Please tell me about ibotta

[Eureka]

Hi, I'm new to the smartphone revolution and only just started using shop kick and target cartwheel. I just heard about ibotta. Please tell me what you think of it. I'd be shopping at my local supermarkets, probably not online. I really just need a quick and easy rundown of how it works. Thanks!

 

[havaneselover]

I use it. I select offers before I shop. After I shop anything I had an offer for I scan the product and receipt. You have to have $10 to cash out which is taking me forever. I generally get the $0.25/gallon milk every week.

I also shopkick and cartwheel. Another one I learned about on here is Chameleon. I just got my first $5 Target gift card for using it. I can get a gift card about every 2-3 weeks and I've learned I can drive by some of the stores and get the point.

 

[Eureka]

Ok, I'm at the grocery page and picked my store. I see, for example, shredded cheese. I click on it and it gives me the details, but have I "selected" it? Or do I have to watch the video to be able to select it? Please bear with me....thanks.

 

[havaneselover]

Yes, you have to watch a video or take a very short survey or view a recipe generally. When it's underlined in white it is selected I believe.

 

[LJSquishy]

I managed to collect enough to cash out once, but stopped using it after that. I don't buy anything they offer other than the occasional gallon of milk. I can't ever earn money on items like meat or whatever else because I buy it at a local organic co-op, not a mass chain so it doesn't qualify and I don't buy processed foods generally or chemical items like Glade, Febreeze, etc. Every once and a while I would go to a movie at AMC or Regal that happened to be the movie they were giving cash back on.

I do use Receipt Hog, though and LOVE it.

 

[lilclerk]

I do a few coupon/receipt apps. I use Androids, not sure which of these are on iOS or Windows devices.

Ibotta, Checkout 51, Target's Cartwheel, Jingit, Receipt Hog, Receipt Pal, SavingStar, Shopmium, Snap by Groupon. Plus there's the Walmart app with the Savings Catcher.

Most of those are "coupon" types, like Ibotta, where you scan the item you purchased and your receipt.
Receipt Hog and Receipt Pal, you just scan your receipts, it doesn't matter what you buy.
They are slow earners for sure, especially if you're like me and buy mostly off-brand items. But they add up!

 

[jthornton94]

I love ibotta. I have earned over $70. It helps if you have a team to earn the bonuses.

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

I'm up to about $28 on Ibotta after not too long. What helped a lot was a couple of the specific store offers. For instance, I got $5 for spending $15 at Hallmark. And then another $5 at Aero for spending $50, which is easy with a teenager who's growing like a weed! It didn't matter that I used a coupon at the store as well--so got 20% off everything in the store, bought things that were already on sale, and then scanned receipt for $5. Both of those also added to the team goal, so I got a $5 bonus there.

At the market, I honestly don't buy anything based on what's on Ibotta. But I do go and check it out when I get home to see what things I can enter. Just yesterday, I bought tomatoes, onions, lettuce, Kashi waffles, Ragu sauce, and cereal, all of which earned cash. It was a total of about $3.00, but still better than nothing!

 

[Eureka]

Ok I tried it today and earned $2.10 by buying things I was planning on getting anyway. Don't think I'll have as much every week but have no problem earning little by little. Thanks for all your insights.

 

[CocoTravels]

I love ibotta. I signed in with Facebook so I have 20 people in my group. I have gotten $10 + bonuses each months the last few months. That adds $5 to each month with my friends earning. I end up with an easy $18 to $20 a month. Sometimes you can double dip with ibotta, savingstar, and snap. Another one I use is BerryCart for organic/natural food. There is usually several offers on ibotta for fresh food each week. I always get those (apples, bananas, lettuce, potatoes, etc).

 

[2manypets]

For those that use the Apps that you have to scan the receipts...Usually my grocery receipts are about about 4 feet long as I shop only every other week. How do you scan a receipt that long? Do you just continually move the scanner down the receipt?

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

You basically take one photo of the first section. Then it will ask you if there's more. You then take a photo of the next section, and the next, and the next. It's not one continual "swoop" if you will, but basically taking individual photos of section after section. The app then sort of pieces them together for you. You can tell I'm not the most techie person in the world!

 

[2manypets]

Thank you! That's exactly what I needed to know. I'm off to download the app. You can't beat free money!

 

[marthachick]

Some of the stores that have loyalty cards can be added electronically. You just select the store and then choose the items you plan to buy. If you are able to add a card you don't have to take pictures of the receipt.