I’m a Shopkick master, everyone knows that. I mean, it’s nothing for me to earn a gift card a month, which I promptly spend on splurges at Starbucks or combine with all my Walmart Savings Catcher deals for extra savings. Right now, I’m saving up for a Best Buy gift card for a special someone.

But, it recently came to my attention that while almost everyone knows how Shopkick works (you shop! you get kicks! you redeem for gift cards!) not everyone really knows how to earn kicks on Shopkick the right way. So, I thought, “Let’s fix that!” Here are some things every Shopkicker should be doing, how to follow the Shopkick rules—and some tips for getting the most out of the very best shopping app, Shopkick.

How to Earn Kicks: The Nitty Gritty

Obviously, you’ve already downloaded the Shopkick app and set up your profile. Once you’ve done that, everything else kind of runs itself. Still, there are some things you can master to get the most kicks possible:

• Turn on notifications and Bluetooth: Do this so that you never miss an opportunity, like a great sale or a chance for extra points. The app will also let you know if you’re about to walk past a store that’s got a deal for extra kicks.
• Open the app at least once a week: New places to get kicks come up all the time. Plus, kick amounts increase often and products change frequently.
• Stay up-to-date: Be sure to update the app whenever there’s a new release to make sure you always have the latest, greatest working version of Shopkick.
  

How to Earn Kicks in-Store

So, you’re up-to-date and your Bluetooth is turned on. It’s time to start earning kicks … for everything you do. Start by opening up your Shopkick app and visiting the “Earn” tab to see what’s available today near you! Then, challenge yourself to do these four things the next time you go shopping, and watch the kicks start rolling in:

• Walk into a store: Many stores give kicks just for walking through the door! Just remember to have the app open and Bluetooth turned on.
• Scan products: Get kicks!
• Buy products and upload a receipt: Get kicks!
• Link your credit card and make a purchase: Get kicks!

How to Earn Kicks from the App

Sometimes, I’m too lazy to go out. At those times, I like to earn kicks while shopping in my jammies. From my phone. And, hey, Shopkick is the best mobile shopping app, after all. When I open the Shopkick app, I:

• Watch a video: Learn more about products—and get kicks!
• Find an instant surprise: Go on a treasure hunt to find instant surprises. These are located under the Discover tab.
• Make an online purchase: This is self-explanatory, but here’s an added tip: Sometimes I go to my favorite online shops on my desktop to load up my cart. Then, I open up my Shopkick app and navigate to that store and buy everything in my cart—and get kicks!
• Invite friends: You can earn free kicks whenever someone you invite to Shopkick downloads the app and starts using it.

How to Earn Kicks on Shopkick the Right Way

As it turns out, some people like to try to break the rules. Nobody likes a cheater, so here’s how to play fair and not get banned:

• Scan in-store only: For scans, make sure you are in the store when you attempt to scan a product and that you scan the actual physical item. Remember, the companies paying for all those amazing free gift cards you get with your kicks—retailers like T.J.Maxx and Marshalls and brands like Lego and Tylenol—love to be on Shopkick because it helps them connect with their customers in a fast, fun, easy way. They reward Shopkick for helping them, and Shopkick passes those rewards on to all you awesome Shopkickers. It’s a win-win-win for everyone, but it only works if you’re physically interacting with products in the store.
  Also, don’t fall into any traps or “creative shortcuts” that may have you breaking the rules; Shopkick’s technology detects when rules are being broken. Yikes!
• Be unique: Another way people get in trouble is by having more than one Shopkick account on their phone. If someone pretends to be multiple people—by signing up for multiple Shopkick accounts—that raises serious red flags. To protect the members of the Shopkicking community who are playing fair and who want to keep getting gift cards, Shopkick asks rule-breakers to leave (which they hate to do!)
• Keep your phone to yourself: Don’t share your number with someone else. No one else should be logging into your account from their phone. It looks suspicious,  like one person is trying to pretend to be many people.
• Invite—and shop with—friends: Help your BFFs get Shopkicking! An easy and fun way to keep racking up the kicks is to Shopkick with others. I personally love to head out with my friends. I hear all the time how Shopkickers like to Shopkick with their sisters, mothers, daughters, husbands, wives, etc. They use it as a way to get their steps—and kicks—in on evenings or days off. Both you and your friends will get extra kicks after they earn their first kicks in-store within seven days of accepting your invitation. Why not go with them on their first Shopkicking adventure and show them the ropes?

