Who doesn’t love a little extra money? I know I do. What’s even better than free money? Receiving free money for items you’re already purchasing. There are many apps that pay you to shop. That’s right, they send you free money for items you’re already going to purchase anyway.

I’ve been using some apps for a while that send you money, either by check or through Paypal or Venmo services. These are all tested apps that I have received money for, and can personally recommend.

• Ebates
  • Click here to sign up for free and receive a $10 cash bonus!
  • Ebates is a GREAT way to receive free money for shopping online. You can sign up on Ebates for free. Every time you shop online, go to Ebates.com and search for the store you will be shopping with. If the store has any cash back available, click the site. Ebates will send you to the website, and you will shop and check out as usual. When your purchase is complete, a percentage of your purchase will go into your Ebates account. The amount will be stored in your account until Ebates sends out the quarterly checks. The check can be mailed to you, or you can link it to your PayPal account, and it will be sent to you directly.
  • I have received over $200 from Ebates over the past few years. Seriously, it works!
  • They even have an Ebates button you can install on your web page that alerts you if you arrive at a website that has cash back from Ebates. When the alert comes up, you click the button and it will connect you to Ebates (this is really helpful if you’re like me and easily forget to use Ebates).
• Ibotta
  • Sign up here, or use referral code kqrwfwl when you sign up, and receive a $10 rebate once you verify your first purchase (note that it may give you a time limit to verify your first purchase, but the purchase is allowed to be a small, one item purchase).
  • Before you shop, you can open the Ibotta app and unlock cash back rebates. You can see what rebates are available (sometimes there are specific brands available, and some items are any brand). Then you go shopping, and if you find any of the items with unlocked rebates and purchase them, you submit your receipt. Like Ebates, the app will store your purchase amounts, and once you reach a certain amount (the minimum purchase amount is $20), Ibotta will send your money through PayPal, Venmo, or through a gift card.
• Checkout 51
  • Checkout 51 is the same concept as Ibotta. Each Thursday, the app is updated with different offers. You star the offers you want (either before or after you shop). If you purchase any of your starred items, submit your receipt. The app will keep track of your cash back rewards, and you can “cash out” when you reach a certain amount.
• Shopkick
  • Sign up for free here
  • Shopkick alerts you when you are close to a store. You open the app at the door, and get “walk in” kicks. It gives you items to scan around the store, giving you extra kicks. When you earn a certain amount of kicks (this does take time), you can earn gift cards to stores such as Starbucks and Target.
• Walmart Savings Catcher
  • When you shop at Walmart, save your receipt. With the Walmart app, you can scan your receipt up to 7 days after your purchase. The Savings Catcher app searches for competitors’ prices. If it finds a deal that is lower than the price you paid, you will receive the difference on a Walmart eGift Card.
• Paribus
  • One of my coworkers told me about this website, and I tested it for myself. You can link your accounts to the site, and if the price drops once you’ve purchased an item, it contacts the store to help you earn the difference back by filing a claim report. It’s helped me earn money back from Kohls and Amazon.
• Kroger
  • This app doesn’t give you cash back, but you can link your Kroger card to the app. You can check out the coupons available each week, and add them to your card. This will automatically link the coupons to your card. When you enter your alternate ID or swipe your Kroger Plus card at checkout, any products with coupons will automatically apply the discount. I always check the app before I go, and search for the items on my list, just in case there are coupons I may miss. It’s a great way to save money, and you don’t have to keep track of your physical coupons when you shop (I have a bad habit of leaving my coupons at home).

Let  me know if you try any of these apps and what you think! What are your favorite money making apps? Do you use any money making apps not listed? Let me know in the comments below and I’ll check them out!