Please note that this post contains affiliate links. These involve no extra cost to you but may result in me receiving a small commission - for which I'm very grateful! To know more, check out our Affiliate Policy.
There’s no avoiding it: alcohol can be expensive.
Gone are the days of cheap drinks in college. Unless you’re 24 or less, I know I don’t just speak for myself when I say that the hangovers from cheap wine just aren’t worth it anymore.
There’s a reason why we recommend on here that cutting back on going out to bars is a great way to save money.
(Spoiler alert: that article recommends substituting it for wine nights with your friends at home. Don’t worry, we’re not completely unreasonable.)
Luckily, though, there’s now a super simple way to save money on your drinks – whether you buy them at a store, a bar or in a restaurant!
Step 1
Sign-up for Ibottaand download the app to your phone.
Ibotta is an amazing (free!) app that gets you cash back on a range of things, such asgroceries, restaurants, electronics, travel and clothing.
And, importantly for our purposes, alcohol.
Most of the deals are for shopping in-store, but there are also a number that are available for online purchases.
Itsays that its members have saved over $27 million, so it’s definitely an app that you need to get into.
And as an added bonus, sign up herefor free and receive a $10 welcome bonus if you redeem your first offer within two weeks.
Step 2
Choose the offers you want to redeem and buy the items.
And what kind of offers are there?
Well, there are a ton for the wine drinkers:
And you beer aficionados certainly don’t miss out:
There are also a range of offers for spirits, if that’s what you prefer.
The offers that appear will depend on where you’re located but, as mentioned, you’ll find something to suit your palate whether you prefer to buy your drinks in a restaurant, bar or liquor store.
You can even buy them online directly through the app, which is available to you wherever you are in the US.
And, of course, you have to be 21 or older!
Step 3
Click “Redeem” in the app and take a photo of your receipt showing the item(s).
There’ll be an option for you to upload the photo of the receipt to prove your purchase. You’ll also have to scan the barcodes with your phone. Don’t worry, it’s super straightforward.
You also have the option with certain retailers to link your store loyalty card to the Ibotta app. The app will then automatically confirm which items you purchased without you having to prove it with the receipt.
Alternatively, you can make purchases online directly through the app. It will then automatically know that you’re eligible for cash back.
Step 4
Wait for the cash to arrive in your account.
You’ll get your cash back to your PayPal or Venmo account (your choice!) within 48 hours once you reach $20 in cash back.
(Don’t forget that if you sign up for free through this link, you’ll automatically get a $10 welcome bonus to help you on your way towards reaching that.)
You can also choose to redeem your cash back for gift cards at a range of retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy and Apple.
RELATED ARTICLE: 12 EFFORTLESS WAYS FOR YOU TO MAKE MONEY WHILE SHOPPING
As you can see, it’s super easy to get some money back on your alcohol purchases using this method.
It should be obvious that getting $3.00 back on a bottle of wine doesn’t mean that you should go out every night of the week spending wildly.
But even if you’re trying to save more money, you shouldn’t have to completely deprive yourself of a few drinks if that’s what you want.
So this is a great, simple way to save a few dollars. Cheers to that!
Do you know of any other great deals to save money when going out? Share your wisdom with us in the comments!
Money Bee
As a teenager, I asked for personal finance books for Christmas. While misguided haircuts came and went, I never managed to shake off this particular obsession. Now in my early 30s, my interests have broadened to include travelling, pretending that I don't have a caffeine addiction, and retiring well before my 40th birthday.
