Easy Money

Easy Ways to Cut Costs for College by Shopping #TakeSimpleSteps

Thanks to Country Financial for sponsoring this discussion. All views are my own.

The festive season has wrapped up, and while I browse online for fitness supplies to kick off my New Year’s goals, I had a realization: most of my purchases occur on the internet. Why is that? It’s straightforward to compare prices, many stores have free shipping, and I can shop from the cozy atmosphere of my home.

Honestly, how much have you invested in your New Year’s goals? From workout apparel to supplements, memberships, and planning tools, the expenses can add up!

As I was searching for online promo codes, I stumbled upon multiple chances to earn cash back on my purchases. That’s right—several sites were offering cash back on something I was already doing—shopping online! This is a simple approach to stash away money for college without changing my spending habits.

Here are some straightforward methods to earn cash back:

• ebates.com provides cash back on online purchases. Just start on their website, log into your account, find the store you want to purchase from, and click through. They also feature some stores in their “in-store” rebate program. Rebates come monthly, with returns typically between 3% and 15%.

• Ibotta.com rewards users for buying selected products. You can earn cash back by taking a photo of your receipt, linking your loyalty accounts, or through in-app purchases.

• Swagbucks.com allows you to accumulate points for gift cards. I often utilize those gift cards for items I usually buy and set aside the equivalent money. You can earn points by shopping online, watching videos, searching the web, and completing surveys.

• Dosh.cash is a cash back application that automatically finds coupons, promo codes, and offers cash back from thousands of retailers, restaurants, and hotels.

• Topcashback.com functions similarly to ebates, linking you to cash back offers from numerous online retailers. After shopping through their site or mobile app, the retailer pays them a commission, which they then share with you.

• Shopkick.com is an app that makes in-store shopping fun for my kids. While shopping, it prompts you to scan specific items for points. You can also check out online items and acquire points that you can redeem for gift cards at your favorite retailers.

This is merely a starting point for saving money through online shopping, but you get the idea. Why not earn cash back while doing what you normally do, all while contributing to college savings a little at a time?

Planning for college expenses can be manageable with early saving and budgeting. With tuition fees increasing, consider the impact of inflation over the next decade! For insights on saving for college, visit Country Financial’s educational funding resources.