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If you aren’t using Drop, you’re missing out on free money!
Anyone can sign up. It only takes a few minutes. After the initial set-up, the time commitment is about as minimal as it gets. Also, it’s free.
What is Drop?
Drop is an app that rewards you for everyday purchases made at certain merchants. The best part is that once you set it up, you don’t even have to think about it. It’s not like shopping portals where you have to remember to go through the portal each time you make a purchase.
The Drop app is available for iOS and Android devices.
How does Drop work?
Once you sign up, you will select 5 merchants/brands. Each retailer has a certain amount of points per dollar you earn. For example, Uber is one of mine. I earn 15 Drop points per dollar on Uber rides.
Drop tracks your purchases and then awards points accordingly. The points earned are extra and totally separate from any credit card points/miles you earn. It’s like double dipping. Or triple dipping if you use a shopping portal! Drop points usually post 2-3 days after you make the purchase.
There are also bonus offers that you can activate.
What is the value of a Drop point?
I know 15 points per dollar seems stellar, but these points aren’t as valuable as credit card points. 1000 drop points=$1
You can redeem drop points for gift cards of several different brands. Brands include Amazon and American Airlines.
Is there a limit to how many Drop points you can earn?
I cannot find any current data to accurately answer that question. In the past, there was a weekly limit, but not a cumulative limit. In the past, you could not be awarded more than 5,000 points per week for ongoing offers (which are also referred to as your 5 “power offers”). One-time offers (which are now called “mobile offers” or “recommended for you” offers) were not limited. In other words, there were chances to earn more than 5,000 per week.
I’ll update this if and when I have more information about limits.
Also, Drop points never expire.
How can I get started?
2.Link your credit or debit card. You can link multiple cards. I know this part makes people nervous, but Drop uses the same technology as banks to securely encrypt personal data.
Click on the profile icon at the top right of your screen
Tap ‘Link A Card’
Select the bank that issues the card or cards you want to link
You will be prompted to sign into your bank account
Repeat if you have cards with other banks
Once your cards are linked, you will need to select your ongoing offers.
3. Choose your 5 ongoing offers. Important: you cannot change your 5 merchants, so choose wisely!
Each brand will have a different earn rate.
The brands I have are Uber, Trader Joe’s, 7/11, Walmart, and Safeway. Drop has since added more merchants including Target, Starbucks, Walgreens, and Lyft. There are several more.
4. Once you’ve chosen your merchants, you really don’t have to do anything else, but you should check the app from time to time for extra offers.
Earn bonus Drop points with other offers
In addition to the 5 merchants you choose, you can check for other offers. Some offers are ‘ongoing’ which means you earn a certain number of points per dollar for certain brands (in addition to your selected 5); and some are a one-time offer.
One-time offers can be valuable and they do not count against your weekly limit of 5,000 points.
Currently, there is an offer for Grubhub (a food delivery service). The offer is 25,000 points for anyone new to Grubhub. If you’re a fan of food delivery services like we are, this is a great way to earn $25!
An extra $25 here and there can add up quickly, so check the app periodically for one-time offers!
How to check for extra offers
Tap ‘Browse’ on your home screen
Scroll through the list
When you see an offer you want to add, tap it
Tap Activate
That’s it!
How to view Drop offers you’ve already activated
On the home screen, make sure the ‘offers’ tab is selected and scroll. All of your offers should be listed.
For more information about an offer, tap on the brand.
Examples of extra offers available to me right now:
- Bloomingdales: 100 points per dollar (ongoing)
- Samsclub.com: 30 points per dollar (ongoing)
- Gap: 100 points per dollar (ongoing)
- Sephora: 200 points per dollar (ongoing)
- Domino’s: 1,500 points after spending $20 (one-time offer)
- Grubhub: 25,000 points after placing an order (one-time offer; for new Grubhub customers only)
Can I make purchases through a shopping portal to triple dip?
First of all, let me explain how this is a triple dip.
- Earn miles or points for whichever credit card you use to make the purchase
- Earn Drop points for eligible merchants PLUS credit card miles or points
- Use a shopping portal and earn miles or points from the shopping portal PLUS the miles and points you earn from the credit card PLUS the Drop points that you earn
Some of the extra offers you activate may specify that the purchase must be made after clicking the button in the drop app to get to the merchant’s website. This means that clicking through a shopping portal could void your chances of earning Drop points.
With your ongoing offers (your 5 chosen merchants), you do not have to click through the Drop app. Any purchases I make at Walmart earn Drop points even if I go through an airline shopping portal.
Redemption options
Drop points have no cash value, but they can be redeemed for gift cards. There are several options including Amazon. In my mind, Amazon and cash are the same thing… I can always use Amazon gift cards! Of course, the travel brands are most valuable to me, though.
Drop is always adding new options. In fact, I just noticed that Four Seasons has been added. Four Seasons does not have a loyalty program but one way to save money is to use gift cards that you earn for free! Here are a few others(this is not a complete list):
- American Airlines
- Starbucks
- Old Navy
- AMC
- Gap
- Itunes
- Best Buy
- Nordstrom
- Uber Eats
- Whole Foods
- Hotels.com
How to redeem Drop points
Tap ‘Redeem’ at the bottom right of the home screen.
Scroll through the list of gift cards and tap the one you want.
Read the terms and then click ‘Redeem Reward”. Drop will send your e-giftcard to your email address.
Conclusion
Sure, you aren’t going to be booking first class tickets with gift cards earned from Drop, but it’s easy money with almost no time commitment. You have nothing to lose by signing up for Drop!