Google Pay
We wrote back in November about a new update to the Google Pay app. The app how has several new tabs: “Pay,” which includes peer-to-peer payments as well as your transaction history using tap-to-pay; “Explore,” which will be a place where Google will offer deals and discounts; and finally, “Insights,” which will allow you to connect your bank accounts to get a searchable overview of your finances.
The Google Pay Offers are now available for many users, and there are already some noteworthy additions. It gets even better if you sign up now as you can get a $21 bonus.
Google Pay Signup Bonus
Get a $21 bonus when you sign up by January 31, 2021 and make a transaction of $10 or more when using a referral link. Qualifying payments include:
- Sending money to a friend that you haven’t paid before OR
- Make contactless payment in-store (NFC-enabled Android devices only)
Here’s how you can quickly get $63 if you are in 2-player mode. You sign up through a referral link. Invite your significant other. Then you send $10 to each other, and each one gets $21 from the signup bonus. You will also get another $21 for the referral bonus.
Google Pay Offers
Google Pay Offers are a great addition to the app already. These offers are similar to Amex Offers, as you need to add them to enrolled cards, and then use that card to make purchases at eligible merchants. You don’t need to actually use Google Pay for your purchases.
Google Pay uses the Rakuten Network for its offers, so it should stack with other card-linked offers that don’t use the same network.
To find the offer, open the Google Pay app, and at the bottom of the Home page, tap on the offers icon on the left lower corner.
Here’s a list of some of the best offers that I currently see in Google Pay:
- Target: $21 cashback when you spend $50. Expires 12/31/2020. (Doesn’t work with RedCard)
- REI: 20% cashback, up to $50. Expires 1/15/2021.
- Burger King: 20% cashback, up to $10. Expires 1/15/2021.
- Crocs: 20% cashback, online only. Expires 1/9/2021.
- Gap: 10% cashback, online only. Expires 1/9/2021.
- Adidas: 10% cashback, online only. Expires 1/9/2021.
- Asics: 10% cashback, online only. Expires 1/9/2021.
- and more
Google Pay Balance
The money you earn from these bonuses and cashback earned from purchases, goes into your Google Pay Balance. You can see this balance by clicking the ‘Insights’ tab (dollar sign in lower right corner).
You can transfer money from your Google Pay balance to your linked bank account or debit card for free, or use the balance to send and make purchases on Play Movies & TV. Transfers to a debit card typically complete within minutes but may take up to 24 hours for some banks. Transfers to a bank account are usually done within 5 business days. You can keep up to $25,000 in your Google Pay balance.
Conclusion
If you have never used Google Pay, then it is definitely worth checking it out. Even if you don’t plan to use it often, you should go for the signup bonus and the Target offer now. These two offers can get you a total of $42 in cashback for making a $50 purchase at Target.
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It’s in rewards, but how do you use the rewards?
You can transfer your Google Pay balance to your bank, use it to send money, or make purchases on Play Movies & TV.
The $21 “sign up” bonus shows as a bonus tied to inviting a friend, and that friend signing up (first time) and spending $10+, then you and friend both get $21. Have not found direct way to get $21 after signing up and spending on your own – unless the intent here was to use your referral link and thus you became the referring member, and I became the referee member – was that it?
I don’t think it’s ill intent, but I do think that’s the intent here.
I made that more clear in the post – thanks DjG
Appreciated; darn, by not knowing that it looks like once signed up, no going back to become a referred new user. Appreciate the whole notice, otherwise would never have known, and at least can do the Target bonus.
Yeah sorry it wasn’t more clear but agreed that the Target bonus is worth doing it for anyway.
You can get the $21 bonus after signing up through a referral. You just need to send $10 or more to a friend after you sing up, or make a $10+ transaction with Google Pay. Then you can get additional $21 bonuses for friends that you refer (after they make a $10+ transaction). For example, you refer your significant other, he/she signs up and sends you $10, and you each get $21.
Sorry I didn’t make that clear at first.
Where does the cash back actually show up? In the app or as a credit to the credit card? I spent then $50 at target and the offer has disappeared from my home screen…but not sure where the money actually ends up.
The money goes into your Google Pay balance. Click the dollars sign icon in lower right corner. You can transfer money from your Google Pay balance to your linked bank account or debit card for free, or use the balance to send money and make purchases on Play Movies & TV.