Rebates and Freebies, How-To and When-To

Rebates:

I've got a picture here of just a few items I've submitted for rebates. There are different blogs and websites you can look on to find suggestions but most "Try Me Free" items are found at the store with stickers on them with the needed rebate information. It takes just a keen eye to find them as you go through the store. Another common way to come across rebate offers is in the newspaper within the ads and coupons.


Pros of Rebates:
Free stuff!
Surprises in the mail
Ease (some are done online and through paypal)

Cons of Rebates:
Having to pay the money out of pocket and wait several weeks
You don't get reimbursed for taxes
Sometimes the guidelines are vague and can be hard to understand
Having to deposit checks often (I hate it-I'm a direct deposit/online bill pay kinda gal)

Hints and Tips:
-Make sure you're getting something you actually want and would be willing to pay for in case you missed something and you don't actually get the rebate!
-Check and double check all requirements before sending in
-Pick and choose (some require you to jump through a dozen hoops while some simply require a receipt or upc with a form).
-Keep track of your rebate information such as how much you are expecting, when it was submitted, where it was sent to, how long you expect for it to take. If you haven't seen it after the expected timeframe, you can contact the company you sent the rebate request to.

Familiar Rebate Programs:

Staples: Staples often offers rebates, I only go for those that make for free items. I've gotten tissues, paper (white and color), address label sheets, and photo printing paper). They have an "Easy Rebate" program that really is easy-just take the receipt they give you and enter the codes on their website. Turnaround time is pretty quick and you can select a check or paypal.

Walgreens: These can be submitted online or via mail. I've done 3 rebates with them since January and haven't gotten a check once :( Hopefully soon, technically they're still within the 6-8 weeks.

Rite Aid: I believe theirs is also online...I've only done 1 with them and their turnaround time is faster than average.

Freebies
I sign up for a lot of "freebies" or samples. Target.com and Walmart.com often have free samples they'll ship to you. Other samples I sign up for are listed as limited time offers on Facebook pages. I follow multiple blogs for ideas and sign up for what tickles my fancy when I have a moment or so. Here is another picture, showing some of the samples I've gotten since January.


Pros of Freebies:
Free stuff!
Surprises in the mail
Unlike rebates, you don't have to pay anything upfront, including the cost of an envelope and postage!
Most times you will also get coupons that come with your free sample :)

Cons of Freebies:
Sometimes the request form requires too much information or takes too long.
Sometimes the samples are really limited in quantity. If only 2,000 samples are available and I read about it on a blog-I don't even try, everyone else probably already snatched it up!


Tips and Hints:
-Watch what personal information is required. I learned a lesson quickly to not request samples when they required my phone number. Getting calls about samples at work is just not ok (had to jump through that hoop for the scope/pampers/dawn you see pictured). Also, I have an email dedicated especially for these since they like to send you offers later.
-Pick your battles and be patient. Sometimes samples run out before you get to them or webpages run slow because of all the traffic on the site-everyone else wants it free too!
-*Ask companies directly*-My husband and I like the Orange air freshener on the left of the picture. That can was actually purchased, not a freebie. We love the natural, pure, orange oil scent! Not being a "major" company like Glad or Air Wick, we never see or find coupons for them. I went to their website listed on the spray can and contacted them asking for coupons or samples. They don't have any coupons but they said they'd send me a sample, I'm really looking forward to it :)

Let me know if you have any other questions, comments, or want more information on these topics or others :)

Why Wouldn't You Do This?

I feel like a fool now that I know how to really save money, a fool that I ever spent so much, paid full price!!!

My sister-in-law helped a lot and introduced me to Swagbucks.com. I've mentioned them briefly before but I got a package today that made it feel like it was Christmas and I thought I'd share :)

Join Swagbucks HERE. It's totally free and you can be extra casual with earning points if all you do is just use their search engine instead of others like google. We've gotten at least $40 in gift cards since February! They also have special promotions that you can do if you want. I saw they had a Vistaprint option (you have to be a new user, I've bought from them before but my husband hasn't and we have different Swagbucks accounts)-get a free custom t-shirt and just pay for shipping. A good deal on its own, it also gave you enough Swagbucks points to get a $5.00 Amazon.com gift card. Vistaprint always offers other freebies with the hopes that you'll opt into a paid upgrade. I chose all freebies and got tons of business cards, a pen, the t-shirt, and a return address stamp-all customized-all free. Only shipping. I got that package today.

We paid $8.73 for shipping. After the $5 gift card, we really only paid $3.73 for all these goodies!!! Gifts or just-because items anyone? (Sorry no pictures, some of these items were actually customized to be a gift for someone...don't want to let the cat out of the bag in case they peek at my blog :)

I've said it before, and I'll say it again....

My sister-in-law doesn't live as close to a Target as I do and saw the awesome game deals this week. I told her I'd pick something up for the kiddos for early Christmas shopping. Most selections have been pretty well picked through but I saw the Simon Flash and thought it could be fun for the kids. Then I went to get the free Hasbro card game and all of those tagged for the promo were wiped out. None in the back, signs say "No Rainchecks". A possible shipment tomorrow but no guarantees any of the games are on that truck and it would take another trip to the store. We decided after the promotion and coupons, a $25 game was still a good deal for $5 even if it didn't get sweetened up by an additional free card game.

And then I got an idea...
I've noticed at Target that when they run out of promo items sometimes they hang tags on similar items that state "Instant Subsitute". I found another Hasbro card game that wasn't included in the promo that was only $0.10 more than the others and figured I'd give it a try asking the manager to do an instant substitution. They were kind and did it for me :D Remember this is solely up to their discretion and may not always work. Being kind and shopping/approaching them when the store isn't swamped helps as well I'm sure!

