Thankfully, it’s possible to save money on these purchases.

There are numerous platforms that let you earn Google Play credits for free. This guide shares the top options to get free codes.

What Are the Top Ways to Earn Free Google Play Codes?

Earning free Google Play points is possible by completing a variety of short activities. These activities include online surveys, playing games, and shopping on get-paid-to sites.

As a preview, these are the top options based on our testing.

Here are the best platforms to earn free codes to make in-app purchases in the Play store.

1. Swagbucks

Swagbucks is a rewards site that pays you to do various tasks. You can earn rewards points by:

• Using their search engine
• Completing surveys
• Using their shopping portal
• Watching sponsored videos
• Downloading apps
• Trying free product offers

This enables you to earn points quickly. As an added bonus, you receive $10 for opening a new account and making a qualifying purchase.

You can redeem your points for gift cards to popular retailers or free Google Play gift cards.

If you have a gamer in your home, you can even earn credits to use on Roblox. Read our guide on ways to get free Robux to learn more.

You can also take earnings via free Shein gift cards if you wish.

It takes roughly 1,000 Swagbucks points to redeem a $10 gift card, 2,500 to redeem a $25 gift card, and 5,000 to redeem a $50 gift card.

Many other gift cards and PayPal Cash rewards require 500 points for a $5 payout.

Consult our Swagbucks review to learn more.

2. Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie is one of the best-paid survey sites as you can attempt multiple surveys each day. They also have a low payout minimum of $10 (1,000 points) for gift cards and PayPal.

Most surveys for money take up to 20 minutes to complete, and they pay between $1 and $3. Depending on your background and the survey topic, you may qualify for follow-up online focus groups that offer higher pay.

In addition to taking surveys, you can use the SJ Pulse extension with your web browser or mobile app to share which ads you see when surfing the web.

This lets you effortlessly earn a few extra dollars each month.

You may also qualify for additional survey invitations as an SJ Pulse community member.

Since you can use this service either on your phone or desktop, it is one of the best money making apps you can use.

Read our Survey Junkie review to learn more.

3. Fetch Rewards

Fetch Rewards is one of the top apps you can use to scan grocery receipts for money. The platform partners with over 200 brands to offer rebates.

When you scan a receipt, the app calculates the points you receive based on the price of the products you bought. Usually, you earn ten points per dollar.

Sometimes participating stores will release special offers as well. These can be worth several dollars and may offset the full item price.

Unlike other receipt scanning apps, you don’t have to activate offers to receive points. As long as you submit the receipt, the app automatically matches your purchases with active offers.

Then, you’ll receive the offer and accompanying points.

You will earn at least 25 points per receipt when you don’t purchase any participating items. The app issues points for merchandise and gas station receipts as well. Read our guide on other ways to get free gas at the pump to further reduce fuel expenses.

Points can be redeemed for gift cards or Google Play credits. It just takes 5,000 points to be able to redeem them for a gift card worth $5.

Read our Fetch Rewards review to learn more.

4. LifePoints

LifePoints is another exciting survey site that gives you rewards points for completing surveys. Most surveys require up to 20 minutes, and you can answer several per day.

This site may allow you to watch ads and provide feedback. You can also receive invitations for online focus groups and month-long daily diary studies.

Read our guide on other choices to get paid to watch ads on your phone to identify the top opportunities to earn.

Anticipate earning between $0.50 and $1.50 per survey. The redemption minimum is $5 (550 points) for gift cards to popular retailers.

However, you need at least 1,100 points for Google Play rewards to get a $10 gift code.

The platform gives new panelists ten bonus points as a signup bonus.

5. Honey

Honey by PayPal is a browser extension and mobile app that helps you save money shopping online by automatically applying discount codes.

When you use its “Gold” shopping portal feature, you also earn points you can redeem for gift cards, including Google Play points with a $10 account balance.

Cash and PayPal shopping credits are your additional redemption options.

You can earn up to 20 percent back at more than 4,500 stores. However, most stores only provide rebates between one and five percent back.

Read our Honey review to learn more.

6. Ibotta

Ibotta lets you earn cash back on your grocery shopping using their mobile app. After you download the app to your phone, you can search for featured items and activate offers when you are at the supermarket.

When you’re done with your shopping, you take a picture of the receipt with your phone. Next, the app gives you cash rewards for your successful offers.

Most grocery offers are worth between $0.50 and $3 on participating brand names.

While this cash back app can be best for buying groceries, it also works at over 2,000 retailers.

You can activate an online shopping session through the mobile app or your web browser and receive up to ten percent back.

Some of the 2,000+ popular retailers include:

• Amazon
• Costco
• Sam’s Club
• Target
• Walmart

Ibotta gives you $5 upon redeeming your first offer, so it doesn’t take that long to cash out your earnings.

You can redeem earnings via PayPal, direct bank deposit, and gift cards with a $20 balance. Free Google Play credits are one of the multiple withdrawal options.

Read our Ibotta review to learn more.

7. Toluna

Toluna is an online survey site you can use to earn point that you can convert to free Google Play points. The platform is one of the largest survey providers in the space and has ten million active members.

You can receive 3,000 to 6,000 points for each survey. Longer surveys can pay as much as 50,000 points.

New members can earn 500 bonus points by opening an account.

When it comes to redeeming your credits, you can convert your rewards into gift cards with 30,000 points. This balance is worth $10 in free credits.

8. InboxDollars

InboxDollars is a get-paid-to site that offers various ways to earn points doing small tasks. Popular ways to earn include:

• Answering online surveys
• Watching videos
• Playing games
• Shopping online
• Redeeming coupons
• Reading sponsored emails

Most activities pay between $0.50 and $3 for a time commitment of 20 minutes or less. You also have the opportunity to win real cash when you play games or search the web.

You receive a $5 signup bonus when joining, and the redemption minimum is $30 for cash and gift cards.

Read our InboxDollars review to learn more.

9. InstaGC

InstaGC stands for Instant Gift Cards. It is a rewards site that pays you to answer surveys, watch videos, shop online, and search the web.

Every 100 points you earn is worth $1 that can go toward a gift card.

Another feature of InstaGC is that they frequently offer ways to earn bonus points by letting you test products or listen to music, giving you plenty of options to earn points.

The low redemption minimum can make it easier to request frequent payments. However, most tasks only earn a few points, making the pay competitive with other platforms.

Some of the best surveys can pay up to 105 points. This is enough for a $1 gift card.

Google Play rewards require at least 500 points, allowing you to get a $5 gift code. This is a higher minimum than other prize options but still lower than many get-paid-to-sites.

New members receive ten bonus points when joining.

10. PointClub

One of the great things about PointClub is that you can join as young as 13 as long as you have a parent’s consent.

Signing up to complete surveys, also known as “missions,” is fast and easy. Each mission you finish gives you a certain amount of points.

Completing your profile and participating in Daily Streaks will grow your points balance even faster.

Points are easy to understand as every 1,000 points = $1. You can redeem rewards for PayPal cash or various gift cards.

Most tasks have an average payout between 500 and 5,000 points. The cashout minimum is 25,000 points for $25 gift codes and PayPal Cash.

To help you redeem your first award sooner, you receive five bonus dollars when you open an account.

11. Mistplay

Do you spend time on your phone playing games? If so, Mistplay is an excellent choice to turn your gameplay into free Google Play points.

After downloading this app to your Android smartphone, you earn rewards points (units) by playing games. While no purchase is necessary to earn units, you can receive bonus rewards by making in-app purchases.

Your earning potential depends on the game. Anticipate earning approximately $1 per hour by playing free games and having fun at the same time. This may not seem like a lot, but Mistplay is one of the top apps that pay you to play games online.

Gift card redemptions start at $5 (1,800 units) for most brands, including Google Play.

You can also redeem Mistplay units for retailers like:

• Amazon
• Nintendo
• Playstation
• Steam
• Xbox

If you prefer cash, you can redeem points for Visa gift cards. Mistplay is free to use, and you can start earning points immediately.

12. Join Costco

An awesome perk Costco offers its members is discounted gift cards. For example, you can often find a $50 gift card for $40.

Throughout the year, Costco will offer specials for deeply discounted gift cards. It’s not uncommon to find the same $50 option for $30 or $25.

You can find these both in-store and online.

If you don’t have a membership, ask a friend to see if they can help you out. You can also purchase a basic annual membership for $60.

13. AppNana

You’re probably using apps regularly and trying new ones all the time. With AppNana, you can earn rewards for doing this.

AppNana is terrific for anyone who’s interested in playing games online, although it’s useful even if you don’t and want an easy way to discover new lifestyle apps.

You earn points for each minute of playtime and by reaching specific levels. It’s possible to earn as many as 15,000 points per game, and you need approximately 45,000 points for a $2 gift card reward.

Most games are free to play. However, some premium games require in-app purchases to earn rewards. One example is a casino game.

Online shopping and paid surveys are two additional ways you can accumulate points. Logging into your account daily lets you earn 400 points.

Your earning can be redeemed for Google Play, Xbox, and Amazon gift credits in addition to other brands. The redemption minimum is 45,000 points for a $2 gift card.

You will receive 10,000 bonus points when you join.

14. Google Opinion Rewards

Google Opinion Rewards is an app that you can use to take quick surveys and only pays out in credits to the Play Store or free PayPal money.

The survey topics range from opinion polls and hotel reviews to merchant satisfaction and consumer feedback surveys.

These surveys tend to be a little different from a market research company, which can make this an exciting opportunity.

You will earn up to $1 per survey, but many have a lower payout. While the earning potential isn’t the highest, there isn’t a redemption minimum.

It’s possible to earn up to $20 per month with regular participation. That income can be enough money to try out a few new games or apps in the Play Store each month.

15. S’more

S’more is a fun app you can use to earn prizes, including gift card codes, by viewing ads.

The platform displays ads on your lock screen, and you earn points whether you interact with the ad or ignore it.

Some of the additional ways you can earn points include:

• Downloading apps
• Referring friends
• Watching sponsored videos
• Playing online games
• Completing shopping offers

Simply visit the app each day, play games, or try some of the above options to earn coins that can be redeemed for gift cards.

Each activity earns between one and 25 points. The gift card redemption minimum is 500 points for $5.

How to Redeem Google Play Credits

It is fairly simple to redeem your Google promo codes. You will need to access your account to do it.

Sign in to your Google Play account or create one here. Then do the following:

• Find the app or game you want and click on the link
• Click the “buy” button on the next page
• Select “Google Play credit” or enter your gift card balance to complete the purchase

Your current credit balance should be updated with your purchase.

Most of the apps mentioned above will apply directly to your account, although some may require additional information to redeem gift cards.

How Can I Get Free Google Play Codes?

It is possible to earn free Google Play points by completing a variety of micro-tasks like surveys, games, and watching videos.

Other activities require a purchase, including online shopping offers, redeeming coupons for in-app purchases, and scanning your shopping receipts.

How to Avoid Google Play Code Scams

The most common scam comes from credit generators promising free credits simply by giving them your email address.

This often results in an email being sent to you that may include an attachment. Don’t download it since these attachments are often used to install malware on your device.

You should also only use rewards platforms that you trust, such as the ones that we mention.

Can Apple Users Get Google Play Credits?

While Android device users are able to earn free Google Play credits easily, that’s not the case for iOS users since they’re unable to download the Google Play store.

That does not mean Apple users can’t earn Google Play codes. Although Apple users can’t download the Google Play store to their devices, they can download books, music, and movies in the store.

Downloading these apps onto an iOS device affords Apple users the ability to earn free credits just like Android users.

Bottom Line

There are many ways to get Google Play points for free. While you may find different hacks online to earn gift card codes, they’re often a scam. The only way to receive real credits is to use one of the above options.

With a little effort, you can save money on mobile purchases you want to make.

What’s your favorite hack to save money on entertainment?

The post How to Get Free Google Play Points appeared first on Frugal Rules.

InboxDollars is a fantastic way to make money online or from your phone. The site provides a variety of ways to earn rewards by completing short tasks.

This InboxDollars review covers how you can make money and maximize your free time.

What is InboxDollars?

InboxDollars is a get-paid-to site (GPT) that rewards you for doing numerous online tasks. Most activities are less than 30 minutes, and you can redeem your earnings for cash rewards and gift cards.

The site launched roughly 20 years ago, and members have earned over $80 million in rewards.

Some of the ways to make money include:

• Online surveys
• Watching videos
• Reading email
• Shopping online
• Playing games
• Redeeming coupons

Creating a free account is easy. It takes several minutes to open an account, and you can start earning immediately.

