Rakuten Review: Earn Cash Back for Shopping Online

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Rakuten helps you save money while shopping online. In this Rakuten review, you’ll learn how to find coupons, earn cash back, and more when you shop through Rakuten.

It’s no secret that I hate shopping. I’d rather shove hot pokers under my fingernails than head to Macy’s for this weekend’s blowout sale.

For me, online shopping is the way to go. No crowds. Nobody to talk to. No leaving the house. I just sit in front of my computer, quickly scroll through hundreds of options, and buy what I want. No muss, no fuss. I love it.

Finding good deals is also a must. If I’m going to buy something, I have to feel like I’m getting a bargain. If not, I’m going to pass. On top of that, I’m much more likely to shop if I have a coupon I can use to stack my savings. For me, coupon + sale = reason to buy.

Luckily, I’ve found a great website for combining online shopping AND stacking coupons. It’s called Rakuten, and it can save you a ton of money. Here’s how it works:

What is Rakuten?

Rakuten is an online coupon and cash back website that helps you save oodles of money when you make online purchases. With over 2,500 stores to choose from, you can find almost anything you need when you shop through Rakuten.

Cash Back Rewards

Rakuten logo

“Wait a minute. Did you say cash back?”

Why, yes. Yes, I did!

The thing that makes Rakuten different from other coupon sites is its awesome cash back program. Not only will you find great coupons and promo codes for major retailers (like Kohls, Amazon, and Macy’s and more), but you also earn cash back while you shop.

Cash back rewards can be for as much as 40% of the purchase price – although typical cash back rewards are in the 5-10% range. Either way, that’s free money in your pocket and a huge savings for your wallet.

Is Rakuten a Scam?

Nope. Rakuten is legit and it is completely FREE! In fact, they’ve been around since 1997 and have paid out more than $1 billion in cash back rewards to their users.

How can they do that? Simple. Each time you make a purchase through one of their links, Rakuten receives a commission from the merchant. Instead of keeping that whole chunk of change, they give a little back to you in the form of cash back. Pretty sweet, eh?

How to Use Rakuten

Using Rakuten is a piece of cake. Just create a free account, click through their links when you shop, and start earning cash back right away.

Create a Rakuten Account

Creating an account literally takes less than 1 minute. Simply go to Rakuten.com, click “Join Now” in the upper right hand corner, and enter your email address and a password. Boom! Done. You have a Rakuten account.

To make the process even simpler, you can even create an account using your Facebook or Google profile.

Sign Up Bonus

After you create your free account, Rakuten will even give you up to $40 for signing up! You know I looooooove me some sign up bonus offers, so this just sweetens the pot.

After you spend $40 through Rakuten within 90 days, you’ll receive $40 in your Rakuten cash back account. Just like that, you’re getting paid to save!

Open a FREE Rakuten Account Here >>

Shopping with Rakuten

Shopping with Rakuten is also a breeze. Their platform is more attractive and easier to use than many other discount sites, which makes shopping there even more comfortable.

Finding great deals is simple. If you already know the retailer you’re looking for, just type the store name into the search bar. If you know what you’re looking for but don’t know where to find it, you can use use the “All Stores” dropdown to find a list of shopping categories. You can also scroll down the homepage or use the “Hot Deals” dropdown to see some of the featured deals for the day.

After you’ve selected a store, you’ll be brought to the store’s individual portal. For example, let’s take a look at Macy’s!

As you can see, you get up to 6% cash back on purchases made at Macy’s after clicking through the Rakuten link. Rakuten will automatically apply the cash back to your account after you complete your purchase. Simply click the “Shop Now” button and you’re good to go! Better yet, use one of the coupon codes or sale links to earn additional savings!

How to Earn Cash Back Rewards

When you stack your cash back rewards with coupon codes or sale links, you save even more. For instance, let’s assume you purchase some clearance items using the Macy’s code above. Assuming that the regular price of the merchandise totals $137.59, here’s how your savings with Rakuten would break down.

Regular Price:      $137.59

20% off Code:        – 27.52

Purchase Price:    $110.07

6% Cash Back:      _   $6.60

Total Savings:       $34.12

That’s over $34 in total savings just for clicking through a link on a website! To me, that’s a no-brainer. Just be sure that each time you shop, you click through the Rakuten links. Your account will not be credited unless you click through their link immediately prior to the transaction.

