Hey!

Come a little closer, we have something to tell you.

Closer.

Cloooooooosssser.

Okay. DID YOU KNOW YOU COULD EARN CASH AND REWARDS FROM LINKING YOUR FITBIT TO SOME PRETTY NIFTY APPS?

Well, you do now, plus you just got some extra steps on your tracker sidling up for the secret. You’re welcome.

Please note that many of these apps work with Jawbone and others, but since we have Fitbit Zips, we are sticking to what we know. If you really want some background on our love for our trackers read The Truth about 10,000 Steps and Your Health or listen to our podcast.

Now on with the show. Wait! You probably should take a lap to get some steps in first. Consider this your friendly reminder. We’ll wait.

 

1. AchieveMint

This one is a bit of a tease: it’s fabulous, but there is a waiting list to sign up. So, we’re telling you this one first so you can click over there and get thineself in the queue NOW.

Why is it so great? You can make actual dollar bills from this one. Your steps earn you points towards a $50 check. On average, you earn one point per 125 steps, BUT it’s on a sliding scale so walking more earns more points per step. It takes 50,000 points to reach the payout, but hey, before you knew about this you were just walking for your health. So there’s that.

Also, if you use both Fitbit and MyFitnessPal (like we recommend), connecting them both allows you to double dip on points when you weigh in. That is much better for your waistline than a double dip of mint chocolate chip.

 

2. Pact

This one is not for the faint of heart. You are actually staking your money that you will keep your fitness goals. This one motivates with cash with the added kick of penalty. You simply make a weekly Pact to exercise more or eat healthier and set what you’ll pay other Pact members if you don’t reach it.  Do you dare??

 

3. Higi

Higi is another one that allows you to sync your Fitbit to earn points, but there’s more! You can earn extra points by stopping at a Higi Station–located in some retail pharmacies–to track your weight, BMI, pulse, and blood pressure. Higi has a handy feature to help you find one near you. Ellen has three stations that are minutes from her house at her local Giant, Rite Aid , and Acme.

You can use points towards things like protein shakes, sunglasses, and fitness gear. You can even use points to enter to win prizes like a treadmill. But what we like most is you can use your points for charity. You can donate your points to save a pet in a shelter, buy a toy for a child battling cancer, or provide clean drinking water for a family in Haiti. You knew accumulating steps was good for your health, but who knew it could be good for the world?

4. Walgreens

If you have a Walgreens Balance Reward card, you need to connect your Fitbit to earn even more points! Simple as that. What is not simple is finding where to link your tracker. If you search for Fitbit on certain screens, it will tell you that your search results are zero. Follow this link to easily sync up. Just make sure once you get there, to click on the “Devices” tab to find the Fitbits. If you know where to go, it takes mere minutes to sign up.

 

5. FitStudio

If you shop regularly at Sears and Kmart, FitStudio is for you. The only drawback: your points generally expire after seven days. You get 5,000 points when you sign-up and sync so only do it when you’re ready to go shopping!

 

So you’re already tracking your fitness, now go forth and earn!

Need a playlist to get you groovin’? Try this one!

Happy Steps to You!

Ellen and Erin

 

You can follow us on Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Check out our books, “I Just Want to Be Alone” and “You Have Lipstick on Your Teeth.”

Enter your email address:Delivered by FeedBurner