You only need to be 18 years old to join InboxDollars.

Thanks to the multiple ways to earn, it’s one of the best Swagbucks alternatives to earn cash in your spare time.

How Does the App Work?

When you open an account, you fill out a profile survey by providing information about yourself. Then, the platform matches your details with relevant surveys and side hustle offers.

After you register and confirm your email, you receive a $5 sign-up bonus.

Once you finish the initial registration process, you can start completing online tasks to earn money. A to-do list highlights activities that can earn bonus rewards.

Tasks can be done using the InboxDollars mobile app, which operates on Android and Apple devices, or by accessing the website on your computer.

You can redeem rewards for the first time once your earnings balance reaches a $15 balance. After that, the minimum redemption is $30 for all subsequent payouts.

Your redemption options include:

• PayPal Cash
• eGift Cards
• Prepaid Visa Card

Your gift card options may include Amazon, Applebee’s, Google Play, Nike, Target, and Walmart. There are approximately 35 participating restaurants, stores, and travel brands.

If you have a gamer in your home, you can even earn credits to use on Roblox. Read our guide on ways to get free Roblox gift card codes to learn more.

You can also take earnings via a free Shein gift card if you wish.

Features

There are numerous ways to make extra money with InboxDollars. Not every opportunity pays the same, so know that before getting started with the service.

You can try each option to decide which task works best for you.

Paid Surveys

Completing market research surveys online can be one of the easiest ways to make money on the side since no special skills or purchases are needed.

If you want to take surveys for money, you can attempt several each day with the site.

The platform is one of the best survey sites on the web because it offers many choices and competitive payouts for getting paid to answer questions.

Before you start, each opportunity tells you the topic and the amount you’ll receive. Most surveys pay between $0.50 and $5. Longer surveys tend to have higher payouts.

You will need to answer several profile questions to qualify for the full survey. If you aren’t eligible for the survey, you can earn a few points for each attempt.

Apex Focus Group is a similar option that focuses solely on focus groups. Read our review of Apex Focus Group to learn more.

Games

It’s possible to get paid to play games online for money with InboxDollars. Depending on the opportunity, you can receive cash earnings or Scratch & Win sweepstakes entries.

These virtual scratch-off tickets can win cash prizes.

You can play games on the computer, including classics like Mahjongg or Solitaire. The options in the “Games” tab earn sweepstakes entries based on your playtime.

However, these free games are not guaranteed to earn extra cash like the other micro-tasks.

Downloading new cell phone games and earning points by reaching a specific level is another option to make money with InboxDollars. You can find these games in the “Offers” section.

Some of the recent examples include Bejeweled or Plinko.

Many games are free to play. You can earn several dollars for your effort after reaching a certain level in the game.

Playing games online may sometimes require in-game purchases. In these situations, you earn rewards based on your purchase amount.

Watch Sponsored Videos

Instead of spending time on YouTube, you can get paid to watch videos with InboxDollars.

You can get paid to watch videos about these topics:

• Current events
• Cooking
• Sports news
• Health videos

Most videos only pay a small amount, such as $0.01 per video. Fortunately, these videos require minimal effort and time.

Look for sponsored videos from a market research company when possible. These are usually short TV commercials that you can watch and review. They tend to include a short survey and have higher payouts than the daily videos.

Shopping Portal

If you do a lot of online shopping, the site has a portal that lets you earn cash on the items you buy from your favorite online stores.

This can be one of the best ways to get extra money since you may receive cash back on your regular purchases.

You can earn up to four percent back at some of the following vendors:

• Kohl’s
• Priceline
• Walmart

Select retailers award up to 15 percent back, but these stores are usually specialty stores.

The cashback site also lets you earn rewards by purchasing gift cards and signing up for product offers.

Coupons

What helps make this rewards site unique is the ability to earn shopping rewards from in-store purchases. You can print coupons and earn up to $0.10 on redemptions in addition to the instant savings.

Plus, you can enjoy discounts at the cash register by scanning your grocery store loyalty card. There are over 200 coupons to select from.

It’s also possible to double-dip by using Fetch Rewards to save even more money. Read our Fetch Rewards review to learn more about that app.

Read Sponsored Emails

Taking a few minutes each day to read emails is another easy way to make money on the platform. It’s as simple as it sounds. All you have to do is open emails and read the content.

You must opt-in to take advantage of this opportunity, and you can receive up to four sponsored emails per day.

Some of the more lucrative emails pay up to $25. The highest-paying emails typically require completing some sort of task.

To avoid clogging up your inbox, it’s best to use a secondary email address for these sponsored emails.

Uploading Your Receipts

You can earn from $0.50 to $10.00 back by activating Magic Receipts digital coupons and purchasing participating items.

Most offers earn several dollars, but they are store-specific. The higher-paying offers require buying name brands.

Make sure you add a coupon to your shopping list before uploading your store receipt with your phone camera.

You may consider some of the other best apps for scanning grocery receipts to potentially earn more with participating name-brand items.

Some apps may accept online grocery delivery orders or not require you to activate offers before uploading your receipt.

Using Their Search Engine

The InboxDollars search engine helps you earn Scratch & Win tickets when you’re surfing the web.

Instead of typing a search query into your mobile browser bar, you can receive rewards for these search results:

• Web
• Images
• Video
• News

Your sweepstakes entries progress bar advances after four qualifying searches. Additionally, you can receive $0.05 by completing eligible searches on four consecutive days.

Read our guide on ways to get paid to search the web to learn about other opportunities.

How Much Can You Make With InboxDollars?

Earning cash on InboxDollars is simple, but you won’t become wealthy. On average, you can earn several dollars a day. This assumes you’re active on the platform and take advantage of multiple opportunities.

Most tasks require 20 minutes or less to complete and pay between $0.01 and $5. Additionally, many don’t require you to spend money.

Some tasks can pay up to $30. However, these may require a purchase in order to test new products and services. They can also require more time and may not be worth the effort.

While you won’t get rich, you can earn small amounts of money in your free time. Once your balance reaches $30, you can redeem your earnings.

Cash-out options include PayPal, gift cards for popular retailers (such as an Amazon gift card), or prepaid Visa debit cards. Remember that your first redemption threshold is only $15. Subsequent redemptions are $30.

How Long Does it Take to Get Money from InboxDollars?

It takes approximately three days for most gift card and PayPal payments to complete. However, some gift card redemptions can require up to ten business days.

Members can have one pending redemption request at a time. Therefore, you must wait for an open request to close before cashing out again.

Since the minimum redemption is relatively high, frequent payouts aren’t a problem for most users.

In addition to the payment processing times, paid shopping offers may have a waiting period to verify your purchase and allow time for returns or refunds.

For example, it can take up to 60 days to receive cashback from online shopping trips.

Do You Have to Pay Taxes on InboxDollars?

Earnings you receive from any online survey platform or small-task site are taxable. InboxDollars will file a 1099 tax form for any user if they make over $600 in a calendar year.

If you do not earn that much, you’re responsible for keeping track of what you earn and reporting it on your taxes. It’s best to track the income you earn so you can refer back to it when you file taxes.

Is InboxDollars Safe?

Yes, this paid survey site is a legitimate app to make money in your spare time. The platform is a safe cash rewards website with over 20 years of experience.

InboxDollars has a 4.2 out of 5 Trustpilot score. This is proof that people make real money.

While you won’t share personal details like your bank account information or Social Security number, the platform learns about your daily habits and basic background to provide personalized offers.

The company doesn’t sell, use, or rent your personal information to third parties.

Pros and Cons

As with all side hustles, you should keep some things in mind when it comes to using survey sites. Here are some of the pros and cons of InboxDollars.

Pros:

• Easy to use
• Free to join
• Multiple, short tasks to make money
• Cash and gift card payment options
• An extra $5 just for signing up

Cons:

• $30 payout threshold ($15 on your first time)
• Some tasks require a purchase
• Won’t qualify for every survey
• May receive lots of promotional emails

You won’t become wealthy using this rewards site, but it’s a simple way to earn a little extra spending money with minimal effort.

Top Sites Like InboxDollars

Overall, this side gig opportunity is a user-friendly get-paid-to site that pays in cash. Other paid survey sites might be better if you want to focus on a specific activity or need a lower payout minimum.

Here is a preview of the top apps like InboxDollars.

These are some alternatives to consider.

Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie is one of the leading online survey sites in the space. You can take multiple surveys daily and get PayPal or gift card payments with a $10 rewards balance.

Users can be as young as 16 years to join and need to live in the United States, Canada, or Australia.

Depending on your profile, you may also qualify for online focus groups and extended studies, which pay more. Installing the SJ Pulse app lets you make money by anonymously sharing your internet usage data.

Counsult our Survey Junkie review for more.

Swagbucks

Swagbucks is a competing short-task site that pays you to answer surveys, shop online, play games, and redeem in-store coupons for points.

Amazon gift cards start at $1, while PayPal payouts start at $5. Other gift card redemptions start at $5 as well.

Furthermore, new members only need to be 13 years old to join. It’s also possible to earn a $10 sign-up bonus after completing qualifying activities.

Read our Swagbucks review for more.

Branded Surveys

You can earn points by answering opinion surveys and daily polls through Branded Surveys. Active panelists can earn bonus points after receiving Branded Elite loyalty program badges.

Gift card, PayPal, and Branded Pay direct deposit redemptions start at $5 (500 points). The minimum age requirement is 16 years.

Summary

InboxDollars is a legit way to make money in your free time. As with any rewards site, it’s important to determine if it’s worth your effort.

If you want to make extra money on the side, InboxDollars is worth trying. Join today and receive $5 to start.

How do you earn cash in your free time?

The post InboxDollars Review: Is It a Scam or Legit? appeared first on Frugal Rules.

There are many similarities between both apps, including bank account syncing and customizable plans. However, each platform has its unique strengths that can make one a better match for your goals and needs than the other.

Our YNAB vs. EveryDollar comparison takes a closer look at both apps to help you decide which one can make it easier for you to achieve financial freedom.

What is the Difference Between YNAB and EveryDollar?

You Need a Budget (YNAB) utilizes the zero-based budgeting method to assign a job for every dollar you earn. Its goal is to help you stop living paycheck to paycheck and pay this month’s bills with last month’s income. 

The YNAB budget software is more in-depth than its competitor and provides more hands-on features. 

While setting up your monthly budget can take longer, the automated features can make it easier to manage your money in the long run. It’s free to try for 34 days. 

EveryDollar helps you create a zero-based budget with custom categories, but the planning isn’t as extensive. You may prefer this platform if you can get by with fewer details.

The free version is sufficient for a basic budget to track your spending, but it doesn’t link to your financial accounts. Upgrading to the paid version provides benefits like account syncing, personalized suggestions, and access to Dave Ramsey material.

What is You Need a Budget?

YNAB is one of the most in-depth personal finance tools for budgeting. It practices four money management rules:

1. Give every dollar a job: Know precisely how much you want to allocate for expenses and savings goals.
2. Embrace your true expenses: Compare your planned and actual spending.
3. Roll with the punches: Be flexible and make changes to improve your spending.
4. Age your money: Stop living paycheck to paycheck and pay your bills from your savings.

You stand to gain the most from this service if you have a tight budget and are struggling to pay the bills. 

After joining, the app connects to your banking accounts to track your income and expenses. Plus, it walks you through a category-based budget to allocate how much you want to spend on your core expenses and upcoming goals. 

After setting up your initial plan, the program looks for ways to save money every month by reducing your spending habits. 

New users may also appreciate the live question-and-answer sessions discussing different budgeting topics. These online events are daily, and you can watch video recordings to learn more about improving your money skills.

YNAB is accessible via a mobile app, wearable devices, and web browsers. 

YNAB Features

You Need A Budget is a robust budgeting platform you can use to pursue multiple financial goals. Here are some of the top tools that help track your progress.

Import Transactions

Connecting to your bank account to view your real-time account balances and sync your transactions is easy with this budgeting tool. Additionally, you can link your credit cards and investment accounts for total control of your finances.

The service will sync transactions between multiple devices, such as when spouses access their accounts. You can even manually assign a budget category or create auto-categorization rules as new transactions download. 

Easy-to-Use Interface

Despite processing lots of data and providing a highly-detailed spending plan, this budgeting and saving app is easy to navigate from your phone, tablet, or computer.

It’s effortless to view your deposits, payments, and goal progress. The app also uses color-coded progress bars, and you can tap on a specific item to find out more.

