How to Avoid the Rebate Runaround

Unless you've been living in a cave the past few years, you know how common rebates have become. And if you're one of the millions of people every year who buys a product with a corresponding rebate, you know how much of a hassle it is to actually get your money from them.

This piece from MSNBC gives their thoughts on how to avoid the rebate runaround, listing six tips for getting your money back. Their thoughts:

1. Read the fine print.

2. Follow all directions to a tee.

3. Don't miss the deadline. 

4. Keep a paper trail.

5. Follow up as many times as needed.

6. File a complaint.

Here's what we do:

1. Complete the rebate as soon as possible -- within days for the purchase at the latest.

2. Copy EVERYTHING -- receipts, forms, correspondence, etc.

3. Send it in.

4. Track it if possible (some stores allow web tracking of rebates.)

5. File the rebate forms and make a note on our calendar as to when we expect them to be due. If we don't hear back in that amount of time, we contact the company.

An even better suggestion is to use a company that makes the process very, very easy. Costco is my favorite when it comes to ease of redemption. You simply go to their site, put in your purchase number, fill out the information, and submit it. It's all tracked and recorded online so you can see where your rebate is at any point in time. It's just another reason we love to shop at Costco.