Reward Apps = Fast Money!

    

   I love using reward apps. Over the last year, however, I have found that many apps aren't quite as useful, efficient or rewarding as I would like. I've looked online before in reviews but most either have the success stories like "I made $10 in only 1 week using _____" or bad reviews about bugs and crashes. Instead, I picked my seven favorite reward programs, 5 apps, a search engine an email program. I recorded my points at the beginning and end of the week, going on them as much as I regularly would, translated that into rewards, and am now presenting it to y'all.

1. AppTrailers: 
• Points Earned: 342
• Value: $0.34
• Review: This app is an easy one to use while doing other things, mindlessly clicking on a new video (trailer) when the previous finished. I only went on this app walking to classes and once when doing an anthropology reading, so while it's not the most profitable, to gets you easy money for your down time.
• Redeemable: Redeem for any value in gift cards $1 (1,000 points) or more. Rewards include gift cards for Amazon, Starbucks, iTunes, Target and many, many more. It has a great assortment available.
2. Bamboo Wallet:
• Points Earned: $0.63
• Value: $0.63
• Review: This app plays videos as well, but unlike AppTrailers, it doesn't have an almost unlimited amount to view. This was a pretty good week, with new videos refreshed and added every day or two. This app goes through phases of being fairly profitable (this week), and almost dead ($0.05 for a week). None the less it has a higher payout per minute of time ($0.01 per video) so its worth it to skim every once and awhile.  
• Redeemable: While this app can be frustrating in that you often can't get a small $5 gift card, it does have some good options, including Starbucks, Google Play, Best Buy, Sephora and Papa Johns. Warn: you have to wait 24 hours between buying and redeeming your gift card, an annoying security protection on behalf of the app makers at JunoWallet.
3. Bing:
• Points Earned: 64
• Value: $0.68 as a gold member, $0.62 as a regular member
• Review: This isn't an app but it's a very easy way to earn rewards. If you get the max number of points per day, 18, it will take you less than a month to get your $5 gift card. All you have to do is log onto Bing.com with a Facebook or Microsoft account and search (or tap the recommended searches) until it stops giving you points.
• Redeemable: Bing's rewards don't have a set value translating points and $$$'s. Overall I've found the best value to be the Tango Card. It's probably the cheapest gift card for anything retail like they have. With the Tango card, you go on Tango's site, put in the card number you get, and you can use the card to get other gift cards of the same value (iTunes, Amazon, Giant, etc.)  
4. Checkpoints: 
• Points Earned: ~210
• Value: $0.63
• Review: As you probably noticed, my points are approximate. The app crashed on me (bug in the latest update, you have to re-install, not just update) as I only used it for 2 days, so my points value is approximated from that. Overall though, this app pretty easy. It uses location, finds participating stores nearby and you click 'check in' for either 2 or 10 points depending on location.
• Redeemable: The value above is calculated with a $1 Amazon gift card, but the greater value card you get, the farther 1 point will get you. This app makes it easy to redeem and even links you to the redeem page for the site, so you don't have to type in the log gift codes. Gift card options include Amazon, Subway, Groupon, Shell and Old Navy. They also have options to donate points for charities to to gamble via slots or lotto to try to get more points.
5. Instant Rewards:
• Points Earned: 15
• Value: $0.15
• Review: This app is useful but odd. The app gives you the option to complete offers (sign ups, post pics, etc), tasks (downloading apps mostly) or watching videos. All videos give 1 point. Like AppTrailers and Bamboo Wallet, this app is most effective watching videos while you do something else. My points were earned in two days but its hard to say how much it would be everyday since it doesn't have an unlimited supply of videos, though it has more than Bamboo Wallet normally does. 
• Redeemable: You have to have $10 to redeem for either a $10 Amazon or PayPal gift card. This is a nice change from some apps that either have many options or just PayPal. Given my current week, it would taken a little over 2 months to get your $10 but some weeks are more profitable than others. Not my favorite, but good for mindless profit.
6. MyPoints:
• Points Earned: 20
• Value: $0.12
• Review: This is an email rewards program. You given your email and they send you 'Bonus Mail' every day. All the mail has a way to earn points, either for signing up, points per $ spent, or for just clicking a link. The points per link are the easiest, and the ones I use since you don't have to spend any money. They normally come every other day and give 5 points each. It takes awhile but again is easy since I check my mail often anyways. 
• Redeemable: Like Instant Rewards, if you want a gift card/rewards check there is a $10 minimum. It does take awhile but it does happen. I normally get a $10 Amazon gift card every 8-9 months but again, it's easy money.
7. Walgreen's Balance Rewards:
• Points Earned: 440
• Value: $0.44
• Review: This app gives you a variety of points depending on what you do. It's a fitness based program so you put in miles walked per day, weigh-ins, goals, etc and it gives you points for them, the more active you are, the more points you get. All in all it's easy to use and if you forget to track your activity the last few days, you can go back and update up to the last 7 days.
• Redeemable: This app is through Walgreen's and as such only can be redeemed at Walgreen's. Still, there's a Walgreen's right off my campus so it's easy and usable. 

You've seen my thoughts and a ton of info. Here's my ranking for most profitable apps this week:

Bing ($0.68)
Checkpoints and Bamboo Wallet($0.63)
Walgreen's ($0.44)
AppTrailer ($0.34)
Instant Rewards ($0.15)
MyPoints ($0.12)