Baby product manufacturers, especially makers of formula, frequently offer product rebates. I know I have about three product rebate forms filed away in a folder labeled ‘baby coupons,’ to use when my due date approaches.

According to the writers of the book Baby Bargains, if you check the box marked ‘plan to breastfeed’ on any pregnancy surveys, you’ll get even more formula coupons, rebates and other special offers. In my fifth month of pregnancy, I’ve found this to be true.

Rebates encourage new parents, who may not have developed brand loyalty or preferences, yet, to try specific products. However, four out of 10 people who purchase a product with a rebate available fail to collect the money due to them.

Manufacturers count on this, in fact, and often make rebate submission requirements very stringent. New mothers, with lots on their minds, are especially susceptible to forgetting to mail in a rebate form, sending it in with incomplete information, or missing the deadline. With the high costs of raising an infant, those little rebate checks can add up to significant savings. Make sure you get the money you deserve by following these steps:

• Gather all the information and paperwork required to submit the rebate. This is likely to include the product’s serial number, your original receipt, a UPC cut out from the box, and the rebate form. Make a photocopy of all the paperwork, including the completed rebate form, for your records before mailing. Be aware of rebates that require you to purchase two different products in order to collect the rebate. These rebates can offer even greater savings, but you must purchase both products and submit both receipts and UPC codes to qualify.
• Fill out the form legibly, in blue or black ink if specified. Make sure you include all necessary information.
• Don’t wait until the last minute to mail the rebate. Do it immediately when you return home from the store, so you don’t forget. Additionally, if you make a mistake in your submission, such as forgetting to include the UPC or receipt, there may be time to correct the mistake if you didn’t wait until right before the deadline to submit the form.
• Watch the mail; rebates can take up to 12 weeks to arrive. The envelope is usually small and often looks like junk mail. It helps to write the expected arrival dates of any rebate checks on your calendar; if the check is more than two weeks late, you can contact the company to check the status.

In a package offered by congress and approved by President Bush to help the U.S. economy, approximately 117 million families will receive tax rebates that will hopefully give the country’s economy the stimulus it so desperately needs. Rebate checks will be between $600 and $1,200 and in some cases more depending on the amount of children within the family.The rebate breakdown is as follows: individuals will receive $600, working couples will receive $1,200, and couples with children will receive an additional $300 per child. The package will also help businesses. Business owners, including small business, will be able to increase the percentage amount of write offs for equipment and plant purchases.

The approved package gives a lower dollar amount in rebates to families, but includes almost 30 million families that would have been left out of the original package proposed. With the lower dollar amounts, more working families will be able to receive the rebate.

Although an exact date has not been specified as to when the checks will be printed and mailed, don’t expect a check within days. Congress is asking that it happen immediately, but since the stimulus package is not expected to go in front of President Bush until February 15, it looks to be like weeks before receiving your check.

Source:

Congressional Leaders Announce Rebates for 117 Million Families, ABC News