9 Unusual Ways I Use Rakuten to Get Cash-Back

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I’ve never been one to get caught up with sales and gimmicks to get you to buy things you don’t need. I choose my savings methods carefully to get the most bang for my buck.

That’s why I love sites like Rakuten (also known as Ebates) that offer simple rebates based on where you shop instead of what you buy.

The best part about Rakuten is that it’s not just retail stores like Macy’s and Kohls doling out these rebates. Stores I regularly shop are on there too and there’s virtually no extra effort on my part to save a few extra dollars shopping them through the Rakuten site.

What is Rakuten?

Rakuten is essentially a portal for online shopping (and now in-store as well.) You head to Rakuten.com or Ebates.com, select the store you want to buy from and hit “Shop Now”. Then whatever you buy will qualify for the percentage of cash-back that Rakuten has offered.

Rakuten has affiliate relationships with the stores in its portfolio meaning it gets a commission every time you buy something from a store through its website. Rakuten then passes on a portion of that commission to the buyer.

Cash-back rates range from 1-40%, which is better than most rewards credit cards. You can also get cash-back by shopping in-store but there aren’t many budget-friendly stores on that list.

Rakuten Review

I’ve been a loyal Ebates user for years because it’s so easy to use and since its change to Rakuten, I’ve seen no decline in ease of use or frequency of good cash-back rates.

The best way to stay up to date on cash-back rates is still with the Rakuten Button, available as a Google Chrome plug-in. It automatically activates cash-back and applies coupons to any of its 2500 partners stores as soon as you visit one.

That means you don’t have to search Rakuten for a store you want to make a purchase at, simply head to that store’s website and the plug-in will automatically tell you if there’s cash back and you just click the Button to activate.

I’ll also let you in on a little secret hack I use to save money online. I use discounted gift cards from Gift Card Granny to save an extra 5-10%. And those won’t interfere with any coupon codes that Honey finds me.

Rakuten Referral

I want to also mention an awesome perk that Rakuten gives its users is referral bonuses. Any Rakuten user has the opportunity to earn $25 for every friend they refer. It’s the best referral program on the internet (they don’t pay me to say that) and I love that you don’t have to be a blogger or influencer to get it.

Not only will you get $25 but your friend will also get $10 on their first purchase of $25 or more. You’ll see my referral link in this post but feel free to share it on Facebook with your own referral link attached.

So if you haven’t signed up for Rakuten yet you can use my referral link (shameless plug) to get $10 off your first purchase of $25 or more from any store on Rakuten!

My Favorite Places for Rakuten/ Ebates Savings

I’m so excited to share the places I get cash-back from Rakuten because I think you’ll be quite surprised. They’re all items I need and from stores that offer the best price so it’s a no-brainer to get a few extra dollars by clicking the Rakuten Button. 

I originally wrote this post in July 2018 and a year later most of these stores have the same cash-back rate. I’ll continue to update it annually and reflect changes by using ranges.

1. Air Filters

DiscountFilters.com sells super cheap filters for your air conditioner, refrigerator, furnace, humidifier, and more. We used to use the cheapest filters from Home Depot and those ran us about 2.99 each but turns out I have horrible allergies and now I need the special kind.

But the allergy filters (MERV 10) are $20 each at Home Depot. At discountfilters.com the MERV 11 filters are $5.75 each. And when you shop their store through Rakuten you get 2.5%-5% cash-back on your purchase.

2. Contacts & Glasses

I’ve worn glasses since 3^rd grade and contacts since middle school so I’ve spent my fair share on eyewear. And I don’t plan on getting Lasik anytime soon so I see that expense staying with me.

I always buy glasses and contacts online because they’re way cheaper. I get my contacts at DiscountContactLenses.com because my Acuvue 2 Oasys contacts are a whopping $60 cheaper here compared to 1800Contacts.com. And I get 5% cash-back through Rakuten.

You also know I love EyeBuyDirect for my glasses. You can read more about it in my review here and you can 5% cash-back there as well.