Compared to most online management software, YNAB has one of the most helpful account setup experiences. It walks you through multiple common and overlooked budget categories, including groceries, debt payments, car repairs, and travel.

This detailed analysis helps you quickly pinpoint budgeting mistakes where you might be spending more than you estimated. 

Additionally, the service lets you evaluate if you’re not saving as much as you need to accomplish your savings goals by the target date. 

Goal Creation

Along with reviewing how much you spend each month, YNAB helps you create a savings plan to save money for future expenses. You can decide how much you want to save and the target deadline to estimate your monthly savings goal.

It’s easy to set goals and track your progress from your account summary. The app summary lists your total savings balance and your monthly funding progress.

In addition to tracking your savings progress, this online budgeting service produces spending and net worth reports that simplify evaluating your full financial picture.

Age of Money

The final YNAB budgeting rule is to pay your current bills with money that has been in the bank for at least 30 days. In addition to tracking your spending progress, your budget also measures the age of your money.

For example, if the money’s age is 15 days, your paycheck must remain in your spending account for approximately two weeks before it pays a bill. This number will increase as you lower your spending and pay off debt.

How Much Does YNAB Cost?

All new users can try You Need a Budget free for 34 days and receive full access to every feature. After the trial period, you will pay $14.99 month-to-month or $99 when paid annually ($8.25 per month).

College students can enjoy one free year of membership.

*Related: Starting a budget can be difficult if you’re just out of school and a novice. Consult our printable budget worksheet for recent college graduates to learn where to begin.

Read our guide on the top YNAB alternatives if you prefer a different budgeting strategy or need a lower annual cost.

What is EveryDollar?

EveryDollar can be an excellent option for fans of Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps who want to get out of debt since it’s produced by Ramsey Solutions. 

It adopts the zero-based monthly budget approach where you assign each dollar a job, but the platform also works well with envelope budgeting and value-based spending as you can create high-level categories. 

A premium subscription is necessary for account syncing, automated tracking, advanced planning tools, and custom budget reports. Additionally, paid members can access group coaching to get financial questions answered by a money expert.

When registering, you can try the paid subscription free for 14 days to compare the extra tools to the free version. You will need to choose a Ramsey+ subscription to access the network’s other premium resources, including Financial Peace University.

However, the free budgeting software is best if you’re comfortable manually tracking your income and expenses since you cannot download your transactions. This is ideal if you want to quickly compare your actual spending to your planned amount. 

You can access your EveryDollar budget using a mobile app or an online browser. 

Consult our guide on how to create a budget if you prefer to choose the free option and manage it yourself.

Import Transactions

The premium budget app helps you save time by downloading transactions from linked financial accounts. This automation also means you won’t forget to record a transaction, which would adversely impact your ability to accurately track your spending.

Paid users can connect an unlimited number of accounts and categorize them accordingly. The app shows your current account balances along with the spending comparison to the budget targets.

Unfortunately, this service doesn’t auto-categorize your transactions, which can be frustrating if you want to put in less work monitoring your finances. Simultaneously, you don’t run the risk of miscategorizing a purchase, which can skew your spending reports.

Customizable Spending Categories

All users can create customizable budget categories that can be as in-depth or basic as they choose. Within each category, there are line items to plan for specific expenses.

For example, you can create a housing expenses category with line items for your mortgage payment, utilities, and repairs. Users can split transactions between multiple items.

This flexibility can make EveryDollar a worthy replacement for YNAB if you want a simple budget since it tracks your spending while quickly letting you know when you are living beyond your means. 

According to the app developer, you can create your first budget within 30 minutes. The budget walkthrough process is basic, and incorporating these recommended budget percentages can help you decide how to allocate your paycheck effectively.

Create Sinking Funds

In addition to making a spending plan, free and premium members can build sinking funds to track their savings progress for upcoming purchases and financial goals.

Sinking funds are separate from emergency funds, which you can also create in this budgeting and saving app.

As with most features, premium members have more tracking and estimation tools.

Budget Harmony

Listing your monthly income and spending targets is an excellent start, and several budgeting features make it easier to manage your money with this app.

Free subscribers can enjoy these benefits:

• Customize budget items and categories
• Receive monthly articles and budgeting tips
• Set due dates
• Sync budget data across all devices in real-time

Experienced budgeters and those wanting a barebones app will enjoy the simplicity of these features along with the ability to track transactions manually.

A premium membership’s best hands-on tools include:

• Customized budget reports: Receive in-depth income and spending reports along with a downloadable .CSV file for other online money management software. 
• Group financial coaching calls: Online sessions about budgeting, investing, spending, and other financial topics like your credit score.
• One-click tracking: The app monitors your spending activity and recommends ways to save more money.
• Paycheck planning: This cash flow forecast tool lets you visualize your financial progress after including upcoming paychecks and expenses, making it easier to predict overspending.

These advanced tools make it simple to accurately track your progress and plan your future because you have more hands-on control.

How Much Does EveryDollar Cost?

EveryDollar has two tiers to choose from. These tiers are:

• Free: No service fees
• Premium: Free 14-day trial and then $12.99 per month or $79.99 annually ($6.67 per month)

This service is cheaper than YNAB, but the paid plan doesn’t provide as many in-depth tools. If you don’t need the extra features, you can have similar transaction syncing and zero-based budgeting at a more affordable price.

Unlike some free budgeting apps, there are no advertisements for products or services if you stick with the entry-level plan.

How Are EveryDollar and YNAB Similar?

There is a lot to like about EveryDollar and You Need A Budget. The popular budgeting apps share many similarities that make them worth using. 

Here are several of the overlapping features between the two platforms:

• Easy to use
• Built on zero-based budgeting
• Customizable categories
• Link to bank and investment accounts
• Can make budgeting recommendations
• In-depth spending reports
• Work on multiple devices simultaneously
• Two-factor authentication (2FA) to secure your accounts
• No in-app advertisements

Both apps have you start by making a spending plan based on your monthly income. Either one can help compare your actual and planned spending. 

You can make adjustments on-demand when necessary to help you achieve your financial goals on time.

How Are YNAB and EveryDollar Different?

The winner of this EveryDollar vs. YNAB comparison depends on your financial goals and budgeting needs. Here is a summary of the notable differences between both services:

• App layout: Both apps are easy to navigate, but YNAB does an excellent job of having a functional layout and including more features overall. 
• Budget setup: Both let you create a detailed budget, but EveryDollar tends to be more hands-off with the walkthrough process. This can be better if you’re in a hurry and don’t want a super-detailed budget. 
• Categorization: You can have YNAB auto-categorize transactions to save time managing your budget. However, it’s a good idea to review your activity for errors.
• Ease of Use: EveryDollar Premium can be easier to set up since its planning tools are less extensive and let you create in-depth line items to track your spending. However, YNAB still provides more data and hands-on planning tools overall. 
• Financial coaching: EveryDollar provides group financial coaching, which can make it easier to have your budgeting questions answered in real-time. In fairness, YNAB also offers live discussions but can be restricted to a particular topic.
• Price: YNAB is more expensive overall and doesn’t have a free plan, with the exception of a 365-day free membership for college students.
• Savings potential: EveryDollar reports an average first-month savings of nine percent, which results in approximately $332 in savings. In comparison, YNAB reports an average of $600 in savings during the first two months and $6,000 in the first year.

Overall, YNAB provides more hands-on features that are valuable to serious budgeters and those who want automated tracking. In comparison, EveryDollar can be better for stable financial situations and casual budgets that don’t require as much ongoing attention.

Bottom Line

If you need substantial budgeting help, YNAB is typically the better choice because it provides more hands-on support. The extra tools are beneficial when you’re living paycheck-to-paycheck or are new to making a budget.

EveryDollar is better if you want to spend less money while creating a personalized budget or need a cleaner interface with fewer optional features. The paid version lets you sync transactions and receive customized budgeting insights.

If you don’t know which one to choose, try the free trial for each to determine which is best for you.

What’s most important to you when choosing a money management app?

The post YNAB vs. EveryDollar: Which is the Best Budgeting App? appeared first on Frugal Rules.

But should you choose this budget-friendly phone service?

This Mint Mobile review covers the carrier’s plan, price, and features.

What is Mint Mobile?

Like other discount cell carriers, Mint Mobile is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO). These providers use the towers of larger, legacy carriers.

They offer prepaid plans at a fraction of the cost. Read our review of the top cheap cell phone plans to learn how they compare.

Mint Mobile uses the T-Mobile network. If the T-Mobile network has good service quality in your community, you’ll be able to get a comparable level of voice and data reliability at a lower price.

All Mint Mobile plans include unlimited talk and text. They also provide an unlimited data plan for as low as $30 per month.

Like other MVNOs, the carrier is an online-only company, so you can’t visit them at a physical location in your area. You can handle most matters via instant chat or by calling their customer service hotline.

How Much Does Mint Mobile Cost

Mint Mobile is contract free, but does not sell single-month plans.

Instead, you buy plans in three, six, or 12-month increments. There are no cancellation penalties, but you don’t get a refund for the unused months.

Your monthly price depends on your plan length and monthly data allowance. Taxes aren’t included so your total will likely be several dollars more.

Additionally, Mint Mobile doesn’t have hidden fees unless you buy optional services like international calls.

Current monthly data plans include:

*Data speeds for the Unlimited Plan begin slowing after 40GB of monthly usage.

You pay for the total amount of the plan upfront to start, and there is a seven-day free trial period.

The first plan you choose is a three-month trial period that costs the same as if you purchase a 12-month plan. It’s best to use the first three months as a trial before committing to a longer term.

Twelve-month plans are the best value, and three-month plans can be the priciest. You can let your plan expire penalty-free if you choose not to renew.

This arrangement may cause some confusion in the beginning. However, cell phone plans start at a low $15 per month, and they also offer one of the cheapest unlimited data plans.

These are some of the most affordable data plans available and can be half of the cost of other prepaid cell phone plans.

If you need a family plan, that is an option as of May 3, 2022. You can get multi-line pricing with as little as two lines.

Each member gets to select their own personal plan. Called the Modern Family Plan, users can now get the lowest available price and still get to pay every three months.

Each Mint Mobile plan includes these standard features:

• Unlimited talk and text
• Free calls to Canada and Mexico
• High speed data
• Free mobile hotspot (5 GB mobile hotspot for Unlimited plans)
• 5G and 4G LTE data speeds for all plans
• Complimentary 3-in-1 SIM Card

Free calls to Canada and Mexico can be nice. Rates for international calls to over 160 countries are reasonable as well. You can compare rates on their website.

One way to reduce your monthly bill is by referring friends and earning renewal rewards. Referring five friends lets you get one year of free service with a 10 GB data plan ($240 value).

There are typically no other Mint offers to lower your rate, but the referral perk is a nice bonus.

Why is Mint Mobile So Cheap?

Mint is one of the cheapest prepaid carriers because they buy excess capacity from the T-Mobile network. Other prepaid wireless networks also use T-Mobile as it can be cheaper than Verizon and AT&T.

If you want to use an affordable carrier on the Verizon network, consider Visible. Read our Visible Wireless review to learn more.

Mint Mobile doesn’t maintain towers or local stores. This also keeps costs low.

This allows Mint to pass on savings to customers without sacrificing reliability.

Furthermore, if you need an affordable plan for your child, Mint Mobile is one of the best cell phone plans for kids available.

Activation Process

Activating with Mint Mobile is pretty simple. You receive a free activation kit by mail that includes a free SIM card and ejector tool.

It’s not uncommon for other prepaid cell phone providers to charge a small fee for a SIM card when bringing your current unlocked GSM phone.

You have 45 days after ordering your activation kit to activate your account. Wait until the end of the month if you must cancel a contract with another provider.

You can keep your number and unlocked GSM phone if you switch to Mint Mobile. The carrier also sells phones and can assign you a new number.

Below is a step-by-step process to activate a Mint wireless plan:

1. Receive activation kit in the mail
2. Go to mintmobile.com/activate
3. Enter 11-digit SIM card code
4. Follow on-screen directions to finish activation

If you ever have additional questions, you have several choices to receive help. You can use instant chat to talk with a customer service representative. Customer service is also available by calling 800-683-7392.

Once you finish the process you’re able to make and receive calls and texts as well as access the internet.

Wireless Coverage

All plans operate on the T-Mobile network with nationwide coverage.

