(This article is current as of January 1, 2024)
Mummy Confession: I’m an avid deal-seeker on anything and everything I buy, and I like to pass the ways I’ve found to save and even make a little back on, too!
Disclosure– For some of these links, I will receive points or rewards for friend referrals. This in no way affects my opinions of these pages, and I have only posted ones from which I have actually signed up with, so I know they are legitimate sites. If you do not want to use the links below, feel free to type their page into your browser and sign up that way 🙂 This post also contains affiliate banners and links which means I make a commission off of qualifying purchases. See my disclosure policy for details.
Here is a quick click Table of Contents for the Sections in this post 🙂 (click to go to each relevant topic)
Survey Sites
Free Trial Periods
Free Samples
Cashback Apps/Sites
Big Sale Websites
Buy/Sell/Swap Pages/Sites
Borrowing/Lending For a Little Extra Money
Product Testing Websites
The basics:
Look around, Google search, and compare prices. Or check out this post to find some recent sales and offers available for mum and baby and a range of other things, too.
It’s obvious I guess, but it is supposing how big the range is in pricing for the same thing!
I usually start my search at local retailers, and wind up at Amazon either for comparison (and to see if it ships here), and reviews. Be aware though, anything purchased internationally as far as electronics go will have a different plug, and DVDs/Blu Rays and video games will possibly be incompatible with your country’s systems. Since international postage was increased, though, it can be around the same cost now. : (
Use promo codes, coupons, and look for sales!
Again, Google! Retailmenot has a giant list of retailers all over the globe and what deals, promo codes, and coupons they have going.
Aussies, the Shopfully App, or Lasoo.com.au have a list of ads for various stores all in one place! The Small Ideas websites are also a great place to look for deals on local excursion places in Melbourne and Sydney.
To the folks from the US, I’m not entirely sure if there is somewhere with all the stores’ various catalogues, I’m sure there is, but a basic search brings up http://www.catalogs.com as a reference (but feel free to fill me in on other options).
Survey Sites
There are legitimate survey sites that pay you to take surveys, do product trials, and participate in panels. I prefer ones that do PayPal as an option, but most offer gift cards or online vouchers. Not sure if they are legitimate sites? Use Google to search to search and find out ratings, or ask a friend who has actually redeemed from sites.
Some companies are not legitimate, or will basically sell your information, causing your email to flood with spam and your phone to ring constantly with endless sales from random places. I have included a list below this post to sites I have used and redeemed from before. Please be careful though in giving out your personal information, and never disclose your credit card details to companies, as they have no need for this information.
Toluna , this website for surveys is worldwide I believe, and they offer various rewards including PayPal (but it does take a while to process). They also do product testing.
Bounty Rewards, this site is Australian only, and they offer options of various gift card rewards. They also have a way to earn by shopping online.
Another that promises to be a good one is Octopus Group. I will edit the information here when I find out more information, or have redeemed any credit. 🙂
(As of September 12, I have not yet redeemed anything with this, as the surveys are very limited at the moment)
Free Trial Periods
A notable mention, I might add, are the free trial periods for many services (such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, and various others). Rather than pay straight off for various subscriptions and services, save a penny or two by utilising the free trial period across various services and products. You may love something, or decide not to continue afterwards, but many things are worth trying, especially if it is no cost to you. Just be sure to keep track of the renewal date if you wish to cancel the service or products.
Free Samples
Free Stuff! What’s better? Many companies will give samples of their products all you need to do is contact them! Couldn’t hurt, right? For a list of samples, check out here.
Cashback Apps/Cashback Websites
Whenever you shop online, check these out! You can earn a percentage of what you spend back! All that you need to do is start at their website, and click through to shop and purchase. I usually have everything in my trolley (cart) before I go to my cashback site and then merely select the store and check out. (Be sure you only have the one window open where you have clicked through to get the Cashback credit.)
I can only speak for a couple different ones, but the small amounts do add up, and it’s always nice having a little bit of extra money to spend elsewhere.
Cash Rewards has a variety of different retailers, and you can earn a decent amount by doing your grocery shopping online for the first time! Cashback is given after a certain timeframe has passed, and can be transferred into your bank account.
RewardsCentral, which is also a survey site, also has a shopping online feature where is the second place I look for stores. They offer either gift vouchers or Cashback into your PayPal account. In Australia, Flybuys and other rewards programs also offer points for clicking from their store through to purchase, which can be used for in-store or online store purchases within their group of stores, or redeemed for gift vouchers.
I’ve also used Shopback for many of the same stores as Cash Rewards, and they seem to have higher Cashback amounts. Since joining, I have earned around $500 back (but that’s a few years worth of online shopping).
