Information: Get cash back on online purchases with Ebates.

I've talked about Ebates before - the site that gives you cash back on your online purchases - but since I just scored a cool $20 cash back this very day, I took it as a sign that I should write about it again. (Full disclosure: I'm giving you my referral link in this post, which gives me a wee bonus if you sign up.) There are many rewards sites that give you points toward gift cards or whatever, but relatively few that pay in COLD HARD CASH, like Ebates does. Plus, new members get to choose between a bonus $10 gift card or $5 in cash!

Once you create an account on this site, you use it as a portal to get to the hundreds of online stores that are Ebates affiliates, and get automatic cash rebates when you shop. Each day, featured stores offer double rebates, so it's worth checking if you intend to make a big purchase. Here's what you do:

1. Go to Ebates.com and search for the store you want to shop at (e.g., Kohls); if they're an affiliate, you'll see the cash-back rate (4%) and any related promo codes

2. Click the orange "Shop Now" button

3. Ebates sends you on to the store's website - now you just shop like normal and they'll calculate your cash back! (Cash back shows up in your Ebates account within a few days; they'll send you a confirmation email.)

Ebates partners with mainly large chain stores (not shady web businesses you've never heard of), so with one extra step, you can get cash back on your online shopping. The only bummer is you have to remember to go through Ebates FIRST - you can't retroactively have them credit your account - and they only issue quarterly checks once you have a minimum $10 refund balance (so there's no instant gratification).

Of course it would be nice if you signed up using my referral link so I get credit for it, but really I just want you to know about and use Ebates, especially if you're a frequent online shopper like me. When was the last time a single purchase got you $20 cash back?