Recommended Cash Back and Referral Bonuses

Rakuten is a free site that gives you cash back when you shop online (which as you can tell, I do a lot). I have made $1,166.24 since I started using the app. . Just create an account, search for the store you’re buying from (like Target, Sephora, Ulta, Walmart, or Quince), and click through Rakuten before you check out. That’s it!

If you use my referral link to sign up and make a $30 purchase within 90 days, you’ll get a $30 bonus added to your account. It costs you nothing extra, you just click before you buy.

I use credit cards to earn points for big purchases and travel. I have two cards I use and one of my go-to cards is my Southwest card. I use it for everyday spending, and over time, the points really add up. I’ve been able to book free flights with points more than once, and it always feels like such a win when a trip costs next to nothing.

If you click on this link you’ll earn 50,000 points once you spend $1000 in your first 3 months. That is roughly a $650-$700 free flight.

If you haven’t tried Upside, please do. I live in a small town with limited options, and I still save money almost every time I get gas. My local Casey’s is usually offering an extra 11¢ off per gallon, just for selecting the gas station in the app before I buy.

It’s super easy—I have one card linked to the app, and I just use that when I fill up. All I do is open the app, claim the offer, and pay like normal. The cash back shows up automatically. It’s honestly too easy not to use.

I’m currently using my American Express Gold Card to save up for flights for my kids’ first big family vacation. This card has a bit higher spending requirement, you need to spend $6,000 in the first six months, but the reward can be huge.

Depending on your offer, you can earn up to 100,000 Membership Rewards points, which can be worth around $1,000 to $2,000 depending on how you use them.

I plan to transfer my points to Delta for our upcoming flights, but you can also use them with other travel partners or even for hotels, upgrades, and gift cards. The card does have a $325 annual fee, but I make the most of the perks to offset that:

$120 Uber Cash ($10/month for rides or Eats in the U.S.)

$84 Dunkin' Credit ($7/month at U.S. Dunkin’ after enrolling)

$100 Resy Dining Credit ($50 twice a year for eligible Resy restaurants)

I’ve tried all the apps, but Acorns is the one I keep coming back to. It’s super convenient because it all runs through the app, and honestly, I started with it just to see if I could put a little money into an investment account each month. I turned on the “round-ups” feature, which automatically rounds up my credit card purchases and invests the change—and over time, it’s added up more than I expected.

Between that and a small monthly deposit, I’ve now saved over $36,000 without really thinking about it. It makes investing feel easy, and I love seeing the progress in the app.

I use the Robinhood app to dabble in the stock market, and honestly, I’ve made a few decent investments over the past year or two. The app is really easy to navigate, and it lets me do everything from checking prices to making trades to setting alerts. It’s all super simple and right on my phone.

It’s actually fun to watch things grow. The business major in me loves reading an article and thinking I can play the stock market—I know I’m no expert, but it’s become a fun way to stay curious and learn while putting a little money to work.