Cash Rewards and Shopback both have reminder bars to install for desktop, too, so you’ll never forget to click through!
For my US purchases, I use Rakuten (formerly Ebates) which is only valid for US stores, and the rewards are only valid in US stores and I believe shipping to the States, so I don’t use it often. By signing up through the referral link, you can earn $10 to start you on your Cashback journey!
I have also heard good things about Swagbucks (get 300SB to start yourself off, too) but haven’t really used them often. You get points for referring friends, and it seems to be good if you refer a lot of people, because you earn Swagbucks for their purchases as well! They do Cashback from websites as well as completing various actions, watching videos, doing surveys and more. It seems to be international, too!
I also know there is Ibotta, but this is only available in the US, so I am unable to give any more information on that.
Cashback Sites (click through to the retailer and make a purchase):
See the blog post all about how to use a cashback website here.
Rakuten (formerly Ebates) (American stores mostly)
Swag bucks (America AND Australian stores)
Shopback (Australian stores mostly)
Cash Rewards (Australian stores mostly)
RewardsCentral (Australian stores mostly)
Big Sale Websites
(be aware, signing up with newsletters from them, they do tend to send a LOT of emails):
Websites such as OzSale, Scoopon, Groupon and Catch (formerly Catch of the Day).
There are also places out there which offer many stores’ products on their website, or group deals to various activities. The shipping rates for these pages are usually higher, but sometimes they have items you have a harder time finding elsewhere! Also, you can click through to a few of them using a Cashback site, so you can earn a little back that way as well.
Buy/Sell/Swap Pages and Sale Sites
Got that chair in the lounge room you’re really not fond of, but don’t want to go through the hassle of moving it? Buy/sell pages. That stockpile of baby clothes that have been sitting there outgrown and no time to sort them? Buy/sell pages. Pre-baby wardrobe you’ve given up all hope of ever fitting again? Buy/sell pages. The pair of shoes you got off EBay that are way too big, but would mean losing half the money in return postage? Buy/sell pages. Whether you use Gumtree, Craigslist, EBay, or Facebook buy/sell (occasionally buy/sell/swap) pages, there is a whole new way people are helping people save money on pre-loved and even new things! From toys and clothes to cars and TVs, you can find almost anything on these sites!
My most recently loved pages are local buy/sell Facebook pages. Since people are using Facebook for a lot nowadays, this seems like a great option for those of us who want to do some spring cleaning, or even just make a little pocket change rather than just tossing those perfectly wearable high-heels.
If you don’t care about the money side of things, list for free, and have someone take it off your hands. If all else fails, find somewhere to donate the useable items, so you can help someone else who may need them 🙂
I like the local pages over sites like gumtree or Craigslist, because you can usually put a face to the name, and admins help to monitor the pages. Remember though, whenever using these pages, not everyone may be who they say they are, so proceed with a little caution.
Borrow/Lending For a Little Extra Money
One more amazing addition to this sector is Kindershare! For Australia only at the moment, you can find local Baby equipment to borrow. For making a little back, list your barely used baby equipment for lending! Great for lenders and borrowers alike! This would be great for when you take a trip interstate and would prefer to borrow equipment nearby, rather than take it all the way along with you. I haven’t personally used it yet, but I have listed a few things, and look forward to the results!
I am sure there have to be other places that do this sort of thing, so feel free to pop a comment in the “contact me” box if you have used any services like this before!
Product Testing
Reputable pages for this that I have used before are the Home Tester Club (and the US site for Home Tester Club). Mouths of Mums also offers some product testing. You aren’t paid or rewarded as far as I have seen, but you get free samples of products to review and in turn give a review of the products. Black Box has a monthly testing box which goes out, but is usually full for signups (so you’d need to keep an eye out when they do open). Toluna also offers product testing on their page, it’s just a matter of signing up and getting approved for one. I have carried out one product test with them.
Want to know more about product testing? Check out the blog post here!
Write A Review
There are websites that now offer compensation for writing reviews on products, but over time this may change to unpaid. I haven’t done much of this, but can say that Tell Me Baby and The Baby Industry seem to be good for that.
Mums from the US, Australia, and the world…what money saving tips and websites can you recommend?
This is a great resource for how and where to find deals. One thing I do is when I shop online and don’t need an item right now, I just put it in my shopping cart anyway. If it goes on sale the site will email me to let me know and see if I still want it.
That is an awesome idea with the shopping cart! Ours don’t do that yet, unfortunately. I do the same with Amazon though!
I do love me a good bargain! Thanks for the tips ?. Unfortunately I’m not much for shopping, but with Christmas coming I’m definitely going to use this.