Discover How I Get $2,500 for Christmas Gifts for Free Every Year (And You Can Too!)
Unwrap the secrets to stress-free Christmas shopping and discover how to get free money for gifts every year! Learn insider tips and strategies to maximize rewards, ensuring you have a joyous holiday season without breaking the bank.
Isabella Ramirez
11/27/20239 min read
Christmas is a wonderful time of the year, but it can also be stressful and expensive. You want to give your loved ones the best gifts, but you don't want to break the bank or go into debt. What if I told you there is a way to get free Christmas gifts every year, without spending a dime from your own pocket? Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, it's not. I have been doing this for more than five years, and I'm going to share with you my secrets.
Method 1: Always using cashback websites
If you don't know about cashback websites. Cashback websites are online platforms that offer you a percentage of your purchase back as cash when you shop through their links. Here is what you need to do:
Step 1: Sign up for cashback websites
There are many cashback websites out there, but you don't have to sign up for all of them. Here are some of the criteria I use to evaluate and choose the best cashback websites:
Cashback rates: I look for the websites that offer the highest cashback rates for the stores I shop at. This way, I can earn the most money back.
Payout methods: I prefer the websites that have flexible and convenient payout options, such as PayPal, Visa cards, gift cards, or checks. This way, I can choose the best way to receive and use my cashback. I want to use PayPal to receive payment.
Tracking reliability: I avoid the websites that have issues with tracking or crediting my purchases. This can be frustrating and time-consuming to deal with. I look for the websites that have a good reputation and track record of accurately and promptly tracking my cashback.
Customer service: I value the websites that have responsive and helpful customer service. Sometimes, things can go wrong or I may have questions or concerns. I want to be able to contact the customer service and get a satisfactory resolution.
Here are the ones that I use and recommend the most: Now is the best time to sign up as they are offering the biggest sign-on bonus of the year, and stores are doubling cash backs in the holiday season.
Topcashback: This is my favorite cashback website now because it usually offers the highest rates for most stores. It also has no minimum payout threshold, so you can withdraw your money anytime you want. You can choose from PayPal, visa card, e-gift cards and bank transfer as the payout method. Plus, it has a referral program that currently gives you $30 for every friend you invite.
Rebatesme: This is another great cashback website that currently offers a generous $40 sign-up bonus when you join and make your first purchase. It also has a wide selection of stores and categories to choose from. It has minimum $10 payout threshold. Payout method: PayPal, e Credit Card and check. If you use my referral link to join, you might help me earn some extra cash and get your $40 sign on bonus. Then you can get your own referral link from your account and invite your friends to join Rebatesme.
MaxRebates: This is a newer cashback website that has some of the best deals and offers on the market. It also has a loyalty program that gives you extra cashback based on your level and activity.
BeFrugal: This is a reliable and trustworthy cashback website that has been around for a long time. It has a referral program that gives you $40 for every friend you invite. You get $10 when you sign up with my link. Then you can share your own link from your account with your friends and family to earn more. BeFrugal lets you cash out in many ways, like PayPal, eCredit Card, eGift Card, Zelle, Venmo, Direct deposit to U.S. Bank and Check. You just need $10 to cash out.
Rakuten: This is one of the most popular and well-known cashback websites in the world. It now offers a $40 sign-up bonus when you sign up with my referral link and make your purchases ($40 or more) within 90 days. It also has a huge selection of stores and categories to choose from. I've been using Rakuten for a long time (it used to be called Ebate) and I've earned over $3k in cashback. You can get your money by check or PayPal, and the minimum payout is $5.01.
Rakuten Payment Dates:
February 15
May 15
August 15
November 15
Sign up to above cashback websites and get ready to use them for shopping.
Step 2: Shop online through cashback websites
Once you've signed up for the cashback websites, you're ready to start shopping online and earning cashback. Here's how to do it:
If you already know which store to buy stuff from, you can skip the First step.
First, browse around online and find the products that you want to buy. You can use any website that you like, such as Walmart, Target, etc. You can add the products to your shopping cart, but don't check out yet.
Second, find out which cashback website give you the highest rate. You can go to cashbackmonitor.com and search for the store that you want to buy from. This website will show you the current cashback rates for each cashback website, so you can choose the one that offers highest cashback rate.
Third, log in to the cashback website that offers the highest rate for your store and search for the store name. You'll see a link that will take you to the store's website. DON'T click on the link yet.
Fourth, IMPORTANT: CLOSE all the browser tabs that you have open for that store, except for the one from the cashback website. This is important because it will ensure that your purchase is tracked correctly by the cashback website.
