Getting Paid to Shop Using Cash Back Sites

Have you ever thought about getting paid to shop? People have dreamt about this for years. If you’ve had similar visions in your slumbers, worry not, the answer is here. Much like my post about Getting Paid to Fill up your Car, you can also get cash back for purchases you make around the internet and in store. Nobody is going to be making the Forbes Rich List anytime soon using this method alone, but getting some cash back for purchases that you were already going to make is a winner in my eyes.

It’s such an easy process to get setup, I’m surprised more people aren’t doing it! Anyone can set this up.

The Essentials for Getting Paid to Shop

This doesn’t include the secret shopper schemes that pressurise you to report on your findings at each shop, and takes less time as you can get paid for shopping online. This is almost as easy as setting it and forgetting it. For instore options, it is that easy!

What you need is to sign up for a cash back site.

The two most popular sites at the moment that people use are Quidco and TopCashBack. Each has their own advantages and disadvantages. Most people sign up for both of them to maximise the benefits. I tend to sway more to Quidco, for no reason other than it’s the one I heard of, and signed up for first. I’d encourage you to sign up for both to help you make choices when shopping around.

The Downsides of Getting Paid to Shop

Everyone needs to understand the downsides of these sites. Or more inconveniences if you will, it’s still free money after all, if you get it.

The cash back process from both of these sites is not quick. In reality, you are getting paid to shop a few months later than the purchase date. This is both due to the tracking time it takes for the cash back sites to acquire your money, and the minimum payout amounts required for some withdrawals.

Another downside is that going through the cash back site for a certain retailer, would work out more expensive even after cash back than making a purchase elsewhere that doesn’t have any affiliation with the cash back sites. This all comes down to shopping around for the item you want. I usually look for something and find the cheapest price and then see if the site is available on the cash back sites.

Your cash back may never arrive. Retailers and your chosen cash back site reserve the right to cancel your cash back, or sometimes won’t track properly. Meaning you get nothing. You can however claim if your purchase was not tracked to try and recover.

Understand that your cash back is an added bonus that’s never guaranteed.

TL;DR : Getting Paid to Shop

• Sign up for Quidco and TopCashBack
• Register your cards for in-store purchases
• Shop around for the cheapest price for your chosen item
• Check cash back sites to see if the cheapest retailer offers cash back.
• Purchase through the cash back link on your site