Walmart Is Changing the Savings Catcher Program - AGAIN!

[Deleted]

Beginning in February (can't remember whether it's the first day or the last day), you can no longer load the $$$ onto your BlueBird Amex prepaid card.  

I have a BB Amex prepaid only for the bonus they originally gave.  I never cashed in any of the Savings Catcher $$$, just transferred it.  The program says you will still be able to accumulate the savings, but they will automatically put it into your e-card account.

Anyway, I cashed in my balance for a Walmart gift card with a value of $80.  It's been two or three years (or more), but that's still not bad for buying whatever I was going to buy, anyway.

I had designated using the $$$ toward an Ipad when I retired and have to give the school back theirs.  So I'll just put the gift card away until then.

Anyone else still doing Savings Catcher?  Have a big success story?

[ZaireinHD]

Sorry! I have never heard of this program in NJ. but then again. I might shop at a Wal-Mart only once in a year timeframe? Wal-Mart is everywhere locally. But all of the Wal-Marts I have been to are usually crowded, with multiple registers open. but still crowded. and the pictures of Wal-Mart shoppers!! shoppers also keep me from shopping there! I hope I do not have the experience of actually seeing someone in person like I do in these pictures!  

LOL

        

[Blonde Granny]

I received an email about the changes.....I haven’t fooled with it fir a few years and have no plans to restart now.  I’ll just continue getting my so call d reward money by using my Walmart credit card.

Gréât job on your saving SS.

[TheOtherMe]

I only go to Walmart when I have to and that is only for my dad's prescriptions.

I have a different kind of Amex card and it is changing also.

[Chocolate Lover]

I still do it, but have no idea where that $8 I had went before whatever cash out they had in Oct/Nov. I emailed but no response there either.

My lifetime amount is about $147 but I've cashed out in chunks of 20 or so over time. 

[alabamagal]

My total amount earned is $194.  I started out earning a lot, but I am earning less now due to 1) less mouths to feed, 2) moved and now live super close to Aldi, 3) diet change where we buy a lot less processed foods (most of advertised items are grocery, not fresh food).  But I still love having it, takes 10 seconds to scan (my smartphone is super slow).  

A lot of my recent awards are for buying sodas when we host monthly groups for a hobby we are involved in.  Walmart rarely has sale price on sodas, but it just so much easier to get it there and using the savings catcher than trying to read through ads and figure out where to go.  Sometimes they even match prices at stores that I don't evn know where they are at.

I got the Bluebird card to make redemption easier.  Once I spend all my money (on my next trip) I am just closing it and switching to Walmart Pay, which looks even easier.

[Deleted]

They have changed it AGAIN according to a couple of days ago.  Qualifying purchases must be made using Walmart Pay (or whatever), which is an app that saves your CCs, etc.  You can no longer enter receipts using other methods of payments or access your $$$ at the checkout.

Except you can use accumulated $$$ on Walmart.com.  That's what I did, purchasing dog food that we always need.  

I liked the program although we accumulated savings at less than 50 cents at a time.  I think I ended up with $93 total.

But I am not buying a smart phone for that.  That would be dumb.

[justme]

I don't shop there often enough so I've actually never gotten any money from the savings catcher. At least it saves me a step now, the app native to my phone gives me points for paying through it so I have no incentive to use walmart's.

[wvugurl26]

I'm annoyed by this change. I have like $9 in there right now. I have a smart phone but I don't like having to load the card to use it. I use different cards depending on who has the best rewards, sometimes DH pays, sonetimes I use one of my debit cards. Definitely not loading my debit cards to their app.

All rewards type programs seem to inevitably change for the worse. It's certainly not simpler for me.

[alabamagal]

I use Walmart pay already and it is pretty easy, just have it charged to one of my cc and still get the cc rewards. Since I always have my phone out it is quicker than getting credit card and processing time is quicker. Receipt goes straight to phone, then one button and it is sent to savings catcher. Any savings go to the virtual Walmart gift card, then next time it uses the gift card balance first then charges the rest to my credit card.

I just don’t get much savings though because most of the foods that are on others ad pages that they compared are packaged foods and I don’t buy much. Most of rewards come from soda purchases

[Blonde Granny]

Walmart has opened a "test store" in Texas that has no cashiers. Everything will be done by apps on our phones etc. as items are put into the carts. I've thought all along the ultimate goal of WMT is to remove all cashiers and save bundles of money by having the customers do everything ourselves. COUNT ME OUT!

I don't want apps on my phone and I want to control my grocery buying. I already had a pharmacy manager chew me out for not having the pharmacy app, he even offered to d/l it for me. There really was a part of NO that he didn't understand.

