My Top Money Saving Tools with Coupons

Hi Chickadees! This post will be your guide and resource for all my top money-saving tools! From coupons, cashback, and rewards.

If you follow Roost Eleven Eighteen on Instagram, I talk a lot on stories on my cashback apps and couponing. I’ve even mentioned it on my weekly recaps! So I figured a post containing everything I do to save my family money would be a great resource! That way all my top money-saving tools are in one place!

My husband just said to me today “I got a Cassandra Kay deal.” I laughed but it’s true. I am notorious for saving money All. The. Time. At first, after a graduated high school, when I would go out to eat I would always try to find a coupon. I started doing it religiously when Dustin and I started dating. When we got the bill, I would search [insert restaurant name] coupons. So, then pages like Retail Me Not would pop up and I would start frantically searching. 9 times out of 10 I would find one. And to this day I still do it, if we go to a franchise. Most of the time we eat at local “mom and pop” restaurants so there usually isn’t a coupon, and we are supporting a local business.

Ibotta

My first tool is the Ibotta app and web browser extension. Ibotta is a cash back app. You browse through the different stores, whichever store you are shopping at. Next, you look through all the offers to find ones you are interested in and then buy. You add those offers and then submit your receipt. You have 7 days to submit a receipt to Ibotta. The way to get cashback is only through certain offers. A lot of times they are name brands, so if you shop more store brands, it might take you longer to get your $20 minimum to withdraw. You can get cash via PayPal or store gift cards.

I’ve been using Ibotta since 2018 and I currently, as of 11/17/2021, have a lifetime earnings of $226.44. And I am one to not shy away from store brands for the most part! I think you save more money shopping store brands, but there are some items being food or non-food items that I shop name brand. So for me, $226.44 is perfect if I saved even more money along the way buying store brands than the name brands for the sake of cashback. But I love Ibotta and it’s such a great tool to save money on the items you buy that you would normally never see back without Ibotta.

Not only can you submit your recipes to Ibotta but there is also an option to shop online and earn cashback through different stores and an option to buy a Gift card for a particular store and earn more cashback on top of the different offers.

Example

Example: So I am shopping in-store at Walmart (works the same for online) I am at the checkout and my total is $86.54. I go to the Ibotta app and buy a gift card for that EXACT amount! Then I input that gift card info on the self-pay kiosk and my groceries are paid for. So I just got 0.5% (usually) cashback. Then after I checkout, since Walmart account t is linked to my Ibotta account, if I had any offers I selected, I earned that cash on top of the 0.5%.

That same scenario works when shopping online. But there’s a link to follow for stores if shopping on your phone or you can add the Ibotta extension to your internet browser. But I’m going, to be honest, I’ve only done the gift card thing a handful of times. It’s just an added step and if it’s not more than 0.5% it usually just slips my mind. I know I stopped using while doing my online grocery shopping at Walmart because I learned the hard way that Walmart grocery doesn’t accept gift cards. Maybe they do now, but before you couldn’t.

Sign Up with my code xuupqhc to receive $10 after you scan your first receipt. I am not sponsored or affiliated with Ibotta. It’s an app I use to save money and I want to pass my savings to my readers. Sign up here.

Fetch Rewards

Fetch Rewards is similar to Ibotta. But can be more user-friendly when first starting out. With Fetch Rewards, you simply just scan your receipts. No pre-adding offers before. Every receipt you upload gives you some type of points. 1 point = 1 cent. Not near as much money as Ibotta can offer, but over time your points add up. This way you never buy something you never intended to buy.

You can easily scroll and see what Fetch Rewards is offering bonus points for. And they really mean any receipt. Gas Stations, grocery stores, (box and local stores), online purchases as well, (they have an email option) retail stores, etc. Fetch Rewards you trade your points into gift cards. There isn’t a cash option like Ibotta.

I have been an active Fetch Rewards user since 2019. I have earned around 45,000 points or $45. Plus they do little offers for just being an active member like free 1-year magazine subscriptions! There have been times where I forget to upload my receipts, so this doesn’t truly reflect points for someone that has uploaded every receipt consecutively every time for 2 years.

Sign up with my code 57FWY to receive 2000 bonus points after you scan your first receipt. I am not sponsored or affiliated with Fetch Rewards. It’s another app I use to save money and I want to pass my savings on to my readers. Sign up here.

National Consumer Panel

I learned about NCP through The Freebie Guy. I have been an active member since August 2020. You scan all the products you bought during a shopping trip, including how much you spent. And then they send you out surveys to take. Some reflect the purchases you make and others they send out to everyone. Each survey you complete you get reward points and then you use your points for Giftcards.

This one takes a little more effort because you are scanning each product instead of a receipt. And you really only get points for the surveys you take. You do get bonus points for submitting each week or chances to play some of their annual games. It’s fun and I like giving my opinion. I really try to scan my products after I get back in the car from shopping. If it’s a bigger haul then I’ll just take everything out at home and start to scan.

To become a National Consumer Panel (NCP) member use my code 107293 and sign up here. I am not sponsored or affiliated with NCP. This is an app I use to save money and I want to pass my savings onto my readers.

Honey + Coupons

Honey is an extension for your web browser and it’s also an app. When you are shopping and you have honey, when you go to check out, Honey will automatically look for coupons and get you the best deal possible. It’s a great tool if you’re a frequent online shopper. I think they even started offering cashback.

