3 Steps to Ensure You Don’t Lose Money This Christmas

It isn’t too early or too late to think about starting a Christmas savings account. By following the instructions provided here you’ll be on your way to saving money and padding your bank account this year. Using these three steps below, you can ensure you don’t lose money this Christmas.

Side note. Is it just me or are Black Friday sales starting earlier and earlier each year? While shopping these deals can produce some gems, you could be missing out on an additional savings of up to 40% by shopping online if you’re not using Rakuten.

Don't lose money this Christmas. Take 3 steps to ensure that doesn't happen.

They’ve partnered with thousands of stores so there are plenty of shopping choices. This makes getting cash back from a store you normally shop highly likely and super simple. Now let’s go increase our Christmas savings.

Money not saved is money lost that could’ve been spent on additional gifts, added to your savings plan, or used to pay a bill or two.

3 Steps to Ensure You Don’t Lose Money This Christmas

I like Rakuten better than Swagbucks Cash Back because it’s not based on a points system that I have to meet before I redeem.

The trade-off is that the cashback payout is quarterly and the minimum payout is $5.00.

Keep reading and at the end, I’ll show you the other reason I prefer Rakuten to Swagbucks Cash Back.

Now onto that three-step plan to help you NOT lose money this Christmas.

Step 1: Create an account at Rakuten. It’s free!

Step 2: Select a store.

When you’re ready to shop, go to Rakuten and select a store. Better yet, make sure the Rakuten Cash Back button is installed on your browser so you don’t have to start at the Rakuten website. The button appears as the Rakuten logo. When you visit shopping sites that Rakuten has partnered with you will receive an alert. For example, when I visited Nike.com this morning this is what happened.

Okay, now on to Step 3.

You’re on the Rakuten website and you’ve selected a store where you’d like to shop. Now click the store’s “Shop Now” button to activate the current cashback offer. NOTE: You must click through a Rakuten link every time you shop at a store site in order to get credit.

Shop as normal. That’s it.

An email notifying you when cashback has been added to your account should arrive within two to three days. Also, you can check your account balance on the “My Account” page.

This is so crazy simple.

PAYOUT: Payout is quarterly by check or PayPal. You can even have your funds sent to your favorite charity, organization, or family member. Just select your preference under your Account Settings.

Optional: Download the Rakuten app to receive notifications of money added to your Rakuten account.

By Lauren Hunter

I'm Lauren, and I've been on a journey to earn money and save money for most of my life. As the editor-in-chief of EarnItSaveIt.com, and as a freelance writer, coach, musician, and entrepreneur, I love looking for new ways to make money and better ways to keep it. I'm also a wife and work-at-home mom (WAHM) to four kids, so budgeting is my middle name. I'm excited to be on this money journey with you!