Did you know that you can easily earn money shopping online?

As a busy parent, I hate shopping.

I find it a huge waste of time and an inconvenience to drive to the store, try and find what I need, and wait in long lines.

Traditional stores often don’t carry the specialty foods and items that we purchase to keep our family healthy.

In order to find the best deals and products and avoid the stresses, I would much rather shop online and I’m not the only one.  More consumers than ever are doing their shopping online and skipping the hassle of going to a physical store.  It’s quick, convenient and saves so much time.  But did you know that you could also be saving money?

If you’re not using this cash back app, you could be missing out on some serious savings!

Two years ago, I was introduced to this cash back app and since then, I have learned how to save money as well as earn money shopping online too.

In fact, since joining in 2018, I’ve earned over $500.00 in cash back from Rakuten.

Disclaimer: Blossoming through Motherhood receives a commission for qualifying purchases from affiliate links below.  Rest assured, I only share products that I love in hopes that you will too. 

What is Rakuten

Rakuten, formerly known as Ebates, is an online and app-based shopping platform that provides opportunities for shoppers to earn money by providing cash back, deals, and coupons on items they’re already purchasing.

Founded in 1997, Rakuten currently has 12 million members in the United States who have earned over $1 billion in cash back.

Members earn cash back when they shop at stores including:

• Chewy
• Overstock
• Sephora
• Canva
• Macy’s
• Freshly
• Amazon
• Cabela’s
• Lululemon
• Ebay
• Norton Security and Antivirus
• Turbotax

A few of my personal favorites are:

• Vitacost
• iHerb
• Ulta
• Groupon
• Carter’s
• Orgain
• Zulily
• Shutterfly
• Kohl’s
• Groupon

Rakuten currently offers cash back at over 2,500 retailers.  You can even use Rakuten to book hotels, airlines, cars, and other travel reservations.  The vast number of participating retailers assures that there are rebates available for almost everyone.  Consumers can earn anywhere from 1%-40% cashback when making purchases.  Cash back percentages vary with each retailer and also depending on what items you purchase.  Shopping with Rakuten will also help you find the best coupons and deals that the store has to offer.

Why Does Rakuten Offer Cash Back?

Retailers give Rakuten money for referring you to buy from their site.  Rakuten chooses to give a portion of its earnings to its members.  So everyone wins!

Rakuten Customer Service

One of my favorite things about Rakuten has been their customer service.  I have used several cash back apps and Rakuten is by far my favorite for ease of use and their customer service is phenomenal.  There have been a few instances where my cash back was missing and every time (even when it had been a mistake on my end) they resolved the issue quickly and with ease.  Other apps that I’ve used have left me waiting weeks for a response and months for my missing earnings.  Rakuten has always gone above and beyond and in my experience, truly puts the customer first.

How Rakuten Works

Earning Cash Back with Rakuten is as easy as 1-2-3.

      1- Start shopping at Rakuten.
You can do this by going to their website or using the Rakuten App. You can find a list of participating stores or use the search bar to find what you are looking for.  Once you find the retailer you are looking for, click on the link.  The link will bring you directly to the retailer’s website where you can start shopping. You can also add the Rakuten browser extension so that you are reminded each time you shop.  This is what I recommend doing if you are using a desktop computer and have Chrome or Firefox.

      2- Shop like you always do.
Place your order and Rakuten will automatically add cash back to your account.

      3- Choose how to get paid.
You can choose to get paid through PayPal or a BigFatCheck that is mailed directly to you.

That’s it!  Super easy right?!

The store will let Rakuten know once you made a purchase.  Then your cash back is added to your account and they will notify you of your earnings.  It can take a couple of days for the store to confirm your purchase but it’s usually fairly quick.

Earning Cash Back In-Store with Rakuten

You can also earn cash back shopping in person at participating stores.  Before visiting the store, view Rakuten’s list of In-Store cash back offers and select “Link Offer”.  Link the offer to your card by entering your debit or credit card information.  At checkout, pay with your linked card and watch the savings roll in.

It’s important to note that you must select “credit” when paying with a debit card, otherwise, Rakuten will not be able to track your cash back.

