If you were born in the last century you probably remember all the reward cards we stuffed in our wallets and purses. These were a pain in the rump – which is why I never used them.
Now-a-days the rewards can be handled from a smartphone.
Reward Programs
If you frequently go to restaurants, coffee houses, etc… there’s probably an app for it.
Depending on the app, you can place an order, pay and tip for your purchase or service.
In some cases, using the app will earn you discounts and/or other rewards.
Reward program apps aren’t limited to food and drink. There are also ways to earn rewards by scanning receipts, submitting photographs, taking surveys and more.
The list of options is almost endless so it’s not possible for me to list all the Reward Programs available and give the details for each one.
What I can do is share about some of the Reward Programs I use. Hopefully, this will spark ideas for you to look into based on your own wants and needs.
How I Never Pay For Starbucks
I never pay for Starbucks or the tip! I always tip – just not with money out of my own pocket.
I don’t go to Starbucks on a daily basis but I do have a minor Starbucks guilty pleasure habit.
Here’s how I fund my Starbucks habit:
Verizon Rewards Program
As a Verizon customer, I get a $5 gift card each month. There are several gift cards to choose from – I always choose Starbucks.
Maybe your phone company has rewards you haven’t yet discovered!
The Fetch App
With Fetch, you scan every receipt (for anything you buy) and earn points that are converted to gift cards. Again, I always choose Starbucks. There are also ways to earn bonus points and the points can add up fast.
If you sign up for using code UJHV2 you’ll get 2,000 bonus points when you snap your first receipt! You can find out more about Fetch and get the app on the FetchRewards.com website.
When you use my code (UJHV2) I’ll also get 2,000 points the first time you snap a receipt. If you use my code, I thank you for helping support my Starbucks habit!
There are lots of reward apps for scanning receipts. You can usually scan the same receipt to multiple apps and stack the benefits.
The Starbucks App
The last way I supplement my Starbucks habit is by using the Starbucks app.
When I use the app to place an order, I earn rewards for future Starbucks purchases.
Just to clarify, I use the app to order and pay for my Starbucks with the free gift cards from Verizon and Fetch – AND – Starbucks gives me additional rewards because I used their app to make my purchase.
Funding my Starbucks habit has become a fun game that has led to other money saving, gift card earning adventures.
Other Money Saving, Gift Card Earning Adventures
Anyone who owns a vehicle needs gas if they want to go anywhere.
There are a handful of gas stations I use and most of them have an app that allows me to pay for fuel and earn rewards.
Depending on what area of the country I’m in I typically get gas from Mobil, Chevron, Pilot, BP or Racetrac (just to name a few who have apps).
The rewards can vary by Company but rewards can include 10 cents off per gallon of gas or earning credits to use for future gas purchases and/or in-store purchases.
The list doesn’t stop at gas stations. If you buy from a business, check to see if there’s an app with a reward program!
Expanding The Benefits Even Further
The credit card I use to pay for the gas gives me 1-5% cash back that I can use for Amazon purchases.
I get a reward from the gas station AND a reward from the credit card company.
This expanding of benefits applies to most anything.
For example, when I use my Papa Johns app, I pay for my order with the credit card – which means I receive a reward from the credit card AND a reward from Papa Johns.
My credit card is used to pay bills, buy groceries and (almost) anything else I need.
I use my credit card to get the 1-5% cash back and I pay the card off each month before I’m charged interest.
For my credit card, the cash back can only be used for Amazon purchases but you can buy most anything on Amazon.
Parting Thoughts
I have an Android phone and an Apple iPad (in addition to my Windows notebook computer).
Sometimes Apple has apps that can only be used on Apple devices or visa versa.
A simple search in the Google Play Store (Android) or the App Store (Apple) will show you which apps are available on your device.
Additionally, the business website should have information about any apps they offer.
Simply Connie 