Money & everyday life

Seniors Are Fighting Rising Prices With An Unusual Hobby: Playing Solitaire For Gift Cards

Groceries, gas, prescriptions: everything costs more. So a lot of people over 55 are getting a little back from something they already do every day.

If you're on a fixed income, you've felt it. The weekly grocery run costs more than it did a year ago, and so does almost everything else.

Meanwhile, plenty of people over 55 play a few rounds of solitaire, a puzzle or a card game on their phone every day. It's relaxing, it keeps the mind busy, and until recently, it paid exactly nothing.

That's the “unusual hobby” more seniors are talking about: an app called Playful Rewards that gives you coins for reaching levels in mobile games, which you can then cash out for PayPal cash or gift cards.

How it works

1. Download Playful Rewards on your iPhone or iPad. It's free.
2. Pick a game you'd enjoy from its list of partner games, including solitaire, puzzle and board games.
3. Play and reach milestones. Each game lists simple goals, like reaching a certain level. Every milestone you hit earns gold coins.
4. Cash out. When you've collected enough coins, swap them for PayPal cash or gift cards such as Amazon and Visa.

Why it's catching on with seniors

Most people this age aren't looking for a side hustle. They're looking for small wins: something that takes a little of the sting out of higher prices without adding work to their day.

That's the appeal here. You're not filling out forms or watching hours of videos. You're playing the kind of game you'd play anyway, and getting something back for it. The app is rated 4.6 stars by over 100,000 players on the App Store.

Tips to get the most out of it

• Start a game the same day you download. The early levels are the quickest coins.
• Choose a game you actually like. You'll play it longer, and longer play means more milestones.
• Check the milestone list before you start, so you know exactly what each level is worth.

Common questions