Family Circle Magazine June 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,"). Over the past few years I've received thousands of letters from enterprising Family Circle readers who wart to cash in on refunding but need some advice. Here are the answers to the questions you ask me most. Dear F.C.: I've finally decided to join the refunding bandwagon and reduce my super-market bill. I would appreciate some tips for a novice refunder so I can join the ranks of the successful. Wish me luck. - F.H., Chesterfield, Mo. Dear F.H.: With a little organization, time, effort and strategy, luck will play a small part in your savings. Here are my tips: 1. Collect all the coupons you can find. That means you should check all newspapers, magazines, product packages and home mailers before throwing them out. 2. Organize the coupons you use into categories. These categories should he alphabetized for quick reference. Mine are as follows: Appetizers, Baby Needs, GoodsBread, Baking Supplies, Beverages-CandiesSnacks, Canned FruitsVegetables, Cereal, CoffeeTea, Dairy Products, DressingsSeasoningsSpices, FishMeatPoultry, Fresh FruitVegetables, Frozen Foods, Health & Beauty Aids, Laundry & Cleaning Supplies, Paper Goods, Pasta Rice, Pet Needs, SaucesSoups, Miscellaneous, Compose a directory of categories to suit your food needs. 3. Plan your shopping trip before going to the store. Review the store flyer, which is also divided into categories, and choose the items you need that are on sale and pair them up with a coupon from your file 4. Save all your product packaging and organize them into boxes by category. When you spot an offer, go to your packagings (qualifiers) and get your refund claim into the mail. It's sort of the SOS for refunders-save, organize, send. Dear F.C.: How do I know what parts of the packaging to keep to get my refunds? – E.H.Y., Fair Lawn, N.J. Dear E.H.Y.: The proofs of purchase (POPs) manufacturers ask for are simply parts of the packaging in which their product has been sold: anything from labels, box tops and Universal Product Code (UPC) seals to the entire package itself, in some cases. Although there is no general rule concerning which package parts to save, here are suggestions on what to save drawn from my experience: Batteries: cardboard backing Bottles: front, back and neck labels; cap liner (be sure to identify this for yourself) Bread and bagels: entire outer wrapper, with bulky ends cut off in order to make folding easier. Butter: entire package, with those with lids, the UPC andor POP seal.
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