Couponing and instant rebate apps like Ibotta are no longer just for soccer moms and grandparents living on a fixed income. New features on the Ibotta app actually make it a great money-saving tool for any college student. From saving on food, travel, entertainment, and clothing, the app has you covered and can easily save a student hundreds of dollars per year.

The best part is that Ibotta is currently offering a $10 Welcome Bonus for those who sign-up and give their app a try. Here are 8 ways the app can help students save significant money.

1. Earn Cash Back When Shopping Online

Let’s face it, college students love to shop online.

So why not get some cash back on those online purchases?

Simply start all your online shopping via the Ibotta app and you’ll get money added to your account after your purchase.

Here are some current cashback rates that caught my attention.

• Gap.com – 5% back.
• Hollister.com – 6% back.
• Abercrombie & Fitch.com – 6% back.
• Under Armour.com – 5% back.
• Express.com – 3% back.
• Overstock.com – 5% back.
• Petsmart.com – 5% back.
• Walgreens.com – 3% back.

New online retailers are being added weekly to the Ibotta app.

See Also: Calling All Students: 50+ Places Where Students Get a Deal

2. Use Ibotta When Road Tripping

The next time you’re road tripping and you need to stock-up on candy, chips, or Corn Nuts (Man, I love Corn Nuts) be sure to pull up the Ibotta app.

They recently added convenience stores to their list of participating stores so you might as well get a kickback on those junk food purchases.

FYI: Your car will stink for a week after you eat Corn Nuts in it.

3. Get Money Back on ANY Brand at ANY Grocery Store

I remember those college days when you went to the store and always bought the cheapest brand, even generics. Heck, I even remember buying really cheap beer that came in a yellow can and just said “Beer” on it.

Ibotta is perfect for college students in this regard as the app will give you money back on generic purchases like fruit, bread, milk, and eggs.

Hey, it’s free money, you might as well scan your receipt via the app and get some money back in your pocket.

4. Shop Amazon and get 3% Back

College students love Amazon and who can blame them. Great prices, fantastic selection, and free 2-day shipping via Amazon Prime.

Well now you can save even more with Amazon. Currently you can use the Ibotta app and collect 3% cashback on Amazon device purchases which includes the Kindle, Echo, and Fire TV.

Specific Amazon offers on Ibotta change all the time and have recently included Amazon gift cards when you sign-up for Prime, as well as flat cashback on all Amazon orders.

See Also: Amazon “Prime Student” Hacks (Plus a 6-Month Free Trial Membership)

5. Earn Cashback When You Eat Off Campus

Let’s face it, dorm and cafeteria food gets kinda old and stale after a while.

So why not use the Ibotta app and save on your next meal from ANY bar or restaurant.

As long as the establishment has the food or drink that Ibotta currently offers rebates for, you’ll get an instant rebate when you scan your receipt.

6. Get Cash Back on Alcohol Purchases

Gotta be 21 years old for this hack to work.

Ibotta offers a ton of rebates on beer, wine, and spirits.

The best part is that it doesn’t matter what store you buy your booze at, as long as you save the receipt so you can scan it later, you’ll get the rebate.

Drink responsibly and save some money in the process.

7. Book Your Travel via Ibotta and Save

When booking travel plans for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Spring Break make sure you check Ibotta first.

The following travel sites offer cashback via the Ibotta app:

• Booking.com –  4% back.
• CheapOair.com –  $5 back on any purchase.
• Hotels.com –  4% back.
• Hotel Storm –  5% back.
• Hotel Tonight –  3% back, great for last-minute hotel deals.

I’ll add to this list as Ibotta partners with more travel sites.

8. Save Big on Sports Tickets

Via a service called SeatGeek, the Ibotta app becomes a terrific place to score deals on tickets to the big game.

The best part is that you’ll get 5% cashback on all tickets purchased via the app.

Click Here to Sign-up for Ibotta and claim your free $10 Welcome Bonus once you redeem your first rebate.

Ask the Reader: Do you already have Ibotta on your smartphone? If so, how do you use the Ibotta app to save money while in college?

