If you make more money, you’re more likely to mail in those pesky rebates that give you cash back on purchases, a survey says.
Which people haven’t used rebates in the past year? Most commonly, those living in households that make less than $50,000 a year, says Consumer Reports.
The consumer organization’s random telephone survey of 1,000 U.S. adults showed 70 percent of those surveyed said that they had, at least once, applied for a rebate in the past 12 months. Of those, 21 percent said they never got any cash back.
Those who said they often or always use rebates:
» Most commonly between 35 and 64 years of age (55 percent)
» Likelier to live in a household with income of $100,000 or more (63 percent)
Those who had not applied for a rebate in the past year:
» Most often adults younger than 35 (35 percent)
» Largest chunk live in households making less than $50,000 (38 percent)
The most common reasons for not sending in for a rebate:
» Too many steps in process (52 percent)
» Monetary reward is too small (46 percent)
» Missed the deadline (42 percent)
Consumer Reports offers some tips on taking advantage of rebate programs:
» Send the application right after a purchase; don’t wait until the deadline. That way, if the company says you made a mistake, you can correct it and resend it.
» The check back from the company may look like junk mail. Keep a sharp eye on your envelopes to make sure you don’t toss it.
» Write down the latest date you would expect to receive your rebate.
The survey was taken in late May. The margin of error is 3.2 percentage points.