How to Sign Up for Rakuten

Creating an account with Rakuten is fast, easy, and totally free!  However, members must be 18 or older to use Rakuten.

You can CLICK HERE to sign up through my link.  You will create an account with Google, Facebook, Apple, or an email address.  Once you have confirmed the required information and agreed to their Terms and Conditions, click on “Join Now”.  After your account is created, you can start shopping with Rakuten and be on your way to earning your sign up bonus!

Getting Paid with Rakuten

Every three months, Rakuten will send you the cash back that you’ve earned.  You can choose to receive your cashback through a Big Fat Check in the mail or via PayPal.  If you have any cash back that is still pending, it will carry over to your next payment.

Earning MORE Money with Rakuten

If you’re new to Rakuten, I’m going to let you in on a little secret.  The potential to earn cash back stays pretty consistent.  However, on holidays many stores will increase their cash back amount.  For this reason, I try to plan big purchases around the holidays in hopes that the stores will have better discounts and I’ll have the potential to earn even more cash back.  If you’re using the app, you can also turn on your notifications and it will notify you of any special offers.

One of the best things about Rakuten is that they give new members a $10 welcome bonus.  All you have to do is sign up through a member’s affiliate link, like this one, and make a qualifying purchase of $25.  It’s like they are giving away free money!  Yay!

Refer-A-Friend Program

Rakuten offers a rewards program to its members for sharing their cash back earnings.  When you sign up with Rakuten, you are assigned a unique link.  You can share this link with friends and family via text, social media, or email.  If someone that you refer signs up for Rakuten through your link and makes a qualifying purchase, you will BOTH EARN A REWARD!  You can usually expect to receive your sign up bonus within 60 days of your referral’s qualifying purchase.

The best part is that you can invite as many people as you want.  There’s no limit to how much you can earn!  Everyone loves saving money and earning cash back, so get out and tell your family, friends, and coworkers.

I should note that the purchase requirement and reward amount can vary; but you can always find the current promotion on their website.

Rakuten Cash Back Button

The Cash Back Button or Rakuten Extension is available in the Chrome Web Store.  It pops up automatically on any site where Rakuten cash back is available.  The Cash Back Button even finds the best coupons for you to use and automatically applies them to your purchase.  I highly recommend using this when you shop so that you don’t forget and miss out on earning cash back.

It’s fairly simple to add and Rakuten now has directions for the Cash Back Button right on their website.  After it’s been downloaded, you can shop as you normally would and a popup will show up on your screen if retailers are Rakuten participants.  Simply click on the popup to activate Rakuten and earn cashback from your purchases.

The Cash Back Button will also recommend retailers who offer cash back in the instance that the website you are viewing, does not currently offer it.  It is such a helpful and foolproof way to use Rakuten while shopping online.

Summary

Pros

• Completely free to sign up.
• No membership fees, ever.
• Welcome bonus.
• Easy to use.
• Provides promo codes for deals and coupons.
• Cash back earnings on qualifying purchases.
• Different payout options.
• With over 2,500 participating stores, consumers can find deals in almost every market.
• Potential to earn more with their referral program.
• Cash Back Button reminders.

Cons

• In the beginning, it can be easy to forget to use Rakuten.  That’s why I recommend downloading the Cash Back Button.
• Cash back isn’t received immediately, as checks are paid quarterly.
• Rewards can be unpredictable and change daily.
• Not all products qualify from participating stores so be sure to read the fine print.
• May encourage overspending or impulse shopping if you see a good deal pop up.

Bottom Line

Rakuten is legit and absolutely worth it.  It helps shoppers save money by providing them with coupons and promotional deals.  With over 2,500 stores to choose from, everyone is sure to find savings and earn money shopping online with this online shopping platform.

If you are shopping online and haven’t signed up for Rakuten, I strongly encourage you to sign up today before you let any more of your hard-earned money go to waste.

And don’t forget, if you sign up through my link, you’ll be on your way to SHOPPING SMARTER and you’ll receive a WELCOME BONUS after your first qualifying purchase.  I’m so excited for you to watch your savings grow and earn money shopping online with Rakuten!

Happy Shopping!

Meg