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How to use Amazon and Rakuten to save lots of money


Rakuten, formerly Ebates, has long been one of my favorite sites as it combines the two things I love best: Shopping and Saving Money. I have been using Rakuten for years and years and over time I have earned $1,500+ using Rakuten! Here’s the proof:

How much cash back can you earn from Rakuten?

Over time I have earned $1,590.39 using Rakuten!!! Granted, I have been using Rakuten since 2009 and this is a cumulative total over the years, but that still breaks down to approximately $113 per year and it’s all money that I didn’t have to work for or go out of my way to earn. I earned that money simply by shopping! (Also, I recently recommitted myself to using Rakuten as much as possible though it’s just the beginning of April, I’ve already accumulated $99 in cashback for 2023!)

Read on for a quick rundown on how Rakuten works and some tips that will help you save even more – like combining Amazon and Rakuten! Yes, you can earn money back on your Amazon impulse purchases!!!

Maximizing Your Savings: Everything You Need to Know to Use Rakuten for Cashback on Online Shopping

Maximizing Your Savings: Everything You Need to Know to Use Rakuten for Cashback on Online Shopping

What is Rakuten (Ebates)?

Rakuten is a cashback shopping site that will let you earn money back on items you will already purchase online!

How does Rakuten work?

Rakuten is a cashback website that allows you to earn a percentage of your online purchases back in the form of cash. To use Rakuten, you must first create an account and log in to the website. Once you’ve logged in, you can search for the online retailer you want to shop with through the Rakuten website or app.

When you find the retailer you want to shop with, click on the link provided by Rakuten to be redirected to the retailer’s website. Once you make a purchase, Rakuten will track your purchase and apply the cashback percentage to your account.

The amount of cashback you earn depends on the retailer and the offer that Rakuten is currently promoting. Cashback typically ranges from 1 percent to 40 percent or more, depending on the retailer and the promotion.

Overall, Rakuten is a simple and easy way to earn cashback on your online shopping, with no additional fees or hidden costs.

Is Rakuten free to use?

Yes, Rakuten is free to use. There are no membership fees or other charges associated with using Rakuten to earn cashback on your online purchases. Rakuten makes money by receiving a commission from retailers to direct website traffic and drive sales. Rakuten then shares a portion of this commission with you as cashback.

In addition to being free, Rakuten also offers various sign-up bonuses and promotions to encourage users to join and shop through their platform. These bonuses and promotions can help you earn extra cashback on your purchases, which can add up over time.

How do I sign up for Rakuten?

Ready to start earning cashback on your purchases? Click here to sign up for Rakuten and begin your cashback journey! You’ll even get a bonus when you sign up in the form of cash or a gift card that you’ll earn as soon as you spend $25+.

How do I use Rakuten?

The best thing about Rakuten is that it is passive income. You don’t have to do any extra work to receive the money! The concept is simple: Head to Rakuten.com when you need to do some online shopping and search for your retailer of choice. You click on the retailer through the Rakuten interface and connect to the retailer’s website. From there you complete your shopping like usual. Afterward, a pre-determined percentage of your purchase is refunded to you a few days after your purchase is complete. Every retailer offers a different amount of cashback, which is always clearly listed.

Alternative: Install the Rakuten browser extension to ensure you ALWAYS earn cash back on eligible orders!

How long does it take to receive my cashback from Rakuten?

The time it takes to receive your cashback from Rakuten depends on a few factors, including the retailer’s return policy, the promotion terms, and when the retailer reports the purchase to Rakuten. Typically, it takes a few days to a few weeks for your cashback to be processed and added to your account.

After you purchase Rakuten, the retailer will confirm your order and notify Rakuten of the purchase. Once Rakuten receives this notification, they will add the cashback amount to your account, which can take a few days.

However, some retailers may have a return period before they confirm your purchase, which can delay the cashback process. Additionally, some promotions may have specific terms and conditions that dictate when you can expect to receive your cashback. For instance, last year, I booked a hotel through Booking.com. Per the terms, I couldn’t receive my cashback until 90 days after completing my trip. In other words, my trip was in December, but it wasn’t until mid-March that I became eligible to receive the payout for my trip.

When do you get paid from Rakuten?

You must have earned at least $5.01 over the previous quarter to receive a payment. Rakuten pays quarterly, so if you consistently use the site, you could get paid in February, May, August, and November. Rakuten will issue you a paper check or pay you through Paypal.

Can I use Rakuten with any online retailer?

There are thousands of online stores where you can use Rakuten to earn money back on your purchases, including many popular and well-known brands. You can use Rakuten with most online retailers that sell goods and services, including clothing and accessories, electronics, home and garden, travel, and more.

While Rakuten partners with a wide range of retailers, it’s important to note that not all retailers are available on the platform. Additionally, your cashback percentage may vary depending on the retailer and the specific promotion.