You can enter your address into the Mint Mobile coverage map to see your potential data speeds. This map estimates the coverage quality in these settings:

• Outdoors
• In-vehicle
• Indoor residential
• Indoor commercial

You can also scroll the map to see coverage quality in nearby cities and your recurring travel destinations.

Here is the Mobile Mobile coverage map.

Unless you live in a heavily remote area, you can expect solid coverage.

Is Mint Mobile Coverage Reliable?

This carrier can be reliable if you live in an area where the T-Mobile network is strong. Cities tend to have good coverage, but service quality can be spotty in rural areas.

Since the carrier uses excess capacity from T-Mobile, service quality can worsen during peak periods or network outages. T-Mobile is one of the best networks in the country.

While you may be deprioritized at times, reliability is excellent and you should not expect any hiccups in service.

Depriorization is a reality of using a MVNO, and not unique to Mint Mobile.

Does Mint Mobile Have 5G?

Yes, 5G is available in many cities across the United States. The coverage map shows the areas that currently have 5G.

5G data is automatic for all plans without hidden fees when you have a 5G-compatible phone.

Mint Mobile also has the largest 5G network, according to its site, and there is no charge for it.

Phone Selection

One of the key selling points of an MVNO is that you can bring your own unlocked phone or purchase one from the provider. Mint Mobile is no different as long as you already have a GSM phone.

You can enter the model information or your phone’s IMEI number to see if it’s compatible. If it’s not, you can easily buy one from them.

Below are a few of the phones you can purchase from the carrier:

• Google Pixel 7
• iPhone 15
• Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Prices vary widely, up to over $1,000. Monthly payment plans are available, or you can buy used phones online to save money.

If cost is a concern to you, it’s best to either buy a used phone or bring one with you before signing up for service.

After you sign up for service, the company mails you a Mint SIM card. You will receive it within three business days. Upon installing it, and following the prompts, you should have service.

Customer Service

The easiest way to contact customer service is by live chat on the Mobile Mobile app or website. You can also call the toll-free phone number at 800-683-7392 to reach a live person.

Pros and Cons

Is this cheap phone plan worth it? Here are some positives and negatives for Mint Mobile.

Pros:

• Plans start at $15 per month
• Unlimited data plan for $30 per month
• Free international calling to Mexico and Canada
• Free personal hotspot for all plans
• 5G coverage for all plans

Cons:

• Can’t change your plan until after your current one ends
• No monthly pay-as-you-go plan options

Mint Mobile offers reliable service at an affordable price. Besides having to buy a minimum three-month plan, the provider offers a terrific way to save money on your cell phone bill each month.

How Mint Mobile Stacks Up Against the Competition

There is a lot of competition in the prepaid phone space. While Mint Mobile offers the cheapest unlimited plan available, it doesn’t always come down to price.

For example, if international calling is important to you Tello is a better choice. The provider lets customers call over 60 countries for free.

Most low-cost cell phone providers allow new users a money-back guarantee or free trial. You can take advantage of those to see which one works best for your needs before making a final decision.

Additionally, Mint Mobile’s unlimited data plan slows speeds once you reach 40GB in a month. If that is a concern, Visible may be a better choice.

Read our Visible vs. Mint Mobile analysis to learn how the two carriers compare.

Bottom Line

Overall, Mint Mobile is an excellent option for cell phone customers who want to spend less on their monthly phone service.

Not only do they have affordable data plans, but you can bring your own device. The free mobile hotspot and international calls to Canada and Mexico are nice as well.

How much do you pay for your phone bill?

The post Mint Mobile Review: Get Cell Service Under $25 Per Month appeared first on Frugal Rules.

While there are many ways to make extra money, Swagbucks is one of the most popular side hustle apps. This review will cover how the platform works and if it’s worth your time.

What is Swagbucks?

Swagbucks is a loyalty rewards website and mobile app, also known as a “get-paid-to” (GPT) site. You can earn rewards points by completing short online tasks. Then, you redeem the points for gift cards and cash rewards.

Since its inception, they have distributed over $503 million in awards.

You must be at least 13 years old to join the platform, making it a legitimate online job for teens, and it’s available in many countries around the world.

If you prefer earning cash rewards, the site can be one of the best ways to get free PayPal money.

There are many opportunities to make money with Swagbucks. They even start you out with a $10 bonus when you open an account and make a qualifying purchase through its portal.

How Does the App Work?

The app is free to use. All you need is an email address or Facebook account.

After creating a Swagbucks account, you will be able to browse the available activities to earn money. You can start earning points right away.

Once you earn the minimum number of points needed to cash out, you can redeem them for gift cards and cash rewards. You will receive your rewards within minutes.

Gift card rewards start at $1 (140 points). Your points can be worth a little more if you’re willing to wait for gift cards worth $3 (300 points) or $5 (500 points).

Cash rewards via PayPal and Visa gift cards can be redeemed starting at $5 (500 points).

You can also earn free Google Play credits. The credits let you buy apps, games, movies, and more in the Google Play store at no cost.

Read our guide on other ways to earn free Google Play points to use at the Play store.

If you have a gamer in your home, you can even earn credits to use on Roblox. Read our guide on how to get free Robux to learn more.

You can also take earnings via free Shein gift cards if you wish.

How Much Money Can You Make on Swagbucks?

Swagbucks lets you make money online, but you won’t get rich. Most tasks award between $0.50 and $5 each. You can earn several dollars per day.

If you use the platform regularly, you may earn between $30 and $50 per month.

Points are known as ‘Swagbucks’ or ‘SB points’ for short. The minimum payout for any action is 1 SB point. 100 SB points equal $1.

Payouts vary by activity. Higher values get as many as 4,000 SB points. Tasks that pay more generally require more time or a small purchase.

Fortunately, most tasks are free, take 20 minutes or less, and pay up to 250 SB. For example, you might earn 50 points for a ten-minute survey and 100 points for downloading an app.

You typically earn the specified number of points immediately after completing a task.

Some tasks that require spending, like online shopping, can take several weeks to receive credit.

If you have a tight schedule, Swagbucks is a fantastic choice to earn spending cash.

Features

You can make money with Swagbucks in many ways, including:

• Answering paid online surveys
• Using their online shopping portal
• Watching sponsored videos
• Using their search engine
• Reading emails
• Testing new products
• Playing online games
• Completing various online tasks
• Referring friends

You can also get paid to watch ads on your device with Swagbucks. While there are numerous ways to earn, they don’t all provide the same payout.

Shopping Online

Swagbucks has an extensive cash back shopping portal with many retail partners. Most stores award roughly eight percent back.

The best stores award up to 40 percent cash back. Many of these higher payout stores are “specialty” stores.

The app works with several popular retailers, including:

• Amazon
• Best Buy
• Kohl’s
• Old Navy
• Target
• Walmart

If you already shop at any popular stores, it makes sense to get cash back or redeem coupon codes on your shopping.

It’s also possible to earn SB points with in-store shopping deals. You can activate shopping offers and pay with a linked card.

Another way to save money on in-store purchases is by using digital coupons. You can add coupons to your shopping list and scan your store receipt with the app to receive credit.

Read our guide on the top coupon apps to use to save money on shopping.

While you have to spend money to earn rewards points, the Swagbucks shopping portal can be one of the easiest ways to consistently earn points.

Installing the browser extension or shopping through the app lets you quickly activate a shopping session. You must activate a shopping session to earn cash back.

Watching Videos

The platform offers many opportunities to make money watching videos.

Some of the video topics include:

• Financial news
• Lifestyle
• News and politics
• Sports

Most videos earn one or two points each. Even though this activity earns minimal points, it requires little effort.

When possible, look for sponsored videos that have higher payouts. Most sponsored videos are a 30-second commercial that you can watch and review.

Swagbucks is a legit way to get paid to watch videos online in your free time and earn a little extra money.

Buying Gift Cards

If you like to buy gift cards to give to friends and family, use Swagbucks. You might also buy gift cards for yourself and earn cash back.

Each gift card you purchase through the app earns cash back. Most gift card purchases earn up to six percent back.

Playing Games Online

You can get paid to play games on your phone or device.

Several game categories include:

• Adventure
• Card games
• Casino and slots
• Puzzle
• Strategy

Many games are free. Keep in mind that you may need to reach a certain level to earn the rewards. The highest-paying offers award up to 5,500 SB points.

These paid tasks can be a fun way to test new mobile games.

It’s important to note that some games require a purchase to play. The amount of points you earn depends on how much money you spend on in-game credits.

Swagbucks Search

You can use the Swagbucks search feature on your desktop or your mobile device to make money browsing the web.

Instead of using Google to look up an answer you need, the Swagbucks search engine can be a nice alternative. It uses the Yahoo search engine.

Unfortunately, you won’t earn points for each search. However, when you earn points, you can earn up to five points per search term.

You will receive a notification when you get points for searching online through Swagbucks.

Paid Surveys

Another popular way to earn cash or gift cards is by taking surveys online. Swagbucks is one of the best surveys for money sites and lets you answer multiple surveys each day.

Most surveys require up to 20 minutes and award a maximum of 100 points.

Each survey has an estimated time frame it will take you to complete the survey and how many SB points you will earn. Having this information up front is nice so you can decide if completing the survey is worth your time.

However, you won’t know the survey topic until you attempt the survey.

After asking a few background and personal questions to see if you are the best fit for the survey, you will receive the survey-specific questions.

If you don’t pass the initial screening process, you earn one point for your effort.

Besides the cash back shopping portal, surveys can be the quickest way to earn points each day.

Apex Focus Group is a similar option that focuses largely on focus groups. Read our Apex Focus Group review to learn more.

Swagbucks Discover

You can also get paid to test products or services. The “Swagbucks Discover” section lists free and paid offers.

Many offers are free and do not require a purchase. You might be able to download an app and earn between 100 and 750 points.

Other offers require a small purchase or cancellation before the free trial period ends. These offers award more points.

Some of the paid offers can include signing up for a meal delivery kit or trying an investing app. It’s possible to earn up to 6,000 points with the best offers.

For any offer, make sure you read the terms and conditions before enrolling. You will see the necessary steps to earn points and if a purchase is necessary.

Swag Code

A fun way to earn cash is by entering a Swag Code. Each code is a random set of numbers and letters that can be found in various places online and within the app.

Swagbucks sends a push notification in its app when a code is active. Browser extension users see a notification as well.

All codes are case sensitive and will not have spaces. The number of SB points you get for entering the code varies. Codes are time-sensitive and should be used immediately to earn points.

Once you find a code, you can enter it on the mobile app or the website.

Referring Friends

Another effortless way to maximize the Swagbucks rewards program is by referring friends.

You and your friend can each earn 300 SB points ($3) when your friend earns 300 points in the first 30 days. That’s enough points for a free gift card.

In addition to this one-time bonus, you earn ten percent of all the lifetime points your referrals earn.

Is Swagbucks Worth It?

Swagbucks is worth it if you enjoy short tasks that let you get free money fast. If you like taking surveys, playing games, and shopping online, the service can help you earn cash.

Even if you don’t use it for surveys or the other get-paid-to tasks, its online shopping portal and in-store cash back offers are some of the best out there.

The low redemption minimums for cash and gift cards also make Swagbucks one of the best side hustle apps. Similar apps may require a $10 or even a $50 rewards balance before you can request payment.

You may decide to avoid the platform if you have difficulty qualifying for the online surveys or you don’t use their shopping portal, Discover offers, or mobile games.

Is Swagbucks Legit?

Yes, Swagbucks is a real way to make money online or redeem points for gift cards. Like other survey sites, it’s free to join and most activities don’t require a purchase.

The company has a Trustpilot score of 4.3 out of 5 with many positive reviews.

Swagbucks is also one of the most popular get-paid-to apps with many online proof of payment verifications from members.

Read our guide on other top apps that pay you if you want to supplement your earnings from the platform.

Pros and Cons

There’s a lot of information in this review of Swagbucks. Let’s quickly recap the benefits and downsides of the app.

Pros

• Variety of tasks that make money
• Can sign up for free as long as you’re at least 13 years old
• Cash and gift card redemption options
• Amazon gift card offers start at $1 (140 points)
• Earn bonus points by referring friends

Cons

• Some tasks require you to spend money to earn points
• Online surveys can be difficult to qualify for
• Tasks only earn small amounts of money

Swagbucks is one of the best micro task sites to use if you want to earn extra money because it offers multiple ways to make money.