I've said it before, and I'll say it again...If you never ask, you'll never get it ;)

My Newest Shop! LiveItAgain

I am proud to announce the launch of my newest shop LiveItAgain.etsy.com! I only have a couple small listings so far, but I plan to expand with more upcycled, or re-cycled goods. I have made items such as paper beads and jewelry from recyclable items as well. Have an idea for a custom order? Let me know!

Back to Business...Amazing Sales, Taxes and Couponing.

I regret that I haven't been able to finish my grandmother's memorial project that I wanted, some technical problems creeped up-but I hope to by week's end. Tomorrow I start a new position as a trainer at work, I'm more nervous than I feel I should be but I just have to remind myself that I always have a hard time with change...it will work out.

Anyway, Having some spare time and a large amount of curiosity, I wanted to know about how Washington taxes apply with coupons. I know some states don't have to pay tax at all if the coupon takes the price down to $0.00. But in Washington we have to pay tax on the pre-coupon amount. I knew from checking out my reciepts that it clearly wasn't off of the pre-coupon amount for both store and manufacturer coupons because I often stack them and it just didn't add up. Here you can find the legal info on the WA government website, but basically it explains that you are taxed on the cost after store coupons but after manufacturer coupons.
Example:
Product on sale for $4.99
Store coupon for $1 off.
Manufactuer coupon for $1 off.
You will be taxed on the $3.99 value.

One last quick mention about Target deals-I am a game a holic and they have some amazing game sales this week (We may have bought some for ourselves and rationalized it by wrapping them up in Christmas paper and labelled them to ourselves from Santa already....).

Example:
Some games such as battleship are on sale for $10 each (Usually over $18).
You get a free Hasbro card game with this purchase (about $6-7 value).
Use a $3 off manufactuer coupon + a $3 off target coupon
Get 2 games ($24.50 value) for $4.

Example:
Some electronic games such as Flash Simon on sale for $15 (Usually over $25)
You get a free Hasbro card game with this purchase (about $6-7 value).
Use a $5 off manufactuer coupon + a $5 off target coupon
Get 2 games ($31.50 value) for $5.

To see the Target ad and check out exactly which games are on sale, go to target.com and see their weekly ad. To print off the store coupons I mentioned, go to their coupon section on the site.

For the manufacturer coupons I mentioned, they were in this last Sunday's paper, or you can print them here.

Happy hunting!

Target goodies, Plus :)

I just got this nice haul at Target. Unfortunately I don't think the coupons I used are still available.

$0.46 (taxes)-done in 2 transactions


Transaction #1
8 pack My First Crayola triangle crayons $2.69
Used a $2 off 1 manufacturer coupon (printed off of their Facebook page, no longer available)
Used a $1 off 1 target coupon (available at target.com)
=FREE

Trimmer $2.99
Nail File $1.27
Used a $5 off of 2 Revlon beauty care items Target web coupon (no longer available to print)
=FREE

Reusable target shopping bag $0.99
The Revlon products printed a catalina for $1 off and it paid for this.
=FREE

Transaction #2
8 pack My First Crayola triangle crayons $2.69
Used a $2 off 1 manufacturer coupon (printed off of their Facebook page, no longer available)
Used a $1 off 1 target coupon (available at target.com)
=FREE

Nail Buffer $2.99
Nail File $1.27
Used a $5 off of 2 Revlon beauty care items Target web coupon (no longer available to print)
=FREE


I also wanted to share a secret of mine I found out to getting free candy. I've noticed that on easter bags of M&Ms and Dove that they have peelie stickers that are $1 off of 2 selected items (twix, snickers, dove, etc). I found these on tons of bags at both Rite Aid and Walgreens. There are no restrictions so I used them on candy bars that are on sale 2/$1-they are completely free! Not even tax here in Washington :)


Lastly, I will show you a tasty pizza we made last night-homemade cooking can be done with coupons as well, not just all the frozen dinners, poptarts, and chips!

The ups and downs and food for thought.

Today started out rather frustrating at Rite Aid when I went on my lunch. I wanted to get 3 simple items, use 2 coupons. They wouldn't accept 1 of them because it was an internet coupon that wouldn't scan. I get so frustrated with most stores having an addition to their coupon policy that they won't "force" the printed off coupons. Basically, they don't trust them because of people illegally copying them. I always feel insulted, like they're questioning my integrity or intelligence and I know I've done my research and am abiding by all the rules. What I don't find fair, is that the coupon scanners seem to always hate my coupons no matter if they are from the Sunday paper or the internet, so it's a little unfair that they decide to pick when they will and will not demonstrate good customer service. Anyway, I ended up walking out and taking my money elsewhere.

In the evening, it got a lot better when we went to Walgreen's. We got this haul for $.09. And I don't mean each-I mean all of them. We paid tax only on the carefree (I laughed when I took this picture, it must look like I have PMS).


Later as I was reading my emails, I had time to ponder on today's happenings. My sweet grandmother passed away this last Saturday and we're talking about helping pack her things, etc after the funeral. I thought of how she is in Heaven wih grandpa, happy and careless as to her possessions and the things of the world. How beautiful it is to think about that and put things into perspective. No matter how frustrating it can be for a silly coupon to not work, or how fun it is when you get things for free, in the end, it's what we learn and do, the memories that we take with us.

There's some food for thought. And I'll leave you a with a couple shots of some tasty food I've made recently. French Onion Soup and Galabki (Polish Stuffed Cabbage Rolls). MMmmmmmm. Good night all!