Family Circle Magazine July 1982
Summer's here, and now there are rebates being offered to save you hundreds dollars on hotel bills, tourist attractions and even air fare. (See our "Summer Vacation savers" rebate listings.) What's more, for our readers who say they have trouble finding rebate forms, we've arranged with six companies to include their forms right in the magazines. (See "Bonus! Clip Out & Use These rebate Forms,"). Rebates enable you to "shop smart." Today's alert consumer can pick and choose the beauty, kitchen and household products she needs to buy and be almost certain of finding ones that offer cash-back rebates. Although product refunds are offered more and more these days, the number of people redeeming them are still few. We hope that, by using Family Circles up-to-date listing of rebates and the following tips, you'll join the ranks of savvy shoppers who are making the most of rebate savings. THE BASIC REBATING TIPS YOU NEED TO KNOW How rebate work: Any time a manufacturer returns cash on a purchase (most commonly through the mail), that's a rebate. To get the money, you must purchase a product, take some part of the packaging andor rebate form, along with the sales receipt and send it to either the manufacturer or a specially designated clearing house address. With some big-money rebates, such as those on cars or large appliances, the dealer must give you direct authorization for getting the rebate. (See our "Kitchen Aid" rebate listing.) Check all these sources to find rebates: Most rebate forms are posted near the product, on the packaging or distributed by clerks at checkouts, service areas or courtesy desks. Community bulletin boards are also good spots to check. I recently found four forms on a bulletin board in a local drugstore. Store flyers, especially from major discount stores and chains, are often an excellent guide to current rebates. Today it's very common to see store sales on items for which the store also advertises the rebate being offered. Most stores play this up as "double savings" – and it is! Keep an eye out for products that boast rebates. As you go down the aisle in any house-wares, care-car or light-bulb section, you're bound to find a half dozen rebates. I recently bought a new kitchen garbage can and was pleasantly surprised to find a $1.50 rebate on plastic bags.
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