How to Earn Money While Saving Money: 5 Ways That Work in 2026
Can you earn money while saving money? In 2009, guest author Ann Smarty showed three fun ways: answering shopping questions, sharing deals and writing product reviews for small cash rewards. Those sites have since closed, but the idea is alive and much easier in 2026: cashback portals, receipt apps and rewards programmes pay you back for shopping you were going to do anyway. Here are the ways that still work, and the traps to avoid.
Quick answer: The easiest ways to earn money while saving money in 2026 are cashback sites like Rakuten (US) or CashKaro (India), receipt-scanning apps like Fetch and Ibotta, rewards credit cards you pay off in full every month, and paid surveys or reviews on established sites like Swagbucks. None will make you rich; expect tens of dollars a month, not a salary.
Table of Contents
5 ways to earn money while saving money
1. Use a cashback site before you shop online
Cashback portals earn a commission when you click through to a store and share part of it with you. Start every online purchase at Rakuten in the US or CashKaro in India, then check out as normal. Cashback usually confirms after the return window and is paid by PayPal, bank transfer or gift card.
2. Scan your receipts
Apps such as Fetch and Ibotta reward you for scanning grocery and store receipts or for buying featured products. It takes seconds per receipt and the points add up into gift cards.
3. Stack coupons and deals
Combine store coupons, cashback and card offers on the same purchase. Our guide on how to find coupons for anything online shows where to look, and our tips to save money shopping online cover the rest.
4. Use a rewards credit card wisely
Cashback or points cards return 1 to 5% on spending, but only if you pay the full balance every month; interest wipes out the rewards instantly.
5. Share your opinion for rewards
Survey and rewards sites like Swagbucks pay small amounts for surveys, videos and shopping. Product review programmes such as Amazon Vine are invitation-only, so be wary of any site that asks you to pay to “become a reviewer”.
What happened to the 2009 sites
- IMshopping paid cash for the best answers to shoppers’ questions, with a $40 PayPal minimum. It closed years ago.
- Buxr paid $10 for the best deal of the day and $100 to $200 a month to its top deal voters. It has also shut down.
- Paid product review sites like CashCrate came and went, and Ann’s warning still holds: this niche is full of scams.
How to avoid money-making scams
- Never pay a fee to join a rewards, review or survey site.
- Check reviews on independent sites before signing up, and search the name plus “scam”.
- Be careful with apps that want full access to your email or bank account.
- Cash out regularly; small sites sometimes close with balances unpaid.
Prefer apps? See the best Android apps to save money and earn cashback.
Looking for an even easier option? These apps that pay you to walk give small rewards for your daily steps.
FAQ
Are cashback sites legit?
The established ones are. They are paid by stores as affiliates and share that commission with you.
How much can I earn with cashback and receipt apps?
Most people earn a few dollars to a few tens of dollars a month, more during big sales or large purchases.
Do I pay tax on cashback?
In the US, cashback on purchases is generally treated as a rebate, not income, but sign-up bonuses and survey earnings can be taxable. Check local rules.
Originally written by guest author Ann Smarty, who founded the guest blogging community MyBlogGuest. Updated for 2026 by QuickOnlineTips.
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I think most people would agree that saving money is something “easier said than done”. Personally, I believe it’s a mind-set that needs to be developed by creating good money-saving habits.
Here are some things I’ve done to help change my spending habits:
– Cook more at home ( Eating out is very expensive especially If you do it a couple times a week
– Try shopping online ( You can find better deals than in the store and you save on gas (I recommend http://www.shoptivity.com)
– Pay the full balance on credit cards each month ( Interest charge is like giving away free money
– Don’t forget to pay yourself ( Set up an online savings account (they pay higher interest than a normal savings
account)
– Set a budget and goals ( It’s good to have your goals written down so you see them everyday and don’t lose focus
on your ultimate objectives
Again, saving money requires a lot of patience and hard work. However, you’ll thank yourself later on in life. Good luck everyone!! =)
Thanks for sharing this information. These are very useful money making online tips. One can also earn money online through affiliate marketing.
There are a lot of scams there when we mentioned about make money online. I have joined some make money survey before this. But, i did not earn much from there just because of the scam campaign. Thanks for sharing! I will check for it before i doing the survey next time.