Wes recently bought a Fitbit and quickly became hooked. He even started challenging his dad to daily and weekly step goals. When we visited his parents in Mississippi, the competitions reached the point where everyone was walking in circles or going for runs in 100-degree heat just to win.
One day, while logging into my Walgreens account to refill a prescription, I discovered that you can earn rewards by using a Fitbit. That made me very happy—he could be collecting points simply by wearing the device, and I’m not one to turn down free points. Points are effectively cash once you redeem them for purchases you were going to make anyway.
These programs let you earn points regardless of where you purchased your Fitbit. You won’t get rich from them, but if you sign up for one or more of the services below, you can accumulate a helpful amount of rewards each month just by doing what you normally do.
EDIT: Here’s another option I recently heard about. Achievemint pays you for using services like Twitter, Foursquare, MyFitnessPal, and more—$10 for every 10,000 points you earn.
Below are four practical ways to save or earn money by using a Fitbit.
Related: 30 Best Money Making Apps
Walgreens Balance Rewards
Walgreens’ Balance Rewards for healthy choices program allows you to earn points simply by syncing your Fitbit. Those points can be redeemed at Walgreens like cash, so this is a straightforward way to save money by being active.
I’ve redeemed Balance Rewards points for multiple purchases—this program is one of my favorites. Typical rewards include:
- 250 points for each new healthy goal you set
- 20 points for every mile you walk, run, or cycle
- 20 points per day for testing your blood pressure
- 250 points for each healthy goal you reach
You receive $5 for every 5,000 points earned, and you can redeem up to $50 at a time.
To join, sign in to your Walgreens account, navigate to “Pharmacy & Health Information,” click “Balance Rewards for healthy choices,” then “Health Apps & Devices,” find your activity tracker, and follow the instructions to connect it and start earning points.
Dick’s Sporting Goods
By linking your Fitbit to the Dick’s Sporting Goods app, you can earn 3 points per day when you reach a minimum of 10,000 steps. Dick’s redeems points at a rate that gives you $10 for every 300 points, with a maximum redemption of $20 at once.
Pact
Pact is an app that rewards users for meeting health goals by putting cash stakes on their commitments. There are different pacts—gym, food log, and veggie pacts—and you can sync your Fitbit for the gym pact.
If you meet your commitment, you receive a cash reward for each day you succeed, funded by members who did not meet their commitments. Rewards vary, with payouts typically in the range of modest amounts per week.
Wellness Programs through Health Insurance
Some health insurance providers offer points, discounts, or other incentives if you stay active and sync your Fitbit. Contact your insurance company to ask whether they have a wellness program that supports activity trackers—it costs nothing to ask, and you might be surprised at what’s available.
If you’re considering a Fitbit, you can find several models from major retailers. Wes and I use the Fitbit Charge HR and have been happy with it, though many Fitbit models work well and offer similar tracking benefits.
Do you have a Fitbit? Did you know you might be able to earn money or points just by using it as you normally would?