So, that’s it my Shopkicking friends—my best advice on how to earn kicks on Shopkick so you can rack up the points! If you have any other ideas, I’d love to hear them.

If you’re as social media savvy as you are shopping savvy, join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for daily shopping fun.

Image courtesy Zinkevych

Recently, I made a promise to myself: I’d be open to more new experiences and would stop saying no so much. Crazily enough, one of the first things I started saying yes to was apps my friends were suggesting. Forever, I’d been reflexively no-ing apps that paid me to take surveys. (And also that one that makes it look like I’m drinking a beer through my phone.)

Since I’ve started saying yes more, though, I can’t believe the awesome apps I’ve found! There are just so many amazing apps out there these days, even ones that sound crazy at first. Today, I want to introduce you to my list of the four craziest apps everyone should have. Warning: most—if not all—of these will seem too good to be true. Trust me, they’re for real! Give them a chance and I’m sure that you’ll love them as much as I do.

Crazy Apps Everyone Should Have #1: Memrise

What if I told you that your smartphone could teach you Spanish? Or French? Or even Japanese? You probably won’t believe me, but thanks to Memrise, it’s true.

Memrise is a language learning app that helps you attain basic conversational fluency in a variety of languages. Developers call the process “elaborate encoding,” and it works by using word associations to lock in information. There is a free tier, with a variety of courses to get you started, as well as a pro level. For me, c’est tres bien!

Crazy Apps Everyone Should Have #2: IFTTT

Maybe you’ve heard of a tech trend called If This Then That, or IFTTT. Basically, IFTTT is a bit of code that lets you schedule your devices to perform actions depending on a situation. In other words, If this happens, then do that.

For example, you can use IFTTT to help manage your social media. Like, if you post on Instagram and use the hashtag #T, then your post will also go to Twitter. Or, anytime you post to Twitter, that post gets saved in your Dropbox.

You can also use IFTTT to program other devices too, like Amazon Alexa. If there’s a traffic jam along your morning commute, then Alexa should wake you with music 20 minutes earlier than usual. Heck, you can even use IFTTT to have your phone alert you when the International Space Station passes overhead!

Crazy Apps Everyone Should Have #3: DoorDash

You know those nights when you’re almost too tired to move, let alone cook? Well, what if there was an app that would have someone bring you dinner from your favorite restaurant—even if that restaurant doesn’t deliver?

Tada! That app is called DoorDash and it works like other localized apps such as Postmates or Favor Delivery. The general idea is that you order whatever food you want, and the app sends a driver out to pick up your order and deliver it to you. No moving or shoes required on your part!

Crazy Apps Everyone Should Have #4: Shopkick

This is yet another app that you won’t believe exists; it’s almost too good to be true. Basically, how this shopping app works is that it turns all your trips to the store into a game—and it pays you to go shopping!

If I’m going to leave you with one last bit of advice, though, it’s to definitely download Shopkick.

Of all the apps on our list today, Shopkick is my personal favorite. I mean, it’s basically a digital coupon app that helps stretch my budget. There’s a lot to love about that. Shopkick works by giving you points—which you can redeem later for gift cards just—for doing things you normally do while shopping. For example, say you walk into a certain store: you get points. Or, you scan the barcode of a featured item: you get more points. Maybe you take a picture of your receipt after you buy your weekly groceries (or toiletries, or maybe that super cute necklace): you get even more points! It may sound crazy, but it’s true.

So, there you have it: the four craziest apps everyone should have that I know of. If I’m going to leave you with one last bit of advice, though, it’s to definitely download Shopkick. The savings are immense, it’s totally fun to use, and it’s also super easy. Plus, it’s free. Hey, maybe you can use all the money you save for the pro tier of Memrise. Hold on, don’t thank me now. I want to hear it in whatever language you learn.

Looking for the coolest apps for iPhone and Android, especially one that can help you save money while shopping? Download Shopkick for free and join a community of Shopkickers who love the rewards of shopping with us!

Or join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and check in every day on your phone, no matter where you are, to learn about the hottest, newest deals.

Image courtesy Oneinchpunch