Getting Those Rebates Back

If you’re like me, you’re always looking for ways to save money on the things that you buy. One of the ways that I do this is through rebates.

I’ll tell you a little secret. I used to have a 2nd work-at-home job processing rebates. I’d get about 800 to 1,000 pieces of mail to go through every week, and it was amazing how many people just plain did not follow the directions. Sometimes people would just submit the form, sometimes they’d submit a receipt for an entirely different item, sometimes they’d leave out other things, etc. The worst cases were when they submitted absolutely everything that was required, but forgot to fill in their name and address. (Occasionally I’d be able to get it off the envelope, if they’d filled out at least part of the return address.) So I don’t doubt that a lot of rebates are not redeemed.

The single best thing you can do if you’re applying for a rebate is to follow the directions to the letter. I have a system for doing this:

1. Before I buy an item with a rebate, I first make sure that it’s something I intended to buy anyway. (I don’t get drawn into buying items with a rebate that I didn’t need or want in the first place, as this just wastes time & money and creates clutter.)

2. When I get the item home, I read all of the requirements before opening the package. Once it’s open, I save all of the packaging, the receipt, and the rebate form in one place. (On my desk, where I certainly won’t forget about it because the sight of the pile will annoy me every day until it’s gone.)

3. I keep the item until I have used it a few times and am sure that there’s nothing wrong with it.

4. Then I LEGIBLY fill out & cut out everything that’s required. I realize that the person processing the rebate is probably tired and bleary-eyed, so I want to make things easy on them. And of course being able to READ my submission is important.

5. I double-check that I’ve met the requirements one more time, and then prepare the rebate for mailing. If it’s a large rebate, I try to keep a copy of the required items. (I should do this for all of them, but don’t.)

6. Then I wait for the check to arrive. One thing I’m going to start doing is adding a tickler note to my calendar (about seven weeks out from the day I send it) to check on the rebate. This way I can follow up if there is a problem with it. I’ve only had one problem with a rebate in the past, and I was able to get that one resolved with a quick email to the company.

View Comments (3)
  • That is a helpful tip to your readers im sure. I didnt realize how common of a thing it is for people to not fill out the forms the right way.

    as another tip, sometimes you can find a contact address or phone number on products and just send them a quick not telling them your thoughts good or bad on a product. you would be amazed at how often you get some sort of coupon or other in response to your letter.

  • Care to share any thoughts on your experiences processing rebates at home – the good, the bad, and the ugly??? Thanks!

  • GPhiDoll, it was a pretty good second job. I enjoyed the data entry part of it. What I didn’t enjoy was the sorting part, because it was so time-consuming. That was where I had to go through every single submission to make sure that all of the requirements were met. I would especially be slowed down when people would staple or paperclip their items together, or enclose them in additional papers or envelopes. Speed was important too, because I was paid on a per-piece basis. If you’re thinking of doing this be sure it’s with reputable company. I happen to live near a company that does a large number of rebates.

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