Personal Finance

Use these apps to earn cashback and save money

September 15, 2025 By Paula Leave a Comment

Using Apps to Earn Cashback and Save Money!

Whether shopping online or in a brick-and-mortar store, there are multiple ways that you can get paid to shop. To earn cashback with apps, download one of the cashback apps (You can find them on Google Play and Apple Store) and then follow the app’s instructions to earn rewards on purchases.

Most cashback apps allow you to earn rewards in one of these ways:

Shopping portals: You click through the app’s link and shop at participating online retailers.
Receipt scanning: You take a photo of your shopping receipt and upload it to earn points or rebates for specific purchases.
Linked cards: You link your rewards, debit, or credit card, and the app automatically detects and rewards eligible purchases.
Linking Email and Buyer Accounts: Some apps will automatically import online purchases if you link your email account and/or participating retailer.

Some of the Best Cashback Apps for 2025 are:

Rakuten: A veteran app for online shoppers, offering cash back on purchases from a wide variety of online retailers, including dining and travel.

Ibotta: Popular for grocery shopping, this app allows users to claim cash back on specific items and offers rewards for both in-store and online purchases.

Fetch Rewards: A simple-to-use app that rewards users with points for scanning any retail receipt, which can be redeemed for gift cards.

Upside: Focuses on saving money on everyday essentials, particularly gas, groceries, and dining out.

Shopkick: Rewards users with points (kicks) for various activities, including making purchases, scanning barcodes, and even just walking into partner stores.

Swagbucks: A well-known platform that offers cash back on purchases through its portal and also provides rewards for taking surveys and other activities.

CoinOut: A receipt-scanning app that offers a low minimum payout for digital earnings, making it easy to redeem small amounts.

Checkout 51: Provides cashback offers on everyday items like groceries, food, and gas.

Receipt Hog: Get real-money rewards for every purchase you make with the Receipt Hog app! Whether you shop online or in-store, just upload receipts and start earning.

Choose the best cashback app for you!

What are your shopping habits? Do you primarily shop online, shop in-store for your groceries, or do you drive a lot of miles? Compare payout options as some apps pay real cash, while others use a gift card or points system. Don’t forget to check minimum payout thresholds. You can cash out as low as $3 with some, while others require $20 or more. You can also stack apps for maximum rewards. For example, you can use a gas app to find the cheapest station and then submit the receipt to another app for points.

These apps and browser extensions offer the best cashback for online shopping:

Rakuten is ideal for online purchases and partners with over 3,500 stores, including Amazon, Walmart, and Macy’s. You can earn cash back by starting your shopping through Rakuten’s app, website, or browser extension. It pays out quarterly via PayPal or paper check. Spend $30 in qualifying purchases within 90 days of joining, and we will each get a $30 bonus when you use my Rakuten referral link.
Capital One Shopping is a Chrome browser extension tool that automatically finds coupon codes and applies them at checkout for over 30,000 online retailers. Capital One Shopping also searches for a better price while you shop at over 100,000 stores. You receive gift cards to select retailers.
PayPal Honey is similar to Capital One Shopping as it is also a browser extension that finds and applies coupons automatically. What’s different is its “Droplist” feature that tracks price changes on items you want to buy. Add items to your Droplist and Honey will email you if it detects a price drop, so you don’t miss a deal. It pays through PayPal credits, gift cards, or cash.

Best apps for cashback on groceries and in-store purchases:

Ibotta is a top choice for groceries and everyday essentials. Ibotta partners with stores like Kroger, Target, and Walmart. Users add offers in the app and then scan their receipt or link a store loyalty card after purchasing. It pays you with PayPal, bank deposit, or gift cards after earning at least $20. Use the Ibotta code O2TZA when you sign up, and you’ll get $5 added to your account when you scan your first receipt. Download from Google Play or Apple Store
Fetch Rewards app allows you to earn points by scanning almost any retail receipt, not just from specific brands. You can even earn points playing free games. Points are redeemable for a wide variety of gift cards. This is an app that I consistently use and have redeemed over $250 in gift cards in the last 12 months. Use my referral code 5Q47A and you’ll get 2000 bonus points when you snap your first receipt.
Checkout 51 is a popular option for gas and groceries. This app features weekly offers that users must add before uploading their receipt(s). You can get a paper check after earning $20. You can sign up on your desktop and pick your offers, and upload images. Or, you can just download the app and do everything from there.
Receipt Hog’s app allows you to get real-money rewards for every purchase you make and scan with the app! Whether you shop online or in-store, just upload receipts and start earning. This is an app that I use pretty consistently, and I average $40 in PayPal Cash each year. Use my referral link spag9489 and get a bonus when you upload your first receipt.
Shopkick’s app rewards you for both online and in-store purchases and doesn’t always require a purchase to earn points. You can earn “kicks” for walking into stores, scanning barcodes, or uploading receipts. You’ll earn gift cards to various retailers. Use my referral code YAY877535, and you’ll get 1000 bonus kicks when you earn 50 kicks (excluding video kicks) within the first 7 days.
CoinOut is a receipt-scanning app that offers a low minimum payout for digital earnings, making it easy to redeem small amounts. This is an app that I somewhat consistently use, and I average $50 in Venmo Cash each year. My referral link is https://coinout.com/pages/refer_earn?id=GMXQN27

