This post may contain affiliate links. Please see the Policies pages for more info.
Earn Money with Rakuten Cash Back
Imaging going to your mailbox and receiving a $100 check just by being a smart shopper! That’s possible with Rakuten cash back rewards!
There are a lot of websites and apps out there that help you save money but my favorite (and easiest) is Rakuten. It is free to set up and simple to use.
In this post I’ll share how Rakuten works, ways to maximize your cash back earnings, and how to get started.
What is Rakuten?
Rakuten is a cashback website and app that will pay you when you shop through their website, app or browser extension. Rakuten partners with thousands of big time brands like Target, Instacart, and Walmart.
When you shop through them the retailers pay Rakuten a commission of that sale. You receive part of the commission as cash back just by shopping through Rakuten!
I like Rakuten the best out of the other cash back platforms because you earn based on your entire shopping order (the store), instead of a specific item in your cart.
When you are shopping, it will show the percentage of cash back that you will receive.
How Rakuten Cash Back Works
Rakuten is free to use and easy to get started. First, sign up for a free account. Once you have your account sent up there are 3 ways you can shop online.
Download the Rakuten Browser Extension
Using the Rakuten Google Chrome browser extension is my favorite way to shop through Rakuten because I can use the normal store website and it automatically links up with Rakuten and calculates my cash back.
After you install the browser extension a little pop up window will appear if Rakuten has a partnership with that store. All you have to do is click the purple button to link Rakuten to your shopping cart for that store. It will take a few seconds to refresh the page and you’re good to go!
Even if you are shopping on another site like Amazon, Rakuten will suggest another site with their savings. It’s up to you at that point to decide if the cash back is worth changing where you’re shopping.
Shopping on the Rakuten Website
You can also shop right on the Rakuten website through your account. You can search for the store/brand that you want to shop at and click their logo. It will then take you to that store’s site and you can shop as normal but still receive the cash back.
The homepage will list several common stores but you can also make a list of your top favorites.
Shopping with the Rakuten App
The Rakuten app is another way to shop online. It’s similar to the website, just in mobile form. I haven’t used it too much because I usually use my computer when shopping (I like the bigger screen).
Shopping In-Store with Rakuten
You can also take advantage of cash back with in-store purchases with Rakuten. I haven’t tried this feature yet either, simply because I didn’t want to link my debit card.
But if you don’t mind linking your credit or debit card you can use this feature and get more money back!
Setting up In-Store Cash Back with Rakuten:
- 1. Go into account settings.
- 2. Click “Credit Cards” on the left side.
- 3. Click the purple button that says “Link Card”
- 4. Follow the prompts to link your debit or credit card.
Once you set up your card you can search and add offers to your account. Offers are only valid for 45 days on in-store purchases (not online pickups). You could earn cash back on restaurants and maybe local businesses.
Cash out at the store with your linked card and your cash back will automatically be applied to your Rakuten account.
How Rakuten Pays You
Here’s the fun part – receiving what they call “your big fat check!”
During account set up you will add your mailing address so you can receive a check and/or set up your PayPal account.
Rakuten pays out on a quarterly basis (February 15, May 15, August 15, November 15). You must have a balance minimum of $5.01 to receive a check by those dates. If your balance is below that, it will carry over to the next quarter.
You can check your balance any time in your account under “Cash Back Balance.”
You can also look back at past payouts under “Big Fat Check History.”
How to Maximize Your Cash Back
Use It!
This may sound like a no-brainer but I haven’t maximized my cash back because I forget to use it sometimes! Having the browser extension will help because it will do the thinking for you. But if you’re shopping on your phone and don’t use their app then you are missing out on some money!
Download the app and browser extension for family members in your household too (or make the purchase for them). When my husband and I wanted to make some purchases at Lowe’s I had him send me what he wanted and then I just ordered it on my computer because the browser extension was already set up.
Use it whenever possible such as:
- – Weekly grocery pickups or deliveries from Walmart, Target or Instacart.
- – Holiday shopping
- – Large home purchases from Lowe’s or Wayfair
- – Travel, car rentals, hotels. My biggest cash back from one place was $48.96 from booking the Holiday Inn for our April vacation (under IGH Hotels and Resorts)
Check for Double Cash Back Events
The typical cash back percentage is between 1% and 4%. But once in a while they will pick specific stores for double cash back events for a short period of time.
Sometimes they will even have 10% or 15% cash back events for a limited time!
Combine Rakuten Cash Back with Coupons
To really take advantage of savings, look for cash back promos that are also combined with store coupons. You can find these under “Hot Deals” at the top bar of the website.
Some examples include 70% off plus 2% Cash back at The Children’s Place and up to 60% off plus 2% Cash back at Wayfair.
Refer Friends for Extra Bonuses
When you start seeing those “big fat checks” come in, you will want to share it with others!
Rakuten has a refer-a-friend program. You will receive a unique referral code you can send to friends or share on social media.
If that friend signs up and makes a purchase of $30 or more within 90 days, you will receive $30! (Current promotion at time of post, could change)
There is no cap on how many referrals you can make so help your friends save money by sharing your code!
Win! Win!
Conclusion
How exciting would it be to get an extra check in the mail 4 times a year? You could use that money for holiday gifts, pay off debt, fast track your savings, or extra fun money! The best part, it doesn’t take much more work to reap the benefits, just shop as you normally would online with their Chrome browser extension and Rakuten will track your cash back for you!
Don’t miss out on savings any longer, sign up for your free account today!
Related Articles
Mastering Financial Wellness: Tips and Tricks
5 Tips for Saving on Groceries
6 Tips on How to Avoid Overspending at Christmas
