How to Send Money to Yourself and Qualify for Free Money Offers 💵
Sign-up offers are a great way to get free money from banks, apps, and platforms. However, many of these deals require a certain amount of spending to qualify. For those of us who want free money but don’t want to actually lose cash in the process, here’s a clever solution: spend money in ways that let you keep it. Below are tried-and-tested methods to qualify for these offers while holding onto your funds.
1. Top Up Your Amazon Balance
Amazon allows you to add funds to your account as credit, which can be used later for any purchase. By topping up your Amazon account, you’re technically “spending” money, but it remains available for future use.
How to do it: Go to Amazon’s “Reload Your Balance” section and add any amount (e.g., £1 or more).
Pro Tip: Use this trick not only to meet spending requirements but also to budget for future purchases.
2. Send Money to Yourself Using Monzo Payment Links
If you have a Monzo account, you can issue a payment link to yourself and pay it from a different bank account. This method works as a transfer disguised as a purchase.
How to do it:
Open your Monzo app and create a payment link.
Use a second bank account to pay the link.
The funds appear in your Monzo account, ready to use.
3. Top Up Small Balances on Energy Accounts
Some energy providers, like Octopus Energy, allow you to add funds to your account balance. This is useful if you’re already a customer and want to “spend” money without actually losing it.
How to do it: Log in to your energy provider’s app or website, go to the top-up section, and add a small amount, like £1 or £5.
Pro Tip: This approach can also help smooth out future bills by prepaying small amounts over time.
4. Make a Token Payment Toward Your Credit Card
Another easy way to meet spending requirements is by paying off a small portion of your credit card balance. While it’s technically a payment, it counts as spending for many offers.
How to do it: Log in to your credit card account and make a payment as low as £1.
Pro Tip: This trick works best if your credit card is linked to a rewards or cashback system, allowing you to double-dip on perks.
5. Buy a Gift Card for Later Use
Purchasing gift cards for stores you frequently shop at is a fantastic way to make a payment while saving the funds for future use.
How to do it: Choose a retailer you use often (like Tesco, Starbucks, or ASOS) and buy a small gift card.
Pro Tip: Many stores offer bonuses for gift card purchases, giving you extra value.
6. Invest Small Sums in Savings Apps
Some savings or investing apps allow you to deposit small amounts to meet their spending criteria. While the money is technically spent, it remains accessible as an investment or savings.
How to do it: Apps like Plum or Moneybox let you deposit as little as £1 into savings or investment accounts.
Pro Tip: This is a good way to build a small financial cushion while qualifying for rewards.
Examples of Sign-Up Offers You Can Maximise:
Here are a few platforms currently offering rewards for minimal spending:
Zing Sign-Up Offer: Sign up and make a payment of £5+ to earn £30.
Monzo Sign-Up Offer: Sign up and make a payment of any amount to earn £20.
Zilch Sign-Up Offer: Sign up and make a payment of any amount to earn £5.
Tide Business Account Offer: Sign up and spend £100+ in a month to earn £75.
Find more free money offers here!
