One of the earliest sites I joined on the internet was this one, way back in 2002 – wow, 2002! Seems like things have changed so much, so quickly!
OK, back to the real point of this post. I’m frugal, I admit it. When I buy something significant, like a new car or computer, I research them and strive to find the best one and to get the best price. So when I’m done, it annoys me if I find out later I missed an obvious chance to save more. When buying stuff on-line, Ebates is frequently that chance.
Ebates is a referral/rebate system for on-line shopping. They have selected partners that will give you cash back – in most cases on top of any other coupon or deal – for items you purchase after going through the Ebates site to get there. You get the cash back as a total accumulated through Ebates, paid quarterly. Their partners are ones you likely already are looking at, you just don’t know otherwise about the rebates! Examples of their 1200+ store partners are HP, Dell, Godiva, JC Penney, Sears, Macy’s, LL Bean, etc., including my favorite computer/electronics store: NewEgg.
Generally, the only thing you have to do is remember to visit Ebates first, then follow the link from their site to the place you’d otherwise shop already! After that, it is all automatic (in a few cases, you need to enter a discount code or similar). Generally, you get 1-6% cash back, but I’ve also seen ones as high as 15% or fixed dollar amounts like $60. For stuff you were already going to buy.
So now you know why I kick myself if I forget about using Ebates. Don’t kick yourself – join and start saving now. If you follow my link here to sign up, I’ll possibly get a small reward for referring you and you’ll still get the same great deals – so please click below to join for yourself (and me). And remember to use them afterwards!