Alternatives to Swagbucks

It can be challenging to choose a small task site to utilize in your free time. Here are the top apps like Swagbucks to make money on the side:

• Survey Junkie: Take multiple, daily online surveys for PayPal and gift cards that you can redeem with a $10 balance.
• Pinecone Research: Take paid surveys and complete product tests at home.
• Mistplay: Play mobile games to unlock cash and gift card rewards.

There are plenty of options for survey and short-task sites. Pick the one that works best for you to minimize effort and maximize earnings.

Summary

Before considering any money-making opportunity, it’s important to evaluate if it’s worth the effort. The Swagbucks app gives you multiple ways to make money in your free time by doing online tasks that you enjoy.

You won’t replace your full-time job, but Swagbucks can help you achieve your money goals. You can also use it to save money each time you shop.

What cashback apps or services do you use? 

The post Swagbucks Review: How Does it Work and is it Worth it? appeared first on Frugal Rules.

The app can also help you cancel unwanted subscriptions, make a budget, and provide personalized suggestions to improve your spending habits. These free and premium features are useful if you’re on a tight budget.

Our Rocket Money review reveals how the various app features can help lower your monthly bills and which membership tier is ideal for your needs.

What is Rocket Money?

Rocket Money is a personal finance app that was initially launched in 2015 as Truebill. The app rebranded under its current name in 2022 after being acquired by Rocket Companies.

It connects to your bank accounts and credit cards to download recent expenses, retrieve your current account balances, and forecast your monthly spending. You can see the details in easy-to-read charts that you can categorize for increased accuracy.

This money app also provides personalized suggestions to help you save money, such as reducing recurring expenses. 

How Does the Rocket Money App Work?

Rocket Money is mobile-only and accessible from Android or iOS smartphones and tablets. You can sign up from a web browser but must download the app to link your accounts and utilize the finance tools.

There are free and paid pricing plans that offer various money management tools specializing in reducing expenses and planning for future purchases.

Core features available to all members include:

• Account balance syncing
• Bill negotiation
• Budgeting
• Canceling unwanted subscriptions
• Credit score monitoring
• Downloading transactions
• Fee refunds
• Payment reminders

You can easily keep tabs on your spending, create a budget, and receive personalized insights with this free budgeting app.

A premium subscription makes assessing your complete financial picture easier since there are more automated features to reduce current expenses and plan long-term financial goals. Additionally, a paid membership is needed for joint accounts. 

Some of the platform’s premium tools include: 

• Automated savings
• Cancellation concierge
• Creating unlimited budgets
• Credit report updates
• Exporting data
• Net worth tracking
• Premium chat customer service
• Real-time account balance updates
• Shared accounts

If you prefer unlimited app access or the convenience of automated features, the paid subscription is better. 

How Much Does Rocket Money Cost?

The free version never incurs fees, but you’ll have limited capabilities. For example, you can only make a basic budget and can’t request on-demand account updates.

For any paid membership, you choose how much you want to pay based on what you think is fair. 

The app offers a seven-day free trial to decide if you’ll benefit from the in-depth features, including the ability to create unlimited budgets, net worth tracking, and more hands-on customer support.

Upgrading to Rocket Money Premium costs between $3 and $12 monthly. An annual subscription costs $36 or $48 and is billed upfront. 

Although it’s an optional service, a one-time fee applies when the bill negotiation feature successfully lowers a recurring subscription like your cable or cell phone bill.

Features

Here are the various tools that can help you take better control of your financial life.

Account Syncing

You can start by linking your bank, credit card, and investment accounts to the app. The service uses Plaid to connect securely. It’s possible to exclude specific accounts that you don’t use to pay bills or don’t want the app to monitor for privacy.

After connecting to your financial institution, the free plan updates your account balances and transactions daily. In comparison, premium members have on-demand access and can see their real-time balance throughout the day. 

Being able to link your accounts for free is one of this app’s most valuable features since you can track every purchase and know exactly how you spend your money.

Bill Negotiation

The negotiation service is initially free for all users and is an effortless way to see if you qualify for discounts on expensive recurring subscriptions. Then, after analyzing your spending habits, the app will prompt you when it believes it can reduce an expense.

Contract-based cell phone plans, cable TV, and home internet have the most savings potential because existing customers usually pay higher rates than new customers. 

After linking your service account or uploading a recent monthly bill, a billing expert will see if discounts or newer plans can offer similar services at a lower monthly cost. If so, you pay a one-time success fee of 30 to 60 percent of the annual savings. 

This fee is similar to other bill negotiation services that reduce or cancel recurring expenses. While it’s an expense, you spend less money and save time by not contacting service providers on your own.

Subscription Tracking

Free and paid users can also track how much they spend monthly on recurring bills like their phone, internet, or streaming services. Tapping on a particular provider lets you see how much you spend per month and is an easy way to look for billing increases.

This tool can help identify unwanted subscriptions you may want to cancel or renegotiate for a lower fee. For example, there might be a streaming service you haven’t watched in several months and thought was already canceled.

The app provides detailed steps to cancel subscriptions at no extra cost. You can tap a button to call the cancellation line or visit the cancellation page to submit your request.

Premium members can enjoy the subscription cancellation concierge, where the app automatically cancels a service at your request. This saves you time and lets you avoid a stressful phone call where the representative may pressure you to stay.

Requesting Refunds for Fees and Outages

Rocket Money searches for potential overdraft and late fees in your banking history that can be eligible for a refund. Free users can access a script to read when calling an institution to request a refund.

It’s even possible to request partial refunds during service outages, like when your satellite or internet service is unavailable for several days.

With the premium plan, the app will automatically try to request refunds and credits on your behalf. 

Budgeting

You can create a basic budget that helps prevent you from overspending. This feature is useful for a casual budget that requires minimal maintenance. 

The free and paid budgeting tools won’t provide the in-depth insights and planning features that other premium budget software offers. Individuals who need hands-on help to create a spending plan or map out financial goals may find Rocket Money inadequate.

Free users can break down their spending into four categories:

• Bills and utilities
• Groceries
• Fees
• Everything else

The finance app will measure your remaining income for the month and your projected savings. These tools are sufficient if you want to monitor spending, but other free budgeting software can provide more in-depth features if you prefer greater detail.

Paid users can create unlimited budgeting categories and categorization rules. This customization can make it easier to know exactly how much you are spending on certain expenses when you’re serious about saving more money. 

Automated Savings

Premium users can schedule recurring deposits for savings goals into a Smart Savings account. You can choose the deposit amount and frequency. Additionally, the app displays your savings progress and gives you full account control. 

The money transfers from a linked checking account into a savings account at a partner bank that is FDIC insured. An overdraft protection system won’t initiate transfers when it suspects there won’t be enough remaining funds to pay your bills.

You can make multiple accounts if you want to save for several goals. For instance, you might have a vacation fund and another for a replacement vehicle.

Track Your Net Worth

In addition to being a budgeting app, the premium plan has a net worth tracker that calculates the value of your liquid assets, such as your savings and investments. You can manually add accounts and loans and update the balance as necessary.

It’s easy to enable several toggles to exclude certain assets from your net worth total. For instance, it’s normal not to count the value of your primary residence, vehicle, or checking account since you won’t sell them to invest or pay for expenses.

This feature can help monitor your overall financial progress as you reduce discretionary spending, pay off debt, and prioritize savings goals.

Credit Score Tracking

All users can view their free credit score and chart their score history in the app. It updates monthly and is the VantageScore 3.0 that uses your Experian credit report.

Premium subscribers can view their full credit report, which refreshes monthly. Seeing your full report lets you look for reporting errors and any negative marks.

How Trustworthy is Rocket Money?

Rocket Money protects your data using bank-level encryption and multifactor authentication (MFA). They also use Plaid, which is a trusted third-party service, to sync your account and avoid storing sensitive information on the app’s servers.

These security measures don’t make the app breach-proof, but the practices are similar to other personal finance platforms.

Another potential concern for individuals can be privacy. Your identity remains anonymous, but you may receive ads and product offers from Rocket Companies and third-party partners for loans, investments, or other financial services.

Pros and Cons

Here are some of the app’s strengths and weaknesses.

Pros of Rocket Money

• Free budgeting and expense-cutting tools
• Syncs with bank accounts and credit cards
• Customizable budgets and categorizations
• Easy to use 

Cons of Rocket Money

• Limited free features
• Several tools require a paid membership
• Budgets are too simple for serious planning
• Mobile-only

If you need help managing your money and streamlining your expenses, Rocket Money could be worth a try.

Apps Like Rocket Money

Rocket Money makes it easy to monitor your spending and look for ways to cut costs. However, certain users might find its features lacking and may benefit from other platforms .

Here’s a preview of the top choices:

These are the best alternatives to Rocket Money.

YNAB

You Need a Budget (YNAB) is a favorite for individuals who need hands-on help making an in-depth budget. This app’s primary purpose is to help you stop living paycheck to paycheck and assign each dollar you earn a job to maximize your savings. 

This platform is accessible by computer or mobile device. After joining, it walks you through an extensive setup process to allocate your monthly budget for common and less common expenses. 

It connects to your financial accounts, and there are many colorful charts to visualize your progress. 

The service is free for the first 34 days and costs $14.99 monthly or $99 when paid annually. College students enjoy 12 months of complimentary access.

Tiller

Consider Tiller Money if you prefer spreadsheet budgets using Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel. First, you link your banking accounts. Then, the app automatically imports your transactions into a universal budget template.

Next, you can create different sheets to track specific transaction types or pursue multiple budgeting strategies. You can implement auto-categorization rules or community-created templates to make it easier to track your income and spending.

After the first 30 days, an annual subscription costs $79.

Empower

Empower (formerly Personal Capital) is a free finance app. You only pay fees if you use its wealth management services for investing. 

Most people use this platform to track their net worth, make a basic budget, and receive a complimentary investment portfolio analysis.

Empower lets you create a basic budget with unlimited categories and account syncing. Of the three Rocket Money alternatives, it has the most limited budgeting capabilities, but it’s ideal for comparing your monthly spending and income.

The free net worth tracker is one of the best since you can effortlessly track liquid and physical assets. There is also an entry-level retirement planner and savings goals to map your financial future.

Read our Empower review to learn more.

Bottom Line

You will benefit the most from using Rocket Money if you want to track your expenses by a specific transaction or look for ways to reduce spending on recurring bills. 

The app’s budgeting tools are sufficient for making a starter spending plan that is easy to follow and ideal for casual users who might be intimidated by more sophisticated and pricier platforms.

There is a seven-day free trial to test drive the app and decide if the free or paid version is a better fit for your financial goals. With no risk to give it a try, it’s worth checking out.

What do you look for in a money management app?

The post Rocket Money Review: Does it Really Save You Money? appeared first on Frugal Rules.

Thankfully, the internet makes it easier to cut costs without sacrificing quality, even when purchasing new footwear. Our guide shares the best places to buy discount shoes online to help you stretch your budget.

What is the Cheapest Website to Get Shoes?

It is possible to save money by shopping at online shoe stores. Many websites have flexible return policies, and some even offer free shipping.

Here are the best online shoe sites for both adults and kids.

1. Amazon

You can buy almost anything on Amazon, including shoes. If you need to find discount shoes, this should be your first stop.

As the world’s largest online retailer, Amazon has hundreds of shoe brands in stock. If you want a good deal on shoes, you can shop their warehouse offers or filter results to only show shoes that cost less than $25.

It’s also possible to buy designer brands, including popular styles from Steve Madden, on the platform. However, it’s important to read the fine print when it comes to authenticity and returns.

Some third-party vendors might be more expensive or not offer the same benefits as purchasing an Amazon product. Others may not offer a free return option.

Prime members might have the ability to enjoy a seven-day “try before you buy” period before purchasing select footwear. These listings may even offer free shipping and returns.

Shoe purchases often fall under their refund policy. You can return your purchase within 30 days as long as they haven’t been “worn.”

Make sure to keep the original packaging to qualify for a full refund. You might be able to exchange your shoes for a different color or size as well.

Another benefit of shopping at Amazon instead of a big box store is being able to redeem Amazon gift cards to save money.

Pros:

• Amazon Prime perks for Prime members
• Easy return and refund policy
• Many brands, options, sizes, and colors available
• Shoes available for nearly any budget

Cons:

• Need to make sure shoes have free return options
• Designer brands may be expensive

Best for: Amazon is an excellent option for anyone who wants to buy affordable shoes under $25.

2. Zappos

Zappos is one of the best places for online shoe shopping due to its competitive prices and wide selection of products. The retailer has been around for over 20 years and is part of the Amazon family.

