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Set It and Forget It: This Free App Literally Pays You for Walking Around

Carson Kohler

by Carson Kohler

Staff Writer

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Winter is coming.

That means I’ll be wearing chunky sweaters and eating fatty comfort food for the next few months. I don’t have to worry about slipping into a bikini (thank goodness) or showcasing my tank-top arms…

…at least until April swings around.

I do this every year — put on some pounds, then bloat with regret when the weather warms.

And it’s not just my physique — it’s my mental state, too. I feel awful when I don’t work out and gorge instead.

Yet I do it every year. I have zero motivation. Maybe it’s like the movies, and I need someone to hang a king-sized Snickers bar in front of my face while I run. Or maybe if someone offered me some cash…

Yup. My Penny Hoarder ears perk up when I hear the word “cash.”

I dig into my bank of resources and find this article: apps that’ll pay you to get healthy. I start with item No. 1: Achievement. (Formerly known as Achievemint.)

Achievement is an online platform and app that connects to more than 20 other health and fitness apps (think: Fitbit, MyFitnessPal, Samsung Health, or Apple’s Health app). It tracks your healthy activities, including sleep, step and nutrition data, and it rewards you with points. You can  convert your points to cash or donate them to a health-related charity you care about. You can also earn points and money for participating in digital health studies.

So say if I hit 20,000 steps one day; I could earn about 50 points. I could take a survey about my health habits (like caffeine, sleep or vitamin intake) and earn 25 points. Or I could participate in research studies and earn up to $200 cash.

Sure, 20,000 steps is a lofty goal, but money is a good motivator. Even if I were to only hit a few thousand steps per day, I’d still earn points.I could even rack up points for tweeting about my health.

Because it sounds way too good to be true, I scoured social media to see what folks were saying — if this could actually be a legitimate solution to my winter hibernation.

5 Steps Real People Took to Earn Money With Achievement

Because Achievement rewards users six points for sharing their progress on social media, people are talkin’.

Here are some of the ways people are capitalizing on their health.

1.  Post Photos of Pretty Food

A lot of people claim to get annoyed by food photos clogging their social media channels, but I really don’t understand how. It’s like candy for the eyeballs. In this case, without the sugar.

2. Earn Points by Doing What You Do Each Day

You know that built-in Health app in your iPhone? Well, it automatically tracks your steps, so you don’t even have to think about earning points. Just do your thing!

3. Earn Points Getting Your Fitness on

You don’t have to invest in a trainer or even a gym membership to earn points. You can work out in your living room or take a run. Even if you don’t feel like it.

4. Earn Points by Sharing Results

Any amount of change — physical, mental or all of the above — is exciting, especially when you’re tracking it on social media. And earning points toward money. That’s nice, too.

5. Share the Money!

This actually works. It’s neat seeing people talking the money they’re making!

How to Start Using Achievement

You can find this gem in the iTunes and Android stores. Or, enter your email address on its website and get started.

After entering basic information, it’ll prompt you to connect any apps, including the built-in Health app and Twitter.

When I signed up, I earned 50 bonus points right off the bat.

Once you hit 10,000 points, you can cash out for your first $10 via PayPal, or donate my earnings to a health-related charity.

Just as soon as I pry myself from the couch…

Carson Kohler (@CarsonKohler) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She’s not a huge fan of working out or eating healthy. But she’s gonna try.