Earn Points Just by Walking... "Great for Snack Money" [Practical Finance]

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-seop] Jeong Ju-yeon (46, pseudonym), who lives in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, converted 10,000 points into cash last month through a walking application (app). The amount Jeong received was 9,500 won after a 500 won fee. The app generates a minimum daily income of 200 to 500 won by consistently walking with the app turned on. Jeong said, "Since I usually walk to and from work, I use the money for snacks," adding, "I think earning small change while taking care of my health is a modest form of financial management, and I have already saved 2,250 won this month."

According to the financial sector on the 9th, ‘App-tech (app + financial technology)’ is gaining attention as one of the financial tools that allow small investments. Interest has surged in financial technology that generates income easily through smartphones at home as outdoor activities have decreased due to COVID-19.

The app ‘Bringin,’ launched in January, allows users to solve puzzles with cash prizes and points by doing light exercises like walking or jogging. The more missions and puzzles completed, the higher the rewards. It is popular in various financial communities for its advantage of accumulating small amounts of money while enjoying exercise as a hobby without watching commercial advertisements.

In the mobile game app ‘Mistplay,’ users can earn higher points the longer they accumulate game time and complete designated activities. These points can be exchanged for cultural gift certificates and Starbucks gift cards. Users can earn about 500 won per hour. The app has surpassed 10 million cumulative downloads on Google Play.

Commercial Banks Join the ‘App-tech’ Craze with Promotions

Commercial banks are steadily joining the app-tech craze. Since November, Shinhan Bank has been operating ‘Point PangPang,’ which provides My Shinhan Points to customers using its app. Users can accumulate My Shinhan Points by watching events on Shinhan Pay Fan, browsing partner company promotions, and participating in surveys. Accumulated points can be used for card bill payments, conversion to partner points, or cash cashback. Until the 5th, the bank gave Starbucks coffee coupons and GS25 gift certificates to the first 80,000 customers who registered accounts from other banks.

KB Kookmin Bank offers a service where customers with related cards can accumulate points by solving quizzes. New quizzes are provided through the app, and points are awarded based on difficulty. Up to 30 points can be accumulated and transferred to KB Kookmin, KB Savings Bank, or KB Securities.

K Bank is running a lucky box event on its app until the end of June. After participating in the event, if withdrawals occur through a total of 10 financial apps including K Bank, KakaoPay, and Toss, users receive lucky boxes worth 20 to 60 won. Users can participate up to three times per day per service, totaling 10 times.

Products that encourage saving spare change through apps are also emerging. Toss, an internet-only bank, recently launched the ‘Saving for Chicken Price’ service, which saves 2,000 won every three days to accumulate 20,000 won, the price of one chicken.

With the app-tech craze, online communities are increasingly sharing related information and tips. In one community, searching for ‘app-tech’ yielded over 300 posts this year alone, certifying actual earnings.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.