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It looks like each enterprise presents an incentive program of some sort. Whether they’re brick-and-mortar, on-line, company, or mom-and-pop retailers, most firms attempt to lure clients again to their companies with rewards applications. It’s an interesting premise: The extra money clients spend, the extra they’ll save.
It’s no shock that Microsoft, the multi-billion-dollar know-how firm, presents an identical incentive system.
The Short Version
- Microsoft Rewards is a web-based digital factors system that accumulates factors anytime a Microsoft Rewards member makes use of a Microsoft product, service, or platform.
- There are quite a few methods to earn Microsoft Rewards, together with looking on Bing, taking part in video games on an Xbox machine, and making purchases within the Microsoft retailer.
- There are 3 ways to redeem Microsoft Rewards: exchanging factors for Microsoft merchandise and varied third-party present playing cards, coming into sweepstakes to win prizes, or donating factors to charities.
- While the Microsoft Rewards program seems in depth in idea, it solely advantages a restricted group of individuals, particularly avid Microsoft shoppers.
You’d most likely be hard-pressed to search out somebody in your circle who doesn’t use at the very least one Microsoft product, whether or not it’s an Xbox for gaming, Office 365 for fundamental work software program, or Windows PCs. Since you’re seemingly utilizing a Microsoft product your self, why not attempt to earn free stuff whereas doing so? You can—with a web-based rewards program known as Microsoft Rewards.
What Is Microsoft Rewards?
Microsoft Rewards is a digital factors system that accumulates anytime a Microsoft client makes use of a Microsoft product, service, or platform. The extra a Microsoft person engages with Microsoft instruments, the extra rewards they’ll earn.
Setting up a Microsoft account to start incomes rewards is straightforward. Sign into www.microsoft.com/rewards. At the highest of the web page, click on “Sign up totally free.”
Users can check in to their Microsoft account, and the web page will take them to their Rewards residence web page, the place they’ll begin incomes. There are not any start-up charges or contracts to hitch Microsoft Rewards, and customers can begin incomes factors instantly after signing up.
If you have been a earlier Bing Rewards Member, this technique most likely sounds acquainted. They’ve made the transition from Bing Rewards to Microsoft Rewards fully seamless: Your Bing Rewards Membership routinely transferred right into a Microsoft Rewards account, and your factors transferred as nicely.
There are two ranges in Microsoft Rewards, labeled “Level 1” and “Level 2”. The solely distinction between Level 1 and Level 2 is the variety of factors an individual has earned. Once you attain 500 factors each month, you turn out to be a Level 2 earner, which lets you earn extra factors with every exercise. Level 2 earners are additionally aware about unique presents different Level 1 earners aren’t.
One vital factor to recollect earlier than making an attempt to earn any factors: Make certain you check in to your Microsoft account. If you’re not, any point-accumulating exercise gained’t observe, so that you just gained’t earn credit score for these factors earned.
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How Do I Earn Microsoft Rewards Points?
If all roads result in Rome, then all digital roads result in Microsoft Rewards factors. There are some ways to rapidly accumulate your factors steadiness, relying on how you utilize Microsoft’s merchandise and platform.
Extend to Earn
The best approach to begin incomes your Microsoft Rewards is to put in the Microsoft Rewards browser extension right here. This extension is your hub for monitoring and accumulating your Microsoft Rewards. The Rewards Extension reveals your present level steadiness and standing, tracks your factors earned every day and permits you to entry your rewards anytime. It additionally serves as a launch level for different methods to earn rewards.
Search to earn
Simply signing onto your Microsoft account with any browser and utilizing Bing as your search engine earns you 5 factors per search. You’re restricted to 150 factors earned by way of Bing every day on a PC and 100 factors per day on a cell machine. Earning as much as 250 factors per day whereas looking up the phrases you usually would in any case can allow you to attain the Level 2 threshold in a matter of days. You also can use your Microsoft Edge to earn an extra 600 factors monthly whenever you search with Bing.
Installing the Microsoft Rewards browser extension makes Bing your default search engine, so that you don’t have to fret about unintentionally utilizing one other search engine and sacrificing potential factors.
Shop to earn
Most of the purchases you make within the Microsoft retailer enhance your level steadiness, incomes you one level for each greenback spent within the Microsoft retailer. Some Xbox content material can earn you 20 factors for each greenback spent. In addition, Microsoft has particular month-to-month presents of their retailer to assist customers acquire extra factors.
Play to Earn
Microsoft additionally helps you earn factors for having enjoyable. After logging in to your rewards dashboard, scroll about halfway down the web page, and also you’ll see loads of actions you may full to earn factors. Taking a quiz, collaborating in a ballot, and taking part in digital video games are some methods you may play to earn.
