Save Money with Rakuten and Honey

Welcome to Save Money with Rakuten and Honey! Looking to stretch your dollar further while shopping online? Discover the power of Rakuten and Honey, two game-changing tools that help you save money effortlessly! Whether hunting for cashback deals or snagging the best discounts with automatic coupon codes, these platforms make it easy to keep more money in your pocket. In this post, we’ll dive into how Rakuten and Honey work, share tips to maximize your savings, and show why these tools are must-haves for savvy shoppers in 2025!  Here’s how they function and how you can use them effectively:

How Cashback Apps Operate

Affiliate Partnerships: These apps partner with retailers and brands. When you purchase through the app’s portal or activate its browser extension, the retailer pays the app a commission for referring the sale. Sharing Commissions: The app then shares a portion of this commission with you as cashback or rewards. For example, if a retailer pays a $25 commission, the app might give you $5 as cashback and keep the rest as profit. Tracking Purchases: You typically need to shop through the app’s website, mobile app, or browser extension to ensure your purchase is tracked and you earn rewards. Reward Redemption: Once you accumulate enough rewards (usually a minimum threshold), you can redeem them via PayPal, check, gift cards, or account credits, depending on the app.

Rakuten vs. Honey: Key Differences

Rakuten: Focuses on cashback. You must start your shopping journey via Rakuten’s site or extension. Cashback is calculated as a percentage of your purchase and paid quarterly once you reach a minimum threshold (typically $5).

Honey primarily finds and applies coupon codes at checkout for instant savings. It also offers “Honey Gold” points for some purchases, which can be redeemed for gift cards but not direct cash.

How to Use Rakuten and Honey Together to Save Money

You can maximize savings by using both apps:

Activate Rakuten: First, activate Rakuten’s cashback offer for your chosen retailer (through their site or extension). Shop as Usual: Add items to your cart on the retailer’s website. Apply Coupons with Honey: At checkout, let Honey search for and apply the best available coupon codes. Earn Rewards: Complete your purchase. You’ll receive cashback from Rakuten and any coupon savings or Honey Gold from Honey..

Ideally, you can use both: try Honey for coupons, and if none apply, make sure Rakuten is activated for cash back. If a great coupon is found, use it and be happy- if not, at least you get money back.”

Where the Money Comes From:

Retailer Commissions: Retailers pay cashback apps to drive sales. The apps keep a portion of this commission and pass the rest to you as cashback or rewards..

Data Insights: Some apps also monetize anonymized shopping data by selling insights to retailers to help them understand consumer behavior.

Practical Tips:

Always activate the cashback offer before shopping.

Use browser extensions for automatic alerts on eligible sites.

Combine cashback with coupons for maximum savings.

Track your rewards and redeem them before they expire.

Conclusion

Cashback apps like Rakuten and Honey make it easy to save on everyday purchases by sharing retailer commissions with users. Rakuten is best for straightforward cashback, while Honey excels at finding coupons and offering gift card rewards. Using both together can help you maximize your savings on most online purchases.

If you find these tips helpful, don’t forget to comment and share this post with friends and family who love a good deal! For even more ways to save, check out our post on How to Unlock Savings: 6 Must-Know Websites for Local Deals!

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting Midwest Money Savers.

Money-Saving Tips from Grandma You Should Stop Using: Grandma’s advice is rooted in love, experience, and a lifetime of wisdom. However, when it comes to personal finance, not every money-saving tip from generations past holds up today. In Outdated Money-Saving Tips from Grandma You Should Stop Using, we’ll explore which old-school habits have become impractical—or even counterproductive—in today’s fast-paced, digital economy, and what smarter strategies you should use instead. While some of Grandma’s wisdom remains timeless, a few tried-and-true methods could cost you more than helping when saving money in 2025 and beyond.

Let’s dive into some outdated money-saving tips from Grandma that you should rethink, along with updated strategies for smart saving in 2025 and beyond.

Why Some Traditional Money-Saving Strategies No Longer Work

The economic and technological landscapes differed vastly when Grandma shared her savings advice. Factors like inflation, the growth of the digital economy, changing job markets, and access to global goods and services have made certain practices obsolete. Holding onto old habits without considering today’s realities could cost you more money, not saving it.

