Your Fund: How To Use Your Smart Phone To Make Money/Rewards

Here’s how Crystal uses her smart phone to add to her fund…

My family goes to Disney World every fall, and I always Coupon to Disney to help us get there. This year, I’ve found a new way to help us get that vacation paid for … by using apps on my smart phone, I’ve earned over $1,000 for our fund since January. Really! Here are some of the apps that I have been using:

The biggest moneymaking app I use is a mystery shopping app, called Field Agent. After registering, you complete a brief survey and then you are matched to available jobs in your area. Jobs are posted frequently, but they also are filled quickly – so the key is to check the app often! The jobs are usually from retailers, but sometimes there are jobs related to products that you might already have in your home. Jobs vary as far as what you need to do – a recent one I did involved visiting a specific Target location and checking out an insect repellant end cap. I had to take a picture of the end cap and answer a few questions about its location in the store and the signs on display. For this job I was paid $6.50 and it took me about 5 minutes. I have never had to purchase a product as part of a job – the jobs usually focus on things like the display in the store, the signage, how much product is in stock, and the prices. Job pictures and responses are easily uploaded through the app and once verified, you are paid typically within 24 hours. You can cash out via Paypal anytime, with no minimum. I have been using the app since late January and have earned nearly $600 so far.

We Reward is an awesome app that pays you in cash for checking in to just about anywhere. When you go to a store or a restaurant, open the app and check-in with a photo. At stores you usually have to take a picture of yourself (or someone with you) with your purchase or with the company logo. At restaurants you take a picture with your food. Most chain stores and restaurants pay 25 cents per check in, while other places pay 10 cents. You can cash out via Paypal with a minimum of $10. I get rewarded for going to the dentist, my son’s preschool, the movies, the zoo, the gas station — pretty much anywhere! It’s quick and easy to do, the key is just remembering to do it!! My motivation? Every year my family has considered doing Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party but have never been able to justify the extra cost on top of an already pricey vacation… so this year, I decided that I will use this app to pay for our party tickets. This motivates me to remember to check in every chance I get, even if it’s only for 10 cents — it adds up!! My tickets are already half paid for! Another thing I really like about this app is that unlike other check-in apps, it does not automatically share your check-ins on Facebook or within the app itself … I appreciate that, because although I love earning cash for checking in, I don’t want the whole world to know where I am at any given moment!

And lastly, my current favorite app is called Viggle. You get points for checking in to shows as you watch tv, and you trade your points for gift cards! Every night there are bonus shows, and if you check into those shows for at least 10 minutes, you get even more points. You can also earn points for watching ads and playing trivia games. The points add up quickly – I’ve earned $250 in Best Buy gift cards since the app launched earlier this year! I used the gift cards to buy a new camera and used the money I would have spent to add to my fund!

These are just a few apps I use – there are lots more out there, and more are being added all the time! What a great, simple way to add to your fund!

Want to find out how to find even more money in your budget? Be sure to check out all the articles in the your fund series.