Spend 30 Seconds per Day to Make $100 Next Year

It's a pat on the back for a fruitful shopping trip.

With busy schedules and family obligations, it can take a lot of work to find even an hour to dedicate to an easy side hustle. Some folks like to make a little money on the side by spending fractions of their time to make small, consistent gains.

These tiny-time hustlers might be interested in the Fetch Rewards app, a receipt scanner that awards points for tracked purchases. Users can turn 30 seconds per day into $100 in a year.

Here's how it works

Receipt scanners follow similar formulas. You download the app, create an account, and go from there. You'll snap photos of physical receipts to earn in-app points. Points can be redeemed for gift cards and other rewards.

Expect to earn 25 points per receipt. The point-to-dollar calculation is 1,000 points = $1. That means each receipt will earn, at minimum, a little more than $0.02 worth of points.

It would take 40 receipts to earn $10 in points. The app wouldn't be worth the extra work if that were all the app offered.

Thankfully, getting bonus points is easy. Certain popular brands will award hundreds of points per purchase. And you can earn bonus points by referring friends or family who sign up.

Is it easy to use?

Yep. It takes less than 30 seconds to scan a receipt. It's even faster if you allow the app to scan your Amazon receipts. If you link your email, the Fetch app will automatically check your Amazon receipts and credit you points for each purchase.

Walmart shoppers familiar with the Walmart Scan and Go app will find the user interface familiar, as will Amazon shoppers who use the in-app scanner.

How does Fetch make money?

Skeptics are welcome to be cautious. Fetch Rewards makes money by encouraging shoppers to buy certain brands. They do this by offering "bonus points" on receipts that contain specific products, like Crunch Nacho Cheese Doritos or Thomas' Bagels.

It's worth noting that Fetch Rewards collect a lot of data from your app usage, according to its App Store disclosures. If you're uncomfortable with that, then the app may not be for you.

Do I use the app?

Nope. I've tried it, and earned about 6,000 points in a month, but I'm not consistent enough for it to be worth it. Plus, I have particular eating habits that don't lend themselves to swapping brands for extra points. Finally, I don't do most of the grocery shopping in my household.

However, my housemate uses it. She's earned about $100 this year by scanning receipts. She likes the routine, and she is a natural tiny-time hustler.

Is the app worth it?

It depends. You're better suited to the app if you shop frequently and are a flexible shopper. Consistency matters, too. If you're the type to frequently forget to use nifty apps, then you'll probably forget to use this one, too.

There are other ways to save. The best budgeting apps keep track of how much you save and spend. And alternative shopping options like Imperfect Foods can save you money on food. Between Instacart and Imperfect Foods, my household saves a lot of time shopping.

Feel free to give the app a try. It's free to download and use. You'll get a bonus for signing up with a referral code, so ask if any of your friends have one. Within a week, you'll know whether the app is right for you.