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Monday, December 15, 2008

Rebates... Are they worth the trouble?

Usually, I do believe they are worth the trouble. My husband has very good luck with rebates. He's a computer guy and always talks me into purchases with the promise of sales, discounts and rebates. (oh my!:)) And to be honest, I have to tell you he's very organized about the whole thing when he embarks on a rebate hunt.
He meticulously fills out the paperwork. He scans and makes hard and soft copies of what he sends. He even puts the estimated date to receive his money on our family calender.
Fine. Good. I applaud him.
But why is it so much harder for me to pull this feat of skill and daring off?

Recently I was offered a deal on my annual contact lens purchase. I'd get $30 off my total purchase...IF I bought 4 extra boxes. My oldest son also has contacts and there was a different rebate form and rules etcetera for "his" special rebate.
I had to purchase "8" boxes for his prescription, but at least he'd be set for a year.
Fine. Good. I'm patting myself on the back for my super savings potential.
Contacts are expensive, but I like them. So does my son.



I get home ready to immediately take care of this and get it in the mail.
I pull out the ream of paperwork involved and the receipts and the "official" rebate slips that "Can Not be photocopied" and learn I must mutilate the actual boxes of contacts to send in box tops with my sons rebate, and not the UPC codes. But on mine, I must cut out the UPC codes not the box tops.
Whatever.

So imagine my surprise...I'm sitting at my desk with the oodles of paper work stacked up to my ears containing the microscopic boxes to fill in and I'm reading along with the microscopic fine print on how to redeem the afore mentioned rebates when I discovered a flaw in my savings plan. There is a criteria regarding when we had our eye exams.
What? Why should that matter?
But it does.

I wouldn't have purchased a total of 12 boxes of contacts if I'd known I was 8 days away of being eligible for a full rebate due to the date of my contact lens exam.
Sigh.
I'll still get a little money out of this rebate debacle, but honestly, it barely covers my effort in this endeavor. I had to find scissors for heaven's sake. Then I had to find tape to reattach the little box top tab I'd inadvertently cut off. I had to look for an envelopes, stamps and return labels. I had to highlight purchase dates, and quantities bought and money spend. Plus, remember the microscopic form I had to fill out? I had to print really little letters.
And for what?
Half of what I was expecting.
Fine. Great. I'm never doing this again. I'll leave rebates to my computer geek husband. He's better at it anyway. :)


Thoughts? Experiences?
Are you a Rebate lover?
Convince me, because I'm no longer one.
L

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3 Comments:

At 1:05 PM, Blogger Sissi M. said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

 
At 1:12 PM, Blogger Sissi M. said...

LOL! I have a friend that uses the rebates and even does price comparrisons. What would normally cost $$$ she gets for $. I've been trying to get her to come here for a shopping trip!

 
At 1:14 PM, Blogger Lara Santiago said...

I'm in for a cost savings shopping trip. :)
Let me know. :)
L

 

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