To ensure you earn cashback on your online purchases, it’s important to check whether the retailer you want to shop with is available on Rakuten and what cashback rate is currently offered. You can easily search for retailers and their cashback rates on the Rakuten website or app.

Some of my favorite stores that partner with Rakuten to offer cash back include Adidas, Zappos, ULTA, Sephora, and Gap.

Save on travel with Rakuten

I love traveling and saving money on travel, and Rakuten is a great way to earn back some money, whether you’re traveling for work or fun! Some of the travel sites that have partnerships with Rakuten include:

  • Booking.com
  • Travelocity
  • Enterprise (car rental)
  • Marriott
  • Priceline.com
  • Hotwire.com
  • Expedia

If you regularly book travel using these sites – or any of the others partnered with Rakuten – make sure you connect to the booking site via Rakuten to earn a little bit of your purchase price back!

Seriously, you could be on your way to making $1,500 or MORE from the Rakuten cashback shopping site in no time! 

Should I use Rakuten?

In a nutshell: Yes, Yes, Yes! There is no reason not to use Rakuten if you already do a lot of online shopping. Rakuten doesn’t mark up the price of items, and I promise you won’t spend an extra dime by going through the site. You will earn a portion of your purchase price back in cash. If you don’t want the extra cash, you should not use the site. But if you’re looking for ways to make money online – perhaps to fund a Starbucks habit or maybe you’re saving for something big and every penny counts – well, Rakuten is the best!

Is Rakuten safe and secure to use?

Yes, Rakuten is generally considered safe and secure to use. Rakuten takes various measures to protect user data and ensure the security of their platform.

When you sign up for Rakuten, you provide personal information such as your name and email address. Rakuten uses industry-standard encryption and security protocols to protect this information and prevent unauthorized access.

Additionally, when you shop through Rakuten, your purchase is processed through the retailer’s website, not through Rakuten’s platform. This means that Rakuten does not have access to your payment information, which is handled directly by the retailer.

Tips to Save More Using Rakuten

How to get better deals with Rakuten

Want to start earning the big bucks by using Rakuten to make your online purchases? Check out these tips that will help you save more – and make more – using Rakuten!

Use eBay and Rakuten together

Did you know that you can use eBay and Rakuten together? ‘Tis true! While eBay is all about the “Buy It Now” option now, you can even still Rakuten on your auction purchases! However, the catch is that you must remember to go through Rakuten FIRST anytime you want to buy something from eBay. (Again, this is why I think installing the Rakuten browser extension is the way to go. It’s one less thing to think about!)

Want to really save big at eBay? Shop eBay’s Daily Deals! Each day they offer a selection of Buy It Now items and gift cards at super low prices. In addition to those low prices, get an extra one to five percent cashback via Rakuten!

Use Rakuten on Groupon

Learning that you could use Groupon and Rakuten together was a game-changer for me. I live in Chicago, home of Groupon, and still use quite a few of their deals to try out new restaurants around the city. I always thought Groupon offered pretty good deals to begin with, but being able to earn cashback on my purchases makes the site that much sweeter.

Watch for double cashback offers

Double Cash Back at Ebates

Rakuten frequently offers “double cash back” offers, which are an awesome opportunity for you to earn extra cashback at select stores! The stores participating in Double Cash Back offers change with every promotion so be on the lookout for your favorite stores to be included so you can enjoy the extra savings.

Combine Rakuten and coupons for double the savings!

Rakuten is a great way to make some money back on the purchases you’re already making. But the awesome thing about the site is that it is completely independent from the shopping you do with each individual retailer. What I mean is that the cashback you receive from Rakuten is based on the final total that you spend (excluding tax and shipping). If you have a coupon for 50 percent off your order, go ahead and use it! If you’re shopping at the Gap and they’re offering 20 percent off and then you have a coupon for an extra 30 percent off, go ahead and take advantage of both promotions… and then you’ll still earn money back through Rakuten as well! Combine coupons and Rakuten for double the savings as often as possible!

Bonus: Rakuten will even tell you about many of the coupons that are available at stores. There’s a page full of coupons and coupon codes on the site. They want you to save as much as possible!

Invite friends to Rakuten

Invite Friends to Use Ebates

Do you have friends you think would love earning cashback by using Rakuten? If so, grab your referral link and invite them to Rakuten. You’ll earn $5 for each person that registers using your referral link AND makes a $25 purchase, which, let’s be honest, is just OK. It’s really beneficial to invite friends to Rakuten when they’re offering a referral promotion like this one, where they were paying $25 for each new referral! $25 per person can add up quickly!

While it will take some time to get to $1,500, earning that kind of money with Rakuten is possible for ANYONE. All you have to do is start using the site diligently and you will be on your way to earning money back on nearly any online purchase you make. That money will add up quicker than you imagine!

Also check out:

21 Tips for Saving Money Shopping Online | ShopGirlDaily.com