's it! You will receive an email if you made a purchase to let you know how much money you earned. In six months, I have earned $29.01 just for shopping online like I usually do. I expect this total to increase a lot during the holiday season and when I do my back to school shopping. That money has come in handy over the past few months when I was getting low on cash. So, if you shop online, sign up for Ebates! It requires almost no extra effort and you can really rack up some money! Just a few small shopping trips can really add up fast!
4. Ibotta, Checkout 51, and Mobi Save
All three of these apps work in the same way but Ibotta is my favorite by far. I like to call these apps "reverse coupons." For example, instead of presenting a coupon to save a dollar off of a particular product, you get paid a dollar for buying a certain product with these apps. All you have to do is browse the rebates on the app and save the ones you want to use on Ibotta for the store you are going to shop at. Then, you take pictures of your receipt when you get home and Ibotta pays you a certain amount for the items you purchased that you have saved rebates for. It is a lot easier than it sounds! For example, before I go to Target, I save any rebates on Ibotta for items I think I might purchase. Then when I get home, if I purchased any of those items I saved rebates for, I take pictures of my receipt and Ibotta pays me rebates for those items. I have earned $58.41 on Ibotta since I joined six months ago. You can be paid through PayPal or with gift cards for places like Sephora, Starbucks, iTunes, Target, Amazon, Uber, Walmart, Express, Applebee's, and etc. I have received valid PayPal payments and Sephora gift cards. Ibotta also offers bonuses for buying certain products or for redeeming a certain number of rebates in a specific amount of time. Ibotta also offers a ten dollar welcome bonus! It also does not matter if you used a manufacturer's, store, or Cartwheel coupon on the item you got a rebate for! So, you can combine Ibotta rebates with other coupons!
Checkout 51 and Mobi Save work in the same way except most of their rebates can be used on items purchased at any store. However, their selection is much more limited and the payouts are lower. They are still worth using though!
5. Retail Me Not
I love Retail Me Not. This app is great for almost all stores. I have saved a lot of money by checking this app before I purchase anything online or in most stores. Aside from grocery stores, this app gives you all of the available promotional codes for any kind of store you can imagine. You just check and see if there is a code you want to use for your order or shopping trip and enter the code at checkout or present it to the cashier. I always use this app to save money at Bath and Body Works, JCPenny, Bed Bath and Beyond, American Eagle, Barnes and Noble, DSW, Forever 21, H&M, Michael's, Victoria's Secret, and more. I force myself to check Retail Me Not before I purchase anything online or in mall stores. Most of the time, I find a code or coupon to use that I never would have known about otherwise. Please note that this app is only for stores (and some restaurants), not individual items. The app is completely free and does not require any sensitive personal information. Try it out before your next shopping trip!
6. Individual Store/Restaurant Rewards Programs and Email Clubs
Many stores and restaurants have their own decent rewards programs. Some are better than others of course but almost all of them are worth signing up for. I have gotten free coffees from Dunkin' Donuts, free coffees from Starbucks, free sandwiches from Subway, discounts at Panera, money to spend ("Extrabucks") and sales at CVS, free five dollar birthday gifts at Godiva and a free piece of chocolate per month, free birthday gifts and products from Sephora, sales/coupons and gas discounts at Stop and Shop, five percent off everything at Target, great discounts from Victoria's Secret emails, free gifts from Lilly Pulitzer emails, discounts from Charlotte Russe emails, coupons from Olive Garden emails, and much more. You can get all of the things I just mentioned too simply by signing up for the store or restaurant's rewards card or by subscribing to their emails. It is nice to get rewarded just for presenting a rewards card at checkout and just for subscribing to emails. These programs are very worthwhile and require minimal effort!
7. Swagbucks
Swagbucks is a legitimate website where you can earn money for taking surveys (among other things). It is not a scam. I have redeemed my "Swagbucks" for PayPal deposits and Amazon gift cards. The website is very easy to use but it can take a while to earn enough "Swagbucks" to redeem for money or gift cards. Some days are better than others when it comes to the number of surveys you are qualified to take. However, dedicating some of your free time to this is worthwhile. Visit the website now and make an account while you have more time to do surveys before school starts. You will make some money! Whenever you have free time, take a few surveys and after a couple of weeks or so, you will probably be able to cash out for a wide variety of gift cards or PayPal deposits. You can also earn "Swagbucks" by viewing content, completing tasks, and even shopping. The best way to earn is through surveys though. If you dedicate enough time to this website, you could earn a good amount of money!
8. Save Your Spare Change In A Jar
It adds up. Once it is full enough, bring it to a Coin Star machine. Last time I went, I got approximately $45.00! I hate using change so emptying it into a jar is great and easy for me to do!
9. Save Your Aluminum
Did you know that instead of putting your aluminum cans and foil out for regular recycling, you can bring it to a scrap metal place get paid for it? It's true! A scrap metal place will pay you for your aluminum by weight. So, get a large trash bag and put all of your soda cans, cat food cans, beer cans, pieces of aluminum foil, and any other aluminum products in it. Once it gets full, bring it to a local scrap metal place and they will pay you whatever that day's rate for aluminum per pound is! Ask around if you do not know of a scrap metal place (my dad introduced me to mine). Last time I went, I got $14.00! It may not sound like much but it is better than just throwing the aluminum out to the curb for your city to dispose of! Going a few times per year is definitely worth it!