Best cashback apps for gas and dining out:

Upside gives cash back on gas, groceries, and restaurants at over 50,000 locations. You claim offers in the app and pay with a linked card, with no need to scan receipts. It pays with PayPal, bank transfer, or gift cards.
GasBuddy helps you find the lowest gas prices nearby. By using a free Pay with GasBuddy card linked to your bank account, you can save up to $0.25 per gallon. The savings are applied automatically at the pump.

Cashback app for passive earnings:

Pogo’s app uses card-linking to automatically track purchases and rewards you for both shopping and sharing data. Pays you through PayPal or Venmo after earning $3.

You can also get cashback, also, by paying with a cash-back credit card. Just be sure that you pay off your bill in full every month to avoid interest charges. And of course, be sure that you take advantage of retailers’ own rewards programs to get more for your money.

Envision Your Desired Retirement Lifestyle

August 25, 2025 By Paula Leave a Comment

What do you see when you envision your retirement lifestyle?

Retirement offers a unique opportunity to shape your life around your passions and interests, free from the demands of a traditional career. To truly envision your ideal retirement lifestyle, reflect on what brings you joy, fulfillment, and a sense of purpose. Consider a wide range of possibilities and don’t be afraid to dream big.

Retirement can be a wonderful opportunity to strengthen family bonds and create new relationships. As you build your retirement savings, it’s also time to start your “retirement bucket list.” Fill it with all experiences you’ve always dreamed of, places you want to explore, or hobbies that you haven’t had time for. Or, you may simply just want to see the local scenery or have a chance to volunteer with your favorite organization. To keep you motivated, create a retirement vision board with images, words, and symbols that represent your ideal retirement lifestyle.

Make Your Retirement Lifestyle A Reality! Saving for retirement is crucial for securing your financial future and maintaining your desired lifestyle after your working years end.

Make Your Retirement Lifestyle A Reality!

Saving for retirement is crucial for securing your financial future and maintaining your desired lifestyle when your working years end. The process involves understanding your retirement needs, establishing a disciplined savings plan, and making informed investment choices.

Envision your desired retirement lifestyle and make it happen.

How should you approach saving for the retirement lifestyle you want? First, you will need to decide what kind of life you want to lead in retirement and how much you will need to achieve it. Do you plan to travel the world, start an expensive hobby, or are you content living a more frugal lifestyle?

1. Estimate your retirement expenses: Consider the potential costs of housing or accommodations, healthcare, food, transportation, and other personal expenses. If you have a hobby in mind, what is the cost of doing it going to be? Remember to account for inflation, which will impact purchasing power over time. A retirement calculator can be a great tool for estimating how much money you’ll need based on your expected retirement expenses, target retirement age, investment returns, etc.

2. Evaluate current savings and make a plan: Review your assets and liabilities, and determine how many years you have left until retirement. Retirement savings goals by age can help you stay on track for a comfortable retirement. Fidelity’s guideline is to save at least 1x your salary by 30, 3x by 40, 6x by 50, 8x by 60, and 10x by 67. Create a detailed budget. This will help you identify areas where you can reduce expenses and increase your contributions to your retirement fund. Focus on paying off high-interest debts first so that you can free up more money for retirement savings.

3. Choose the right retirement accounts: If available, prioritize contributing to employer-sponsored plans (like 401(k)s), especially if there’s an employer match – that’s free money! Plus, these plans can offer tax advantages and automatic deductions from your paycheck. Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) may be tax-deductible, and investments grow tax-deferred. If you are self-employed, consider plans like Solo 401(k)s, SEP IRAs, and SIMPLE IRAs.

4. Invest your savings wisely and diversify your portfolio: By spreading your investments across various asset classes like stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, you can reduce your risk and potentially improve returns. Your investment mix should align with your age and risk tolerance. Younger investors may have a higher concentration of stocks, while older investors may prefer more conservative investments such as bonds. Often, experts recommend investing in mutual funds. These allow you to pool your money with many investors to buy financial assets.

