Savvy internet surfers like us ignore those obnoxious “Claim Now” pop-up ads that promise free gift cards. We’re better than that. But there’s a new shopping app that I have been getting a slew of questions about whether it’s a good way to make some extra cash. So, I decided to check it out for you.
See you on the Flip side
It’s called Flip. Make an account and you can purchase products. Once you get whatever you bought, you can earn money for making a review in a TikTok-style video. Flip pays you when people buy products based on your reviews or if you refer someone to the app. You can use the credits to buy more stuff on Flip or transfer the cash to a bank account.
21-year-old Alexis Talient told Wired she got $74 worth of high-end beauty items for $4. Another user got $700 in gift cards from referring friends. The money Talient made on Flip has funded wireless headphones, skincare products and a new plant. Yeah, there’s a little of everything.
Know the downsides
The app has a 4.8 rating in the Apple App Store and a 4.5 rating in Google Play. That’s decent. But I saw quite a few complaints about orders never arriving and lousy customer service on TrustPilot.
My biggest problem is that when you install Flip, they make it difficult to skip sharing all your contacts with the app. A teeny, tiny, barely visible white skip button is in the top right corner.
And when using the app, they keep bugging you to share your contacts — share your contacts — share your contacts. I saw that message three times in the first 4 minutes of using the app. I get it. Share your contacts to get free credits. I could have gotten up to $500. No thanks. I wouldn’t do that to my friends.
The app also makes it too easy to get sucked into scrolling and buying a bunch of crap you don’t need. I don’t need this app in my life. So I vote that you don’t need it either.
Shake your money-maker
There are better ways to make money without sharing your contacts and buying things.
- Become a mystery shopper: Market researchers pay top dollar to get honest consumer feedback through mystery shopping. You could make $100 or more per gig, depending on the assignment. Links here if you want to try it.
- Test websites and apps: Get paid to review a website’s usability or find glitches inside an app. Payouts per task vary, but most are between $3 and $60. Pro tip: Sign up for multiple platforms. UserTesting, TesterWork and Userfeel are good places to start.
- Better than a garage sale: It pays to sell stuff on Facebook Marketplace and eBay. Many people make a full-time living (or side hustle) photographing items, writing descriptions and arranging sales. Pro tip: Save time and let AI help. I have a (free!) guide to get started.
- Flip domain names: If you have a knack for spotting trends and like researching, try domain flipping. The idea is to find a web address that’s inexpensive to buy and potentially lucrative to sell, kind of like real estate. The very lucky flipper who had Cars[.]com sold it for a cool $872 million!
- Move it, move it: Put your truck or SUV to work moving oversized items for people with cars too small for that couch or lawnmower they just bought. TaskRabbit or GoShare are good options. GoShare says drivers make a whopping $45 to $168 an hour. Dang.