One of the things that I just love to do in life besides spend time with my family is to save money. Finding a bargain gives me such a sense of accomplishment. By far the biggest money saver in our household is the Yelp App. You must be wondering how an App about reviews to places you visit every single day saves you money. Well you are in luck because I’m going to give away one of my biggest money saving secrets. Every year I save hundreds of dollars on service industries such as photographers, doctors, dentists, restaurants, home painters, handyman, spas, contractors, the list goes on and on. There are 6 key ways that you can save money with the Yelp App.
- Inside the Yelp App under Popular Categories there is a Deals icon. This icon shows you Deals in any location of your choosing. Such Deals as $125 for $300 photography packages or $25 for $50 at restaurants. Or the Deal that I used to find my personal trainer years and years ago a $75 for $150 deal. Check this tab frequently because new Deals are always being added. The Deals are an excellent way to try a new service without risking too much up front. In order to use the Deals function you will need to complete the purchase using the App, however I have found that if you call the vendor directly and reference Yelp they will honor the Deal without going through the App.
- Inside the Yelp App under Popular Categories there is an icon for Check In Offers. We have used this icon religiously for free appetizers, 10-15% off meals, free kids entrees, 50% off entrees, free desserts, and free fountain drinks or coffee. This icon is extremely helpful when selecting restaurants during that dreaded where do you want to eat argument that husbands and wives tend to have. It’s always nice to get free things when going out why not make it a habit. My favorite check in offers are the discount offers for sure. You can save up to 50% off your bills which is huge when feeding a family. In order to use this feature you will need to check in to the location. By checking in you give Yelp information on who is where and with what frequency people visit these establishments.
- In 2015 Yelp acquired the Eat24 App. Since that time Grubhub purchased Eat24 from Yelp. With this feature Yelp has the ability to offer delivery service from almost any restaurant even those that don’t traditionally offer delivery. This was a lifesaver when I had my babies. We were home bound, hungry and exhausted. The great part about ordering delivery through the Yelp App is you can find deals or check in offers even for delivery orders. Google Eat24 discounts to get added savings that you can use in the Yelp App.
- Cash Back. You read that right using Yelp offers you Cash Back! About a year ago Yelp added the best feature yet. Cash Back at your favorite participating restaurants. This is the way it works. You check the App for participating restaurants during your searches for breakfast, lunch, dinner etc. You will see in your search results cash back offers. When you dine at a restaurant, check in through your App and pay with the credit card you linked to your App. You will then be sent a monthly direct deposit for up to 10% of your dining out bills. This has been fantastic, the first month I received $5, the second month I received $25 back just for eating out at our favorite restaurants! In order to use this feature you need to link your credit card to the App and pay normally at participating restaurants using that card. Then when you check in Yelp gets notified that you used your linked card and sends you cash back. Super EASY!!!
- Search Yelp for specialized discount offers. Using the search function, you can search for such things as Happy Hour Deals, Free Events and Free Kids Meals. Hundreds of options will appear. Deals such as 2 for 1 entrees for Happy Hour are common at most establishments. Most Happy Hours run through 7pm and restart at 9pm so if you are an early or late eater you can find a deal. The best part is if the App itself doesn’t locate a Free Kids Meal check in offer it will find reviews that cite when Free Kid’s Meals are offered by a certain restaurant.
- Lastly this one requires much more of a commitment but has by far the greatest benefit. Yelp has a thing called Yelp Elite for their users. Based on the number of reviews, pictures, check ins, and quality of your reviews you can get nominated to become Yelp Elite. With your Elite status comes great rewards. Free events such as shows, movies, and exclusive restaurant openings. Even family friendly activities and store openings or launch parties. All of these events are completely free, you just simply sign up for the ones that interest you. When they select you, you and a guest can attend and have the time of your life. You also get to meet some amazing people along the way. With my Yelp Elite status my husband and I have dinned and danced at an exclusive artist showcase at the Getty, attended a private Yelp Elite only buffet dinner at the best Indian restaurant in all of Los Angeles – The Spice Affair, and even got to join a ton of locals for a Yelp lunch break near our jobs where we met up with fellow co-workers who were also Elites.
I hope that you take advantage of this App in new ways that you never imagined before. I myself will continue exploring new ways to save using Yelp.
Julia Burge of Organizing Motherhood, is a Los Angeles Millennial Mommy that is navigating the world of marriage, money and motherhood all while juggling color coded balls. Her mix of humor, organizing tips, money matters and mommy related topics has landed her the honor of Top 30 Millennial Mom Blogs and Websites for Millennial Moms by Feedspot.