5. Start early to maximize your savings and contributions: The sooner you begin saving, the more time your money has to grow due to the power of compounding interest. In the beginning, aim to set aside at least 15% of your annual income, including any employer contributions. As your income grows, gradually increase the percentage of your income that you save. It is a good idea to set up automatic contributions into an account specifically for your retirement to ensure consistent savings. If you’re 50 or older, you can take advantage of catch-up contributions by contributing extra money above the standard limits to your retirement accounts.

6. Be smart about withdrawals: Don’t withdraw early. By taking money out of your retirement accounts before age 59½, you can incur penalties and taxes. Determine a sustainable withdrawal rate. Many experts suggest a sustainable withdrawal rate of no more than 4% to 5% annually, adjusting for inflation. Strategize withdrawals for tax efficiency by considering the tax implications of withdrawing from different types of retirement accounts (e.g., traditional vs. Roth) and aim to minimize your tax burden in retirement.

Important Considerations:

Social Security benefits can be a valuable source of retirement income. You can claim benefits as early as age 62, but waiting until your full retirement age (67 for those born in 1960 or later) will maximize your monthly benefit.
Inflation erodes the purchasing power of money over time. Be sure to factor inflation into your retirement planning to ensure your savings will be sufficient to cover your future expenses.
If you’re unsure where to start or need personalized guidance, consult with a qualified financial advisor to help you create and manage your retirement plan.
Consider your health and physical capabilities as you age. It’s essential to set realistic and achievable goals that align with your abilities. Don’t forget to do activities will keep you healthy and engaged. However, you may want to consider activities that are physically active yet gentle on your body, like walking, yoga, or swimming.

In the end, it’s about envisioning your desired retirement lifestyle and creating a personalized plan that’s both fulfilling and financially secure.

Stop Overspending and Find Your Wealth

August 18, 2025 By Paula Leave a Comment

Stop Overspending — Stop Being Broke

Overspending can be a significant barrier to achieving financial stability and can even have a negative impact your mental and emotional well-being. It can lead to a wide range of challenges, including:

Accumulated Debt: Consistently spending more than you earn can lead to increased reliance on credit cards and loans, resulting in a cycle of debt that can be difficult to break. High-interest debt can consume funds that could be used for savings or investments, impeding your financial progress..
Depleted or No Savings: Overspending can lead to dipping into existing savings or making it impossible to build an emergency fund, leaving you vulnerable to unexpected expenses and hindering long-term financial security.
Damaged Credit Score: High credit utilization ratios and missed payments due to overspending can negatively impact your credit score. This can make it more challenging to qualify for loans, credit cards, mortgages, or even to rent a place.
Not Meeting Your Financial Goals: Overspending can prevent you from reaching important financial milestones, such as saving for a down payment on a home, retirement, education, or other long-term investment goals.
Increased Financial Stress: Constantly worrying about bills, debt, and limited financial resources can lead to stress, anxiety, and even impact your mental and physical health. Overspending can hurt your self-esteem and relationships.
Limited wealth accumulation: Overspending limits your ability to save and invest, crucial components for building wealth and achieving financial goals.
Mental health consequences: Overspending can not only negatively impact your finances but also your mental well-being. This can lead to stress, anxiety, guilt, decreased self-esteem, and even relationship issues.
Impact on physical health: Chronic financial stress can potentially lead to sleep disturbances, eating disorders, or high blood pressure.
Lost Opportunity: Every dollar spent unnecessarily is a dollar that you could have saved or invested, potentially benefiting from compound interest over time.

Why and How You’re Overspending

Overspending often stems from a combination of psychological and situational factors, rather than just a lack of discipline.

Lifestyle Inflation occurs when your spending increases as your income increases. According to Landmark National Bank, as income rises, spending may creep up as well, making it difficult to save or invest for the future.
Lifestyle creep is a phenomenon that occurs when, as more resources are spent on one’s standard of living, what was once luxuries now are perceived as a necessity.
Psychological factors such as emotional triggers, social pressure, and a lack of awareness about spending habits can contribute to overspending behavior.
- Impulse buying is a big issue for some people, thanks to the ease of online shopping and marketing tactics that can trigger impulsive purchases. Seeing enticing ads or one that activates your fear of missing out (FOMO) can lead to buying things you don’t need.
- You may overspend as a way to cope with emotions like stress, sadness, or even happiness. For some, shopping can provide a temporary mood boost. But sadly, it often leads to regret and financial strain.
- Pressure to keep up with friends, family, or social media trends can lead to overspending on things like expensive restaurants, clothing, or experiences.
Lack of Financial Literacy: Not knowing how to budget, manage debt, or plan for the future can lead to overspending and financial difficulties.