Amazon Prime members receive special benefits, including free expedited shipping and bonus Zappos VIP rewards points.

There is no cost to join the Zappos VIP loyalty program. It offers free expedited shipping on every order and has a rapid return policy.

If you’re looking for affordable children’s, men’s, or women’s shoes, this online shoe retailer is worth a look. The site offers most brands and styles.

Zappos is also a legit place to buy designer and name brands. Pricing might be higher than you’re comfortable with, so use their detailed filter option to find something that fits within your budget.

Free standard shipping is available on every order. Better yet, the retailer offers free returns and a generous return policy that allows you an entire year (365 days) to return your shoes.

You should receive a refund within ten days. Select VIP members can receive a refund within 24 hours of the initial UPS return shipping scan.

Pros:

• Amazing customer service
• Easy to filter options
• Free shipping and returns
• 365-day return policy
• Options for the whole family

Cons:

• Can be slightly more expensive than other websites
• They don’t offer coupons (unless you’re a student, teacher, or military member)

Best for: Zappos offers great prices on shoes for shoppers who want to buy brand-name products and need a flexible return policy.

3. Target

Target makes shopping for cheap shoes online and in-store easy. Many sizes and styles are available for less than $30.

Plus, shopping with a Target RedCard can help you save an additional five percent.

On the store website, you have a bigger selection of shoes than at a physical location. You can browse their “shoe deals” section to see the current sales for adult and kid’s shoes.

It’s also easy to browse the online clearance section to find shoes at low prices.

Free standard shipping is available for most purchases. However, some items may require in-store pickup.

Target’s return policy is more flexible than most of the other sites. You have up to 90 days to return shoes to a local store or take advantage of free return shipping.

In addition, if you have a large family or like to save money, Target is a terrific choice to buy cheap clothes online.

Pros:

• Larger selection than in-store
• Fast shipping (usually shipped the next business day)
• Free shipping/pickup if shipped to your local store
• REDcard perks (like free shipping on orders $35 and over)
• Generous refund policy

Cons:

• Few perks for shipping if you don’t have a REDcard
• Third-party sellers may have fewer protections

Best for: Target is best for buying shoes under $30 and in-store returns.

4. Shoe Carnival

Shoe Carnival is worth considering when buying discount shoes online. You can find shoes for the whole family and receive free shipping on orders over $75.

In addition to shopping online for discount shoes, the merchant lets you earn extra rewards by joining their Shoe Perks loyalty program. It’s free to join.

Some of the Shoe Perks benefits include:

• Earn one point per $1 you spend
• Redeem 200 points for a $10 certificate
• $5 Birthday Perk
• No receipt is necessary for returns

Points never expire with this program.

By spending $200 per year, you qualify for the Shoe Perks Gold loyalty tier. One special benefit of Gold status is free standard shipping on all orders.

The return policy is 60 days from the purchase date. Shoes must be new, unused, and contain all original packaging.

There is a $6 fee to return items in-store or by mail. Local drop-off locations include Shoe Carnival, Walgreens, and participating Nordstrom stores.

Pros:

• No receipt necessary for returns
• Get $5 on your birthday as a part of Shoe Perks
• Free in-store pickup
• Daily deal each day

Cons:

• Free shipping under $75
• $6 shipping fee for returns

Best for: Shoe Carnival is ideal for buying affordable athletic and dress shoes.

5. Overstock.com

Overstock.com is an excellent way to find affordable items for your household. Beyond that, they have clothing and accessory sales that often make it easy to buy good shoes at low prices.

If you’re trying to save money on specialty shoes like boots or you want designer shoes at discount prices, you might be pleased with the selection of brands on Overstock.com.

They have great options for men, women, and children. Many purchases have free standard shipping. Some even offer free two-day shipping.

Return policies vary by vendor, and you should expect to pay return shipping costs. However, it’s possible to get a refund on the purchase price if you meet the merchant’s conditions.

Some merchants may require you to return your shoes within 15 days to qualify for a refund. Others have a return window of up to 90 days.

Pros:

• Great selection of shoes for the whole family
• Free standard shipping on most purchases
• Some sellers offer free two-day shipping
• Often has sales of 20 percent off suggested retail

Cons:

• Selection moves quickly
• May need to pay for return shipping
• Return window varies by seller
• Site specializes in furniture sales

Best for: Overstock.com is ideal for people who want to shop for cheap shoes online that are also on sale.

6. Foot Locker

Are you looking for shoes for the athlete in your family? Or do you like to run? If so, Foot Locker is an excellent place to buy sneakers online or purchase discount athletic shoes.

Unfortunately, you won’t find any sandals, heels, or boots. Thankfully, there are other stores to purchase affordable shoes online for non-sports needs.

Free shipping is available for all orders above $50. It’s also possible to get free shipping on smaller orders by joining their FLX loyalty program.

The retailer lets you ship items to a local store to try on as well.

While you will pay more at Foot Locker, they do have a coupon page you can use to find discount codes.

You have 45 days from the original shipment date to initiate a return in-store or online. Foot Locker deducts a $6.99 shipping fee on returns. However, you can pay to ship the item yourself to avoid that fee.

There isn’t a return shipping fee for defective merchandise.

Pros:

• Affordable styles for all sizes
• Free shipping on orders above $50
• Great sale options
• 45-day return policy

Cons:

• Must have original everything, including tags, to return items
• Have to pay $6.99 to return items
• May be more expensive than other stores.

Best for: Foot Locker is best for buying athletic shoes, including Nike, Jordan, and Vans.

7. DSW

DSW (Designer Shoe Warehouse) is for fashionistas who love trendy and affordable shoes. You can find almost any style at DSW, from boots to snakeskin heels and more.

Better yet, you can outfit the entire family at this discount shoe store.

If you’ve seen the DSW stores, they have ample selection. Their website is similar, and it’s easy to look for shoes online.

You can filter the shoes by:

• Occasion type
• Heel height
• Style
• Features

These advanced search filters can make it easier to find comfortable shoes for foot pain or special occasions.

Many pairs sell for under $35. This is cheap enough to enjoy the latest styles at great prices.

Free shipping is available on orders that are $75 or higher. Joining the VIP Rewards loyalty program provides free ground shipping on every order.

Additional DSW VIP benefits include:

• A 20 percent discount on your first purchase
• $5 off for your birthday
• Bonus points for donating gently used shoes

Return shipping costs $8.50 per order (standard delivery). Free returns are available for VIP Rewards Gold and Elite members.

All VIP Rewards members qualify for free in-store returns. VIP members must spend $200 annually to qualify for free online returns.

Spending at least $500 per year extends the return period from 60 days to 365 days.

Pros:

• Trendy and regular options like tennis shoes and sandals
• Hundreds of brands to choose from
• Free exchanges within 60 days of purchase

Cons:

• Free shipping on orders $35 or more (unless you join VIP Rewards)
• Online returns cost $8.50

Best for: DSW is best for people who want a great price on shoes that are on point with the latest fashion trends.

8. 6pm

Zappos has an outlet store to make cheap shoe shopping easier. The retailer sends their unsold items to 6pm as a last attempt to sell them.

As a result, you may find some incredible deals if you want to shop for shoes online.

According to 6pm, you can save up to 80 percent when you shop on their site. Name brand shoes and other brands you might be unfamiliar with are available.

Signing up for their daily email deals can help you find discount codes to enter at checkout for extra savings.

Shipping is free on orders above $50 or when you buy at least two items.

Returns must be done within 30 days. Buyers are responsible for paying return shipping fees.

Some of their items are considered final sale, so be careful when ordering.

Additionally, 6pm doesn’t offer exchanges.

Despite the return and exchange limitations, it’s one of the best stores to get discount shoes online.

Pros:

• Free shipping for orders $50 or more, or 2+ items
• Designer styles for rock bottom prices
• Frequent discounts offered

Cons:

• Only a 30-day window for returns
• No exchanges

Best for: 6pm is great for people who want to buy shoes at clearance prices.

9. Famous Footwear

Famous Footwear is a terrific option to buy shoes online for your family. Not only does the retailer have a massive retail footprint, but you can also shop for name-brand shoes online.

You won’t find designer styles here, but you can find options that you’ll wear every day.

If efficiency is important to you when shopping online, the retailer carries shoes for the entire family. There are even shoes for infants and toddlers, which is uncommon for some retailers.

Shipping is free on orders over $75.

There isn’t a shipping minimum for the Famously You Rewards members. This program is free to join and provides several incentives to get discount shoes, including:

• Earning up to $250 in rewards cash per year
• Special birthday month discounts and bonuses
• Exclusive rewards program savings
• Combining rewards points with other savings

The return time limit is flexible since you can bring items back at any time, according to the retailer. In-store returns are free. Returns by mail have a $7.95 service fee.

Items bought online can be returned locally or by mail. Exchanges are possible as well.

Pros:

• Offers infant and toddler sizes
• Hundreds of shoes under $30
• Free in-store pickup
• Rewards program offers free shipping and money back for purchases

Cons:

• You have to pay for return shipping
• Selection for shoes can be small if you’re looking for something specific

Best for: Famous Footwear is best if you want to buy infant shoes and casual adult shoes.

Other Tips to Save Money on Shoes

Getting discount shoes online is a terrific way to save money. However, that’s just one part of saving money.

Here are some other ways to cut costs when dealing with your footwear needs.

Use Valid Coupon Codes

Some cheap online shoe sites list coupon codes on their homepage or in a special coupons section. But, the special may not apply to you, or you might want to find other discounts.

Thankfully, there are other ways to reduce your bill. Capital One Shopping is a fantastic resource that compares prices and identifies active coupon codes to apply to your purchase.

It works in the background for you so that you don’t have to waste time looking for discounts.

This is particularly help when you’re doing back to school shopping and you need to purchase multiple pairs of shoes.

Read our Capital One Shopping review to learn more.

Get Cash Back on Your Purchase

If you shop online, you can often get a rebate at many merchants. For example, Rakuten gives you cash back when you shop online using its mobile app or browser extension.

Once you’ve made your purchase, the shopping portal adds the cash to your account. You can redeem your shopping rewards with a $5.01 minimum balance each quarter through PayPal, paper check, or select gift cards.

In addition to online shopping rewards, you can also earn cash back on in-store purchases by paying with a linked payment card. Most in-store offers are at department stores.

You can even receive a $10 bonus with your first qualifying purchase exceeding $25.

Read our Rakuten review to learn more.

Buy Discounted Gift Cards

Another way to save money is to buy discounted gift cards for your favorite stores. You can often combine them with money-saving apps or other discounts.

Gift Card Outlets is one of the best places to get discounted gift cards to almost any store, including DSW and Famous Footwear.

Expect to save up to ten percent on the gift cards you purchase. If you can find one for your favorite shoe store, buy it and use it on your next purchase to save cash.

Read our guide on the best sites to buy discounted gifts online to get a good deal.

Sell Your Old Shoes

Another way to save money on purchases is by selling your old shoes first. Designer shoes and those in like-new condition can fetch the best price.

Using a local buy and sell app can be the best way to sell your items. You don’t have to pay shipping or selling fees.

It’s often free to list your items, and you might be able to offer “porch pickup” for contactless transactions.

However, you may also consider Poshmark to reach more shoppers since this platform specializes in selling designer brands.

The buyer pays shipping costs, but your seller fee is either $2.95 or 20 percent, whichever is higher.

Bottom Line

Buying shoes online is convenient, easy, and often more affordable than buying them locally. While Amazon and Zappos are both fantastic choices for finding reduced-price shoes, they are just two options.

Other retailers provide similar savings and features. Plus, free shipping and flexible return policies make it easy to return or exchange anything that doesn’t meet your expectations.

With all the perks and savings that come with buying shoes online, there’s no reason to break the bank the next time you or your kids need new footwear.

Where do you go to find affordable shoes for your family? 

*Capital One Shopping compensates us when you sign up for Capital One Shopping using the links provided.

The post 9 Best Places to Buy Discount Shoes Online appeared first on Frugal Rules.

As a bonus, the pay can be significantly higher than completing online surveys and other micro-tasks.

Whether you need to work from home or are willing to side hustle in your community, you can pursue several of these ideas to earn income and maintain a flexible schedule.

Top Ways to Make Money Without Being Employed

Thanks to side hustles, it is possible to make money without a 9-to-5 job. Here are the top gig economy jobs to earn extra money if you’re transitioning between employers or can only work part-time.

1. Be a Dasher

Delivering meals provides a flexible work schedule since you can deliver in your free time instead of working a shift for a restaurant.