By Kyle James

Disclaimer: Ibotta paid me nothing to write this article although I do get a referral fee if you use my links to sign-up. Money I use to keep this blog operating and buy some generic beer every once in a while.

The Staples return policy seems fairly straight-forward at first glance, but in actuality it has a bunch of nuisances based on the item you’re buying and what form of payment you use. In this article, I break it all down so you’ll never have a problem returning something to Staples in the future. I also came up with some insider hacks for success that you’d need a magnifying glass to find on their return policy page.

How Many Return Days Does Staples Allow?

30 days.

The majority of products sold by Staples come with a 30-day return policy.

Any Exceptions to the 30 Days?

Yes, several products have a shorter return window…

• Computers & Laptops – 14 days. Make sure all personal information is removed before returning to the store.
• Printers – 14 days
• Digital Cameras – 14 days
• Business Machines – 14 days
• Tablets & eReaders – 14 days
• Smart/Cell phones – 14 days
• Unopened Drones – 14 days
• Items Bought with a Check – 14 days and you can only return item for store credit.

The 14-day return window is pretty short on the above items so make sure the product is a “keeper” fairly quickly.

See Also: Best Buy Return Policy: 8 Things You Need To Know

Anything That Can’t Be Returned?

Yes, glad you asked. Here they are…

• Downloadable Software, Movies and Music – Non-returnable.
• Opened Software – Can only be exchanged for the same software title.
• Custom-ordered and Custom-assembled Furniture – Can only be returned if it’s defective when you receive it.
• Gift Cards and Phone Cards – Non-returnable.

Does anyone ever buy phone cards these days?

Can You Return Without a Receipt?

Yes, but you can’t always get a straight refund.

If you’re receipt-less and used a credit card, Staples can easily look up your order and issue a full refund. Make sure you go back to the same store you originally made the purchase.

If you don’t have a receipt, and Staples can’t verify the purchase, you’ll get either store credit or an exchange.

The price they’ll give you is the lowest selling price within the last 30 days. Staples will also need a valid photo ID so they can track your return history.

Warning: If you try and return too many items without a receipt you might raise a red flag and they can deny your return.

If you lost your online receipt, simply go to your online account and click on My Orders and you can print out a copy of it.

Can the Item You’re Returning be Opened?

Yes, it can be opened, BUT the item must be in “salable” condition.

This means it must be in original packaging/box with all manuals, cords, and parts.

See Also: Temu Return Policy: Very Cheap Office Supplies with a Solid Return Policy

What About Online Orders?

You have several options when it comes to returning online orders to Staples.

You can take it back to your local Staples, you can create a return online, or you can call Staples at 1-(888) 515-8880 and set up a return that way.

Staples Return Policy Hacks:

Staples Branded Office Supplies DON’T Have a Time Limit: I was a bit surprised by this when a former Staples employee said it on this Reddit forum.

Apparently they really want Staples branded products to have a perceived lifetime guarantee. So feel free to return that 3-year old stapler that keeps getting jammed.

Holiday Returns: All electronics and furniture bought between November 20th and December 25th get an extended return policy.

You have until January 15th to return the item.

Coupons & Returns: If you use an online coupon on a purchase from Staples.com you can’t use the coupon again after you return the item.

Be Careful Returning Purchases that Include Promotional Items: If you were given a free gift or gift card as part of a Staples promotion.

Be aware that you’ll have the value of the gift deducted from the amount refunded.

Paying with Prepaid Cash Card? Be sure to hold on to that sucker because your refund needs to go back on the card.

If you throw the prepaid card away it will be a BIG pain to try and get your refund.

Ask the Reader: Have you had any issues with the Staples return policy? Let me know, thanks.

By Kyle James

Saving money by purchasing Costco liquor is one of the many terrific ways the warehouse club can help you save. But before you buy alcohol from Costco in the future, there are a few important things you should know. So whether it’s beer, wine, or hard liquor, be sure to shop smart, sip enthusiastically, and above all, drink responsibly. Cheers.

No Membership Required to Buy Costco Liquor (in Many States)

Thanks to a little known post-prohibition law, some states cannot require a membership to buy alcohol for off-site sales.

With their $60 annual membership, Costco fits the bill.

