Black Friday, the shopping extravaganza that follows Thanksgiving, is known for offering incredible deals and discounts. It's a day when savvy shoppers can score big savings on their holiday shopping. But did you know that you can boost your income and save even more during this shopping frenzy by using cashback websites? Let's explore how cashback websites work and how you can make the most of them to maximize your savings AND earnings on Black Friday.
What is Black Friday?
Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving Day in America, and it marks the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season.
It is known for offering massive discounts on a wide range of products and has been gaining popularity in the UK.
This year, Black Friday is on 24 November 2023.
What Are Cashback Websites?
Cashback websites are online platforms that partner with retailers to offer you a portion of your purchase amount back as cash. It's a win-win situation: retailers gain customers, and shoppers earn money back on their purchases.
Here's how earning cashback works:
- Sign Up: To get started, sign up for a cashback website. Some popular options include Rakuten (formerly Ebates), TopCashback, and Swagbucks.
- Shop Through the Portal: Once you're logged in, search for the retailer you want to make a purchase from. Click on the retailer's link through the cashback website.
- Make a Purchase: Shop as you normally would, and complete your purchase on the retailer's website.
- Earn Cashback: After your purchase is verified, the cashback website will credit a percentage of your purchase amount to your account.
- Cash Out: Once you've accumulated a certain amount of cashback, you can request your payout.
Earn a £15 bonus with Rakuten
All NEW customers to Rakuten can get a whopping £15 BONUS when they register and use the website for the first time, making a purchase of at least £20 within 30 days of signing up.
Here’s how to claim your £15 bonus:
- Sign up for Rakuten here: https://friends.platform.rakuten.eu/friends?invite=RWY26JR1
- Register for a free account
- Link your bank account (This is so Rakuten can pay you your cashback)
- Shop at any Rakuten partner and spend a minimum of £20
There are so many amazing brands on Rakuten, ready for you to start earning cashback.
My favourites include:
- eBay
- Asos
- AliExpress
- com
- Boots
- Just Eat
And so, so many more!
They also have some exclusive cashback rates this Black Friday, including:
- 8% cashback at Lego
- 4% cashback at Pandora
- Up to 13% cashback at Lookfantastic
- Up to 14% at Temu
- Up to 20% at Fossil
And many more!
Maximizing Your Black Friday Savings
It is so easy to get carried away during the Black Friday sales, and end up buying more than you planned to, or spending more than you planned to.
Here are my top tips for saving money during Black Friday.
Research in Advance and Make A List
Before Black Friday arrives, research the deals and discounts available on your favourite cashback website. Make a list of the products you want to buy and the retailers offering cashback, so that once Black Friday is here you can ensure that you are not only getting a great deal but you are also getting cashback.
This is also a great time for you to set a budget for spending during the Black Friday sales.
Setting a budget can help you to grab the bargains that you actually need and not get sucked in to buying more than you need to and blowing the budget.
Sign Up For Cashback and Log In
Ensure you're registered and logged in to Rakuten before you start shopping, and add your bank details. This ensures your purchases are tracked and you receive your cashback paid into your bank account.
Signing up is really simple and takes just a few minutes.
It is also worth taking a moment to install the browser extension from Rakuten. The free browser extension is available for Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Opera. With the browser extension, you will automatically be notified if cashback is available at the retailer you are visiting, and you can easily activate the cashback offer, meaning that you don't miss any opportunities to earn cashback from Rakuten.
Stack Discounts With Vouchers
Whilst the Black Friday sales themselves are amazing, you can also combine the Black Friday sales with cashback and vouchers to save even more money.
Rakuten helpfully lists the available vouchers on their website, and there are over 250 vouchers to choose from, from top name brands. You can sort the list of vouchers by retailer to help you out.
The vouchers include things like:
- A fixed amount of money off, e.g. £10 off when you spend £100, or £100 off when you purchase something specific.
- A fixed percentage of money off, e.g. get 20% off when you spend £100.
- A voucher for free delivery, either with or without a minimum spend.
Stay Informed
Keep an eye on Rakuten's website to see the hottest deals, voucher codes as well as any special Black Friday promotions or bonuses on offer.
You can also follow them on Facebook, Instagram and X (previously Twitter) to see the latest promotions.
Boost Your Income By Referring Your Friends
If you have savvy friends and family who love to get a bargain just like you, then you can boost your income by referring them to Rakuten.
Both you and your friend will get the bonus £15 cashback if your friend makes a first purchase over £20 within 30 days of registering on Rakuten.
You can share your referral link on your social media, your blog if you have one or just email it over to your friends and family members. With Rakuten you can refer up to 20 friends and family members, meaning you can boost your income by a whopping £300!
Whether you're buying gifts for loved ones or treating yourself to something special, cashback websites can help you make the most of the holiday shopping season. Happy shopping and saving!
