THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE SEE MY DISCLOSURES<\/a>. FOR MORE INFORMATION.<\/i><\/p>\n If you\u2019re like most people, you\u2019re always on the lookout for easy ways to save money, especially when shopping online.<\/p>\n What if there were a simple tool that could put cash back in your pocket every time you clicked \u201ccheckout\u201d?<\/p>\n That\u2019s where Rakuten comes in.<\/p>\n In this article, we\u2019ll show you how to use Rakuten to save money online effortlessly.<\/p>\n Whether you\u2019re buying clothes, booking travel, or just restocking household essentials, Rakuten can help you earn real cashback with zero hassle.<\/p>\n Ready to stop leaving money on the table and learn how to earn money ? Let\u2019s dive in.<\/p>\n The one piece of advice I always offer when using platforms like Rakuten (formally ebates), is that it\u2019s easy to get excited about a sale.<\/p>\n Some will sign up for a cash back platform and start shopping immediately to start building their cashback balance.<\/p>\n But not every sale is a deal. Just because you can get Rakuten cashback through their shopping portal doesn\u2019t mean that you necessarily should.<\/p>\n When you\u2019re looking to use Rakuten to save money online<\/a>, always make it a top priority to only shop with vendors that you normally shop with otherwise.<\/p>\n The next time you go shopping and you see shopping rewards for eligible purchases from your top vendors, you\u2019ll be getting an actual deal on your online purchase.<\/p>\n Getting extra cash from your purchases means nothing if you\u2019re shopping for things you don\u2019t normally buy.<\/p>\n Avoid the excitement of cashback earnings and thoroughly research Rakuten\u2019s shopping portal so you know where to source your everyday goods form.<\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to forget to use Rakuten if it\u2019s not right in front of you.<\/p>\n After all, many of us have lived without Rakuten for a while, so to consistently think about shopping through Rakuten for major sales events and other purchases isn\u2019t something that\u2019s immediately top of mind.<\/p>\n This is why it\u2019s a good idea to install the browser extension.<\/p>\n The Rakuten browser extension helps you get deals in just a few clicks.<\/p>\n When you visit a store that offers a qualifying purchase, the browser extension will immediately notify you that you can activate cashback there.<\/p>\n It will also help you find coupon codes and special promotions, price check everything at your favorite stores in case you could get it elsewhere for cheaper, and track your earnings (which you can receive via physical check, American Express Membership rewards points, or PayPal).<\/p>\n The Rakuten browser extension can be a lifesaver when you forget to go through the Rakuten website.<\/p>\n Make sure to download this so you have a convenient way to start building cash in your account after you make your first qualifying purchase.<\/p>\n Most people think that using a Rakuten account is a way to earn cash back on everyday, eligible purchases.<\/p>\n It absolutely is.<\/p>\n But there\u2019s more to find with a Rakuten account than just the basics you\u2019ll come across when online shopping.<\/p>\n This is where my second major piece of advice comes in: use Rakuten for experiences, not just Rakuten cash back on things like shoes, beauty products, and other basic goods.<\/p>\n For example, did you know that you can earn cash back when you use Rakuten to make a purchase at a participating restaurant?<\/p>\n Did you know that you can get coupon codes and cash back when you book a vacation rental through Rakuten?<\/p>\n Were you aware that you could get Rakuten cash back on activities like booking an Uber or on rental cars?<\/p>\n Using the Rakuten app to get Rakuten cash back on experiences allows you to do all the things you\u2019ve wanted to do while saving money along the way.<\/p>\n Take a look at all the Rakuten cash back offers to see what you can use Rakuten to save on.<\/p>\n Every dollar spent through the Rakuten portal will help you earn rewards.<\/p>\n But don\u2019t think that you\u2019re limited to the cashback offers from Rakuten.<\/p>\n Besides Rakuten offers, you should use rewards credit cards when you make your purchases.<\/p>\n Savvy shoppers will first need to activate cashback at participating merchants and Rakuten partners via the website or browser extension.<\/p>\n Then, when you check out, use your credit card instead of your debit cards if you have an Amex account or other credit cards like Citi, Discover, or Chase.<\/p>\n This helps you reap the rewards of shopping from online retailers with Rakuten, then helps you earn double when you spend cash with a participating retailer by giving you money back via your credit card.<\/p>\n When it comes to savings opportunities, thinking outside of the box is always going to get you more savings and better results.<\/p>\n Double cash back is one great feature of Rakuten. You can get double cash back when you use a cash back credit card and Rakuten offers.