Friday, September 01, 2006

Thrifty Thursday: Thoughts on Rebates

Several of you have asked or commented on rebates - how they work for me, if I ever receive them, where to find them and why bother with them...so, here are some things I've learned that may make doing rebates easier or more successful for you. Please feel free to add your thoughts - as I'm sure I still have things to learn!

- Read the fine print! I always read very carefully the full details of the rebate - what needs to be sent in, if the items need to be purchased within a certain window of time and what the EXACT product is that will be counted toward the rebate. Recently, when I got the Pepsi/Mtn. Dew free I noticed that a Eckerd's had advertised that you could get Aquafina waterbottles on this sale and that was what I intended to purchase. But, I thouroughly read the rebate and found that Aquafina was not included in the rebate - if I had simply trusted the ad, I would have been denied the rebate.

- Check the item. When you are at the store - have the rebate with you and check the brand, type, size, style, etc... It has to be the EXACT item or it will not be free!

- Wait for the rebate. I usually try not to use the item that was advertised as FREE until I receive the rebate - just to make sure. I did have one of my Walgreens rebates denied and I simply returned the item.

- Pay separately. Notice if the rebate calls for an ORIGINAL receipt! If it does and you have to mail them in individually - you may need to have separate transactions at the cashier to ensure separate receipts.

- Keep a log. This is something I am just starting to do - but I'm going to write down the store name and address for mailing in the rebate and the total rebate I'm expecting. Then when I get the rebate I can mark it off. And, if I don't get it - I can follow up.

- Follow the rules. Look at exactly what they are expecting you to send in. Do you need the receipt? Do you need to circle the items on the receipt? Do you need the UPC? Also, make sure to fill out the form completely. It makes sense that if I don't do it exactly the way they ask - that they will not want to send me my refund.

- Consider the benefits! Yes, some rebates are really not worth it! If I had a rebate that only gave me $1 off of a $5 item - and I had to buy a stamp to mail it in, it would not be worth it. Walgreens and Eckerd's offer a 10% bonus if you receive your rebate in the form of a gift card. Since I know that I will have rebate items to purchase again next month, I get the gift card and "recycle" the money by using it on the next items. Also, I "make" money this way as I usually get $1-$2 bonus for taking it in gift card. This allows me to pay for the stamp I used and still come out ahead. One reason I like the Walgreens rebates so much is that it is lots of rebates on ONE form using ONE stamp. It's not a pain when you can get multiple rebates that way.

Another benefit that I try to think of is who it will be a blessing to. I have heard my Mom say so many times that when she was a stay-at-home-mom, she was not bringing in a physical income - so her job was to stretch what they had as far as she could and she saw it as a game to see how much she could get/do for her family for how little.

I see this as a blessing to not only my family - but the benefits reach farther as I have extra new items that can be given in shoe boxes (Operation Christmas Child), to hurricane victims or to the local children's shelter. In this way, out of the time I have invested - I can give more than if I was going out and buying all of these things brand new at full price.

As for where to find them, I have found drug stores to be the most common source. Walgreens has a monthly rebate catalog available in the front of their store - which lists all of the free items as well as smaller rebates. They also publish the items in their weekly ads.

Another monthly rebate catalog is available through Eckerd's drug store - this is a new one to me as I was not as familiar with them. However, as mentioned above - read their ad carefully, they have mis-advertised rebates in the past (I'm sure not intentionally) and when I've questioned the cashier - they have not seemed willing to find out or correct the problem for me.

A third place I get rebates is in the coupon section of the Sunday paper. For example, recently I came across a Rayovac mail in rebate for $3.00. The price of a 4 pk. of AA batteries at Wal-Mart is less than $3, so they will refund the purchase price. Therefore, I got them free.

You may also find mail-in rebates in drug-store ads. This summer, I have gotten free shampoo, Pepsi/Mtn. Dew, and Coke this way.

Where do others of you find your rebates? (Or am I the only one who does this?)

Initially, it can seem like a lot of details - but like a lot of things - once you get into a routine with it, it can be simple and easy.

I hope all this helps - please feel free to post additional comments/questions!

1 comment:

The Frugal Shrink said...

Great post (as always)!!! It inspired me to write about what little things I do to save money (and I linked to your blog). :)