Organizing Your Rebates

Organizing your rebates is the first step to successful rebating.  One of my biggest challenges was that I would often forget that the rebate existed.  If I did remember to buy the item(s) for the rebate, I would forget to save the receipt and/or the proof of purchase that was required.  I have found a system that works for me so that I remember the rebate and, just as importantly, remember to submit it.  Feel free to use any or all of these tips.  

Keep your rebate form with your coupons - I keep my rebate forms in my coupon file.  If there is a coupon to pair with the rebate, I keep them together. If there is not a coupon available, I just keep the rebate form in the category that it fits in.  This helps remind me about the rebate when I am preparing my coupons for my shopping trip.  It also helps me remember to separate my purchase(s) if I am going to need more than one original receipt.

Know how many receipts you will need before you go shopping - Many rebates require original receipts, but if you purchase multiple items for rebates on the same receipt, that won't be possible.  When you are organizing your shopping trip, make sure you look at the rebate form(s) to determine if you will need to purchase those items separately so that you will have the required number of original receipts.

Keep your receipt with the rebate form - Once your purchase the required item(s), it is important to keep track of the receipt.  I use a paperclip to attach the rebate form to my receipt and then put it with my bills so that I never lose track of it.  When I sit down to pay bills, I already have envelopes and stamps available so that is a great time to mail rebates as well.  Besides, I feel a little better about paying bills when I know I will be getting some money back. 

Cut out the UPC or proof of purchase as soon as possible - If you can cut out the UPC or proof of purchase as soon as you get home, that is ideal. Then you can attach it to the rebate form and receipt and you are ready to mail it.  In some cases, that is not possible because of the contents or packaging. If that happens, I would suggest coming up with a system so that everyone in your household knows that you need the UPC or proof of purchase when the package is empty.  It does not have to be anything extravegent.  It can be as simple as attaching a brightly colored sticker to the package.  When your family sees that sticker, they know not to throw the item away until you have what you need for the rebate.

Make copies of your submissions and file them by the date you are expecting the rebate - It is important to keep a copy of your entire submission including the rebate form, UPC or proof of purchase, and even the envelope you are mailing it in.  The copy may become necessary if you do not receive your rebate and need to follow up or if the company says that you failed to submit a piece of information.  If it is a really big rebate (such as for electronics) you may even want to send the rebate by certified mail or get a certificate of mailing.  If you do not want to copy them, you could scan them into your computer and then just delete the file when you receive the rebate.  If you have a digital camera, you could also take a picture as long as you will still be able to see the detail.    

Use a calendar - You can use a calendar, such as Google Calendar, to help you remember the purchase deadline, submission deadliine, and the deadline to expect your check or merchandise.  You don't necessarily need to post all three dates; just do what works for you.  It is important to track your rebate once you mail it so that you know you have gotten all the money or merchandise that you are expecting.  If your expected deadline has passed, you can follow up with the manufacturer to see what happened.  If you prefer not to mess with the calendar, you can just write the date that you expect to receive the rebate on your copy of the submission and file them by date.  You can also download the Rebates and Promos Tracking Form to help you.