Examined Sep 18, 2026 Paid in cash Promotional periods only BeFrugal pays a new member $10 in cash, but its own pages disagree on whether you must first earn $10 or $20 in cash back.
You do not need a referral for your own $10. The pages we read carried a pop-up offering a $10 cash bonus to anyone who joins, and the Refer-a-Friend terms say a referred member is eligible for that same $10 Sign-Up bonus. The bonus is not permanent, though. BeFrugal's terms tie it to promotional periods, and no page says when the current one ends.
What pays what
| You, joining while the Sign-Up Bonus is promoted, after earning the required cash back within 365 days | $10 in cash |
|---|---|
| You, joining when no bonus is being promoted | Nothing |
| You, joining through an Exclusive New Member Sign Up Offer (the terms' example is Spend $10, Get $10 Cash Back) | That offer, and typically no Sign-Up Bonus |
| A member who has received a Restaurant Bonus | No Sign-Up Bonus |
During special promotional periods, BeFrugal will offer a Sign-Up Bonus for first-time users who create a new BeFrugal account.
Each member is eligible for a maximum of one Sign-Up Bonus. The Exclusive New Member offers are open to new members residing in the USA and Canada only, and you take one by creating your account through the form on that offer's page. The Restaurant Bonus rule runs both ways: receive either bonus and you cannot earn the other.
Do this, in this order
- Join while the $10 is on the page. The terms say you must join during a promotional period or through a link or web page on BeFrugal where the bonus is being promoted, and fulfill the terms of the bonus as stated at the time. You must be 18 or over, and BeFrugal allows one account per person.
- Open Bonus Activity and read your own terms first. The Terms and Conditions do not state the threshold at all. They say members eligible for a Sign-Up Bonus can find their terms in the Bonus Activity section of their account. That is where the $10 or $20 question gets settled for you.
- Shop where the cash back counts. BeFrugal keeps a list of excluded retailers whose cash back does not count toward a sign-up or refer-a-friend bonus, and cash back from the BeFrugal Gift Card Mall does not count either. You have 365 days from your join date.
- Chase a missing purchase inside the window. BeFrugal says cash back is added to your account within 7 days of a purchase. If it is not, the inquiry has a deadline at both ends: “Cash Back inquiries must be submitted no earlier than 7 days and no later than 60 days after the transaction date.”
- Withdraw, then keep the account alive. The terms say the bonus becomes payable within 30 to 90 days after the purchase date. Members may request PayPal or direct deposit on any verified balance of $0.01 or greater, and BeFrugal says payments go out on average within 1 business day of the request. Direct deposit, check and non-Amazon eGift cards are for members residing in the US only; Venmo and Zelle need a U.S. mobile number.
The fee for leaving money behind
An idle balance can be drained. “However, if your account is inactive for more than 365 days, it becomes dormant. BeFrugal reserves the right to debit dormant accounts $2.00 per month for maintenance until the account balance reaches zero.” At $2.00 a month, a $10 bonus left untouched is gone in five months ($10 divided by $2.00). The fee cannot push a balance below zero.
It can be undone. The terms say starting a shopping session through BeFrugal or its applications reactivates a dormant account, and that once it is reactivated all maintenance fees can be voided by contacting BeFrugal support.
If you share your own link later, read the forfeiture list. “Accounts will be terminated and bonuses forfeited for improper use of the Refer-a-Friend program, including, but not limited to: using search engine sponsored listings or any other paid advertising; creating multiple accounts for one individual; posting your referral link on merchant's site, merchant's social media page or other similar activity; impersonating BeFrugal; spamming web forums and other online properties.” The general terms add that a member who uses paid promotion will forfeit all cash back and referral bonus earnings, and that members are solely responsible for any tax on referral bonuses.
Where BeFrugal's pages disagree, and what it does not publish
$10 or $20. BeFrugal's blog post on the welcome bonus says: “Just sign up for a free BeFrugal account, and we'll give you a $10 bonus once you shop and earn $10 in BeFrugal cash back.” The Refer-a-Friend page agrees. The $10 Bonus Terms pop-up, which appeared on every BeFrugal page we saved, says $20. We cannot tell you which one BeFrugal applies.
No dates. The Terms and Conditions carry no effective or last-updated date, and nothing says when the current promotional period closes. The Refer-a-Friend terms say the program may be altered or discontinued at any time, and that bonus eligibility is at the sole discretion of BeFrugal.
Offers you may never see. Extra Cash Back Offers arrive by email or on-site message, and the terms say each one is available for select BeFrugal members only. Do not count on one when you do the sums.
Is it worth your time?
For someone who already buys online, yes, modestly. It is cash, PayPal or direct deposit will pay it out from one cent up, and the only work is clicking through BeFrugal before you check out. The weak point is that you cannot know the bar until you are inside your account, so assume $20 of cash back and treat $10 as a pleasant surprise.
If you shop online a few times a year, skip it. You are unlikely to reach $20 of cash back in 365 days, and an account you forget is exactly the account the $2.00 monthly fee is written for.