It’s Time To Take Control Of Your Life & Stop Overspending

Overspending can significantly impede your ability to build wealth and achieve financial stability. However, by understanding the reasons behind overspending and implementing strategies for responsible financial management, you can regain control of your finances and work towards a more secure and prosperous future.

If you want to be financially successful, you will need to make some sacrifices. When you’re not where you want to be, you have to start spending like you’re aware of that. Taking control of your spending habits is possible with just a few key strategies:

Create and stick to a budget: A budget helps you track your income and expenses, identify areas for reduction, and allocate funds towards savings and debt repayment. Remember the 50/30/20 rule (50% for needs, 30% for wants, 20% for savings and debt repayment) that we talked about in 5 MONEY mistakes that you must avoid if you don’t want to be POOR! It can be helpful.
Identify and address spending triggers: Reflect on when and why you tend to overspend. Are there specific emotions, social situations, or marketing tactics that influence your purchases? Once identified, you can develop strategies to disrupt those patterns. This might involve delaying purchases, avoiding certain shopping environments, or finding alternative ways to cope with your emotions.
Prioritize needs: Distinguish between what is a necessity and what are discretionary items. Focus on covering your needs first. Implementing a 24-hour rule, thus waiting a day before you make an unplanned purchase, can help you distinguish between wants and needs.
Reduce debt: Develop a plan for debt repayment, potentially utilizing strategies like debt consolidation.
Identify areas for reduction: Review your variable expenses (groceries, utilities, transportation, and entertainment) and look for ways to cut back. Cook meals at home instead of eating out, cancel unused subscriptions, look for cheaper alternatives for transportation or insurance, and seek free entertainment options. Don’t be afraid to contact service providers (utilities, cable, etc.) to see if you can negotiate lower rates or find more affordable plans.
Limit access to credit cards: If you struggle with credit card overspending, consider leaving them at home. Instead, use cash or a prepaid card for purchases.
Build an emergency fund: Having a financial cushion for unexpected expenses can prevent you from relying on credit or disrupting your long-term goals.
Track your spending: Knowing where your money is going is crucial for identifying areas where you can cut back. Budgeting apps, spreadsheets, or even a simple notebook can help to track your expenses.
Get financially literate: Understanding debt management, investing, interest rates, and other financial concepts can empower you to make informed decisions and break bad spending habits, says David Sklar & Associates.

Overspending can significantly impact your financial well-being and stop you from reaching your goals. Gaining control of your spending habits requires an intentional shift in perspective and a focus on long-term financial freedom instead of short-term gratification. Remember, building wealth and financial independence is a journey that requires discipline and patience.

You Need To Create an Emergency Fund NOW!

August 11, 2025 By Paula Leave a Comment

You Need To Start An Emergency Fund Today!

An emergency fund, a dedicated savings account specifically set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies, acts as a crucial financial safety net. This cash reserve safeguards you against unexpected financial hurdles like a job loss, dental and medical emergencies, or unforeseen major home or automotive repairs.

Your emergency fund is separate and distinct from other savings goals like retirement, a vacation fund, or a down payment for a house. It is your safety net that keeps you from having to rely on credit cards or loans with high-interest rates when unforeseen circumstances arise.

How much should I save for a rainy day?

Depending on your needs and financial situation, the basic guideline for emergency funds is to set aside enough money to cover your essential living expenses for three, six, or nine months. If you have a high risk tolerance, you may feel comfortable with just enough savings to cover three months of expenses. For others, six or nine months may be what they need to save. The easiest way to determine how much you need is to figure out your monthly expenses and multiply that by how long you want to be able to cover your costs.

I’m living paycheck to paycheck.
How am I going to create your emergency fund?

Here’s How:
1. Determine Your Goal

Calculate essential monthly expenses: rent/mortgage, utilities, groceries, insurance, and loan payments. Exclude discretionary spending like dining out or entertainment. Determine if you want to cover three, six, or nine months of these essential expenses. Some advisors suggest aiming for even more, especially for those with less stable income or approaching retirement. The ideal amount depends on factors like job stability, family size, and income diversification. If the full amount seems daunting, begin with a more manageable goal, like saving for one month’s worth of expenses. Making small but consistent contributions can make a big difference over time.

2. Open a Dedicated Account

To minimize the temptation to spend it on non-emergencies, open a separate savings account or money market account specifically for your emergency fund. Choose a high-yield account with a competitive interest rate to help your savings grow. Be sure that it’s insured by the FDIC or NCUA for safety. You may want to consider an online bank, as they often offer higher interest rates and lower fees compared to a traditional bank. Remember, you’ll need easy access to your funds in an emergency when choosing where to put your emergency fund.

