Earning Cash Back While You Sleep (Or At Least While You Wait in the Dance Parking Lot)

As a dance mom, I feel like we always circle around three topics. Work, life, and dance balance. Hacks and tricks to make the crazy a little easier. And money.

Money should not be the root of everything, but in this world it is the piece that makes the lights turn on, the costumes get ordered, and the competition doors open. Every fee we pay for tuition, costumes, or competitions is tied to something bigger behind the scenes, and it all costs money.

I have written before about fundraising, and that has its place. When you set up a GoFundMe, plan a bake sale, or host a car wash, it is with intention. But if I am being real, most families do not participate in fundraising opportunities, even when they are offered. At my daughter’s studio of 300 plus dancers, maybe a third of families get involved with the foundation’s fundraisers. And within that group, only a third of that third participate more than once a year.

Yet, every single one of us is still trying to save money, find money, or earn money without taking on a second job. Which is why I love cash back hacks. They are easy, often automatic, and they reward you for doing things you are already doing.

Step Zero: How Cashback Actually Works

Cashback apps and programs are not a scam, even if they sound too good to be true at first. Stores pay these companies to send shoppers their way. Instead of keeping all of that advertising money, the company gives a small percentage back to you.

So when you see “earn 5% cashback,” it simply means the store paid the platform for your sale, and you get to keep a cut of it. It adds up fast if you do it consistently.

Swagbucks: My Everyday Go-To

Swagbucks is the platform I use the most. I use it for cashback on online shopping, travel bookings like hotels and flights, and even everyday purchases. On top of that, you can earn by taking surveys or uploading receipts.

Here is my favorite part: I stack my rewards. I can earn Swagbucks, turn them into a PayPal gift card (which is cash), or into Amazon and Starbucks cards. If I redeem them for a gift card, I can then go back and use that card on more shopping through Swagbucks, which earns me more cashback. It is like triple dipping, and it feels amazing.

Do the surveys while you are waiting in the car at dance pickup. Scan your receipts while sitting on the couch at night. It does not take much effort, and it adds up over time.

If you want to try Swagbucks, here is my referral link: Swagbucks referral link. If you sign up through this link, I get a little bonus, but you also get an incentive if you hit certain milestones right after joining.

Alternatives worth checking out if Swagbucks is not your style:

• Rakuten: One of the most popular cashback apps for online shopping.

• Ibotta: Great for groceries and scanning receipts.

• Dosh: Automatic cashback when you link your card and shop at participating stores.

• Receipt Hog: Snap photos of receipts for rewards.

• BeFrugal: Similar to Rakuten but adds coupon codes too.

FlipGive: Turning Shopping into Fundraising

FlipGive works almost exactly like Swagbucks, but the difference is your earnings go toward your dancer’s team. This means you can shop for things you already planned to buy, and your team earns a percentage back.

I like to check both Swagbucks and FlipGive before making a purchase. If Swagbucks has the better deal, I will use it for myself. If FlipGive is offering more back, I will use it so the team benefits. Either way, it is money going somewhere useful.

If you are a parent running a team or fundraiser, you should absolutely look at this one. And yes, I have a referral link here too: FlipGive referral link. Right now, if your team raises $20 in cashback, FlipGive gives an extra $50 bonus. That is easy money you should not leave on the table.

Cashback Credit Cards

Credit cards with cashback are another tool I use. Personally, I love my Capital One Venture card. I have used it for Amazon redemptions, for Capital One Travel to cover flights.

The goal is always to pay off the balance every month so you are not paying interest. Life happens, and I will admit I have not always been perfect about that, but when used responsibly, cashback cards are powerful.

The best part is stacking. Imagine using your cashback credit card to shop through Swagbucks, then using a gift card earned from that purchase to shop again through FlipGive. You are stacking rewards on rewards. It feels like a little victory every time.

There are lots of options out there depending on your credit score. Some cards are designed for great credit and give flexible rewards. Others are made for building or rebuilding credit and still give smaller cashback perks.

Turning Downtime into Money

If you have a few minutes, you can turn them into money. Swagbucks surveys are easy to do while waiting for dance class to end. Uploading receipts takes seconds. Some platforms let you watch videos, play games, or test apps for rewards.

It will not replace a paycheck, but over time it can cover the cost of tights, a costume deposit, or even competition fees. The point is that you can make money without rearranging your life.

Other Reward Systems

Cashback is not the only way to earn. Airline miles, hotel rewards, Starbucks stars, and even grocery store loyalty programs can stretch your dollars further. While I cannot speak to all of them personally, they are worth looking at because they can layer on top of cashback programs. The more you stack, the more you save.

Wrap Up

At the end of the day, we are all just trying to stretch our dollars further. Fundraising has its place, but most families want easier solutions that fit into their everyday lives. Cashback programs are one of the simplest ways to do it.

You do not need to use every app or card. Start with one or two that fit your lifestyle. Swagbucks and FlipGive are the ones that work for me. For you, it might be Ibotta or Rakuten. Pick what feels manageable, stick with it, and watch it add up.

Even if it only pays for the next pair of jazz shoes or a month of tuition, it is worth it. Little by little, these hacks keep us moving forward without adding more chaos to our already full plates.