How to Stack Rewards with Rakuten

Want to get even more savings? Stack your rewards even higher by using one of the best cash back credit cards at checkout!

This time, let’s use assume you want to do some holiday shopping at Walmart.com. Thankfully, Rakuten has us covered with up to 6% cash back. Additionally, we’re going to use a cash back card with rotating categories that provides 5% cash back at Walmart.com during the quarter.

Here’s how it could all break down:

Regular Price:                              $387.99

10% Off Code:                               – 38.79

Purchase Price:                            $349.20

6% Rakuten Cash Back:           $20.96

5% Cash Back Credit Card:          $17.46

Total Savings:                             $77.21  (19.9%)

That’s $77.21 in real savings. Effectively, we’ve just saved almost a 20% off the regular purchase price, just for doing nothing more than clicking a Rakuten link and using our cash back card wisely.

Claiming Your Cash Back

Rakuten pays out cash back rewards on a quarterly basis. So, if you’ve been shopping through their platform, you could potentially receive a check every three months.

To claim your cash back, you have two payment options:

  • Big Fat Check – Rakuten will send a paper check right to your door.
  • Paypal – You can have your cash back rewards deposited directly into your Paypal account. (This is my favorite option.)

In order to receive a quarterly payment, your cash back balance must be above $5.00. If you fail to meet the minimum balance requirements, your rewards simply roll over to the next quarterly payment.

This stuff really works. I’ve used Rakuten multiple times and have received several hundred dollars back in rewards. Personally, I like the simplicity of receiving my cash back through Paypal account. However, if you’re old school and don’t want to mess with an online account, you can always have a paper check mailed to your house.

Should You Try Rakuten?

If you prefer online shopping to standing in a store, I’m not sure why you wouldn’t try Rakuten. Setting up an account is free, and it’s a great way to save money on the spending you were going to do anyway.

As a serious tightwad, I still don’t do a ton of online shopping. In the same vein, I also like to save wherever I can. So, if I’m going to be shopping online, it only makes sense to get the biggest and best discounts I can. That’s why I almost always use Rakuten.

Personally, I love the site. I instantly save money using their coupons and discount codes, plus earning cash back is a no-brainer. Being able to stack rewards with my favorite cash back cards is an even bigger bonus. The interface is attractive and easy to use, so you don’t even have to be a technology wiz to save big bucks.

I highly recommend using Rakuten, and I think you’ll love the savings you find there. With great coupon codes, cash back rewards, and an easy to navigate platform, what’s not to like?

Get Started with Rakuten >>

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Rakuten Review
  • Cash Back Rewards
  • Available Merchants
  • Ease of Use
  • Coupons
  • Ways to Save
  • Browser App
Overall
4.3

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8 Comments

  1. I love my cash back sites. I do find that Rakuten tends not to have the highest rates. BUT.. sometimes it does — especially since each day it has a set of stores offering double the normal cash back. During the Valentine’s special, I got 14% back at GoDaddy instead of 5-6% at the other sites. So it’s definitely one to sign up for and check.

  2. Friends have told me about Rakuten and my reaction has always been one of suspicion. I don\’t buy much online (or buy much at all) so it didn\’t seem worth it. But not with two small children I find we\’re constantly buying stuff for the kids. Clothes, toys, camping gear etc etc. Getting an extra few percent would be great. Now I kinda feel stupid for not signing up sooner.

    1. I’m always a bit suspicious too, but I use Rakuten and it definitely works. I don’t buy a ton of stuff, but when I do, I check through Rakuten first.

  3. I am an online shopper, and using Rakuten is one great advantage to save so much money. And, shopping has been easier to do and more fun since I use Rakuten, Greg. I agree with no fuss and no muss!

    1. Rakuten is fantastic. It’s such an easy way to save money. One small extra step, and you save real money! It’s awesome!

  4. My wife & I love Rakuten and use it a lot. We even thought about getting their credit card for the additional cash back but opted for a hotel rewards card instead. They have great customer service when needing to dispute a shopping trip & are secure.

    1. Rakuten is awesome. I love shopping through their portal. One simple step to save extra money!

  5. Does anyone know if you can double up on cashback offers, by using a few on just one purchase? Or does it only end up working with the last one you click? Thanks!

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