3. Automate Your Contributions

“Pay yourself first.” Schedule automatic transfers or direct deposits from your checking account or paycheck to your emergency fund each payday. By treating saving like a regular bill that you have to pay, it will make it easier for you to do.

4. Find Ways to Increase The Amount You Can Save

Review your spending and identify areas where you can reduce discretionary spending to free up more money. Create a budget and know where your money is going. Save windfalls like bonuses, tax refunds, and other unexpected money into your emergency fund. Consider starting a side hustle, selling unused items, and cutting back on non-essential things like that morning cappuccino, restaurant takeout, or subscriptions. Put that money into your emergency fund.

5. Track Your Progress and Adjust As Needed

Regularly review your balance and, as your circumstances change, adjust your contributions accordingly. Remember, the emergency fund is solely for emergencies, and avoid tapping into it for non-urgent expenses. If an emergency arises and you do need to use your emergency fund, prioritize replenishing it as quickly as possible. Don’t forget to celebrate your milestones.

By following the steps above and sticking with it, you can build a strong emergency fund that will provide you with peace of mind and financial stability even when unexpected events occur.

Be sure to check out this article for more ways you can avoid financial mistakes that can keep you POOR!

5 MONEY mistakes that you must avoid if you don’t want to be POOR!

August 4, 2025 By Paula 1 Comment

FIVE MONEY MISTAKES TO AVOID

These FIVE money mistakes can lead to financial instability and make it difficult to achieve long-term financial goals. In addition to avoiding them, adopting responsible money habits can significantly improve your financial health and security.

Five money mistakes that can lead to financial failure and how to solve them.

Mistake #1. Not having an emergency fund: Unexpected expenses like job loss, medical bills, or car repairs can quickly derail your finances if you don’t have savings to cover them. Aim to save at least 3-6 months’ worth of living expenses in an easily accessible account.

Solution: Build an emergency fund with enough savings to cover at least 3-6 months of essential living expenses. Start small and automate your savings.

Mistake #2. Overspending: Living beyond your means can lead to a cycle of debt and make it hard to save for the future. Track your spending, create a budget, and prioritize needs over wants to avoid overspending, according to OneUnited Bank.

Solution: Create a debt repayment plan. Prioritize paying off debts with the highest interest rates first. Consider debt consolidation loans or balance transfers to lower-interest options if possible. Avoid only making minimum payments, which can keep you in debt for a long time.

Mistake #3. Not creating a budget: A budget helps you understand where your money is going and allows you to make informed spending decisions. It can also help you identify areas where you can cut back and save more.

Solution: Create a realistic budget, track your spending, and prioritize needs over wants. A simple approach like the 50/30/20 rule (50% for needs, 30% for wants, 20% for savings and debt repayment) can be helpful.

Avoid Money Mistakes to build wealth and avoid financial hardship!

Mistake #4. Not saving for retirement: Starting to save for retirement early, even with small amounts, can make a big difference due to the power of compound interest. Take advantage of employer-sponsored retirement plans and consider investing in a variety of assets.

Solution: Start investing early, even if it’s a small amount. Take advantage of employer-sponsored retirement plans like 401(k)s and contribute regularly to retirement accounts like IRAs. Educate yourself on different investment options and diversify your portfolio according to your risk tolerance

Mistake #5. Ignoring your credit score: Your credit score impacts your ability to get loans, mortgages, and even apartment rentals. A low score can lead to higher interest rates and limited financial options.

Solution: Regularly check your credit score and report for errors. Pay bills on time, keep credit utilization low, and avoid opening too many new credit accounts at once.

Avoiding these five common money mistakes; not having an emergency fund, overspending, not creating a budget, not saving for retirement, and ignoring your credit score; will help navigate the road to financial success.

Are you guilty of any of these common money mistakes?

1. No budget, no financial plan
2. Paying the minimums on your credit cards
3. No emergency savings fund
4. Not saving for retirement
5. Ignoring a low credit score
6. Living paycheck to paycheck
7. Splurging with your tax refund
8. Co-signing a loan
9. Being underinsured
10. Living beyond your means
11. Unnecessary Spending
12. Buying a New Vehicle
13. Spending Too Much on Your Home
14. Misusing Home Equity
15. Impulse buying

Are there any that I haven’t listed? Please share them in a comment below. Money mistakes can not only leave you broke today but you will have a lot less money for a secure and wealthy future. Build smart money habits now. Your future self with thank you.