[wvugurl26]

My dad's GF works there and they are hiring zero seasonal help at her store. The one closest to me added more self check outs. Better than waiting in line for someone to do something I can do myself and bag my stuff the way I want it.

[Blonde Granny]

Nov 2, 2018 8:01:18 GMT -5 wvugurl26 said:

My dad's GF works there and they are hiring zero seasonal help at her store. The one closest to me added more self check outs. Better than waiting in line for someone to do something I can do myself and bag my stuff the way I want it.

As soon as WMT gives me a 10% discount on everything I buy, I just might consider using the Scan & Go....until then I'll try to keep a cashier employed.

btw: I live about 10 miles from the home office of Walmart and Sams Club, and WMT still ticks me off even though between both those stores over 15K people are employed locally at the home offices.

[andi9899]

I did the savings catcher for a hot second. The app was glitchy and it was too much for me to deal with, so I didn't bother anymore. It's not worth the $0.50 of whatever I was to get back.

[Mrs. Dinero]

Lifetime savings $308. Rarely go to Walmart anymore. Fell in love with Aldis.

[wvugurl26]

9 times out of 10 when I go to Aldi's they don't have the advertised stuff. Or the produce is very meh. Last time there was no shredded cheddar. I don't have time to go all over because they don't stock enough.

[Blonde Granny]

My nearest Aldi is in a not so good part of town. DH and I went there once and said never again.

[alabamagal]

I love Aldo’s, have one 2 blocks from my house. I usually go there first. Their produce is hit or miss, and they don’t have everything I need, so I usually hit up Walmart afterwards (3 more blocks away).

Also right now I have a credit card that is giving 10% rebate on grocery stores, but doesn’t count Walmart, so definitely getting what I can at Aldo.

[Iggy aka IG]

I also received the email about the change and uploaded the ap to my phone last month.  At first I was apprehensive, but now have used it with 3 or so receipts.  So fancy and convenient!  I used the $12.28 we had a few weeks ago to restock ibuprofen.  We don't have an Aldi, and WM is between here an home now, so it's very convenient.

Total lifetime savings is up near $34 or so.

[wvugurl26]

I just got an email that the program is being completely discontinued in May. They claim to have lowered their prices and that customers weren't getting anything back. It seems like all good programs get cut in the end.

[busymom]

Mar 15, 2019 16:43:00 GMT -5 wvugurl26 said:

I just got an email that the program is being completely discontinued in May. They claim to have lowered their prices and that customers weren't getting anything back. It seems like all good programs get cut in the end.

   Well, either they figured out too late that a large number of their customers don't have smartphones, or, it's "corporate speak" for "we don't want to continue this program because it's too much work for us".  Fortunately, I have options of other places to shop, if they start increasing their prices.

[wvugurl26]

I didn't do that many submissions because I needed a physical receipt for Ibotta. You can trick it into giving one with Walmart Pay but then I have to remember. I get way more back on Ibotta rebates than savings catcher.

[Deleted]

All grocery store prices are going up.  I notice because we tend to buy the same stuff week after week.

Example; DH likes the small cans of Bush's original baked beans.  They were $1.  They are now $1.14.  A 14% increase is rather hefy.

I am not surprised that WM got rid of the program.  Giving away $$$ isn't their style.

[gracendignity]

Mar 15, 2019 16:52:07 GMT -5 wvugurl26 said:

I didn't do that many submissions because I needed a physical receipt for Ibotta. You can trick it into giving one with Walmart Pay but then I have to remember. I get way more back on Ibotta rebates than savings catcher.

Ibotta works better for me, too. When WM went to the WM Pay I stopped submitting receipts and really haven't missed it. 

[taz157]

Mar 15, 2019 16:52:07 GMT -5 wvugurl26 said:

I didn't do that many submissions because I needed a physical receipt for Ibotta. You can trick it into giving one with Walmart Pay but then I have to remember. I get way more back on Ibotta rebates than savings catcher.

Please explain Ibotta. I do use Savings Catcher and was still receiving funds each week. Some weeks were much better than other weeks admittedly. I’m not surprised they are getting rid of it though.

[wvugurl26]

Ibotta is an app. Different stores give you rebates for buying things. Sometimes there's nothing for me and sometimes I use several rebates. You can deposit cash or get gift cards once you reach a certain level of earnings. I always do gift cards.

If you mostly buy generics you may not find many rebates. I seem to go in cycles. I'll have $10 or more in a month followed by a month of nothing.

The Krazy Coupon Lady has an Ibotta section listing the hot Ibotta deals.