Update July 2024: Upside closed my account effective immediately and without prior warning because I used “unauthorized” promo codes. Just FYI, I would cash out now and whenever you have enough of a balance.
Original post:
(Update: Added new codes SOFI35, SHSBPO , and SHSVBALL. SOFI35 looks to for those initially signing up for a new account and offer $0.35 off/gal, and SHSBPO/SHSVBALL was able to be applied to my existing account and should increase the cash back from eligible restaurants by 5%. I saw up to 25% off in total.)
Upside is an app that earns cash back rewards on gas and restaurants. The cash back is on top of whatever cash back or rewards your credit card already earns. For the most part, you look up a local gas station or restaurant on the Upside app, “claim” the offer, and then shop at the gas station or restaurant with a linked credit card. Upside somehow tracks your credit card number through their systems and match up the transactions (takes a few days). The cash back can then be redeemed directly back into your bank account (no fees if $10 minimum cash out).
They used to require you to take pictures of your receipts, but I didn’t have to for my gas purchases. They might still ask in some cases, I believe.
Right now, there are several live promo codes that are stackable such that you can earn $1.50+/gallon on your first few purchases. I successfully earned a total of $1.75/gallon back on my first fill-up, which works out to over $20 cash back. Here are the promo codes which are potentially stackable starting with my referral code.
- Download the Upload app first and create an account.
- After installing, click on the person icon in the top right, then “Profile”, and then “Promo code” box. Try to enter each of the codes below. You may need to go back to the “Profile” screen to re-enter the next code. If it doesn’t give you an error, the code should be been applied. There is no other confirmation, other than seeing your cash back offer values go up.
- JONATHAN633925 for extra 15 cents/gallon on first purchase. Should be auto-filled if you used the link above.
- UBERPC20
- UBER35
- SHOPPERS35
- USHIP35
- YOUTUBE10
- GOPUFF35
- GOPUFF15
- AMEX35
- PERKSATWORK230
- CASHCABK25
- SOFI35
- SHSBPO
Sources: These were collected across Doctor of Credit and GetUpside Reddit. Many of them might not work, but honestly I just tried them all to see whatever would stick. Also, I think most of them only work for the first 3 fill-ups or so.
After entering them all one-by-one, you can go back and look on your local map to see what gas stations are available nearby. Remember to first link up the credit card you use for gas (person icon > “Wallet”), and then claim the offer before you fill up and pay using that specific credit card. It’s a rather vague process, but the cash back magically showed up after 2-3 days. Hopefully, I can rack up at least $50 in cash back on gas with these promo codes.
Beyond a lot of fast food chains, I’m also seeing 6% to 20% off at a lot of local restaurants that also participate in Neighborhood Nosh (formerly iDine), which is a similar program in that the cash back is on top of credit card rewards and through linked credit card numbered. The Upside cash back percentages I’ve seen are often higher, however, so this app might actually be a long-term keeper if it keeps working reliably.
This is jus another app to spy on you and pay you peanuts for your private data. Avoid.
Those peanuts, from Upromise, will completely cover my son’s tuition at UF for his bachelors’ degree. It took 18 years, but it’s worth nearly 50K now.
In my experience, the local gas price at the station is not always updated in the apps, so your final price will be different from what the apps will show.
Also, after the first couple of iterations, the savings they show in apps are not what you get in actuality.
Absolute scam. First attempt to claim a “$2.10 off per gallon” resulted in nothing. Had to contact them twice to finally get $3.93 (should’ve been ~$25).
That one they claimed was “problematic” because I also used my grocery rewards to get $20/gallon off. Okay, next time I won’t do that.
Next attempt to claim another $2.10/gallon off, didn’t use my grocery rewards. Just straight normal txn with my registered credit card.
Claim amount changes from $2.10/gallon to 5 cents/gallon. FIVE F**KING CENTS. So trading in my 20-30 cents/gallon grocery rewards for 5 cents. Awesome.
Screw this shady bait+switch company.
*EDIT – where I said “grocery rewards to get $20/gallon off”, it should’ve said 20 cents/gallon
Another update:
The 2nd claim sat with “processing” status for TEN DAYS. Then went straight to “expired”. What a fcking joke
I understand your frustration and I am not here to defend Upside, but if you want this to work, I recommend treating Upside like a shopping portal. They are also notoriously finicky because they operate on thin margins and usually won’t pay out unless being paid themselves first by the end site. Here, I would try a different gas station if it doesn’t work with the first gas station. Don’t use try to stack any other discounts.
my two attempts were at two different stations. at the second, I didn’t use any other discounts.
customer service replied saying they’d be happy to fix it and gave me… 76 cents. For 15.3 gallons.