fayehuang / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
Reader Sharon has a tip and question for all of us.
Was wondering if anyone else has had trouble with EBates automatically issueing cash back credits? I have spent more time and aggravation dealing with this, and all is rectified now, but just wanted to warn others to keep track of what they purchase through EBates, and make sure they get credit where credit is due!
We want to know as well. Have you had trouble getting your cash back? I do very little online shopping. When I do shop online, I use Ebates. I haven’t had any problems so far. After every purchase I’ll go back to make sure I receive credit. It usually takes 24 to 72 hours for the site to reflect the cash earned.
Got a hot tip? Email us.
Sweet, sweet rebate check! Credit: Rick/Flickr
Longtime reader Glenn shared his discovery of a money-saving website.
Hey, Julia. Do you know about this site?
I spent about 2hrs rifling through all their free sample offers, printable mail-in rebate forms and coupons. Just click on the link and see for yourself.
http://mail-in-rebate-forms.blogspot.com/
Score,
Glenn
This site, MommySavesBig.com, has a neat and tidy listing of dozens of rebate offers. So if you recently bought something and want to check if there is a rebate for it, or misplaced your rebate paperwork, this site will really come in handy!
It also has plenty of printable and online coupons, freebies, and stuff that you can find many places online.
Got a hot tip or big score? Email me.
This laptop is on super sale at Office Max today only! Credit: Office Max
There are 31 coupons and freebies today. If you shop online, get a cash back rebate on every purchase through Ebates. Free to join! Don’t miss exclusive coupons we share on the BargainBabe.com Facebook page. “Like” us today!
THIS WEEKEND! Free museums with B of A card - On the first full weekend of every month, get into more than 150 museums nationwide with your Bank of America/Merrill Lynch debit or credit card as part of its museums on us program. The freebie includes general admission and excludes special exhibitions, ticketed shows and fundraising events. Only the cardholder gets in free.
$25 mag credit - Join the online magazine newstand Zinio and get a $25 credit that you can use to buy any of their 5,000 titles. It’s all in digital format, so you can read your mags on your Kindle Fire, iPad, Android, and many more. Ends March 2012.
Free holiday music - Amazon has plenty of free holiday music to download. Check back because the selection changes frequently.
Win $100 in cash from Ebates!
I’ve been a huge fan of Ebates since…as long as I can remember. Ebates is one of the original cash back rebate sites that helps you save a little extra whenever you shop online.
I’ve made more than $1,000 by logging into Ebates before making an online purchase and by referring friends to the site (which nets you $5 – cha-ching!)
Basically, Ebates gets paid a small “finders fee” for sending shoppers to various retailers. Ebates shares the fee with you in the form of a cash back rebate. How big is the rebate? It’s anywhere from 1-50% of what you buy online. To sweeten the deal, there are daily double cash back rebates and weekly increased cash back rebates. (See below for ones tied to Black Friday.)
Ebates is totally free to use and you even get a $10 gift card for joining. I’m guessing you’re planning on doing some, if not a lot, of holiday shopping online. Why not save every dollar you can? Sign up for Ebates now. DO IT!
On Black Friday, Ebates will be doubling the cash back at more than 500 stores and hosting a 3-hour live chat from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. EST Nov. 25 in their Savvy Living Community. During the chat, Ebates will be giving away $1,000 in prizes!! Pre-Black Friday, Ebates is currently offering double cash back at 24 popular retailers including Nordstrom (5%), Lands’ End (6%), Old Navy (7%), Sears (4%), Macy’s (5%), and more!
Today we are launching a giveaway for a $100 cash prize from Ebates. You must have an Ebates account to win.
A skort similar to one I want to buy w/ cash back rebate. Credit: Dana Beveridge/Flickr
Holy guacamole! Just got an email from Shortcuts.com saying it is offering a 12% cash back rebate at more than 100 online stores. Wahoo! It’s unclear when the 12% rebate ends, but I have an email into headquarters and will ask. See below for a list of participating stores. Note, Shortcuts is a Frugal Festival sponsor, but this is such a hot deal I would have written about it no matter.
If you’re new to cash back sites, here’s how it works.
Step 1. Click the link above to see the full list of retailers offering 12% back back, then click on which retailer you want to shop at. (I’d click Athleta as I’ve been eying their skorts for my summer beach volleyball league.)
Step 2. Sign in or register at Shortcuts.com.
Step 3. Click “Shop Now” on the Athleta page (or whatever retailer you want to buy from). Shortcuts creates a tracking ticket and if you buy something, sends you a check in the mail for the rebate amount.
The math for my hypothetical purchase works like this:
I talked to Laura Rowley, author of “Money and Happiness”
1. “Female” versions of products are often more expensive. Consumer Reports did a study and found that products with his/her versions, like shaving cream, deodorant, and razors, perform the same but cost $1-2 more for the version targeting women, Laura said. All that pink packaging is cute, but not worth an extra dime.
2. A coupon toolbar saves time. Research shows more people do at least two online searches before they buy. First to find the product and then to find coupons for the product. Laura likes the coupon toolbar at Dealio.com, which automatically finds coupons when you search for products on Yahoo, Bing, or Google. Having a toolbar helps you get more value out of a single search.
3. Certain debit cards earn cash rebates. Laura says she earns 3-4 percent on the account tied to her debit card. To earn this high interest rate, you generally have to do five things. One, swipe your debit card 10-12 times a month. Two, set up direct deposit into the account. Three, use the bank’s online banking program. Four, get statements by email not snail mail. Five, bank locally. You aren’t going to see any of the major banks offering this perk.
But do the benefits of using a high-interest debit card surpass credit card perks? “Totally,” Laura said. “It’s way better to get 3-4 percent interest than credit rewards.” What about not building your credit history by using a debit card? “The people with the best credit scores only use 8-10 percent of their credit capacity every month. By using a debit card 10 times, you are getting the best of both worlds.”
Still interested? Go to CheckingFinder.com, plug in your zip code to find a local bank, and compare offers. The banks can afford to give you this interest rate because they are making money on the interchange fee. Every time you swipe your debit card, retailers pay about 2 percent of the sale, Laura said.
This deal works best for people who are comfortable banking online. Laura recommends using a high-interest debit card for small purchases between $10-$50 and a credit card for bigger charges. She makes the most of this deal by transferring 3-4 months of savings into her high-interest account. But only do this if you can stop yourself from spending your savings!
I just checked for my zip code and one bank is offering 4.09 percent interest on balances up to $25,000. That’s a far cry from the 1.25 percent interest rate ING Direct is offering for a 18-month CD.
