Gifts with Rebates, and Indiana Jones
December 12th, 2006Is it OK to give presents for which you have submitted a rebate?
Unless they’re Staples Easy Rebates or a similar program, you have to send the original receipt and often cut the UPC from the packaging. With a gaping hole where the UPC used to be, a gift doesn’t have quite the same shiny newness that an unmutilated, unopened box did.
However, taking advantage of rebates allows me to buy nicer, more valuable gifts than I otherwise would. Personally, I’d be fine with someone giving me a rebated present because I don’t want them spending more money than is necessary. Last year, I got a digital camera for my younger sister with the help of a rebate. I knew she wouldn’t mind the missing UPC if that was the difference between receiving a camera and not.
I doubt everyone feels quite the same way about gifts, so when in doubt, I go the safe route and skip rebate items.
Incidentally, here’s a gift idea where you don’t have to send a UPC for the rebate: Adventures of Indiana Jones: The Complete DVD Movie Collection. It’s $26.99 from fye.com before a $15 rebate. After rebate, and using code MCOCT2006 for 10% off and free shipping, the price is $9.29 before tax. The rebate is only valid today (12/12) and you need to print the form from the website. As usual with rebates, you take your chances with reliability of the rebate company.
I picked one up because I know several family members who would like it, and they don’t have to know there was a rebate involved in this case. Unless they read my blog.