<\/p>\n However, one other strategy that I find to be quite useful is taking advantage of the coupon codes that Rakuten manages to dig up when you\u2019re shopping at various retailers.<\/p>\n One might logically assume that you wouldn\u2019t be able to use a coupon and earn cash back at the same time while online shopping.<\/p>\n But that\u2019s not the case with Rakuten. They\u2019ll give you coupons on top of the cash back offers that they provide, allowing you to take advantage of even more savings.<\/p>\n Always check for a coupon code before you finalize your purchase.<\/p>\n Even if you\u2019re still getting cash back, that extra coupon code or promo code can help you get a much better deal on the things that you want or need.<\/p>\n Online shopping is the primary focus of this guide, but it\u2019s worth noting that Rakuten cashback offers aren\u2019t limited to online purchases only.<\/p>\n The Rakuten app can be used for in-store purchases, helping you activate cash offers on physical products you\u2019re purchasing in person.<\/p>\n All you have to do to use this is link a credit card to your account, add the offer to your card, and then use that card while shopping at the desired retailer.<\/p>\n Once the store confirms your purchase, the Rakuten membership rewards points will be added to your account.<\/p>\n Most modern consumers rarely limit their shopping activity to just one device.<\/p>\n If we\u2019re at the computer and it\u2019s convenient, we may shop from our desktop or our laptop.<\/p>\n If we\u2019re elsewhere and we have a smartphone or a tablet on hand, we\u2019ll likely shop online using that device instead.<\/p>\n This is why it\u2019s important to keep Rakuten on every device.<\/p>\n As per the advice above, make sure to install the Rakuten extension on your web browser so that you get notifications each time you end up on a merchant that there\u2019s a Rakuten offer for.<\/p>\n When you\u2019re shopping with a mobile device, having the app on your phone makes it so that you can access your Rakuten shopping portal through there for more convenient cash back access.<\/p>\n If you have Rakuten installed on every device, it becomes much harder to forget to use it and miss out on cash rewards.<\/p>\n The point of Rakuten is to save money, but that doesn\u2019t mean that you can\u2019t make a little extra Rakuten cash on the side.<\/p>\n Rakuten\u2019s referral program is one of the best out of the many cash back apps out there.<\/p>\n In fact, you can make $30 per referral who also signs up for Rakuten to earn membership rewards points.<\/p>\n \t\t<\/p>\n \t\t<\/p>\n \t\t<\/p>\n Want to earn cash back shopping online? Look no further than Rakuten. Earn up to 25% on your online shopping. New users get $30 when you spend $30 in the first 90 days!<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tWe earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.<\/span>\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n So long as they live in the 50 US states or qualifying territories, sign up for Rakuten using your referral link, and make a qualifying purchase within 90 days of activating their Rakuten account, you can make $30 with their purchase and they can make $30 as well.<\/p>\n If you have friends who love to save, earn cash, and tap into coupon codes for more savings, send them your referral code and encourage them to join. Everyone wins!<\/p>\n One under the radar feature of Rakuten is that you can buy gift cards<\/a> and earn cash back doing so.<\/p>\n They offer hundreds of popular stores to choose from.<\/p>\n Just pay attention to see if it\u2019s a physical gift card or an egift card.<\/p>\n Also, pay attention to the cashback amount you earn, as you might get a better deal somewhere else.<\/p>\n For example, with my American Express card, I earn 6% cashback at grocery stores.<\/p>\n Because of this, I buy my gift cards there.<\/p>\n There is no reason to earn 1% shopping through Rakuten, (and getting another 2% from my credit card), when I can earn more shopping somewhere else.<\/p>\n Black Friday and Cyber Monday is when cash back at Rakuten is highest.<\/p>\n In some cases, you can earn 25% cash back at many retailers.<\/p>\n If you have a large purchase and it can wait, it benefits you to be patient.<\/p>\n This past season, I needed a new laptop. I saw the one I wanted and that Lenovo offered cash back on Rakuten.<\/p>\n So I waited until Black Friday. The cash back about jumped from 2% up to 15%.<\/p>\n I ended up getting over $200 in cash back on my purchase.<\/p>\n Now, I\u2019m not saying you have to wait until the end of the year to buy everything you want.<\/p>\n Rakuten does offer double cash back and higher rates throughout the year.<\/p>\n The trick is being patient and buying when a bonus offer is higher than usual.<\/p>\n Rakuten is a busy company, which is why it\u2019s important to keep up with them to see what\u2019s going on and learn about upcoming opportunities and promotions.<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t already, follow them on Instagram<\/a>, X<\/a>, and Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n This will keep you up-to-date on new developments, sales, giveaways, and other things that will help you save money or even get free stuff from Rakuten.