Delivery app jobs let you review the order request before you accept it to determine if the pay is worth your time. You can often earn good money and keep customer tips.

DoorDash is the best delivery app because they partner with many restaurants in small and large cities.

You can deliver by car, scooter, or bike if you’re at least 18 years old and pass a background check. Read our guide on ways to make money with your bike to identify other choices to earn cash if that’s your situation.

Regardless of how you deliver, you will receive a complimentary insulated bag to help keep the order either hot or cold.

This can be a fantastic option if you live near several restaurants and can safely deliver the customer’s food by keeping it intact.

You might avoid this idea if you don’t want to put wear and tear on your vehicle. Also, if the food isn’t ready at the pickup time, you must wait and won’t be able to choose a follow-up delivery as quickly.

Learn more: Read our review on driving for DoorDash

*Related: You can deliver with multiple apps to maximize earning potential. Uber Eats is an excellent supplement to DoorDash and it has similar requirements.

2. Deliver Groceries

Instacart Shopper is a fantastic option if you want to purchase groceries and deliver them to people. The app offers an earning potential of $20 per hour plus tips.

You might prefer delivering groceries instead of prepared meals that you’re responsible for keeping warm.

Related: Looking for other driver jobs to make money? Read our guide on the best food delivery service to work for to learn more about each platform and its qualifications.

In most cities, you shop for the items at the supermarket and deliver the order. As a result, you will need a car.

Some stores hire in-store shoppers similar to a traditional 9-to-5 job. If your local grocer offers this option, you work a scheduled shift but don’t have to deliver.

Two potential downsides of this side job are needing a reliable vehicle and being skilled at buying the right grocery items. This can be a little more complicated when it comes to fresh fruits and vegetables.

Learn More: Read our Instacart Shopper Review

3. Take Care of Pets

If you love animals, taking care of pets and dog walking jobs can be one of the most fun ways to make a living. Some people actually replace their full-time income by becoming professional dog walkers.

Your work-from-home business may offer these pet care services:

• Dog walking
• Pet daycare
• Pet sitting
• Overnight boarding
• Salon and grooming
• Drop-in visits

Rover is a website that lets pet owners book services for their dogs and cats. For example, many people hire a dog walker if they work long hours and know their dog will be alone all day.

You can advertise your services and wait for owners to book appointments.

The platform lets you decide if you want to care for small, medium, or large dogs. It also lets you avoid certain sizes.

For example, you won’t get penalized if you don’t accept pets weighing 100 pounds.

It’s possible to make at least $15 per walk and $30 per boarding night. Once you receive steady demand, you can expect to earn $1,000 a month or more.

The key to growing your petsitting side hustle is to secure reviews from your clients. Each review helps you stand out to prospective clients and receive more business.

One potential downside to this service is that Rover keeps 20 percent of your earnings. Read our review of Rover to learn more about the opportunity to pet sit.

If you’re looking for side hustles in your area, other than on-demand gigs, Steady is a good choice. The free app helps you identify opportunities near you, and the company claims members earn $5,500 per year, on average, through the platform.

4. Be a Proofreader

Do you find yourself catching grammatical errors when reading online content, books, or magazines? You can use this skill to earn money online as a proofreader.

Proofreading can be an excellent way to build a full-fledged business and make money online without a job while working from home.

Proofread Anywhere is a great resource to help launch a proofreading business if you don’t know where to start.

In the free course, Caitlin Pyle, the founder, shares the tools you need to launch a business and find clients.

Like many side hustle ideas from home, your earning potential depends on the client and the content you’re reviewing. You can expect to earn between $15 and $20 per hour as a beginner.

Read our guide on how to find proofreading jobs from home to learn more about this opportunity.

5. Blogging

If you’re a content expert and love to write, blogging can be a great way to start earning money without being employed.

It’s possible to write about almost anything, but evergreen niches like health, finance, and fashion can have the most reader interest.

Bluehost is a helpful service to use to choose a domain name and launch your site. They also provide technical support to ensure your site runs as it should.

As you write articles, you have several ways to earn money:

• Run website ads
• Earn commissions via afiliate marketing
• Partner with brands for sponsored posts

With a small audience, it’s possible to make a few hundred dollars per month. Larger sites can earn more than $1,000 per month.

Unfortunately, it can take several months to build an audience and begin generating revenue. You will need to pursue other ideas if you need to make money fast.

Freelance writing is a good complement to blogging and a great way to make money.

6. Assist Businesses Online

If you’re organized and like to help others, you can be a virtual assistant for local or online businesses.

A virtual assistant’s responsibilities can vary by client but might include:

• Reading emails
• Tracking expenses
• Scheduling appointments
• Write online articles
• Social media management
• Data entry

Your schedule can be flexible, and you can earn up to $25 per hour. No prior experience or special certifications are necessary.

Consider the $10K VA free workshop to learn about the different ways to earn money as a virtual assistant.

7. Rent A Room In Your Home

A spare room or house is an easy way to supplement your income. You can list it on Airbnb and make money without working.

While some places are more popular than others (think big cities, high tourist areas, etc.), you can still make good money.

In fact, the average person makes at least $400 per month listing a property on Airbnb.

You can list which nights you’re accepting guests if you only want to offer short-term rentals. However, you must be comfortable having strangers in your house and cleaning up after they leave.

Don’t miss our Airbnb host checklist to learn more about this opportunity.

If you don’t have a spare room or your landlord won’t give you permission to sublet your place, you can try earning passive income through real estate.

RealtyMogul is a crowdfunded real estate investing platform with a $1,000 investment minimum. You invest in a curated portfolio of properties and can earn quarterly dividends with historic annual returns of at least five percent.

While RealtyMogul is one of the easiest ways to invest in real estate with small amounts of money, the minimum investment period is five years before making penalty-free withdrawals.

8. Housesit

Housesitting can be an effortless way to earn money without being employed. It’s also one of the best under the table jobs to pursue as it pays in cash.

Care.com is a useful site to find gigs. Pay is often at least $25 per day. Experienced house sitters and those in pricier cities can charge more.

In addition to making sure the owner’s house remains secure, you may need to perform housekeeping tasks, including:

• Cleaning rooms
• Carpet shampooing
• Laundry
• Treating furniture
• Window washing

Your client may require you to provide your own cleaning supplies and equipment, which can reduce your net profit. Housekeeping experience might also be necessary to complete certain tasks.

9. Transcribe Audio and Video

Transcribing audio recordings and adding subtitles to videos can be an effective way to supplement your income.

Some platforms don’t require special equipment like a foot pedal or transcription software that can improve your speed. No startup costs make it easy to begin this side gig from home.

General transcriptionists earn $15 to $20 per audio hour. This could be competitive with what you might make at a full-time job depending on where you live and the line of work you are in.

You can earn more if you specialize in one of these niches:

• Legal
• Medical
• Foreign language captions

Several platforms hire freelancers, including Rev, or you can use a site like Indeed to land jobs.

10. Freelancing

Freelancing can also help you make more money as you can monetize your professional skills or a hobby.

Several good ways to make money include:

• Graphic design
• Photography
• Teaching English online
• Translation
• Voiceover
• Writing

Fiverr and Upwork are two online platforms to connect with clients.

You might be able to earn more per hour than other side hustle apps but may need to work harder to find clients. It’s possible to complete one-time gigs or have recurring work.

Many part-time freelancers earn several hundred dollars per month. Full-time freelancers can earn between $1,000 and $3,000 monthly with several clients.

11. Do Odd Jobs

If you have the skills to make repairs, move furniture, or run errands, you can help homeowners and businesses through Taskrabbit.

Some of the tasks you can do include:

• Cleaning
• Furniture assembly
• Landscaping and yard work
• Mounting TVs
• Moving
• Personal shopping
• Pressure washing

You can earn between $15 and $20 per hour for simple tasks such as running errands.

Labor-intensive work and specialized tasks like moving, repairs, and yard work can fetch between $30 and $40 hourly. If you have a specialized skill like carpentry or electrical experience, you can earn up to $60 an hour.

These one-time gigs can help you earn money without being employed by a professional repair company. If you do have a traditional day job, this can be a lucrative side hustle.

However, you must be willing to drive to the customer’s address, and you may need special tools or skills to accept an assignment.

How Can I Make Money Without a Car?

It is likely that you will need a car before you can work for many of the best-paying platforms.

If you don’t have access to a car or it’s in the shop, don’t fret. It’s possible to rent a car for the day so you can get to work.

The HyreCar app lets you choose from their available cars and even offers insurance coverage. They are available in all 50 states and offer daily rentals.

It’s also possible to use this platform to offer your car on the days you’re not driving. According to their website, you can earn $1,000 or more per month by helping other freelancers make extra money.

How Can I Earn $1,000 a Week?

You can make $1,000 weekly by delivering for delivery gig apps. Most platforms let you accept multiple orders and can provide steady income as customers order meals throughout the day.

Read our guide on other ways to get paid to drive to identify additional opportunities.

Freelancing is another option whether you work from home or travel to local clients. For example, walking several dogs daily or completing assignments for multiple online clients can help you meet your target income goal.

You can tackle these income ideas in your free time if you have a day job. Read our guide on the top side jobs that pay weekly to identify ways to increase your earnings.

How Can I Make $1,000 a Week Without a Job?

There are many side hustle ideas that allow you to earn money without a job, and several opportunities let you make at least $1,000 a week.

Numerous options on our list will help you earn good money.

Finding gigs that require a special skill or allow you to accept multiple assignments at once can boost your hourly pay. Don’t be afraid to combine gigs to reach your goal.

Reviewing your options and finding the highest-paying opportunities can help you maximize your time.

Read our guide on side hustle stacking to learn how to maximize your earnings with multiple gigs.

Bottom Line

With apps and the internet, it’s easier than ever to figure out how to make money without a job. While you may not become wealthy with all of the options, they do offer opportunities to earn extra cash and pay the bills.

Whether you need money to make ends meet or want to create another stream of income, don’t overlook easy money-making jobs. You never know how the income stream you choose will pay off in the long term.

What do you look for in an income opportunity? How many streams of income do you have?

*Earning more on certain types of orders (ex. alcohol): Earn more per order as compared to restaurant orders. Actual earnings may differ and depend on factors like number of deliveries you accept and complete, time of day, location, and any costs. Hourly pay is calculated using average Dasher payouts while on a delivery (from the time you accept an order until the time you drop it off) over a 90 day period and includes compensation from tips, peak pay, and other incentives.

*Get paid instantly (DasherDirect): Subject to approval

*Cash out daily (Fast Pay): Fees apply

*Start Dashing today: Subject to background check and availability

*Dash anytime: Subject to availability

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Fortunately, you turn things around. Here’s how to improve your current financial situation and pursue financial freedom.

How to Get Your Financial Life Back on Track

It can be overwhelming when you want to take charge of your finances, especially if you’re new to managing your money. Don’t believe the myth that you must have lots of cash to become financially stable.

You just need to get started. Here are six steps to get your finances back on track. Just remember, personal finance is personal for a reason. Adjust these suggestions to your situation to ensure success.

1. Get Organized

The first step forward when learning to manage your money is to figure out what is going on with your finances. Life gets busy, and it’s easy to get behind or ignore your finances.

If that’s you, now is the time to assess your situation. You want to collect a few pieces of information.

First, collect your paychecks. If you have side hustles, include what you earn with them. You want to count all sources of income.

Next, log into your bank account to see what you have in your checking account and savings account. You may even want to print off your last bank statement since that will help with the next steps.

If you have any savings goals, determine if you will reach them or not. This will help you decide if you need to look for ways to save money.

Finally, review your outstanding debts. If you have student loans or credit card debt, you want to eventually begin a repayment plan.

2. Start a Simple Budget

Budgeting gets a bad rap, but it’s necessary to help you get back on track. Fortunately, it’s not difficult to create a budget.

In fact, it’s quite simple to create a budget. Start by taking the information from the first step to start. You want to have what you earn and all your monthly expenses, no matter how minimal they seem.

The goal is to have money left over at the end of each month. You can use those remaining funds to work toward your goals.

If this all seems overwhelming, there are numerous budgeting apps that can help you. They can track your spending so you can identify expenses to cut.

At a minimum, the goal is to balance your budget so you’re not adding debt to your life. When you combine that with reduced spending, you will slowly begin to make progress. This gives birth to momentum.

3. Restart Debt Repayment

Debt, especially credit card debt, can make it challenging to reach financial goals. Attacking that debt is essential to getting on the right track.

