If you're organized and good at following through on projects, Free After Rebate offers can save you quite a bit of money each year. Before you consider this, however, you need to be honest with yourself. If you don't follow through to get the rebate, then these offers can cost you a lot of money instead of saving you money. For those who do follow through, however, free After Rebate offers can save you over $1000 a year.
Free After Rebate are offers where you initially pay for the product and then send in a form with some type of proof of purchase (this usually consists of the product's bar code with the store's receipt) to get your money back. I say almost free because you usually have to pay for a stamp to send in the rebate form. Manufacturers can offer this great deal because they know only about 5% of the rebate offers will ever be submitted.
Before purchasing a Free After Rebate product, it's important to read the fine print and terms. There is a good chance there will be some restrictions which may make getting the rebate difficult. You want to take the time to know that you'll qualify for the rebate and can receive it with relatively little work before you purchase the item. This is what the Federal Trade Commission
has to say about manufacturer rebates.
If you're organized and can keep track, Free After Rebate items are also great as
inexpensive gift ideas. Even if you won't personally use the item, they can significantly reduce your gift giving expenses.
If you have never done a Free After Rebate freebie, the best approach is to pick a product that you know you will use and doesn't cost a lot. Go through the process once and see the time and effort needed to get this freebie. From this you can decide if the free After Rebate offers are a good match for you.
If you do decide to get serious about Free After Rebate offers, you may want to check out this
free website that will help you keep track of all your rebates.