One of the easiest ways to save money is to stop spending it. We all know that.
But that doesn’t stop us from needing to replace things when they break or buy gifts for the special people in our lives.
One of my favourite money-saving tips is to stop using your own money to pay for these expenses.
Use gift cards instead! Free gift cards, preferably.
This post will show you where to earn free gift cards NZ-wide and some nifty tricks for getting the most bang for your gift card buck.
10 Ways to Earn Free Gift Cards in New Zealand
Note: nothing is ever really free. No one is going to come up to you on the street and say ‘Hey you awesome person, here’s a gift card’.
That never happens (unfortunately).
But it can be quite a lucrative endeavour if you’re prepared to spare a little of your time to earn gift cards.
1. Answer surveys with Valued Opinions
We are lucky to have some awesome survey options in New Zealand, and Valued Opinions is my favourite for earning gift cards.
I can easily earn $20 a month in gift cards, which adds up to a decent-sized slush fund for Christmas – and I could earn more if I put in more effort.
I like that the surveys offered are given a dollar value, so you know you’ll earn $2, $4 or sometimes even $5 per survey.
There’s no confusing points system. They also don’t charge you to cash out.
They send physical gift cards, so order them as soon as you qualify to allow time to arrive.
Valued Opinions currently offer the following gift cards:
Farmers $20
Rebel Sport $10
Mighty Ape $20
Xbox Digital Gift Card $25
J-B Hifi $20
Subway $10
Xbox live 3-month subscription $30
iTunes $20
Super Cheap Auto $20
Hoyts cine-voucher $12 (1 Adult ticket)
Unicef donation $10
Click here to join Valued Opinions>>
2. Sign up for focus groups
Focus groups or market research panels are also a great way to earn gift cards.
Usually, you are required to attend a session with other participants where you will share opinions and ideas on new products or advertising, policies etc.
Sometimes researchers will attend your home to interview you.
Payment could be in cash or gift cards.
Click here to find out how to register for research panels>>
3. Test products with Ipsos i-Say
I am so excited that Ipsos i-Say has just launched in New Zealand.
Not only do they offer online paid surveys, they occasionally require users to test products for them.
For your feedback, you’ll be rewarded with gift cards.
Click here to join i-Say New Zealand>>
4. Share your browsing history with Nielsen
Nielsen Digital Voice rewards people for sharing their browsing history in the form of gift cards or items selected from a catalogue.
You will need to download a piece of software which will sit on your computer and monitor your browsing history.
It will not slow down your computer.
Click here to learn more about Nielsen Digital Voice>>
5. Join Airbnb
If you are new to Airbnb, using the link below will get you a $50 credit towards your first trip.
Whilst this is technically not a gift card, it is an online discount, and Airbnb is a great way to travel on a budget, so I highly recommend signing up.
6. Join the Flybuys Survey Panel (Colmar Brunton)
You can boost your Flybuys points by completing surveys with Colmar Brunton.
This is a great way to earn free gift cards through the Flybuys program.
According to the Flybuys website, “… for every 10 – 15-minute online survey you complete, you’ll get a minimum of 10 free Fly Buys points”. Not bad at all!
Flybuys members can learn more here>>
7. Do battles with Toluna
Toluna is one of my favourite New Zealand survey sites because they offer a lot more than just surveys.
You can sign up for quizzes, do battles with your friends and of course, complete surveys.
Whilst Toluna offers an option to receive cash rewards with PayPal, they also have a huge range of gift cards for redemption.
8. Enter competitions
Would you believe there are people who win thousands of dollars in gift cards and other prizes each year?
They are called compers, basically, people who boost their income by entering competitions at an almost professional level.
I was lucky enough to receive an email from a lovely comper called Rae who shared her tips on how to win competitions with me.
9. Become a mystery shopper
Mystery shopping is a great way to get free gift cards.
Whilst you technically have to spend the gift cards in the store you have been assigned to, it’s still free!
You can find the mystery shopping companies in New Zealand here
10. Sign up for multiple survey sites
I’ve already mentioned Valued Opinions and Toluna as great options for earning gift cards, but there are loads more survey sites in New Zealand where you can build a healthy stash of gift cards.
Check out this post for more information on the best survey sites in New Zealand.
I hope these ideas will help you save some cash.
Do you have a favourite way of earning gift cards to save cash?
Read next: 20 Money Saving Tips Every Kiwi Needs to Know