Xbox to Earn
Download the free Rewards app in your Xbox machine and check in to your Microsoft account. There, you may earn factors in your Xbox machine by finishing weekly challenges to create exercise streaks, taking part in video games on the Xbox Game Pass library, and shopping for the newest video games.
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How Do I Redeem Microsoft Rewards Points?
Now comes the enjoyable half — cashing in your factors for rewards.
When logging in to your account on the Microsoft Rewards homepage, you’ll see your stage, quantity of factors earned that month, out there factors donated, out there factors to make use of, and the factors you will have collected alongside the highest of your display. Clicking on the factors breakdown allows you to see a extra detailed evaluation of what actions you will have accomplished to build up your factors.
You can redeem your Microsoft Rewards in 3 ways: buying, profitable, or donating. Click on “Redeem” beneath the banner to get began.
Shop
Use factors to redeem present playing cards from Microsoft and varied third events, together with Amazon, Target, and the NFL store. You have to accumulate lots of factors to do that, nevertheless. For instance, one $25 Hulu E-Gift card prices 28,000 factors, and one $10 Amazon present card is 13,000 factors. You also can buy credit for Roblox, Microsoft’s digital actuality platform.
Win
Use factors to hitch sweepstakes to win gadgets like Surfaces, Xboxes, and better worth present playing cards from varied retailers. The factors accumulation threshold is far decrease to enter sweepstakes than to redeem present playing cards. That stated, it could nonetheless value tons of of factors even to enter a sweepstake. When solely 5 or so people win these sweepstakes, the return on that reward funding is meager.
Donate
Choose from over 1,000,000 nonprofits—together with classes like animal rescues, the humanities, atmosphere, healthcare, psychological well being, faith, and science and know-how—to donate a few of your factors.
Download the Give with Bing browser extension to extend your donations with each search you make on Bing.
How Much Are Microsoft Rewards Actually Worth?
As you may most likely inform, there isn’t a direct point-to-cash equal for Microsoft Rewards. In truth, Microsoft admits that factors don’t have a money worth. That stated, it usually takes about 1000 factors to redeem one thing value $1.
Do Microsoft Points Expire?
Yes, make sure that to trace how lengthy you’ve been storing your factors as a result of unredeemed factors expire after 18 months.
What Are the Best Alternatives to Microsoft Rewards?
Microsoft isn’t the one on-line platform that enables customers to build up factors whereas buying and searching on-line. Tons of on-line platforms provide an identical idea—listed here are a few of our favorites.
Rakuten
Rakuten has partnered with over 3,500 shops that pay for Rakuten to ship on-line clients to their web sites. The buying website shares the funds from associate retailers with their shoppers as cashback rewards.
To begin incomes cashback on purchases, go to Rakuten.com and create a free account. You can entry Rakuten by downloading the app to your cell machine, putting in the browser extension in your PC, or buying on their web site. On any of these choices, seek for the shop you wish to store on the prime of Rakuten’s homepage. Clicking on the retailer will take you on to their web site, the place you may earn wherever from 1% to 10% cashback whereas buying.
Every three months, you’ll obtain a paper verify or deposit in your PayPal account together with your cashback rewards, whichever you favor. Be certain so as to add your private home tackle or PayPal data to your Rakuten account to get your money.
Fetch Rewards
Fetch Rewards is one other cashback rewards program that helps you earn rewards for buying. You merely take your paper or e-receipts and add them into your Fetch Rewards app. You also can earn factors by buying gadgets from collaborating manufacturers straight on the Fetch app or by finishing particular presents via Fetch. In addition, referring your folks to the Fetch app can assist you earn factors.
Redeem your factors for rewards within the type of present playing cards at retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Panera Bread. A minimal of 3000 factors is required to redeem most rewards, however no concern—this can be a comparatively straightforward quantity to build up. For instance, one referral of a good friend to Fetch’s app will get you 2000 factors.
Bottom Line: Is Microsoft Rewards Worth It?
By now, you is perhaps questioning simply whether or not Microsoft Rewards really advantages its clients. It might — however provided that you’re already an enormous Microsoft client. The alternatives to build up factors on Microsoft’s platform are limitless, and having the ability to alternate them for extra Microsoft merchandise could be nice for somebody deep within the Microsoft ecosystem.
However, for many different individuals, Microsoft Rewards is basically a racket. There are many extra environment friendly sources to get money again, particularly Rakuten, which pays you in precise money for purchases you’d make anyway. That stated, returns utilizing any of those on-line rewards applications are fairly restricted, with the biggest we’ve seen at about 10%.
If you’re trying to on-line rewards applications for passive earnings, chances are you’ll wish to rethink your technique. Alternative investments like dividend shares or actual property ought to pay far more in the long term.
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