Outdated Money-Saving Tips from Grandma You Should Retire

1. Always Pay with Cash

Once upon a time, carrying around cash was considered the ultimate budget-control method. You could only spend what you had in your wallet, making avoiding debt easier. However, in today’s digital age:

• Cashless payments can offer rewards through credit card points, cashback bonuses, and exclusive discounts.
• Digital payments (e.g., Apple Pay, Venmo) often have built-in budgeting tools and fraud protection.
• Many businesses now prefer or even require cashless transactions.

Modern Tip: Use credit cards wisely to earn incentives while closely monitoring your budget with apps like Mint or You Need a Budget (YNAB).

2. Save Every Penny in a Jar

Grandma loved throwing spare change into a jar, watching it grow into something useful. While it’s satisfying to see a jar fill up, saving pennies physically isn’t the most effective strategy anymore:

• Inflation has severely devalued spare coins over time.
• Bank digital savings accounts can generate interest and security for your money.
• Carrying coins has become inconvenient and impractical with modern payment methods.

Modern Tip: Use apps that round up debit card purchases and automatically deposit the difference into a savings or investment account, such as Acorns or Chime.

3. Always Buy the Cheapest Option

Grandma’s logic was simple: pick the cheapest product to save money upfront. But in today’s world, cheaper isn’t always better:

• Low-cost items are sometimes inferior, leading to frequent replacements and higher long-term costs.
• Health and safety may be compromised with cut-rate products, especially electronics or food items.

Modern Tip: Prioritize value over price. Invest in quality products that last longer and provide better performance, saving you money in the long run.

4. Clip Paper Coupons for Savings

Back in the day, Sunday morning meant combing through newspapers for coupons. While discounts are still incredibly important, relying solely on traditional paper coupons is falling out of favor:

• Coupon apps, digital deals, and browser extensions (like Honey and Rakuten) offer greater convenience and savings opportunities.
• Online-exclusive deals can often outshine traditional discounts.

Modern Tip: Use digital coupon apps, browser extensions, loyalty programs, and store apps to snag the best deals effortlessly and in real time.

5. DIY Everything to Save Money

Grandma often preferred to “do it herself” — from home repairs to sewing clothes. While DIY can still save money in some cases, it’s not always the most efficient or safest option today:

• Specialized services may be cheaper (and safer) when considering time, tools, risks, and rework costs.
• Poor workmanship can devalue your home or vehicle if something goes wrong.

Modern Tip: Know when to call a professional. Evaluate whether going DIY truly saves you money and time or whether paying an expert could actually be a better financial move.

Old-School Money-Saving Tips from Grandma that Are Still Worth Keeping

Of course, not all of Grandma’s advice requires a modern overhaul. Some traditional savings habits remain effective today:

• Live Within Your Means: Budget according to your income, not your credit limit or future salary expectations.
• Cook Meals at Home: With inflation driving up restaurant prices, home-cooked meals are still a high-impact way to save big.
• Save for a Rainy Day: Emergency funds are vital, and having a few months’ worth of expenses in reserve remains timeless advice.

Conclusion: Update Your Money Strategy For Today’s World

Grandma meant well, and her personal finance advice provided a strong foundation for managing money responsibly. Still, adapting to today’s financial reality is crucial. Evaluate your habits and decide whether some of Grandma’s advice needs a modern twist. By adopting smarter tactics and embracing technological advancements, you can save more efficiently and effectively in today’s fast-paced world.

Remember: staying open to new strategies doesn’t mean disregarding the wisdom of the past. It means evolving, just like Grandma did in her own time.

We’d love to hear your thoughts. Please comment and share if you find this information valuable.

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting Midwest Money Savers.

🥚 Egg Storage Safety Tips – How to Keep Your Eggs Fresh & Safe During High Prices

In this post, we will explore egg storage safety tips. Egg prices continue to surge despite the wholesale drop. Prices at the grocery store have spiked, with the average cost rising to $6.23 per dozen from February to March—a 5.9% jump. This sudden increase surprised consumers and experts alike, especially as wholesale prices started falling after a slowdown in bird flu outbreaks.

Eggs Are Pricier Than Ever

With the current price tag, a single egg costs roughly 50 cents, making it feel more like a luxury than a staple. They may not last like gold, but their value in your fridge has certainly risen. Proper handling and storage are now more important than ever.

