Need recommendations: Ways to get gift cards for nearly no effort?

[MoneyCat]

I've been using a few methods to get free gift cards for Amazon, restaurants, hotels, etc. that require only a few minutes of my time. I figure it's a good way to get free money without having to pay taxes on it. However, I am looking for some recommendations for some other websites/companies I can use for this. (I tried Swagbucks but that takes way too long to earn points and requires too much effort.)

So far, I am using:

1.) Bing Rewards: Free $5 Amazon gift card each month for using Bing as my search engine

2.) Pinecone Research: 300 points (worth a penny a point) for each completed 5 minute survey. (Points can be turned into cash via PayPal or gift cards)

3.) Social Rewards: $10 in reward credits at Caesars Entertainment hotels for every 1000 points earned.

Anybody have recommendations for other stuff I can try that requires no or nearly no effort?

[okobrien]

There are lots of credit cards that have huge sign on bonuses that be used for four or $500 or more in gift cards. 

Sent from my LGLS675 using Tapatalk

[MoneyCat]

There are lots of credit cards that have huge sign on bonuses that be used for four or $500 or more in gift cards. 

Sent from my LGLS675 using Tapatalk

Thanks for the suggestion, but I already have all the credit cards I want or need. I don't want any more credit pulls, because I am guarding my excellent credit right now. I actually just froze all three credit reports to prevent hackers from ever defrauding me.

I'm looking more for simple things like legitimate survey companies, social media advertising rewards programs, online games that pay in free rewards (like My Vegas), etc. Know of any good stuff like that?

[rageth]

Perhaps someone could tell me what would make me a target for insurance companies, but I've received targeted offers from insurance companies and have received $70 in gift cards for about 20minutes of my time on the phone with an insurance agent in the last month.

[TheFrugalShrink]

Do you use MyPoints?  I've used it for years, maybe a decade, and usually just click through the emails that give you five points for clicking.  I've gotten lots of gift cards through the years as a result.

[geekinprogress]

Do you use MyPoints?  I've used it for years, maybe a decade, and usually just click through the emails that give you five points for clicking.  I've gotten lots of gift cards through the years as a result.

I second using MyPoints.  (Thinking back on when I started using it....holy crap, 15 years?)  The click thrus are nice, plus occasionally some vendors I buy from online will have deals such that I can get bonus MyPoints from purchases, which gives me a tiny thrill when it overlaps with bonus cash back on my credit card. 

i-say.com has changed a couple times over the years; it's another marketing research company.  I've made very modest amounts of money over the years, including some gift cards (not great bang for your buck, but it's nice to be able to just hop in every now and again and do a couple surveys, and eventually cash out for an amazon card or something). 

I'm a long-addicted Diet Coke addict (yeah, I know), and have gotten a ridiculous number of gift cards from Coke Points over the years.  Most of my points actually came from friends who didn't mind giving me their codes, or codes I snagged from the dumpster when I was taking out my recycling.  I usually pick up a couple small ($10) amazon cards over the course of a year, but always make sure to save up a bunch for the holidays, because they always have a promotion with a bunch of "discounted" gift cards.

[frooglepoodle]

Depending on where you do your grocery shopping, you can accumulate rebates through Ibotta fairly quickly. You can cash out your rebates for gift cards or via PayPal.

Referral link: https://ibotta.com/r/jpqyloi

[kpd905]

I have a Swagbucks account.  I entered the referral contest on Reddit.com/beermoney and won twice.  Ended up with a few hundred referrals.  So now I just log in once or twice a month to cash out.  I average $50/month for doing nothing.

[chemistk]

Depending on where you do your grocery shopping, you can accumulate rebates through Ibotta fairly quickly. You can cash out your rebates for gift cards or via PayPal.

Referral link: https://ibotta.com/r/jpqyloi

I'll second this as well. Of all the grocery rewards apps out there, this one is the best to use. I'll usually net $1-$3 from a grocery trip (you even get "rebates" on produce, too - they have a rotating selection), you cash out when you hit $50.

I also participate in a few onilne market research communities - the ones I'm currently active on are: 20|20 Research, Springboard America, and Comcast Insight Community. There are many other companies out there and activities range from 5 minute surveys to multi-day research panels. It takes time to accumulate points or to have a panel that fits your demographic, but if you're just looking for passive income, you can net at least $100 a year and north of $500 if you try and become a member of a number of panels.

[pdxmonkey]

Buy them with dollars. Mwahahaha.

You might not think I'm serious...but I am. Keep an eye out and there will often be deals where you can get gift cards for below face value. You don't even have to go through shady gift card resellers. Target has had gift cards 10% off the last couple years. $300 limit so I bought $300 as I don't see Target going bankrupt before I use them. Best Buy will have them more frequently, but for lower amounts Buy $100 get $10, buy $150 get $10 or the like. I used part of my tax refund to get Amazon gift cards this year because you got a bonus 10% for doing so.

You can then use these discounted gift cards to...buy MORE DISCOUNTED GIFT CARDS! Well, for certain things. Example: As a gamer...Best Buy will have PSN, Xbox, or Nintendo eshop cards on sale every so often anywhere from 10-20% off which you can then use to buy games...when the online stores have them on sale.

[daverobev]

I figure it's a good way to get free money without having to pay taxes on it.

Um, I wouldn't say that too loud... they are taxable.

If you have the patience, try Perk... like Swagbucks but you can set up to 5 phones running, and even a couple of tabs on your laptop. It chugs along, but you have to reset/clear the phones every so often, and hit an "I'm still watching" button every so often. Great if you have new-ish unused cell phones, or are willing to buy off ebay or amazon or whatnot. It does pay back fairly quickly.

But compared to credit card sign up bonuses it's peanuts... it'll take all year to get what you might get from one excellent sign up bonus. And that really is tax free.