Christmas shopping on a budget is pretty easy when you use a free Ebates account to save money holiday shopping from your own home.
Let’s be honest.
Buying Christmas gifts can cost a pretty penny. And, after you spend all of that money, how sure are you that people will even like and use your gifts?
It’s always a good idea to do your Christmas shopping on a budget. That way, you get presents for everyone and you don’t blow your whole bank account on gifts.
There’s an easy way to get your holiday shopping done from the comfort of your own home and actually save on Christmas presents.
Just imagine it.
No hassle, no crowds, no looking for parking. Just sit at your computer and get it done!
Well, you certainly can do all of that simply by using a service called Ebates. I’m going to tell you all about this free service that practically pays you to shop at all your favorite stores.
Christmas Shopping On A Budget With Ebates
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What Is Ebates?
Ebates is a service that allows you to get cash back when you shop with many top retailers. Every three months, you’ll receive your cash back via PayPal or check once you’ve earned over $5.
Simply create an account, sign in to the website and click the link of a store with which you want to shop. It’s as easy as that! This process is called starting a Shopping Trip. The Shopping Trip is assigned a unique number which the company uses to verify your purchases with stores. Your purchases will only earn cash back if you start a Shopping Trip first.
Now you may be wondering how of this all works. How can this service possibly be free?
Well, stores basically pay Ebates to bring business to them and then, they share that money with you. Pretty cool, right?
Cash Back Button
In case you’re thinking that you’ll never remember to check Ebates before you shop, don’t worry. They have made it incredibly easy with their Cash Back button.
Add the button as an extension to your browser and it will automatically notify you of available discounts when you visit your favorite online stores. Using the browser extension button eliminates the need for you visiting the website first to activate your shopping trip.
Mobile App
In addition to the website, you can also use the mobile app for savings. Simply find the Ebates app in your app store and download it to your phone.
After that, you can activate a shopping trip by clicking an Ebates link. Once you’ve started a shopping trip, a confirmation window should pop up that you have activated cash back and it will direct you to the store website of your choice.
Credit Card
I often advocate avoiding the use of credit cards. My number one reason is you should not be spending cash you don’t have. Credit card interest is pretty high and it can lead you down a dark path into serious debt.
However, if you DO have the cash to pay off your credit card balances immediately AND you get cash back for your purchases, then go ahead and use your credit card sparingly.
The Ebates Cash Back Visa Credit Card allows you to earn unlimited additional cash back rewards with no annual fee. Use your Ebates credit card online or anywhere that Visa cards are accepted to activate your cash back.
In-Store Cash Back
While the Ebates service is a dream for people who love online shopping, you can also use it in-store. All you need to do is link your debit or credit card to your Ebates account. When you find an in-store cash back offer that you like, shop using that same card.
Daily Double Deals
You can find a rotating selection of stores that offer double cash back deals so always remember to check those offers first for maximum saving potential.
Refer A Friend
Ebates is such an amazing service, you’ll want to talk about it with everyone once you start using it. But, to sweeten the pot, you can actually make money when you refer friends and family!
For every person who joins this service through your specific link, you’ll get $5. The referred person does have to spend $25 to be qualified though but that’s really not hard to do in one shopping session especially when everyone is trying to save on Christmas presents.
Your friends can also enjoy their cash back when they shop so it’s a win-win for everyone involved.
Christmas shopping on a budget can definitely be a challenge and I always look for savings anywhere I can find them. Ebates is an awesome and easy way to save money on Christmas gifts I was going to purchase anyway.
I think you’ll also love this post, Need To Save For The Holidays? Here’s How To Create A Budget.
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