So I bought something that was advertised with a rebate. But instead of just deducting the rebate from the price (or sending a check for the amount after step 1 below), getting and using it meant doing the following:
Sign up on the web site and upload the receipt.
Eventually get an email asking if you want a virtual or physical debit card (Mastercard that can only be used for purchases, not getting cash from ATMs).
Select physical card.
Wait for some more time to get the physical card.
Use the physical card at various merchants, but note that it has a magnetic stripe only that often takes several swipes to work. Also, if you normally use a rewards card, you forego the rewards on those purchases.
After using most of the money, need to figure out how to use the small remaining amount before the card expires.
Seems like the whole process is designed to reduce the amount of the rebates that are actually gotten and used.
At CVS, the trick for me is to use any good coupons before I leave the store to avoid them expiring. I go often and often get either $$ off any purchase or a % off. I can generally find something ā toothpaste if nothing else.
There was a rebate last week on a case of beer. Easiest process ever. Went on a website, filled in some fields, shared an photo of the receipt, put in my paypal account info, and in 24 hours I had my rebate in hand.
They should all work like this!
Never had a problem with Menards rebates - which are constant (if you shop there). Fill out a paper form, mail, and wait. Rebates can only be credited toward next purchase, but I guess we shop there enough, it is not a problem.
It took me forever to download the Equifax rebate into a Wallet and I donāt think I did it right. I got two, so I just wrote down the numbers and the CVV code and the expiration. I will try to use them soon so I donāt forget them. And one was $7.44 and one was $7.43. Now why is that?
The recommendation to buy an amazon giftcard with the equifax refund thing was a good one. I did that today.
There are ways to figure out these rebate things, and they can be kinda fun. With CVS I go to their app before I shop, and load as many as I might use onto my card. Sometimes there would be a deal that if you bought X you would get a rebate onto the card. So sometimes if i needed a few things Iād buy the first things that Iād loaded the coupons onto my app, and when I bought them, Iād get the instant rebate/credit (cvs bucks or whatever they call them) onto my card. So then Iād buy the rest of the stuff, using the rebate that Iād gotten for the items I just purchased!
Sometimes I can stack so many coupons along with sales at CVS that I end up saving a huge amount. But the stars have to align for that to happen - I have to need the right thing at the right time!
My husbandās company gives some awards, about $200 or so, and they get to chose a āprize.ā He always just gets Amazon gift cards. At a local coinstar I always opt for an Amazon credit vs. cash with a percentage taken.
Found a way to use up the last dollar or so of the rebate debit Mastercard by noticing that a self pay check out station at a grocery store had a selection for multiple payment methods. Using that did require knowing the amount remaining (which I knew) in order to specify how much to charge the rebate card. Then I put the rest on the usual method I use at the grocery store.
