getting rebates

[daluu]

ack!!! i'm sooooo mad at myself right now because i bought a high efficiency washer about a year ago and FINALLY decided to look into filling out a $300 rebate form for it paid for by a program through our local dwp. ugh...it's too late. apparently, it expires after 45 days from original date of purchase. my excuse was that i was too busy moving into my new house and organizing everything around this new responsibility and never got around to doing this.

i really think in general, i would be a few dollars richer if i was a more organized person. anybody else let money run away from them like i do?

[plain jane doe]

I used to have a big problem with this type of thing. I still do to some extent -- for example, at the grocery store checkout the cashier didn't bag a $6 item. I was supposed to get a refund for it, but in the end I lost the receipt. What has helped me a lot overall, though, is having an FSA account. Since I have to submit receipts for those reimbursements, and I'm not very organized, it keeps me in the mindset of dealing with reimbursements, rebates, etc, immediately after purchase.

[Vegas Long Legs]

Been there too ladies.
Manufacturers count on this happening. That's why the do these types of promotions instead of an instant refund.

[plain jane doe]

I think the key is to do it right away, or if you can't at least keep it somewhere visible, like on the fridge. But I have to say if I'd been moving like you there's no way I would've been able to find the form, much less send it in!

Got one more that I just realized. I waited too long to send back a return, so unless the store is very gracious to me I will pay 20% restocking fee on it. Fortunately it's only about $100 of stuff total, but still, I'm kicking myself!

[nooch]

If I don't do them the second I get the item in the mail/the second I get home, the rebate form will end up under a pile of junk somewhere and I will find it a year later.

The other way we lose money is by sending in the rebate form (usually for a really small amount), the check never showing up, and forgetting that we sent it in until much much much later.

[lorenzo94580]

Originally Posted by nooch

The other way we lose money is by sending in the rebate form (usually for a really small amount), the check never showing up, and forgetting that we sent it in until much much much later.

This happens to us a lot. Most often we have to threaten to go to the bbb, and then we get our money, but we almost always forget to follow through because you're basically waiting forever for that check.

[daluu]

i have so many folders and things pinned up on the fridge, it looks more chaotic than anything. any filing systems that are useful for folks like me? i woke up STILL kicking myself for that $300 rebate that ran away.

[jwhitlock]

I remember from college some insanely high % of rebate that go untouched. They are incentives for us as consumers, but when it comes time to submit for the rebate, they just fall off our radar.

Sad that I fall into this, too!

[redney]

I'm a bit OCD about rebates so I fill out the form and get it, the receipt, UPC code, etc. into an envelope to mail as soon as I get home after purchasing the item.

I figure the rebate amount into the "total price" so it's worth the few minutes to me to get it done and mailed right away.

[plain jane doe]

Originally Posted by daluu

i have so many folders and things pinned up on the fridge, it looks more chaotic than anything. any filing systems that are useful for folks like me? i woke up STILL kicking myself for that $300 rebate that ran away.

I think the best thing as others have said is to just get it done with immediately. I don't think it's too common for companies NOT to send the rebate? At least it hasn't happened to me. I just have to make sure I'm not so quick to throw out things that look like junk mail. The last rebate I sent in had an option to receive email notification when the rebate was received by the company, so that was useful.

[ILuvShopping]

i haaaaaate rebates exactly for this reason. i am a huge procrastinator when it comes to putting things in the mail or returning items. I have SO many things that I have bought that I have never used and didn't want and just got lazy and never returned them.

last week I was returning some things (about $100 worth) and my friend goes "did i just hear you correctly? you're RETURNING something???" lol

if something is only a good deal because of a mail in rebate then it's not a good deal to me and i won't buy it. it has to be a good deal BEFORE the mail in rebate amount.

[ShimmaPuff]

Originally Posted by plain jane doe

I don't think it's too common for companies NOT to send the rebate?

I think it depends on the company. A while back, one of the phone companies had a rebate thing, advertised on the phone co website, my neighbor got the phone from website, sent in the rebate form, and got a form letter saying he wasn't eligible because he didn't get his phone from an authorized source.

He called them up and asked them, in a polite way, WTF? Your phone deal, your website, now your form letter - so what exactly would be an authorized source?

They apologized and sent him his rebate, and shortly after that, a relative who had worked for the phone company told him it was routine to do that, and that almost no one ever questions it, but if they do, of course they get it!

[peace43]

Originally Posted by redney

I'm a bit OCD about rebates so I fill out the form and get it, the receipt, UPC code, etc. into an envelope to mail as soon as I get home after purchasing the item. I figure the rebate amount into the "total price" so it's worth the few minutes to me to get it done and mailed right away.

I'm the same way. I fill out the rebate form on the day of purchase, copy everything (form, UPC code, etc.), and mail the rebate out. I then write the date on the copy of when I mailed the rebate and check on the rebate to make sure that I get it within the processing time (usually at least 4 to 8 weeks later). I've always received my rebates!!! Extra money for me to use on something else.

[LV-PRADAfanatic]

i hate mailing rebates as it s take FOREVER for u to get yr moeny back...

[plain jane doe]

Originally Posted by ShimmaPuff

I think it depends on the company. A while back, one of the phone companies had a rebate thing, advertised on the phone co website, my neighbor got the phone from website, sent in the rebate form, and got a form letter saying he wasn't eligible because he didn't get his phone from an authorized source. He called them up and asked them, in a polite way, WTF? Your phone deal, your website, now your form letter - so what exactly would be an authorized source? They apologized and sent him his rebate, and shortly after that, a relative who had worked for the phone company told him it was routine to do that, and that almost no one ever questions it, but if they do, of course they get it!

Wow, that's sneaky. I will have to keep this story in mind if I ever receive such a letter! But at least your neighbor got some kind of follow up so he could remember he was expecting the rebate!