I contacted Costco and they informed me that the following 14 states allow you to walk into the warehouse WITHOUT a membership and buy liquor.

• Arizona
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Hawaii
• Indiana
• Kentucky
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• New York
• Texas
• Vermont

When you enter the Costco warehouse, simply tell the card checker and they’ll either wave you through or direct you to the membership desk where they’ll give you a temporary pass for alcohol sales.

Bonus: This same law also applies at BJ’s Wholesale and Sam’s Club.

See Also: 7 Ways to Essentially Get a $60 Costco Membership for Free

Kirkland Alcohol is Often Made by Name-Brands

Let’s face it, Costco is not in the business of making their own wine, beer, scotch, tequila, etc.

So how do they produce their high-quality Kirkland brand alcohol?

It may (or may not) come as a surprise that they outsource it to well-known distilleries, wineries, and breweries.

When you buy Kirkland liquor you often end up with a very high quality product at a savings in the 20-40% off range. I’ll drink to that kind of savings any day.

When it comes to Costco liquor outsourcing, here’s what we know (or speculate) so far:

• Kirkland Beers: Both their handcrafted beer and signature light beer is brewed and bottled by Gordon Biersch.
• Kirkland Signature French Vodka: This is produced by Gayant Distillery based in France.
• Kirkland 20 year Speyside Single Malt Scotch: This is produced by Alexander Murray.
• Kirkland 18 year Single Malt Scotch: This is distilled by the Macallan Distillery.
• Kirkland Signature Premium Small Batch Bourbon (7 year): This is made by none other than Jim Beam.
• Kirkland Tequila (Añejo): It’s produced at the same distillery as Cielo tequila.
• Kirkland Añejo Barrel Strength Tequila: This tequila is made by Código 1530 Añejo, a premium tequila brand.
• Kirkland Signature Spiced Rum: This is also made by Jim Beam.

And now for the wine at Costco, I think they deserve their own section…

• Kirkland Signature Wines: They sell many different bottles. Here’s how they breakdown by winery.
  • Kirkland Signature Sonoma County Old Vine Zinfandel is made by Kunde Estate.
  • Kirkland Signature Napa Cabernets and blends is produced by Girard Winery.
  • Kirkland Signature 10 Year Old Tawny Port is made by David Guimaraens, head winemaker of Taylor Fladgate.
  • Kirkland’s Brut and Brut Rosé is made by Champagne Janisson & Fils and Champagne de Bruyne.

Am I missing any? Let me know in the comments below, thanks.

Costco Will Only Markup Liquor by 10%-14%

This might be the single best reason to buy your liquor only at Costco.

According to this FOX News article, “The average retail liquor store’s markup is 25 to 45 percent on products, but Costco maintains a 10 to 14 percent markup.”

The bottom line is that Costco makes money by selling large quantities at a lower markup and this holds true with their alcohol as well.

An argument could easily be made that you’ll recoup your $60 annual fee by the savings you’ll get when buying wine, beer, and liquor from the warehouse giant.

See Also: Are Costco Tires Cheaper? Here’s How Costco Prices Stack Up

Most Costco Locations Won’t Let You Return Alcohol

Be aware that if you’re planning a large liquor purchase from Costco for a wedding or special event, you typically cannot return the alcohol you don’t consume to Costco.

Opened or unopened, you’re STUCK with it in most states.

To help you out, here’s a list of states that do allow for alcohol returns.

But keep this in mind, if you do live in a state that leaves it up to the discretion of the store, most stores still won’t accept unopened booze.

This is because stores cannot resell the alcohol.

They have to either take the loss, or return it to the distributor for less than they paid.

Bonus Tip: Buying Alcohol in Canada

If you live in Canada, you’re probably aware that only 2 provinces currently let you buy alcohol at Costco.

They are Alberta and more recently Saskatchewan.

They call them “Costco Liquor Stores” and they actually have separate entrances from the main warehouse.

The best part? Costco does NOT require you to have a membership to enter the alcohol stores.

Ask the Reader: Do you buy Costco alcohol on a regular basis? Besides the lower price, what do you like about it?

By Kyle James

Photo credit to Mark Guim.