A few other rebate apps I am a member of but don’t regularly use and/or haven’t had a payout from:

• Checkout 51-have submitted a couple receipts, only have a $2 balance with no payout yet
• Swagbucks- used a few times I don’t think it’s very user friendly and doesn’t have a lot of offers on my opinion
• Shopkick- have had one payout just by a bonus offer after signing up. You have to open the app while shopping to receive points and then scan certain items. A lot that I don’t buy.
• Fluz signed up a couple weeks ago. Mostly for online shopping. Don’t use and deleted the app
• Rakuten- I have had a payout from a bonus when signing up. Again mostly for online shopping. Don’t use and deleted the app.
• Aisle Rebates- it isn’t an app it’s texting offers. The offers they have are items I have never bought or even heard of. Haven’t even submitted a receipt

Store Apps that Offer Amazing Coupons & Discounts

Dollar General + Coupons

Dollar General was the first app I ever started using for coupons. It’s so easy to use. You just download the Dollar General App, sign up and create an account. Then just visit the “coupons” section on the home page. Whatever coupon you want to add to your account, you’ll just hit the (+) on the right-hand sign and it will change to a black and yellow checkmark.

The best day to get the most discounts will always be on Saturdays! If you’ve shopped at DG before, you see your $5 off $25 purchase good for the closest Saturday. This coupon is also available on the DG app. I like to buy my Gain products here when they have multiple different gain coupons. Like a $3 flings, $2 fabric softener, $5 of $20 gain, and those all stack with the $5 off $25 coupon. Toilet paper is another item I buy here frequently.

DG also offers rewards and special offers just for you on the app. Every once in a while I have a special offer. And the rewards are like buy 5 Pepsi items get one for $0.01. The rewards you would need to enroll in.

How do you get your coupons when you’re checking out you ask? Simple! You just type your phone number in, which you used when you signed up, on the credit card machine. That’s why it’s always asking for your number!

Family Dollar + Coupons

Family Dollar is pretty dang similar to DG. You download the Family Dollar App and create an account. The phone number you use on your account is what you type in on the credit card machine when checking out. And the best day to shop is on Saturdays. FD also offers a $5 of $25 purchase on Saturdays.

A difference between the two is on Family Dollar you will be clocking the red scissors that turn into a green checkmark to “clip” the coupon. I think it’s great because they normally don’t have the same exact deals every week compared to Dollar General. So if one doesn’t have a coupon for something you really need, the other store might!

CVS + Coupons

CVS might be my favorite place to coupon at the moment. Once I got the hang of it it’s so easy and you can save a ton!!! Initially, I didn’t save up for the care pass rewards but I am now. You can signup for free your first month and receive your $10 extra bucks. Then after the first 30 days, you pay $5 and receive $10 in extra bucks to spend. So really you get $5 for a free month.

Similar to DG and FD, you have coupons you can clip on the CVS app. But what I have noticed with CVS, is that usually if there’s a coupon on the app there’s also a sale on the item. Then on top of the sale and coupons, they have “extra bucks.” Not on all items but different items through different weeks you can get an item on sale, plus a coupon, and then get extra bucks to spend on your next trip.

Example: I bought a bottle of Softsoap body wash originally for $6.99 it was on sale for $3.99 but I had a coupon for $1 off and then I got $2 extra bucks back so I really bought it for $0.99!

But not all products you can get like that every week. It’s just watching the store ads. I really like to just go into CVS once a week. I like actually seeing all the yellow tags in the aisle and making my decisions that way. Sometimes it’s a little hard trying to prove all your deals together just with the ad and not in the store.

My latest CVS haul

• Softsoap: on sale for $3.99, had a coupon for $1 off plus $2 back in extra bucks making the price $0.99
• Toilet paper: BOGO free- no coupon required just scan card
• Purely: $1 off
• Bio True: $2 off
• Axe Deodorant: BOGO half off, $1 off one, $2.50 off two, $3 back in Extrabucks
• Colgate toothpaste: $3 off $15, $5 extrabucks on 3.
• I had $5 extra bucks to spend from a previous transaction. I know I saw $68 when ringing everything up and got it down to $28!

Don’t be afraid to start!

Now, these apps and stores are the ones I use daily/weekly. There are more that I would use if I had the stores close by. I’m just breaking the surface here. There’s Target and Walgreens that are similar to Family Dollar and Dollar General. I really started trying more couponing and stocking up recently, so I don’t have much in my “stockpile.” Which my stockpile is just whatever room I found in my linen closet. I have 9 tubes of toothpaste, a 4 pack of toilet paper, and two deodorants. It’s not much, but it’s something, and knowing I paid a fraction of the retail price on all of it just makes me happy.

Now, as I said I’m just scratching the surface here when it comes to couponing and freebies. There are a few people that I follow that I learn from and receive plenty of ideas from. I think most, if not all, do this for a living, it’s their job. Not only do they post coupons, but also, discounts, freebies, sweepstakes, clearance, and amazing deals. Here is a list of the ones I follow and their Instagram handles:

My favorite Couponers to Follow

• The Freebie Guy @ thefreebieguy
• Greg @ couponingwithgregthatdude
• Kayla Burk @ couponwithkayla
• Kiersti Torok @ torok.coupon.hunter

Just because there is a deal on a product doesn’t mean you need to buy it. I don’t buy anything extra couponing. Only what I know we will use, eat, or can donate. It’s a waste of money to me if I’m buying something I know we won’t use. Now, I’m not saying you can’t put your couponing skills to good use and buy things to donate because we all 100% should! But if it’s something you can’t donate and won’t use, don’t buy it.

I hope this little guide helps you out as you begin your coupon journey!

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