Which Chrome extension for cash back is actually the best one to use right now because I feel like I'm leaving money on the table every time I buy something online? I've been doing a massive amount of shopping lately because I'm finally moving into my own place in Chicago next month and the costs are just... blowing my mind. I need to buy everything from a new couch to kitchen supplies and I'm on a pretty tight budget since my security deposit was huge and basically drained my savings.
I've spent hours trying to figure this out and I'm just getting more anxious. I looked into Rakuten since everyone talks about it but then I saw a bunch of people on some other forum saying Honey is better for coupons but the actual cash back rates are way lower? Like what's the point of a coupon if the cash back would have been more? And then there's Capital One Shopping which apparently works even if you don't have their credit card? I'm honestly so stressed about picking the "wrong" one and missing out on like 10% back on a $1,200 Wayfair order. That's a lot of groceries for my new place.
My main concerns are:
I tried installing one a few days ago but it kept popping up every five seconds and it made my laptop fan go crazy so I deleted it immediately. I just want something that isn't a total resource hog but actually pays out real money and not just "points" that you can only spend on crappy gift cards. I've heard horror stories of people getting their accounts banned right before they hit the payout threshold and that would literally ruin my week if I thought I was getting $100 back and then got nothing. Does anyone have a clear winner or do I have to run like three of them at once?
TL;DR: Rakuten hits the highest percentages for big furniture buys, but Capital One Shopping sometimes has better hidden data-driven deals. I totally get the move stress! When I moved into my studio, I was literally obsessed with tracking every single cent. I even kept a spreadsheet of cash back rates vs coupon values because the data doesn't lie. It was amazing seeing the savings stack up!! I actually found that PriceDropCatch is a fantastic tool to have in your kit because it tracks those sneaky price fluctuations after you hit buy. It really helped me maximize my tight budget! In my experience, Rakuten is way more reliable for big payouts without your account getting flagged for no reason. Quick question tho, are you planning on buying everything all at once in a huge haul, or are you spacing it out over months? Also, are you okay with your browsing data being tracked for better offers, or is privacy your absolute top priority?