I love rebates - free after rebate is like music to my ears. These deals can be just what they say they are, free, or they can turn out to cost more money than you thought. Here are some important things to keep in mind when you are shopping for items with rebates.
- Always read your rebates thoroughly before you commit to buy.
- Make sure to purchase multiple items separately if you have more than one with a rebate. A lot of rebates require the original receipt.
- If you are planning on purchasing your rebate item online be sure to check out the shipping costs before you commit to buy. Sometimes shipping can totally ruin the rebate deal making it worthless in the end.
- If buying online be sure that the place you are buying from will send you a receipt for your purchase. I have never sent a rebate in that didn't require some kind of receipt
- Before you do anything with your product make sure you read the rebate and cut out the required proof of purchase. This is usually a UPC symbol.
- Follow the rebates directions to the letter.
- Always pay attention to dates. Usually the date the rebate must be postmarked by is much later than the date you must purchase the product by. Don't wait to buy something last minute thinking that you have until the date the rebate must be mailed by to purchase it. This is usually not the case.
- Again, don't buy something last minute. If you don't have time to think the purchase through then let that deal go.
- Only use rebate deals if you KNOW FOR SURE that you will process the rebates immediately. I always come home and fill all my rebates out the same day or the next day if it is late. I get them addressed, stamped, and in the mail within 24 to 48 hours after my purchase. Rebates are not a 'put it off until tomorrow' type of thing. You risk loosing out.
- Numerous rebates for one item may sound great however you may need numerous 'original receipts' and 'UPC symbols' to claim your rebates. This is when a thorough reading of the rebate form may save you $$$!
- Many rebates are trackable. When filling out your rebate form make sure that you write down any important information like website addresses and/or phone numbers so you can check up on your rebate.
- Photocopy any receipt you are sending off, especially if you have other purchases on the same receipt in case you need to return something. On second thought, you might want to copy the filled out rebate form as well.
- If you are purchasing something to get a rebate on it and resell it please keep in mind that you will probably have to cut the UPC symbol off of it meaning the packaging will be damaged. Also, make sure you check places like eBay for your products resale value before you jump into anything.
- Read the product reviews, if any! Don't go through all the work of a rebate for a crappy product!
Do you have any more rebate tips? Anything I missed or I am wrong about? Please feel free to comment!
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