Working side hustles to make ends meet have become the new norm. MarketWatch found that 54% of Americans have taken up a side hustle, like reselling items on Amazon, within the last 12 months. Such side gigs are the most prevalent among Gen Z and millennials.
One woman found a way to do a semi-passive side hustle while at her regular job, and she says it’s the “best thing about being a cashier.”
“Honestly, the best thing about being a cashier is taking the people’s receipts,” TikTok user @cutieecosmeticss888 starts in a video viewed over 987,000 times.
She goes on to say that she essentially flips customers’ forgotten receipts, turning the meaningless paper into meaningful paper: money. “I’m about to turn this receipt into $50 with my Fetch app. Come on,” she says.
What is the Fetch app?
On the Fetch app, users can upload their receipts from participating stores to earn points. For every receipt you upload, you earn points (just make sure to upload them in a timely fashion). Once you’ve earned enough points, you can redeem them for gift cards and other rewards.
The app has become popular across TikTok. Fast-food and retail workers, like @cutieecosmeticss888 and this Publix worker, have shared that they use customers’ leftover receipts for points.
“The lady at the gas station save em for me and i pick em up every 3 days,” one viewer of @cutieecosmeticss888’s video shared.
“Im a server at a restaurant and i print all the closed tables and take them home,” a second commented.
@cutieecosmeticss888 I really didnt expect this to blow FIRST: WHILE EVERYONE IS HERE PLEASE BE SURE TO SHOP MY COSMETICS 😃 LINK IN BIO!!!! SECOND: I DONT USE THE PEOPLE INFORMATION ON THE RECEIPTS I ONLY USE IT TO GET POINTS ON MY FETCH APP! USE MY CODE J2DQ2B
♬ original sound – cutieecosmeticss
Some shoppers were upset by the notion their left-behind receipts were getting used by workers in this manner.
“This why I always keep my receipts. These days people can do anything,” one viewer wrote.
“Lool this the reason why I always ask for my receipts,” a second agreed.
On the other hand, some urged people not to do this because of the consequences. “My mom got banned from fetch because she did this,” another warned.
According to Fetch’s website, if a user scans someone else’s receipt, that will result in the deactivation of their account.
Update: Fetch told the Daily Dot in a statement, “The Fetch app is the fastest and easiest way to earn rewards with every purchase. We love seeing our users on the hunt for Fetch Points, but we do have a few rules in place to maintain the integrity of our platform. Per our Terms of Service, Fetch users are only permitted to snap receipts from purchases that they have made personally, and those who violate the TOS are subject to removal from the app. This policy ensures a level playing field and allows us to continue delivering value to millions of consumers.”
The Daily Dot reached out to @cutieecosmeticss888 via Instagram direct message.
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