<\/p>\n So there are some general ways you can use the Rakuten shopping portal to earn cash back.<\/p>\n In this section, I will outline the specifics I use to earn rewards.<\/p>\n First, when I see something I want to buy, I visit Rakuten to see if they offer cash back.<\/p>\n Even if they do, my next step is to visit Swagbucks, as they also offer cash back deals.<\/p>\n (The biggest difference here is that with Rakuten, you earn cash, whereas with Swagbucks, you earn points, or SB as they call them. You redeem these SB for gift cards or PayPal cash. Also, Rakuten offers a percentage back while Swagbucks offers a number of SB per dollar spent. In the end, the amounts are the same. So 2% cash back from Rakuten is the same as 2 SB per dollar spent with Swagbucks.)<\/p>\n \t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\tEasiest Way To Make Money Online\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t<\/p>\n \t\t<\/p>\n Looking to make money online? Look into Swagbucks. Earn money for completing surveys, playing games, watching videos, and more! Get a $10 bonus for signing up!<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \t\t\t![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.moneysmartguides.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/12\/Ebates-150x150.png\"\/)
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.moneysmartguides.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/12\/Ebates-150x150.png\")
<\/div>\n11 Ways to Use Rakuten to Save Money Shopping Online<\/h2>\n
#1. Make Sure You\u2019re Shopping With Brands You Normally Shop With<\/h3>\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.moneysmartguides.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/how-to-save-money-shopping-online.jpg\"\/)
![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.moneysmartguides.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/how-to-save-money-shopping-online.jpg\")
#2. Install the Browser Extension<\/h3>\n
#3. Get a Cheaper Vacation With Rakuten Cash Back Offers<\/h3>\n
![\"Couple](\"https:\/\/www.moneysmartguides.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Depositphotos_675529872-1200x675.jpg\"\/)
![\"Couple](\"https:\/\/www.moneysmartguides.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Depositphotos_675529872-1200x675.jpg\")
#4. Double-Up With Cash Back Credit Cards<\/h3>\n
#5. Embrace Coupon Codes for More Savings<\/h3>\n
#6. Get the Most Out of Rakuten Account by Shopping In-Store Too<\/h3>\n
![\"woman-shopping\"](\"https:\/\/www.moneysmartguides.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/woman-shopping-1200x675.jpg\"\/)
![\"woman-shopping\"](\"https:\/\/www.moneysmartguides.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/woman-shopping-1200x675.jpg\")
#7. Keep Rakuten on Every Device<\/h3>\n
#8. Refer Others to Get a Referral Bonus<\/h3>\n
\n\t\t\t\t![\"Rakuten:](\"https:\/\/www.moneysmartguides.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/rakuten-logo200.jpg\"\/){kind=logo}
![\"Rakuten:](\"https:\/\/www.moneysmartguides.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/rakuten-logo200.jpg\"){kind=logo}
\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRakuten: Shop. Get Cash Back. Repeat.\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\tGet Started\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n#9. Buy Gift Cards on Rakuten<\/h3>\n
![\"gift](\"https:\/\/www.moneysmartguides.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/gift-cards-1024x576.jpg\"\/)
![\"gift](\"https:\/\/www.moneysmartguides.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/gift-cards-1024x576.jpg\")
#10. Shop Strategically<\/h3>\n
#11. Stay Updated With Their Social Media Profiles<\/h3>\n
How Do I Save Money Using Rakuten<\/h2>\n
![\"concept](\"https:\/\/www.moneysmartguides.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Shutterstock_1341675968-1200x675.jpg\"\/)
![\"concept](\"https:\/\/www.moneysmartguides.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Shutterstock_1341675968-1200x675.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t![\"Swagbucks\"](\"https:\/\/www.moneysmartguides.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/swagbucks-logo.png\"\/){kind=logo}
![\"Swagbucks\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.moneysmartguides.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/swagbucks-logo.png\"){kind=logo}
\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSwagbucks\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\tGet Started\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
![\"rakuten](\"https:\/\/www.moneysmartguides.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/rakuten-void-promo-codes.jpg\"\/)
![\"rakuten](\"https:\/\/www.moneysmartguides.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/rakuten-void-promo-codes.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/aded10cccb637ec16dbfc56882e09c43?s=100&d=mm&r=g\"\/)
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/aded10cccb637ec16dbfc56882e09c43?s=100&d=mm&r=g\")
<\/div>\n