iBotta App Review – Earn Cash Buying Groceries

iBotta App Review

iBotta is Addictive, Fun and Earns You Cash

I haven't posted anything for a few days because honestly – I have become obsessed with ibotta. I-whata? I know, right?!
This is a new app that allows you to earn cash while your shopping. Grocery shopping!! I am absolutely fascinated. Now – I will tell you up front – the ibotta app is only available for iphone and android phone users. But those of you using those type of phones (I am a long time iPhone user) – get ready to earn some cash.

So What IS ibotta?

Like I said – it's an app for android and iPhones that you can use to earn cash. You do this when you're grocery shopping. Though I was told today that you can also use it at Dollar General and Family Dollar too – so awesome!! But there are lots of retailers involved – including the big dogs, like Target, CVS, Walgreens and Walmart. Every day, for the most part, there will be new offers – so there is always something to check out or at least check “in” to see if anything appeals to you.

I earned $7 my first week! Yep… $7 using my silly iPhone and it was not hard. I scrolled through my offers for the day – because I knew I was going to the grocery store. I see offers that I appeal to me…. like Raisin Bran. I'm paid .25 cents to check out a recipe from Raisin Bran! Cha-ching. I'm paid another .25 cents to read a nutrition label on Mini-Wheats. Then when I go to the store – I buy these items and upload my receipt and I get paid. I was BUYING these items anyway!! I do the same thing when I go to CVS to pick up a prescription. Jergen's lotion .25! Venus razors – I earn .50 cents because I took a quick poll and learned a quick fact about ibotta. Ok – .75 cents at CVS on things I was ALREADY going to buy. At MoneyMakingMommy.com – saving money is BIG!

Think about how many errands you run and places you pop into to buy stuff. Even at the 7-Eleven!

Sounds Time Consuming… no thanks

It's not. Seconds.

First step: Choose the offers you want to do before you shop.

ibotta savings

Click “redeem” on an offers that you want – buy your product – BAM – money. I just have to upload my receipt to prove I purchased the product(s). Pretty much like a coupon – but not cutting paper coupons. It's like a rebate I guess – but it's instant.

What Kind of Products Can You Earn On?

Obviously, there are cereal brands you can earn on like I mentioned above. Also beauty products…
So far I have earned on the following (just to mention a few):
1. Method Hand Soap (.50)
2. Old Spice Body Wash for Men (.50)
3. Oral B Dental Floss (.50)
4. Eggo Waffles (.50)
5. Caprisun Juice (1.00)
6. Pine-Sol (.75)

ibotta redeem

So you can see there are a variety of products. It will just vary in your area. But that's only $5 that I earned – I earned more from cereal and lotion – altogether I earned $7 for my efforts. When I think about minimum wage in my state being $7.25 an hour – well heck – I earned more than that (if you considered taxes), just doing something I was already doing and I didn't have to “go to work”.

You Won't Get Rich with ibotta – But You Can SAVE

Programs like ibotta don't claim to make you rich and I don't claim they will either. It's just another way to save and earn. It's getting PAINFUL out there right now with this economy to truly make it to the end of the month. People are using credit cards to buy groceries and pay bills – there are folks losing their jobs. NO matter what news outlet is saying “recovery” is here – ummm… it's plain to see that it is not.

Just like many of you – me and my family are trying to get by – we've cut costs everywhere we can. Using ibotta is just another way for me to save. That $7 that I earned this week – well, my daughter needed money for a new reed for her oboe. They are $15 each! I'm not sure if you know what it's like to not have $15 to just spend – but I do. And that $7 went a long way to help pay for that reed.

ibotta is Fun, Cool and Worth It

I'm finding ibotta a very easy way to save. It's free to join and easy to get started. Just download the app, look at the offers,
redeem the ones you want and then buy them. If you're buying this stuff anyway… WHY NOT earn on it. Seems silly not to. And it will add up and before you know it – you're looking at $15-$20 for VERY minimal effort. You're making money on something you're already doing and the cash is instant.

A Few Facts on iBotta Before You Get Started

Just a few things to be aware of before you begin. ibotta pays using Paypal.com. If you don't have a PayPal account yet, I'm concerned. LOL Everyone uses Paypal. I've been using them since they began and I use my PayPal debit card ALL THE TIME. When you cash out with ibotta your money goes right into that PayPal account where you can use it instantly.

When I say you need to “upload your receipt” – don't get worried. It's easy. Just take a picture of your receipt. That's it.

You can up to $40 per shopping trip with ibotta. So there is a limit – but come on – that's $40 per trip! You earn $40 in one trip – please let me know because I promise – I will be super impressed and so will my other readers. I save a lot on shopping trips using my Ingles Advantage card, coupons and taking advantage of “buy one get one free offers” — I saved $35.96 yesterday doing my bi-monthly shopping. I'd love to save more – and I will – because I am getting better and better at learning the “ways of the saver/coupon-er”.
It's smart. Now with ibotta I will save even more.

The last thing – bummer – is that ibotta ended their $5 for signing up offer in mid-January 2013. Yes… it was awesome to get $5 for just signing up. But they've gotten so popular, they don't need to extend that offer anymore. HOWEVER, you can still earn referring friends and family. You get $1 PER referral!! I earned $17 my first week just telling my friends and family and they all love using ibotta too! My friend Emily has made a total quest out of using ibotta! She's got one of those “math brains” and really knows how to save and work deals.

So there you have it. ibotta in a nutshell. I hope you sign and find it useful. I am certainly proof you can save using it!

Update 1/1/2024

I'll hit over $530 with my next cashout! That's $530 IN CASH for just buying stuff I already buy. GET YOUR SAVINGS GOING TOO!

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6 Comments

  1. Eric Yoder says:

    So you spent more than you got back? That is not making money. That’s receiving rebates

  2. Hi! Thanks for the info/advice. Is the Ibotta app applicable anywhere in the world, like in the Philippines?

  3. Thank you so much for this!!! I love this app. Made $15 right off the bat! Awesome :)

  4. Bridgette says:

    Thanks, this seems to be fairly easy. How have you been doing with the program?

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