Free gift cards are waiting for you. But knowing how to claim them is the secret!
I’m all about finding a great deal. I never pay more than I have to for anything if I can help it! That means using coupon codes and online apps to find the lowest prices before I buy anything. Ever.
That is all fine and good, but my favorite way to save money is to get things for free. And, the simple way that I do that is by scoring free gift cards.
Say, what? How in the world can you get gift cards for free?
You won’t believe how easy it is to do. I’ve got some of my favorite apps and programs that you can use to earn gift cards – even for doing things you are already doing anyhow!
How to Get Free Gift Cards
There are a lot of programs out there that give big promises of giving you gift cards and other things for nothing. But, many of them fall flat on delivery. You go through the work and then they find a reason not to hold up their end of the bargain.
That’s frustrating.
Fortunately, I’ve been collecting free gift cards for years now. That means I’ve tried all sorts of apps and programs so I can tell you which that you should check into (which means you can ignore the rest of them).
Swagbucks for searches to earn gift cards for free
The next time you get ready to do a search, go through Swagbucks instead! As you search (just like you do through Google), you earn points. You can convert those points into free gift cards.
You can even do more than just search through Swagbucks. They offer codes you can redeem, surveys, games and other ways that you can earn points. You won’t get rich through them, but all of those little points can quickly add up!
Sign up right now and get a $5 bonus!!!
I’ve done this for years. We even bought our 5-year-old a bike one year using the free Amazon gift cards I earned through Swagbucks! Talk about a happy birthday!!!!
Ebates gives you a gift card for signing up
Who can’t use $10 right now? That’s what you get when you sign up with Ebates! Just make your first purchase within the first quarter you sign up and you’ll get your $10 gift card reward!!
Ebates pays you to shop online. Literally. Each time you get ready to shop, you can go through Ebates and you’ll earn cash back. They also share coupon codes and offers so you can save on every purchase. You’ll want to make sure to install the Chrome Extension Tool so you get a heads up before you do any online shopping (so you don’t forget to use Ebates).
While you can get a big fat check, sometimes, you may want to get that payout in the form of a gift card instead. You can convert your earnings into a gift card that you can use at some of your favorite retailers.
It is completely free to join. Make sure you check out my Ebates Review before you sign up!
Save at the Grocery Store with the Ibotta App
The Ibotta app is for anyone who loves to save money on food, clothing and more. If that’s you, then download this app!
The way Ibotta works is pretty simple. Before you do any shopping for food, toiletries or household items, review the offers. Find one that you want to claim and follow the steps they list to get the savings. You may need to watch a video, share it on Facebook or just click to read more. Once you are done, you’ll have activated it in your account.
Go to the store and shop as usual. When you are done shopping, upload a copy of your receipt to the app to confirm you made the purchase. Once that’s done, they will put that savings amount in your account!
While you can cash out and get money sent to your Paypal account, you can also convert those points into rewards, such as gift cards. When you get a gift card instead of cash, they will often add more to the value. For example, I recently was offered an additional $4 if I cashed out and claimed an Applebee’s gift card rather than request cash.
They also have a limited time offer where you can get a $10 bonus for signing up and completing your first purchase! That’s a $10 gift card, just for signing up.
Survey Sites that offer gift card rewards
A simple, no-brainer way to earn free gift cards is by taking surveys. You certainly will not get rich and it may take some time to get those cards. But, all of those points can quickly add up, giving you $5 gift cards here and there.
There are a lot of survey sites that you will want to avoid. But, if you are ready to try them out, some of those that are our favorites include:
- VIPVoice
- Inbox Dollars (get a $5 bonus when you sign up)
- Survey Junkie
You can check out our entire list of survey companies that we recommend, as well as some tips to make them work well for you.
Use the Shopkick app and score gift cards for free
The Shopkick app rewards its users by offering them free gift cards for walking into stores and completing actions. You sign up for an account and then, you make sure it is always active.
When you are out shopping, the app will be able to use location services to determine where you are. If you are near a store, it will send a kick to you, telling you what to do. It might be looking at the price of a product, checking a display, or other equally simple tasks.
Once you complete the kick, you’ll get points. Convert those points into gift cards to the stores you love! It too is a free app that you can download. Shopkick is just one of many coupon apps you can use on your phone.
Honey Extension pays you with gift cards
Honey offers more than just free gift cards – it can save you money! When you install the app to your computer, it will go and find any coupon codes you need so you can save money when you shop online. No more wondering or searching online to try to find online codes — Honey does that for you!
When you shop, earn your Honey Gold and then cash that in for gift cards. 1,000 points = a $10 reward that you can use to get gift cards to places such as Amazon, Sephora, Walmart, Target and more!
Seriously, there is not an easier way to save money when you shop online. Sign up for free for a Honey account.
Top Cash Back offers rebates on your purchases
Another service that pays you in gift cards is Top Cash Back. It is not a traditional savings site, but is rather a rebate site. You can use this app when you shop online. They sometimes offer 100% cash back offers – making your item completely free after the rebate!
Not only can you get paid for shopping online, but they also have a pretty lucrative refer-a-friend program which earns you $10 when your friend spends his or her first $10 through the site. Then, when you get ready to cash out, your rebate is increased by 3%, which is turned into an Amazon gift card! Sweet!
Sign up with Top Cash Back for free!
Use CoinStar to cash in your change and earn Amazon Gift Cards
Those pennies you have been saving are now going to be worth it! Don’t roll your coins and take them to the bank. Instead, use CoinStar and convert the money into a gift card! While you can get the cash for your coins, when you cash out for a gift card, you avoid paying the CoinStar fee.
Microsoft Rewards can earn you free cards
Another simple way you can get free gift cards is through Microsoft Rewards. Sign up and you will earn points for things such as quizzes, shopping, surveys and more. Cash them in and get Amazon cards!!
No matter what method you use to get the cards, be prepared to commit. You won’t earn those cards by doing activities just once in a while. You need to use the sites regularly and you’ll be cashing on free gift cards left and right!
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