As you begin to manage your budget, you want to write down all of your debt. List out the interest rate as well since that is helpful to know.

You want to pay off the smallest debt first and make at least the minimum monthly payments on the remaining balances.

Don’t overlook contacting the issuers of all of your credit cards to see if they can reduce the interest rates on your account. Any reduction will make it easier to pay them off in full.

All of this will also help improve your credit score, which will benefit you in the future.

If you don’t have debt, you can skip this step and move on to identifying ways to live within your means.

4. Create Savings Goals and Stick to Them

One of the top reasons many people get off track is they don’t have savings to help them deal with emergencies. As you begin budgeting, it’s essential to find ways to start saving money.

This will help you stop living paycheck-to-paycheck and begin to increase your net worth. At least 65 percent of Americans can barely make ends meet, according to CNBC, so trying to save something is vital.

The first step is to create an emergency fund.

It’s best to save $500, then $1,000, then work towards saving one month’s worth of living expenses. Use that as a building block to reach three months.

Instead of opting for your local bank, use an online option like CIT Bank. They have competitive rates and the same FDIC protections you find at your local institution.

After you start on your emergency fund, identify other savings goals you want to pursue. These can include saving for a house, a nice vacation, your child’s education, and more.

As you free up resources in your budget, apply the savings towards those goals. Don’t overlook retirement planning either, as that’s equally as important.

5. Reassess Monthly, Then Quarterly

A financial plan is not a set-it-and-forget-it situation, especially in the beginning. You want to revisit your budget monthly to ensure you’re not missing anything significant.

This helps you optimize your finances to verify that your money is working as hard as possible. Once you feel you don’t need to look at your finances monthly, it’s fine to move to quarterly.

This may seem difficult, but most budgeting apps do much of the work for you. Take advantage of this to reduce the time you spend on the activity without negatively impacting your finances.

6. Give Yourself Grace

The most important thing when trying to get back on track financially is to extend yourself grace. Improving your finances takes time, and that’s fine.

You will make mistakes. We all do. Take that into account when you work to become financially stable. Learn from those mistakes, and apply those lessons to your budget.

Furthermore, don’t overlook treating yourself occasionally. Set a simple number and enjoy it.

You may not realize it, but a simple act like that can encourage you to push forward. Not only that, but it will give you a taste of what financial freedom is like.

We’re our own worst critics, so take it easy on yourself when you make a mistake.

Bottom Line

It’s easy to look at your financial picture and believe that becoming financially stable isn’t a possibility. That’s a myth.

You can make ends meet and achieve freedom, but it does take effort. Combine that with a willingness to do what it takes, and you’ll get back on track and start reaching your goals.

What’s one challenge you’re facing while trying to improve your finances?

The post How to Get Your Finances Back on Track Starting Today appeared first on Frugal Rules.

Many people consider it one of the best survey sites thanks to its high payouts of $3 per short study. In this Pinecone Research review, we’ll help you decide if you should use the site to take online surveys for money.

What is Pinecone Research?

Pinecone Research is a platform that conducts paid online surveys. It also offers paid product testing.

Operated by the market research company Nielsen, it has been in business since 1998.

Nielsen uses the site to generate feedback from consumers about different products and services. This helps their clients produce better offerings for their target markets.

You can take surveys on your computer or make money on your phone. The Pinecone Research app is available for Android and iOS devices. It offers the same functionality as the web platform.

Furthermore, it’s one of the rare survey sites that offer cash instantly. With most survey platforms, you must complete multiple tasks before reaching the minimum redemption. Fortunately, that’s not the case here.

How Does Pinecone Research Work?

Pinecone Research is an invitation-only survey site that doesn’t offer signups on its website, social media channels, or through a referral program where current members can invite friends and family.

Instead, the platform partners with select websites and displays online banner ads. You can open a free account by clicking on the link below.

Since it’s one of the highest-paying survey sites, becoming a panelist is competitive. You may end up on a waiting list when the platform isn’t accepting new members.

If a spot opens up, you’ll create a personal profile and can start taking surveys.

After passing the initial screening, you will provide your household’s basic information to be matched with relevant studies. This means you won’t have to answer screener questions to see if you qualify for a full survey.

You’ll receive email notifications when a new survey is available. Each survey pays out 300 points, which is worth $3.

The research company also offers product testing, but survey opportunities are more common.

Unlike other survey sites like Swagbucks, you cannot take multiple Pinecone Research surveys daily. You might only have the chance to take one or two surveys each month.

The platform does like its panelists to be active participants. If you don’t take a survey within 12 months, they can remove you from the panel. Taking surveys regularly means you might receive more invitations.

Who Can Use Pinecone Research?

Joining Pinecone Research is free and only takes a few minutes. You must be at least 18 years of age and have a valid email address. To get started, submit your name, email, and answer a few demographic questions.

Survey takers in the United States, Canada, and the U.K. can apply. Only one person from your household can be a member at a time.

If Pinecone has openings for your household, you will complete a household survey. This helps match your interests and daily habits with future surveys.

It’s important to note this initial screening does not earn a signup bonus, but you’ll make more per opportunity.

Pinecone Research offers some of the best online surveys that pay cash because of its exclusivity. However, you may need to apply several times before the platform accepts your membership request.

If you’re not immediately accepted, you can consider these other best paid survey sites that pay money for your opinion.

How Can You Make Money on Pinecone Research?

You will earn points when you answer surveys and test products. Here is a closer look at how it’s possible to make fast money with this side hustle.

Online Surveys

The best way to make money with Pinecone Research is by taking surveys, and the time to complete a survey varies. While some surveys can take 15-20 minutes, others require a shorter time commitment.

Survey topics vary. Before you start a survey, you can find out what it covers.

Some sites offer surveys with varying payouts, but that is not the case here. You earn 300 points, or $3, for each survey you complete.

Surveys can be completed on the website or by using the mobile app.

Apex Focus Group is a similar option that focuses largely on focus groups. Read our Apex Focus Group review to learn more.

Testing Products

The second way to earn is to test products for money at home. These can be physical products or food they send you via a cooler with dry ice.

Most of the products you test are not for sale yet, so you get to be one of the first users.

If you get paid to test products at home, you’ll receive compensation to try the items plus $3 to complete a survey. Product testing is highly sought after, so jump on these opportunities as soon as you receive an invite.

Sweepstakes

Pinecone also has two prize drawings to earn extra money. They are:

• $500 bi-weekly drawings
• $4,500 quarterly drawings

You earn one entry per survey you complete, so your chances of winning increase with each survey you finish.

How Much Can You Make With Pinecone Research?

You can expect most surveys to take between 15 and 20 minutes. Each survey earns $3, and users report taking up to four studies per month. Therefore, anticipate earning $144 per year if you take one survey each week.

Product testing can take more time. As a result, Pinecone Research pays you extra points plus the standard $3 survey payment. This additional pay can be as much as $75 per test.

As with any online survey site, you won’t replace your full-time income by taking surveys. But is the platform a valid way to make money online? Possibly.

It might not be worth the effort if you do not get frequent survey invites. However, for those who receive invites, Pinecone Research is a legit way to make extra cash.

The more surveys you complete and products you test, the more you earn. Being a frequent shopper and the primary decision-maker for purchasing groceries and household items can also help.

If you need consistent income, you can join another side hustle app to make money while waiting for new surveys from Pinecone.

How Can You Redeem Earnings on Pinecone Research?

Many survey sites have confusing rewards systems that make it hard to determine how much your points are worth. For example, your points might be more valuable with some gift card brands than others.

Thankfully, with Pinecone, your reward points are worth the same amount for each redemption option. Regardless of the payout option you choose, you can start redeeming rewards with as little as 300 points.

Paypal Cash

Select users can link their PayPal accounts to redeem their rewards. However, this withdrawal method isn’t universally available like it was a few years ago.

If you want to earn free PayPal money, you may want to consider other alternatives.

Gift Cards

Digital gift cards are the quickest payout option since you receive digital codes via email. However, it can take up to five days to receive your virtual gift cards, and this method may not be permitted for your first withdrawal.

You can redeem payments for gift cards and checks in $3, $5, and $15 increments.

If you want to earn free Amazon gift cards, Pinecone could be the perfect site for you.

Bank Transfer

After completing your first survey, Pinecone sends $3 to a linked bank account. This initial redemption is the only time they require you to accept your payout via bank transfer.

For peace of mind, the survey company doesn’t store your bank login credentials and uses a third-party app to complete your transfer requests.

The withdrawal method replaces mailing a paper check, so you can receive your earnings sooner and more securely.

Prepaid Cash Card

It’s also possible to request a prepaid virtual card that you can use for online purchases. You can stack your cashouts and reload your card multiple times.

Alternately, you can transfer your balance to Amazon or iTunes.

Do Pinecone Research Points Expire?

Your survey rewards expire after 12 months of inactivity. Regularly taking surveys renews your entire points balance and can keep your account active.

Additionally, cashing out after each study can also prevent losing points.

Is Pinecone Research Legitimate?

It’s easy to get taken advantage of when considering a side hustle, especially with survey apps. Some opportunities are scams, so it’s justifiable to wonder if Pinecone Research is a legit survey site.

Luckily, it’s a reputable site with verified payouts. Plus, it’s operated by a trustworthy market research firm that has been conducting studies for decades.

The platform also implements these security measures to protect your privacy:

• Two-factor authentication to prevent unauthorized logins
• Won’t sell your information to third parties
• Keeps your survey responses anonymous
• Won’t ask for your Social Security number

While Pinecone Research is a legit survey app, there are several impostors. For instance, there isn’t a Facebook page or a signup link on the official website. You can safely join Pinecone Research here.

How to Contact Pinecone Research Support

Pinecone has email customer support if you need help completing a survey or redeeming points. They also have FAQs on their site to help you troubleshoot common problems.

One benefit of Pinecone surveys is they save your spot if you have technical difficulties. For instance, you may have connection trouble. If this happens, you can reattempt the survey and start where you left off.

Pros and Cons

It’s important to go into any side gig with your eyes open. Here is what to keep in mind when using Pinecone Research to make extra money.

Pros:

• Simple to use
• Free to join
• A $3 per survey competitive rate compared to other survey sites
• Product testing offers
• Cash or gift card rewards
• Earn $3 immediately after taking your first survey
• Excellent customer service
• Bi-weekly and quarterly drawings

Cons:

• Exclusive site that selects users to join
• Allows only one account per household
• Points expire after 12 months of inactivity
• No signup bonus

Overall, Pinecone Research is a great platform if you’re trying to determine how to get free money online. The surveys and product tests are simple and quick to complete, making them ideal if you have a busy schedule.

Apps Like Pinecone Research

If you are looking for additional ways to make money online, here are some of the best places for surveys that pay cash and accept users as young as 13 years of age.

Swagbucks

Consider Swagbucks to earn points through surveys, playing games, shopping online, and other short tasks. Most surveys award 25 to 150 points, which is equal to $0.25 to $1.50 in cash or gift cards.

Tasks requiring a purchase can pay more.

The redemption minimum starts at 500 points ($5) for PayPal Cash and most gift cards.

Amazon gift card redemptions start at one dollar, which is remarkable. New users can receive a $10 bonus cash after completing qualifying activities.

Consult our Swagbucks review to learn more.

Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie lets you answer surveys for money with multiple invites daily and payouts from less than a dollar up to a few dollars. Active users can be eligible for online focus groups and extended studies that pay more.

Members can also install the SJ Pulse app or browser extension to passively earn extra income by anonymously sharing their digital activities and which ads they see.

The redemption minimum starts at 500 points ($5) for bank transfers, PayPal, or gift cards.

Our Survey Junkie review covers your earning potential and payout options.

Toluna

Toluna specializes in short surveys that typically take up to 20 minutes, but you can also receive invites for paid product tests and community polls.

You can answer several studies each day, with gift card rewards starting at 30,000 points ($10) or 95,000 points ($30) for PayPal Cash.

Most surveys earn between 3,000 and 6,000 points but can pay as much as 50,000 points. In addition, new members can receive a 500-point signup bonus.

Is Pinecone Research Worth It?

With each survey paying $3, Pinecone Research has some of the highest-paying online surveys. You can earn additional money by testing products.

While the platform is selective, it’s a good way to earn extra money if you qualify. Once you become a panelist, you’ll discover that most of the surveys and product tests are simple.

Even though you won’t replace your day job, surveys are an easy way to earn extra spending cash.

What other methods have you used to make money on the side?

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