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It is called ‘Extreme Couponing’, and it has been around for quite a while.
Some people obsessively flip through magazines and newspapers looking for coupons to use on everything from butter to electronics. It is tough, time-consuming, and generally unreliable, but some people find the savings are worth the hunt.
Thankfully, in our lightning-fast age of computers and mobile technology, the savings game has changed. Online rebates are a quick, easy, and convenient way of saving big on purchases.
Rebates are an incentive for customers to buy products or services by reducing costs in a number of ways.
Being similar in nature, we can look at the history of coupons, to see that companies have been doing this since the late 1800s.
It started with Coca-Cola, when Asa Candler offered people certificates to try his drink for free. From there, ‘couponing’ took off, and eventually morphed into the mail-in and online rebates that we know and love today.
People have always been trying to find ways to save money, and now with rebates, it is even easier.
This section will explain the different types of rebate in more detail, so that you can figure out which ones suit you best. They usually involve cash back, and there are several different versions, including:
Most people understand coupons, but they too, are a form of rebate. Coupons are an advertisement or certificate that you can cut from a physical source and then use directly when you purchase your products. Usually, you give coupons to a cashier and a partial amount of the total cost is reduced on-the-spot. It can't be used in advance of a purchase.
Instant-cash rebates are quite similar to coupons because instead of receiving money back as a refund, the cost is reduced. As the name suggests, it happens instantly, but you don't have to cut out a coupon from a magazine or a newspaper.
Usually, instant-cash rebates are found on products themselves, such as labels that you tear off.
Mail-in rebates are one of the more common forms of rebates that most people are familiar with.
These require a set amount of effort from you, as the customer. Firstly, you need to find a product that uses one of these rebates. Again, it will probably be in the form of a label that you can peel or tear off from the packaging.
You are also required to purchase the product first, which means you need to have the full amount up-front.
From there, you will most likely have a form to fill out. The business will usually require some information from you, including:
You will need to make sure you have filled out all of the necessary information, as one mail-in rebate could be different from another. You will also want to make sure that you are paying attention to any particular deadlines and mailing addresses.
You should be careful not to send your rebate to the wrong destination, and you should also send it early enough, so that it will arrive on or before the actual deadline. Generally, it is best to send a rebate at least one week before the deadline.
Online rebates are the future of saving. If you now consider yourself to be an ‘Extreme Digital Saver’, this process is now the easiest it has ever been!
Much like mail-in rebates, you will still need to purchase a product first. Rather than coupons or instant rebates, these types of rebates are ‘cash-back’.
The process may change from one rebate company to another, so it is important to choose one that is very well-respected, with outstanding testimonials.
Often, you will need to set up an account with the rebate company. It is an easy way to keep track of who is whom, and when the cash back is being sent.
You get to shop around and find a particular product that interests you, which also includes an attractive rebate.
You will need to report your purchase to the rebate company. In some cases, you may need to contact the company personally, and in other cases, you may simply need to use a unique URL that is emailed or texted to you.
From here, it is simply a matter of waiting for the seller to verify your purchase, and then receive your cash back!
This can be achieved in several different ways:
Checks are still probably one of the most common ways to receive your rebate money. They are generally used for mail-in rebates, but online rebates use checks in the same way.
This is why it is also necessary to create an account with the rebate company, so that they have your direct mailing address on file.
Bank transfers are the quickest and most convenient way to receive your rebate. You will most likely need to provide a routing number for your bank account, which you can find on your bank's online profile. Transfers often take a few days to process, but they are still a lot quicker than mailing a check.
Store credit is another way to receive a rebate, and while credit isn't necessarily money in your pocket, it is still a way to save even more money on future purchases.
We would all love to save on our grocery and entertainment purchases, but mail-in rebates can sometimes simply be too much work. Coupons can also be tough to find, and sometimes they just don’t offer the greatest of deals.
Online rebates are the future of shopping and savings, and hopefully, you have now learned a little more about how they work. Check out our Home Page or contact us right away to see our amazing deals!
By Margo Buxton
Reposted from RebateKey.com
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