Fifth, click on the link from the cashback website and go to the store's website. You should see your shopping cart with all the products that you added before. Check out as usual (use the credit card in method 2 to maximize your cashback) and complete your purchase.
Step 3: Withdraw the cashback
Withdraw your cashback from the cashback website. It might takes up to three months. That's normal, they just want to check that you keep the stuff you bought. You have different options to get paid, like PayPal, Visa card, gift card, or check. I usually pick PayPal and then move it to my bank account, or save it for Christmas.
Method 2: Use cashback or point rewarded credit cards for all the shopping
The key is to use cashback credit cards or credit cards that earn points that you can redeem for cash for every shopping. There are many good cashback credit cards out there, but here are some of the best ones that I use:
1.Citi Double Cash Card: No annual fee.
This card gives you 2% cash back on every purchase, with no limit or category restrictions. You get 1% when you buy and 1% when you pay. You can redeem your cash back as a statement credit, a direct deposit to your bank account, or a check. I've been using the Citi Double Cash Card for years and I love the simplicity of its rewards program. I usually leave the points there and use them when I buy Christmas gifts. I've earned $1,691.38 in cash back this year.
2. Chase Sapphire Preferred Card:
This card gives you 2 points per dollar on travel and dining, and 1 point per dollar on everything else. You also get a 25% bonus when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards, which means your points are worth 1.25 cents each. You can also transfer your points to various airline and hotel partners, such as Southwest, United, Hyatt, Marriott, and more.
This card is awesome because it gives you 60,000 points when you spend $4,000 in the first three months. You can use those points for travel or cash or gift cards. They're worth $750 if you travel or $600 if you don't. The card has a $95 annual fee, you can cancel it before the second year if you want. For the first year, you're still getting a lot of free money. I mean, $600 minus $95 is $505, that's free money.
My current cash rewards are $432.17.
3. Chase Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card:
This card is for small business owners, but you don't need to have a formal business to qualify. If you are a freelancer or you earn some money from side hustles, you can apply. You can use your own name and social security number as your business name and tax ID. This card gives you unlimited 1.5% Cash Back rewards on every purchase made for your business. You can redeem your cash back as a statement credit or a direct deposit to your account. This card has no annual fee and currently offers a sign-up bonus of $900 cash back after you spend $6,000 in the first three months. The current sign-up bonus is much higher than when I signed up ($600), The current sign-up bonus is the highest I've ever seen, so now is a great time to apply. I have cash points as $628.72.
So get the free sign-up bonuses and use the cards wisely for everyday purchases.
These are just some examples of the cards that I use, watch for credit cards out there that offer similar or even better benefits and use them wisely. Here are some tips on how to maximize your rewards:
Pay your balance in full every month. This is the most important rule of using credit cards. If you carry a balance and pay interest, you will negate any rewards that you earn. Only spend what you can afford to pay off every month.
Use the right card for the right purchase. Different cards offer different rewards rates for different categories of spending. For example, use the Citi Double Cash Card for purchases that don't fall into any specific category, use the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card for travel and dining. This way, you will earn the most rewards for every dollar that you spend.
Take advantage of sign-up bonuses and promotions. Many credit cards offer generous bonuses when you sign up and meet a certain spending requirement within a certain time frame. These bonuses can be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars in cash or gift cards. Some cards also offer promotions throughout the year that give you extra rewards for certain categories or merchants. For example, Chase often offers 5% cash back on select categories every quarter, such as grocery stores, gas stations, Amazon.com, etc. Make sure to activate these offers and use them before they expire.
Redeem your rewards wisely. Depending on the card and the program, you may have different options for redeeming your rewards. Some options may give you more value than others. For example, with the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, you can get more value by redeeming your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards or by transferring them to airline or hotel partners than by redeeming them for cash or gift cards. However, if you don't travel much or prefer cash over travel, then redeeming them for cash or gift cards may be better for you. The choice is yours.
By following these steps, I have been able to accumulate enough cash back and points every year to cover the cost of all my Christmas gifts. I usually start saving up my rewards from January and redeem them in November or December, when I do most of my Christmas shopping. By then, I have enough money in my bank account and enough points in my credit card accounts to buy gifts for everyone on my list, without spending a penny from my own pocket.
You can do this too. All you need is some planning, some discipline, and some smart credit card choices. Start now and by next year, you will have free Christmas money ready. So you can enjoy the holiday season without worrying about the budget or the debt. Happy holidays and shop smart!
Empowering women to be healthy, happy, and beautiful.
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