11/18/24 Update: the Rakuten welcome bonus detailed below is currently active through 12/16/24, replacing a $30 Rakuten welcome bonus and Rakuten cash back boost referral bonus that was live over the summer. The referral bonus has not been this high since November of last year.
A PSA for some easy cash back as we head into the holiday season: popular shopping portal site Rakuten (formerly “Ebates”), is currently offering a generous $40 cash back referral welcome bonus for new users. New users must join via a Rakuten referral link from existing users (myself included) by December 16, and then make $40+ in purchases by using the Rakuten site/app/extension to initiate a purchase at any of the 3,500+ sites that Rakuten partners with (e.g. Target, Sam’s Club, Best Buy, Apple, Walmart, Kohl’s, Macy’s, Lowe’s, giftcards.com, etc.) within 90 days.
The $40 bonus matches the highest welcome bonus I’ve seen from Rakuten (they typically only offer this twice per year for 1-2 weeks) – a $10, 20, or $30 Rakuten welcome bonus is more common.
To get the limited time $40 referral welcome bonus, simply:
- Become a new Rakuten member (it’s free) using this Rakuten referral link by December 16, 2024.
- Start at Rakuten.com and find the partner(s) you want to purchase from (purchases must total $40+ within 90 days of becoming a member), and click the referral links at Rakuten to go to the partner’s site to make a purchase.
The fine print says:
To qualify for a Referral Sign-up Bonus, you must be a new member and place qualifying orders totaling a minimum of $40 within 90 days of becoming a member. You must be located in the 50 United States, D.C., or Canada to qualify. Offer may be modified or cancelled anytime.
After making the $40+ in purchases, you’ll get the referral welcome bonus deposited into your account. You can then withdraw/transfer the bonus (I opted for the mailed check option, but you can also opt for payment via PayPal or Amex Membership rewards points).
How can Rakuten afford this? They have ad agreements with retail partners and get a small commission from the retailer for any purchases that are referred from Rakuten.
Once you’ve become a member, you can share the offer with your friends so they can get a bonus too!
Disclosure: I don’t have any advertising or sponsorship relationship with Rakuten, I’m simply a Rakuten user who wanted to pass along this promo to my readers! If you take advantage of the offer, I may be eligible for a member referral bonus. Enjoy the bonus cash back!
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