Smart Egg Storage Tips

Keep refrigerator temperature at or below 40°F.

Store eggs in their carton on a shelf inside the fridge, not the door.

Don’t leave eggs out longer than two hours.

Refrigerate hard-boiled eggs within two hours of cooking.

Cooked eggs spoil faster because cooking removes the shell’s natural protective layer.

How to Safely Blow Out Eggs

Crafting with eggs? Use clean, refrigerated eggs if you’re crafting hollow egg shells for decorating. Disinfect with a mild bleach solution before puncturing both ends with a pin or toothpick. Shake the egg to loosen its contents, then gently blow through one end to empty it. Always wash your hands before and after handling.

How Long Do Eggs Last?

According to the American Egg Board:

Raw eggs (in shell): 3–5 weeks in the fridge

Raw whites: up to 4 days

Raw yolks: up to 2 days

Hard-boiled eggs: up to 1 week (refrigerated)

Frozen eggs (out of shell): up to 1 year

Never freeze whole eggs in the shell or hard-boiled eggs. To freeze yolks, mix in a small amount of salt or sugar to prevent gelling.

What About Deviled Eggs and Salads?

Deviled eggs should be eaten within 3–4 days and only kept out for two hours, or one hour if it’s hotter than 90°F. The same rule applies to egg salad and potato salad containing eggs. Be sure to grab this convenient deviled egg container—it makes storing and transporting your eggs quick and easy. Want to make peeling hard-boiled eggs easier? Check out egg expert tips from the American Egg Board for techniques that keep the whites intact and smooth.

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting Midwest Money Savers.

Want to learn how to unlock savings? Check out these must-know websites for local deals. Get ready to unlock a world of big savings and stretch your budget further than ever before. Dive into these six must-know websites that are absolute game-changers for finding incredible local deals! They’re like secret treasure maps, guiding you straight to the best discounts and coupons for stores, restaurants, and services right in your own neighborhood.

Save Big on Everyday Fun with Just a Click!

Imagine slashing your everyday expenses with just a few clicks—whether it’s a delicious meal out, a relaxing spa day, or a fun family adventure, these sites have you covered. From the comfort of your home, you can explore a goldmine of offers tailored to your area, making saving money without the hassle easier than ever. Say goodbye to overspending and hello to smart shopping! Check out these hidden gems and start uncovering amazing deals today—your wallet will thank you!

Here are six good ones to check out:

• Valpak (valpak.com)
  You might know Valpak from those blue envelopes with coupons that come in the mail. They also have a website to type in your zip code and find deals nearby. In the Midwest and other places, they often have coupons for services you might like. You can print or use them on your phone—check what’s available in your area!
• Clipp (clipp.com)
  This one works in cities like Chicago and St. Louis. It’s a website that gathers deals for restaurants, salons, and other stuff close to you. It’s not everywhere in the U.S., but if you’re in one of their areas, you might find some nice local discounts.
• Groupon (groupon.com)
  Groupon is a big website with deals nationwide, but you can search for stuff near your town. They’re great for finding service-based deals and work best in cities or bigger suburbs.
• RetailMeNot (retailmenot.com)
  This site collects coupons from various places and has a “Near Me” button to show deals in your area. It’s not perfect for tiny towns, but it’s worth a peek to see what people or companies have shared!
• Slickdeals (slickdeals.net)
  Slickdeals is like a big online club where people share deals they’ve found. It’s not just for one area; if you live in the Midwest, you might see others posting coupons that work near you. It’s a little less organized but awesome for fresh, real-life finds.
• Town Money Saver  (townmoneysaver.com)
  It operates primarily in Ohio, parts of Kentucky, and Pennsylvania, providing monthly coupon books and an online platform for local deals. It’s niche but effective in its Midwest footprint, often featuring salon offers that could overlap with Great Clips franchises. Its hyper-regional focus caters to smaller towns that are ignored by bigger platforms.

These websites can help you save money on everyday things. Just visit their URLs, type in your location, and see what pops up! If you find these tips helpful, don’t forget to comment and share this post with friends and family who love a good deal! For even more ways to save, check out our post Save Money with Rakuten and Honey!

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting Midwest Money Savers.

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