If you’re like me, you like saving money AND getting cashback in your wallet- and Rakuten is one of my favorite ways to do both!
Since 2014, I have received $525.64 in cash back from Rakuten (and their former website Ebates).
If you’re new to Rakuten or you’re a casual user, you may be wondering:
- What is Rakuten?
- How do you make money with Rakuten?
- How long does it take to receive your cash back?
- Is it a legitimate way to make money?
- And how can you make the most cash back?
Lucky for you, all of the answers are ready for you right here- just keep reading!
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.
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What is Rakuten?
Rakuten is a rewards program that gives customers cash back on almost anything they purchase through their online account.
Cash back rewards can be anywhere between 1% and 40%, depending on what you buy and when you buy it.
You can receive cash back on online purchases, gift cards, and in-store purchases for partner stores.
All you have to do is sign up for a free account!
Keep in mind, this is FREE, and Rakuten will never charge you for enrolling in their rewards program.
How does Rakuten work?
You’re probably thinking, “Why does Rakuten give me cash back for my purchases?”
It’s pretty simple- the company gets a bonus from these sites for referring you to shop there.
Then they pass part of that referral bonus to you!
How do you make money with Rakuten?
Once you’re enrolled, all you need to do is find the name of the store you wish to shop.
When you find your store, click on the link for that store, and Rakuten will drop you right on the homepage of your selected store.
Since you’ve been directed straight to the homepage, your shopping experience is exactly what you’re used to on that store’s site – except you’re getting cash back on qualified purchases through Rakuten!
Rakuten has partnerships with over 2,500 stores, so there’s a good chance that shopping at your favorite store will be a cash back partner!
I’ve saved a lot of money shopping online, including:
- 12% cash back on Macy’s,
- 12% cash back on 1-800-Flowers.com,
- 5% cash back on Priceline,
- 4% cash back on Old Navy,
- 3% cash back on Target,
- 1% cash back on Amazon,
- and many other stores- and the cash back adds up!
Rakuten also offers promo codes for these stores- and you can stack them on top of the cash back!
There is only one catch: you have to enter the website from the portal OR activate via the Rakuten Shopping Extension.
How long does it take to receive a check from Rakuten?
Your Cash Back payments are sent out to your quarterly.
So, for example, you would receive a check in the mail around May 15 for any purchases posted between January 1 and March 31.
If you don’t want to receive your cash back as a check, you can also opt to switch to PayPal Payment or American Express Membership Points.
Rakuten has also created a Cash Back for Change program that allows you to donate the change part of your cash back.
Is Rakuten legitimate?
While this may sound too good to be true, I’ll tell you that Rakuten is a legitimate company.
As I mentioned, I’ve made over $500 in cash back since 2014.
Rakuten is a legitimate website and is NOT a scam.
Best practices for making maximum cash back
Like most programs, there are a few strategies to get the best cash back bonuses from Rakuten.
Seasonal Events
Like most companies, Rakuten has big promotions for seasonal events, and they’re often your best way to make extra cash back.
Around President’s Day, 4th of July, Amazon Prime Day, and Black Friday (and any other big shopping holiday), check your emails for cash back multipliers.
Yes, you’re already getting cash back on your purchases through Rakuten- and sometimes that cash back multiplies.
For example, while Macy’s may normally be a 2% cash back store, their cash back often goes up to 12% during events.
And this cash back stacks on top of what you’re already saving.
So let’s say Macy’s puts your $100 air fryer on sale for $80.
Now you’re saving $20 at Macys- AND your $2 cash back reward becomes almost $10.
Doesn’t $30 saved sound a lot better than $2?
If you can wait until a seasonal event to make a purchase, your patience can really pay off!
Rakuten Shopping Extension
If you use Google Chrome regularly, I highly recommend adding the Rakuten Shopping Extension.
Once you create your account, you can download their free browser extension.
When you visit a partner website, even if you didn’t enter from the portal, the Shopping Extension will notify you that the store is a partner AND their current cash back percentage.
The extension also shows you Deals, including major sales on the website and promo codes that you can copy from the extension and enter when you’re ready to check out.
Remember that the Shopping Extension ONLY works if you click “Activate” on the extension.
I highly recommend checking to make sure the extension shows “Now Active” before checking out to make sure you will receive the cash back!
Read the Fine Print Before You Shop
For some partner stores, not all cash back is created equal.
This is why you need to check the fine print before you make your purchases!
When you make your purchase, your store will let Rakuten know which categories you purchased.
Your balance in your Rakuten account will account for all of the fine print.
Wrapping It All Up
Now that you know what Rakuten is, how it works, and how to optimize your cash back, click here (link) to build your new account and start building up your cash back today!
Are you signing up for Rakuten? Do you already have an account? If you’re already a loyal user, what are your best tips for getting the most cash back?
Do you want to reset your money mindset?
Sign up here to receive the FREE 7-Day Money Mindset Reset course!
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Nice read, Always Wondered how Rakuten works, Now I know! Thank you!