Finding Money - Pinecone Research

Another easy way of getting a few extra bucks (which really does add up!) is by doing online surveys.  My favorite company to work with is Pinecone Research.  I get a few surveys here and there to complete and they pay me $3 via PayPal.  If you complete the survey quickly, many times you will be able to try the product FOR FREE.  You will also get paid to do another survey once you have had time to try the product.

Most of the products I've tried through Pinecone Research were either edible or were cleaning products, both of which I can always use!

Most of the surveys can be completed in under 20 minutes and payment is usually delivered a few days after you submit your survey.  I usually complete these surveys on my breaks at work!

Finding Money - Rebates

Each week our family has a set budget to spend on groceries.  One way I can help stay under budget is through rebates.  You can find rebates in the weekly coupon inserts, at Menards (one of my favorites!) or online.  Mommy Saves Big is the site I like to look at the most.  It's not updated frequently, as there are not a ton of rebates out there, but when it comes to over-the-counter medicines, Band-Aids, and Try Me Free offers on food, cleaning and make-up, I'm all over those!

The way rebates work is you usually buy the specific product that has a rebate on it, and send in the required information on the rebate form (UPC symbol, receipt, etc).  I try to calculate these products' prices into my weekly budget so I never over-spend just to get a rebate.  Then, the check will come in the mail 6-8 weeks later (long after I have forgotten about them!) and I deposit the check into our Emergency Fund or put towards one of our loans.  It's an easy way to "Find Money" and help pay down your loans!

Another way I maximize my savings in our grocery budget is by shopping at one store that price matches other local stores.  For example, Hy-Vee ad matches as well as accepts competitor coupons.  Cub Foods sends out a $5 off $50 purchase, so when I go to Hy-Vee, I'll get my groceries and if they only add up to $47 and I have a Try Me Free offer available on, say, Lysol Wipes, then I will throw in the Lysol Wipes to get me over the $50 purchase minimum so I can use the competitor coupon, and then I submit the Try Me Free offer and receive a check in 6-8 weeks.    

Finding Money - Swagbucks

Swag Bucks is a great way to earn FREE gift cards or cash!  It’s one of the easiest to do.  You just use the Swag Bucks search engine and every couple of searches, you’ll win Swag Bucks!  Save them up for FREE Amazon gift cards, or Barnes and Noble, or Paypal CASH!

Just click on the icon above to get started and follow their instructions.  It’s very easy.

Bonus – sign up your friends and you get matching Swag Bucks for their first 1000 Swag Bucks won!  There are other ways besides the search engine/tool bar to win Swag ucks – you can do surveys, print coupons (PRINT COUPONS!) and watch videos.  Without referrals, I still think you can easily get $5-$10/month just doing searches yourself, not including all the other ways like doing surveys, printing and using coupons, watching videos...

Finding Money - Saving Star

Saving Star is one of the easiest ways to save money.  All you do is go to the Saving Star website and sign up and then enter your store's loyalty card (like CVS or Hy-Vee).

Once or twice a month I will go to the Saving Star website and click on eCoupons, then activate any coupons I haven't activated yet.  When you buy the product and have your store loyalty card scanned, the cash back amount for that specific product is put into your Saving Star account.  Once it reaches $5, you can take a payout to your Paypal account.

Each Friday Saving Star has a FREEBIE offer that is only valid on Fridays.  They also offer a HEALTHY offer, which is usually 20% off a certain fruit or vegetable purchase.

There are no referral bonuses or anything that I am aware of for Saving Star, but they are still an easy way to "find" money!  You can also use this program ON TOP of any physical coupons you have!

Finding Money - Ibotta

Ibotta is a great smartphone app to help you save even more on your grocery bill.

How Ibotta works is you download the app to your smartphone.  

When you open the app, you will see different categories.  Grocery, Apparel, Restaurant, Pet, etc.  I usually only use the Grocery one, only because we currently have no pets, rarely go out to eat, etc.  

Click on Grocery and chose your favorite store.  Most stores all have the same offers in the, but Target for example has several "exclusives" where you can only receive a cash rebate if you buy that particular product at Target.  

Once you click on your store, many offers will pop up.  Each product offer requires 1-2 steps, from answering one questions, to watching a quick video on the product (a commercial).  Each step gives you an amount to earn for a specific product after you complete the step.  

For example, milk is usually a product with a cash back rebate.  Click on the picture of the milk carton.  Under the picture will be a few options to earn 25c towards a milk purchase.  Mine personally says "How to" which will give me a little pointer on using Ibotta.  The next option I have is to earn 25c for "Take a Poll" where I'm asked a quick question.  

Now, I head to the store, buy my milk, and when you get home, open the Ibotta app and click the "Redeem" icon on the bottom of the screen, and follow the steps for taking a picture of your receipt and UPC symbol.  

When you first sign up for Ibotta, you can earn a $2 bonus after you redeem your first offer!  What are you waiting for?  Then once you are signed up, get your friends on board with your referral link so YOU can earn $5 after they redeem their first offer!  Feel free to use any of my referral links in this post and help me earn $5! 

You can also use Ibotta in addition to any coupons you clip, as well as many other shopping apps!  Happy Shopping!

Finding Money - Shopmium

We live on a grocery budget.  One way I "find" extra money is by using coupons and apps on my smartphone that give me cash back on my purchases.  One of my favorite apps is Shopmium.

Each week Shopmium adds new products to the list of items that you can buy and receive a specific amount from buying those specific products transferred to your Paypal account!  All you do is take a picture of your receipt with your smartphone and the UPC symbol on the product and Shopmium automatically transfers the money to your Paypal.

Past products on the list to buy have been Sun Chips, Freschetta Pizza, Red Bull, Babybel Cheese, Heinz Ketchup, Method hand soap, Fage yogurt, Chobani yogurt, Jif Peanut Butter, etc.

Refer your friends to Shopmium and YOU get $2 when they get their first rebate and they get a FREE Lindt Chocolate bar!  What are you waiting for - go sign up!  Feel free to use my referral code (MMMEKETF) so I can get a $2 bonus!  Happy Saving!

Finding Money - Spare Change

This is probably one of the easiest ways I find money.  I have a small coin purse that is inside of my purse that collects any spare change I find laying around the house from the couch cushions to the washing machine.  I also RARELY spend my coins.  If my grocery bill is $89.42, I will give them $90 in cash and throw the 58c in change into my coin purse.  This adds up anywhere from $3 - $15 per week!  It may not sound like a lot, but over the course of a year, it adds up to over $200.

If you choose to, instead of depositing the coins every week or every other week, put them in an old ice cream bucket in your closet and in December you may have quite a bit of money to use for Christmas presents!