We’ve all seen the Rakuten commercials airing on the Hallmark Channel (unless you fast forward through them on your DVR).

Any time someone tells you they can save you money, it’s wise to be skeptical.

Like you, I’d seen the commercials, but I was leery.  Then, my hair stylist insisted I give Rakuten a try.  One of her clients pressured her into joining, and she agreed, only to avoid offending a “regular.”  She was astounded by how much she immediately started saving when shopping online and wanted the rest of us to keep more money in our wallets, too.

I didn’t want her to give me a freaky haircut or scorch my scalp with the blow dryer, so I agreed to join Rakuten via the link she sent me.  I’m so glad I did!

Simply put, stores pay Rakuten a commission for sending shoppers their way, and then Rakuten shares a percentage of that commission with you in the form of cash back.  It’s very similar to affiliate marketing.

Rakuten was formally known as Ebates.  Ebates sounded so much better because it had the positive connotation associated with “rebates.”

Rakuten sounds like a “racket,” but it’s actually a Japanese term meaning optimism. Feeling better about it now?

With over 1.2 billion members worldwide, it’s definitely legit.

It gets even better.  Most of us get turned off when we’re told we can save money, BUT then we have to pay an initial fee, fill out forms, and sign over our first born child.

Rakuten does NOT work that way.

While you do have to officially join Rakuten so they have an “account” to put your cash back into, it’s not invasive or a hassle.  It’s like you don’t even know they are there.

Virtually nothing changes about your normal online shopping experience.

Let’s say you want to shop online at Kohl’s.  Normally, you would go to kohls.com and start shopping.  The ONLY thing different you must do is log into your Rakuten account first, click on the Kohl’s link, and then click “Shop Now.”  It takes seconds.

Rakuten will redirect you to the Kohl’s website, and you will search, shop, click, and check out, just as you’ve always done.  In fact, Rakuten will even list what coupons are available at each store, in case you forget!

If you have rewards, coupons, or Kohl’s cash, you can still apply them at checkout.

It is that easy!

Rakuten collects your cash back in your “wallet,” and they disburse it to you four times per year.  You can choose to have them send you a “Big Fat Check,” or you can get paid via PayPal.

Every time you shop at one of your favorite stores through Rakuten and make a purchase, Rakuten will notify you how much you earned once they receive that info from the store.  It goes right to your wallet, and you can easily track your savings, store-by-store.

Currently, there are 2,500 stores you can shop through Rakuten to earn cash back.

One reason I was initially hesitant to join was I figured none of the stores I patronized would be included in the Rakuten network.  I was wrong!

The percentage of cash back offered varies from store to store.  Most stores reward shoppers with savings between 1% and 10%.

Rakuten will also notify you by e-mail if one of their stores is offering additional savings.  For example, Target might normally offer 2% savings on purchases, but on select promotional days, they may offer 10%.  That’s when you want to pounce so you can save big!

 

Refer People To Rakuten To Earn Even More Money!

What’s Not To Like?