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Explore / Consumer Finance

Cashback & Rewards

How cashback, rewards, and points programmes extract value from consumers.

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The Cashback Trap — How Earning Money Back Actually Costs You More

Every time you "earn" cashback, someone else already made more money from you spending it. This report follows the money trail from interchange fees to your wallet, reveals how cashback cards drive 10-25% more spending than you'd otherwise make, and exposes the hidden transfer where low-income cash users pay higher prices to fund rewards for higher-income credit card holders.