Updated: I now have a 2017 version of this post here!
From time to time, I like to do a post about my current favorite ways to make money with my phone. Who doesn’t love a little free money? All of these are really easy to use (I probably spend a few minutes of effort a day on this…really, not hard at all). The following list of apps is how I’m currently making anywhere from $3-5 a day with my phone. Not big money by any means, but a little extra pocket change never hurt anyone!
You can see my past iPhone app posts here. Keep this in mind though when looking at old posts: these apps frequently change, including their potential earnings, how to use them, and what rewards you can earn.
Ibotta/Checkout 51 – I put these two in the same description because they’re almost identical apps. Both of these list various grocery items…add the items to your list within the app, and if you buy that item, you can scan its bar code and your receipt into the app to prove you bought it and get a certain amount of cash back! They both often have generic items that I personally buy every week (milk, eggs, apples, etc.)…so you’re pretty much guaranteed to be able to get some kind of cash back from your grocery trip. Once again, free money!
You can download Ibotta here.
You can download Checkout 51 here.
Checkpoints – This is another one I have a love/hate relationship with. To sum it up quickly, you check into places via the app for points. If you’re at a grocery store, you also have the option of scanning barcodes on certain items to earn points.
It’s really easy to use, but depending on where you are, there might not be a lot of places to check into. We’ll get lucky occasionally and have what they call “gold star check-ins”…you get 5 times the amount of points for checking into these. It’s worth looking to see if you live in an area with lots of check-ins! Even if you don’t, scanning the barcodes at grocery stores can really earn you points quickly. They typically have a great selection of gift cards to purchase with points too!
Click here to download Checkpoints, and use the referral code lflambert for a bonus!
Field Agent – This is a fun one…you basically get to be a secret shopper and earn money doing it! It pays really well (usually a few dollars for only a few minutes of your time), and I think it’s really interesting to see what’s going on “behind the scenes” in stores. We’ve also gotten free meals and even a free grocery trip for participating in shopping trips.
Click here to download Field Agent.
Swagbucks – I’ve written about using Swagbucks before to earn money through lots of different activities…searching the web with their search engine, printing coupons through their site, watching videos on their page, etc. It has gone down some, but it’s still a great way to earn easy money. I’ve liked using their app lately too! It’s an easy way to use their search engine, browse their offers, and take surveys that earn Swagbucks (can be used to buy different gift cards, including Amazon).
The Swagbucks TV app is good too…it’s very similar to the Perk TV app I discussed above, and seems to earn a little more than that app (but I don’t think this one can be run on multiple devices).
Click here to download the Swagbucks app and here to download the Swagbucks TV app!
Anything I’m missing guys? Comment with your favorites that aren’t listed here in the comments – you’re welcome to leave a referral code too!
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Candace says
January 27, 2018 at 10:25 pmShopkick is a good one!