Jasmine Birtles
Your money-making expert. Financial journalist, TV and radio personality.
Here’s how to earn money every time you shop
Reading Time: 6 minutesThis article is sponsored by Cheddar
How to earn money every time you shop with Cheddar
Here at MoneyMagpie, we love cashback sites, but we’ll be the first to admit some of them can be difficult. In fact, there are some that have just never presented the cashback we are owed. Many have left us waiting months and months without a word, uncertain of whether we will get a payment at all. Others have barely any choice when it comes to shopping online, and it doesn’t seem worth it.
Now picture this: you pay for a nice cup of coffee with your debit or credit card and – ding! – you’ve got cashback on your purchase. You go to the supermarket and grab yourself a few groceries. Ding! More cashback. You continue your day, spending at your favourite shops. You’re collecting cashback as you spend, the pennies totting up. But how could this be?
Well, you’ve got Cheddar, of course.
- What is Cheddar?
- How does it work?
- What can you receive cashback on?
- How long does cashback take?
- Bank transfers with Cheddar
- Our thoughts
What is Cheddar?
Cheddar is a way to earn automatic cashback on your purchases. It’s so simple and takes the guesswork out of getting money back on your purchases both online and in-store. On average, users save up to £1,250 per year when shopping with the Cheddar app, and most people get over £5 per month just for shopping as they usually would. 
Getting set up is easy, too, and only takes minutes. Download the free Cheddar app and use open banking to connect the app to your bank account. As soon as this is done, you can start earning on all your purchases. Plus, when you use code MAGPIES at sign up, you will receive access to exclusive bonus deals for seven days.
Now, connecting your bank account to an app could understandably cause concern. Will they mis-use your personal information? Does the app have access to your bank login details? Simply put: no, not at all. Cheddar is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and the app securely connects directly to user accounts via encrypted channels with the bank itself, not via your personal app or using your login information. Only you can see your login information. The only reason Cheddar wants you to connect your bank account is to reward you cashback when you spend, and ensure you receive relevant offers – nothing more, nothing less.
How does it work?
As previously mentioned, Cheddar works by giving you cashback automatically when you spend on your registered card – an average of £1,250 per year. The rewards are all cash, too. No points or coins, but real money you can withdraw and spend instantly.
The great thing is, you can add as many accounts as you want – both debit and credit cards, too. In fact, Cheddar is the largest bank account-powered rewards programme, with over 20 connections to financial institutions and growing.
Cheddar allows you to receive cashback with the use of Amex and Chase Bank accounts. This is a huge bonus, as many cashback reward schemes don’t allow customers to use these cards. Plus, Cheddar only keeps your bank account connected for 90 days at a time before it asks you to reconfirm the connection, giving you full control over whether you want to keep your accounts connected to the app to earn rewards.
What can you receive cashback on?
Simply spend on the cards associated to your connected accounts at your favourite retailers – both in store and online – to start passively earning whilst you shop. There are loads of popular retailers on the app, with hundreds of brands being added throughout the remainder of this year.
Cashback incentives include fun days out, such as 4% back at Madame Tussauds, Alton Towers and The Dungeons*.
Use code MAGPIES when you sign up and you will get unlimited access to exclusive reader deals for seven days – including Sainsbury’s, Co-op, McDonalds and Starbucks. Plus, when you refer a friend to Cheddar, you get an extra 30 days access to bonus deals. So, if you refer three friends, you get 90 days of special deals that you wouldn’t get otherwise. Result!
If you have never shopped at a retailer before – even better. New customers can get a cool 8% cashback at Boohoo, 6% cashback from Foot Locker and 10% back from Monki. That’s your summer wardrobe sorted!
The great thing is, the deals and offers are bespoke to you. Cheddar uses your spending habits to curate tailored cashback opportunities. So, if you often use your card to eat out, get takeaways or buy coffee on the go, the app may show your offers based around food, drink and leisure, such as Just Eat, Starbucks and Pub In The Park festivals. If you’re on the go or travelling, the bespoke deals could include Uber or Trainline.
It’s a truly personal and unique experience, fitting your trends and lifestyle. You will receive push notifications about new retailers that may suit you, so you’ll always be up to date with what Cheddar has to offer.
How long does cashback take?
The cashback you receive will show up on the app fairly quickly, however it will be pending for between 30 to 90 days, depending on the retailer. However, what’s great is that there is no guessing – Cheddar tells you exactly how many days until the cashback enters your wallet.
You don’t have to wait around for ages to cash out, either. Many cashback sites and apps require you to earn at least £10 before you can access your earnings. Cheddar, however, allows you to cash out after earning just £5 – the lowest cash out limit on the market.
Bank transfers with Cheddar
Cheddar is not a bank, but you can make effortless bank transfers using the app. Never wait around for people to send you money again! You don’t even need to exchange bank information, such as sort codes or account numbers. You can simply send a payment link or flash your QR code to the person who owes you money, and Cheddar does the rest. The best part is, the person sending you money doesn’t even need to have the Cheddar app to use this feature.
Our thoughts
We put Magpie Izzy to the test and asked her to download the Cheddar app. Here are her thoughts:
“I have previously used cashback sites but got so fed up with them. I used one particular site a lot last Christmas, and probably only received half of the cashback I was owed. I felt really robbed as I specifically shopped at certain retailers to earn a little back.
“I’ve been using the Cheddar app for over a week now, and I can honestly say I am really impressed. My faith has been restored in cashback apps. Everything from the point of downloading the app has been really easy and streamlined. All I had to do was download the app, sign up with my email and connect my bank account – it couldn’t have taken more than five minutes to do!
“I got my first cashback notification the day I downloaded the app, from Just Eat. I was chuffed as I didn’t have to shop through the Cheddar app, or redeem a code – I literally just shopped as I usually do, and Cheddar handled everything else. 
“There is really no effort needed from my end, and I don’t even think about it now. I just get a cashback notification if I shop somewhere that is partnered with Cheddar. I’ve made almost £5 already, the cashback tots up so quickly. I also really like that my offers are now tailored to my spending patterns. I am a creature of habit, so getting deals specific to me is really cool.
“I also like that I know my bank details are totally safe, as this is something I have worried about in the past. But knowing Cheddar sees none of my login details and everything is behind a huge wall of security is super reassuring. Plus, one of my favourite banks, Chase, endorses them – in fact, it is the only brand they support payments with! So, I know Cheddar is reputable. All Cheddar wants is to reward me for shopping – and I’m happy with that!”
Use code MAGPIES when you sign up to receive 7 days of exclusive bonus offers.
*All cashback percentages correct at the time of writing.
Great idea – if you have a smart whatsit. I do not – such a shame.