3. Shampoo & Conditioner

Disclaimer: I include this one, not because it’s the most frugal use of my money, but because it’s the honest truth of where I spend my money.

I have very fine, curly hair and I live in one of the most humid states in the USA… 15 minutes from the beach. Needless to say, it cheap hair products are what kept me single for 24 years.

Four years ago I started using Smooth Infusion shampoo and conditioner from Aveda. It’s what keeps my hair manageable day-to-day. I haven’t had a haircut in over a year and I’m confident that my shampoo and conditioner has a part to play in keeping my hair healthy enough to not really need one.

But they aren’t cheap, an 8.5 oz bottle is $22. Which makes the 4% cash-back I get from Rakuten a sweet treat. Not everything about frugality is about getting the cheapest product, sometimes it’s about getting the biggest discount on the things you love most. And I love my hair.

4. Bed Bath & Beyond

If you’re engaged you’ll love this one. We got so many Bed Bath & Beyond gift cards for our wedding that we had trouble spending them all (thank God for the “beyond” section.)

I like Bed Bath & Beyond for their liberal allowances in the use of coupons. And you can use those 20% off coupons with 2% cash-back when you shop in-store. Normally I’d say buy your appliances used but there are some things I liked buying new from BB&B.

We got some nice clearance towels for our Airbnb room and a thin trash can for our little kitchen. They were both affordable with the coupon and the cash-back was a bonus because we would’ve bought them anyway.

5. Taxes

There’s going to come a time where you’ll have to pay to do your taxes. If it hasn’t hit you yet, just wait. If you’re in the tax boat with me, Rakuten has a sweet deal with e-file.com.

Around tax season, Rakuten has a 30% off coupon for e-filing through e-file.com AND 28% cash-back. It’s hands down the best deal on Ebates at the time I’m writing this. I’ve used HR Block just because they have all my data saved but I’m not loyal to them if I can get this deal somewhere else.

6. Ink

Rakuten has several deals with websites that sell ink cartridges. It’s not an expense I have often but those things can be pricey. InkCartridges.com is the cheapest on Rakuten and offers up to 11% cash-back.

7. Car Stuff

A lot of mechanics will just charge you for labor if you provide your own part(s). If you’re inclined you can run down to the salvage yard and find what you need or you can find it online.

Rakuten offers 4.5%-6% cash-back at AutoBarn.net but I’ve found their selection to be limited. Auto Parts Warehouse only gets you 3% cash-back but has a lot more to offer.

Another thing I rarely buy new is tires. I’ve gone to sketchy storage units and random people’s houses for used tires, just be sure you’re inspecting them properly or go with someone who knows tires. If you’re not as adventurous as I am, you can actually get used tires online.

BestUsedTires.com is a legit website you can buy used tires on and get 4.5% cash-back on through Rakuten. Best Used Tires offers free shipping and 90-day money back guarantee so don’t be nervous to try them out. I saw a set of 4 Bridgestone tires with less than 50k miles, usually over $600 with shipping, for $287.54.

8. Cell Phone

Rakuten offers cash-back from a number of phone companies. From Verizon and AT&T to NET10 and Total. You should check out cell phone deals through Rakuten especially if you want to switch carriers. They have up to $75 incentives for opening new lines at AT&T and Verizon.

9. Pet Meds

I can’t speak to this one as I don’t have pets but I do know one thing, responsible dog moms keep their dog babies protected from fleas, ticks, and heartworms. Total Pet Supply offers these meds for the cheapest I could find and you’ll get 7% cash-back for shopping them through Rakuten.

Bonus: Anything on Amazon

If all else fails and you spend money on nothing I’ve mentioned above, I’m still sure you buy stuff on Amazon. Right now you can get 2-5% cash-back on Amazon purchases. It’s not much but it’s still free money.

If I’ve convinced you through this 1,300-word homage to start using Rakuten then use my referral link to get $10 off your first $25 purchase at any of their online retailers. It’s a win for both of us!

Do you use Ebates/ Rakuten? What’s your favorite store to get cash-back at?