Some offers mentioned below are no longer available.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
The Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard® is no longer available to new cardmembers.
With the beginning of the school year inching closer, you might be starting back-to-school shopping in advance as school districts across the country resume in-person learning. Ibotta, the free cash-back-rewards app and browser extension can give you a head start on shopping: for a limited time, you can get up to $20 worth of school supplies for free.
Ibotta has partnered up with Five Star, Kleenex, Skippy and Nature's Own to launch the "Back to School FREE for All" program for the 2021/2022 school year. When you purchase eight items, ranging from ingredients for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to notebooks, Ibotta will provide you with a rebate for those items. You can purchase these items through an eligible online retailer, in-person or for delivery at Walmart.
Ibotta is not only providing school supplies for customers, they're also giving back to teachers. In July, they announced a partnership with AdoptAClassroom.org, a national nonprofit that provides funding for school supplies to families and schools. The $100,000 donation will go to teachers who will be given $200 to spend on classroom supplies.
This isn't Ibotta's first cash-back promotional offer either. In November, they gave customers up to $20 cash back on ingredients for a Thanksgiving dinner such as cranberry sauce and stuffing.
What items qualify for cash back?
In order to earn the back-to-school cash-back offer you'll need to buy your items in-store or delivery at Walmart (not walmart.com) and online retailers like Target Online, Instacart, Shipt and HEB Online.
- Five Star three-subject notebook, $4.30 cash back
- Del Monte Fruit Cups, $2.50 cash back
- 12-pack Ticonderoga pencils, $2.39 cash back
- 110-count box Kleenex, $1.89 cash back
- Loaf of Nature's Own Bread, $2.84 cash back
- Jar Skippy Peanut Butter, $2.53 cash back
- Three-pack Paper Mate Erasers, $1.39 cash back
- Smucker's Fruit Spread Squeeze Bottle, $2.54 cash back
Ibotta decides the value of cash back on each item based on a retailer's suggested price, so if all of your items cost more than $20.38, you might end up having to cover some of the cost.
How do you earn cash back with Ibotta?
- Download Ibotta: You can get the app, available in the Apple Store and the Google Play store, on your phone or the browser extension on your computer.
- Add items: Make sure to purchase the correct rebate items by using the app to scan the barcodes on items when shopping in-person. If you're shopping online, you'll have to manually compare your items to the offer.
- Shop and earn: If you're shopping at Walmart in-person, you can redeem your cash back by just scanning the receipt bar code using the Ibotta app. If you're shopping at an online retailer, make sure your Ibotta account is linked with your retailer before adding items to your cart and checking out.
- Redeem rewards: Once your rebates have been confirmed either through the app or the browser extension, you can redeem cash back through PayPal, direct deposit or a gift card. Gift card options include Amazon, Best Buy, Lowe's, Starbucks, Walmart, Sephora, Panera Bread and Victoria's Secret.
You can read Ibotta's blog post for more details on how to complete the promotion.
Earn more savings and cash back with a rewards credit card
If you're looking to earn cash back on other school supplies, you might consider getting a grocery rewards card or a flat rate cash-back card that will earn you money on all of your purchases. Many credit cards exclude Walmart for higher rewards or cash-back rates, but many still offer generous rates for other grocery stores.
If you want grocery rewards after the first year of card membership, you might opt for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, which offers 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 worth in eligible purchases per year (then 1%).
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is a low-fee card with generous cash-back rewards and useful ongoing benefits, such as a monthly Disney Bundle credit. (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)
- High cash-back earnings for U.S. supermarkets and streaming services
- Intro-APR offer for purchases and balance transfers
- No annual fee for the first year
- It's less rewarding after the first year because of the annual fee
- Bonus rewards for U.S. supermarkets are capped
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Apply and find out your welcome offer. As High As $300 cash back* after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply, and if approved: 1. Find out your offer amount 2. Accept the Card with your offer 3. Spend $3,000 in 6 months 4. Receive the cash back. *Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
- Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 19.74%-28.74%.
- Plan It®: Buy now, pay later with Plan It. Split purchases of $100 or more into equal monthly installments with a fixed fee so you don't have the pressure of paying all at once. Simply select the purchase in your online account or the American Express® App to see your plan options. Plus, you'll still earn rewards on purchases the way you usually do.
- Earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases (then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back at eligible U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more) purchases and 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout.
- Get up to a $10 monthly statement credit after using your enrolled Blue Cash Preferred® Card for a subscription purchase, including a bundle subscription purchase, at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com, or Stream.ESPN.com U.S. websites. Subject to auto-renewal.
- See Rates & Fees
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars
If you're doing most of your shopping at Walmart, you could go for the Capital One Walmart Rewards® Card* which gives cardholders 5% cash back on Walmart.com on pickup and delivery; 2% at Walmart stores, restaurants and travel; and 1% on all other purchases.
However, if you're looking to splurge on back-to-school items beyond groceries and food, a flat cash rewards card like the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card can also be a good choice because it'll earn you 2% cash rewards on eligible purchases — meaning you'll get 2 cents back for every dollar you spend on mechanical pencils or a new backpack.
Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard®
Rewards
Earn 5% cash back at Walmart.com, including pickup and delivery; 2% cash back on purchases in Walmart® stores, Murphy USA and Walmart® fuel stations, at restaurants and on travel purchases; 1% cash back everywhere else Mastercard® is accepted
Welcome bonus
Earn 5% back on purchases in Walmart® stores for the first 12 months when you use your card with Walmart Pay
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
None
Regular APR
18.99% or 29.99% variable
Balance transfer fee
$0 at the Transfer APR, 3% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you
Foreign transaction fee
N/A
Credit needed
Good/Excellent
Terms apply.
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is great if you want simplicity thanks to its flat-rate 2% unlimited cash rewards on purchases and $0 annual fee.
- High, unlimited flat-rate return on purchases
- Intro APR on purchases and qualifying balance transfers
- Lower introductory balance transfer fee
- Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft (subject to a $25 deductible)
- Charges a 3% foreign transaction fee
- Balance transfer fee increases to 5% of each transfer (minimum $5) after 120 days
- Limited redemption options unless you pair it with a Wells Fargo card that allows point transfers
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn a $100 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
- Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
- 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 18.74%, 24.74%, or 28.74% variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5.
- $0 annual fee.
- No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don't expire as long as your account remains open.
- Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
- Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
Balance Transfer Fee
3% intro for 120 days from account opening, then up to 5%, min: $5
Foreign Transaction Fee
3%
Read more
For rates and fees for the Blue Cash Preferred Card, click here
* Information about the Capital One Walmart Rewards® Card has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.
