In a recent experiment the Wall Street Journal conducted, only 1 in 5 of the rebate checks arrived without difficulty. They couldn’t find followup contact info, missed dates, and misplaced forms.

Obviously, they need to read our post, “HOW TO: Rebate Whore“, which lays out the system one professional rebater uses to keep track of all his rebates.

See, most rebate companies use a scientifically crafted and patented system designed to increase the likelihood of “breakage,” which means that you’ll mess up something at some point and void your rebate.

Tips to ensure your rebate’s arrival…

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• Read all fine print and follow instructions to a T
• Notarize your receipts (Bank of America does this free for account holders)
• Use delivery confirmation when sending in your forms
• Scrutinize the mails as “rebate checks often resemble junk mail”
• Use a calendar, spreadsheet, and filing cabinet to track your rebate.

Rebates are designed to trip you up, but the careful and diligent bargain hunter can still use them successfully. — BEN POPKEN

Waiting for Rebate Checks to Arrive [WSJ]
(Photo: Brandie!)

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