Jewel: A Hack for Saving Money on Luxury and Cool Indie Brands

*This post contains affiliate links.

When I first started using cash back sites, I kept noticing one website topping the list for highest cash-back rates. It was called Jewel. A well-known cash-back giant like eBates it was not, so I put on my Sherlock Holmes hat and started researching it online. Then I read an article where its founder said this:

“Just because a customer spends a lot of money doesn’t mean they don’t want value.”

Hook, line and sinker, because um, that person referenced in the quote is 100% me. You can like luxury, but still be smart and frugal about purchases, too. And that’s where a site like Jewel comes in. I browsed their list of retailers and saw they offer cash back on a curated assortment of higher-end, luxury brands. After more research, I saw they offered cash back on indie brand Glossier, which I had never seen before.

I had to try it. So I joined and earned a $5 signup bonus, which was a nice incentive.

I decided to e-mail Andrew, the founder, and asked him if he had a list of stores that were exclusively available on Jewel so I could have a handy reference available when shopping online. After e-mailing back and forth a couple times, Andrew and I decided to work together on this post. So yes, this is my first blog collaboration, and I don’t think I could have gotten any luckier finding a company that aligns with my values more. I also waited four months to write this post, because I wanted to make sure I could try the site out on several purchases before recommending it to anyone. I even asked Andrew to change the language on a couple confusing FAQs I found, which he totally did, so it definitely feels like a true collaboration!

After using Jewel for the past few months, I have a pretty good sense of how I feel about it. In this post, I’ll explain how Jewel works and how it’s different from other cash-back sites, my own experience using it and how much I’ve earned, and also specific ways you can use Jewel to save money right now, because hello, it’s Labor Day sales season.

What Sets Jewel Apart: Everlane and Glossier

Maybe like me, your brain starts to get numb from all the cash-back sites available. Aren’t they all the same? And some of them really are sketchy as hell. I’d tell anyone to use the site that offers the highest cash back for where you’re shopping by checking Cashbackholic or Cashback Monitor, but there are two things that set Jewel apart for me:

1. Jewel offers cash back on two stores that other sites don’t: Everlane and Glossier. You can currently earn 8.6% cash back at Everlane and 3.5% at Glossier. I literally sat there and plugged in every store available on Jewel on Cashbackholic to see if they overlapped with other sites. Not even eBates has a relationship with either stores yet.

I personally have always found alternatives that work better for me than Everlane, but I know a lot of blog readers can’t wait for every new product release. Same thing with Glossier.

2. Jewel also usually hovers around the highest cash-back rates for most stores, which as I mentioned, is how I noticed them in the first place. So if you don’t feel like comparing rates when you’re shopping all the time, you can just use Jewel and generally earn a decent amount of cash back.

How It Works

Jewel works the same as other cash-back sites, and the steps only take an extra minute or two to qualify for the cash back.

Make sure you’re on the Jewel website and signed in.
Find the store you want to shop at, then click the blue ‘Shop Now’ button. This will kick you over to the actually retailer site now.
Complete your purchase in one session, and make sure you’re not paying with points or gift cards (these will not qualify for cash back, as I learned).
Within 72 hours, your shopping trip and cash back amount should appear in Jewel.

Here’s a screenshot of what my shopping trips look like:

You can be paid via PayPal or be mailed a check, and be sure to specify which option you’d like in the My Account section.

How much money I’ve earned so far (updated as of December 2018):

When You Get Paid

Like other cash-back sites, you get paid on a quarterly basis, so patience is a virtue here. You’ll also need to meet a $15 threshold before you qualify for payment. Here’s the schedule:

Purchase Period	Payout Date
January 1 – March 31	May 10
April 1 – June 30	Aug 10
July 1 – Sep 30	Nov 10
Oct 1 – Dec 31	Feb 10

If you’re a new customer, you’ll get $5 for signing up and will need to earn another $10 in cash back to get your first payment. If you pick a store that has a high earn rate, you could easily earn the $10 in two transactions.

I’ve been testing it out on small transactions, so haven’t earned enough to get paid yet, so that’s the one piece I can’t accurately review just yet. Updated as of December 2018: I got my first check on November 3rd, so they paid me 7 days earlier than scheduled!

Best Ways to Save with Jewel Right Now

Earn 5.1% with the Sephora Sale (ends 9/3)

As you probably know, the Sephora sale is happening right now, with at least 10% off:

Rouge members will receive 20% off with code YESROUGE.
VIB members will receive 15% off with code YESVIB.
Beauty Insider members will receive 10% off with code YESINSIDER.

By shopping through Jewel, you’ll be able to earn an extra 5.1% cash back, which is one of the highest rates I see right now.

So if you’re already primed to make a Sephora purchase, now could be a good time to test out Jewel on something you’d be buying anyway. Here are some of my Sephora picks:

I usually use NARS Velvet Matte tinted moisturizer, but now that summer’s over, I’m looking to purchase the regular version with the radiant finish.
I noticed a difference in my skin after just a few days with Sunday Riley’s Good Genes. But it costs over $100 per bottle. If you want to try it, there’s a mini-kit version called the Sunday Riley Flash Kit for $28.
Now that my Glossier lip balm is dwindling down, I’m looking for an alternative. Several people on Instagram recommended the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask as a product that somehow makes your lips look better naturally. Plus, there’s a cute little scooper included that’s hard for me to resist.
I’ve heard so many good things about Tatcha, and their Bestsellers Kit is an opportunity for me to try four of their most popular products in one swoop.
I currently use the Shiseido eyelash curler, but I really want to try the Surratt Relevee lash curler.

Earn 8.6% at Everlane

As I mentioned before, Everlane generally doesn’t work for me, but I know lots of people reading this love it for budget and ethical reasons. Here are my picks from their website:

You can’t go wrong with classic red and navy stripe sweaters.
I’ve been considering getting a puffy jacket, and this burgundy puffer is currently Choose What You Pay.
A city backpack is so hard to find! No one will mistake you for going on a hike with this black twill and leather backpack.
For me, sweatshirts are an absolutely MUST. This mock-neck sweatshirt is just sophisticated enough so you still look put together.

Earn an extra 12% at Bonobos

For guys, Bonobos is having a sale of up to 35% off everything through 9/3 with code TWERK. Or you can get 20% off your first purchase, within 48 hours of signing up for their e-mails. Regardless, with an extra 12% off by shopping through Jewel, you can save big here. My friend bought a Bonobos suit a few weeks ago and earned $60 cash back after buying a $500 suit.

I also like how Bonobos offers lot of customization options, even for something seemingly simple as shirts. You can pick slim or standard, and even choose the length. Fit matters so much with guys’ clothes! My picks:

I like classic pique polos for a dressier alternative to T-shirts.
If you’re looking to get into this summer’s tropical shirt trend, this tiger-printed one looks surprisingly high-end.
I also like the proportion of shorter swim trunks. This blue chambray pair are on sale.

Summary

If you love value AND luxury brands, or beloved indie favorites like Everlane and Glossier, then Jewel is a cash-back site worth checking out. And it takes almost no extra effort to earn the cash back.

If you’re interested in trying out Jewel, you can earn a $5 signup bonus by signing up here. By using my referral link, I’ll also earn a $5 bonus.

So, anyway, that’s my hot tip of the day! I’m in Texas for the long weekend and will be back early next week. In the meantime, let me know what you think: