Rebate Shopping for the Mobile Age

How would you like to get money, just for shopping at stores you already frequent? That’s the promise of Ibotta, a new rebate app available for iPhone and Android. The program connects manufacturers, retailers and consumers together to promote savings. The process couldn’t be easier. Install the app from the device-appropriate app store and it’s ready to use. The startup process lets you choose retailers you shop at regularly. You can browse by store or by product for rebates.

The rebates don’t come for nothing. You need to unlock them by completing an activity. These include answering a survey question, watching an advertisement or sharing something on Facebook. After you unlock the rebates, you buy the product at the retailer you’ve selected. When you get home, you use your smartphone camera to scan the bar codes on your purchases. Ibotta confirms your product. Then, use your camera to scan the receipt. In a few days, Ibotta sends the rebates to your PayPal account.

The app has other social components. You can connect with friends to form savings teams. You can earn achievements which come with extra rewards. The money isn’t much. Year-long app users who plan their purchases around rebates have reported earning $100.

There are also some privacy concerns. The app links to your social media profiles to activate some rebates. Make sure you have locked down your privacy settings as best you can yet allow the app to do its thing. Ibotta also uses your location to suggest stores you may want to visit. The app sends push notifications by default – and that can be somewhat annoying. The range of products is limited. The most common items are prepackaged food items and bottled drinks.

It would be difficult to find your entire grocery list on the app. Still, if you don’t mind investing the time in checking for goods on rebate and verifying receipts, you can save a little money. Ibotta is an intuitive, easy-to-use program with a constantly expanding list of retailers and products. Give it a try if you’re looking to save a little green.