There are quite a few rebate and reward sites out there. I wish I had realized it before last October, while I was still spending!

On rebate/rewards shopping sites, you go to their website, log in, and then go through their link to whatever store you want to shop at (amazon.com, EddieBauer.com, etc.). Some sites, like eBates, give cash back (my favorite!), a % of your purchase price. So, for drugstore.com, they may give 5% back, for Yves Rocher, 8%, etc. Every three months they send a check of the total. Very nice after the holidays!

Other sites, like Club Mom, My Points, etc., give points per dollar. Very much like the rewards credit cards do. You then redeem the points for g/cs or items.

The trick is to figure out which site gives you the most on any given purchase. It's not easy: a $25 g/c from Club Mom takes about 5000 points, while a $25 g/c from My Points takes about 3200. But each site gives a different number of points per dollar!

A few tricks before spending:

first, go to a coupon code site, like www.247malls.com, find the store, see what codes and discounts are available. (If it opens the store site window, just close it, and remember to write down the coupon codes the 247malls window displays).

Then go to the different reward/rebate sites and determine which gives you the best return on your purchase. You can use the codes when you check out.

Now, MyPoints has links for shopping, such as Barnes and Noble, Eddie Bauer, etc. But, if you go to "easy points", you will also find memberships, free trials, and other offers. You earn additional points by signing up for these offers. My Points also sends emails, you receive 5 points for reading the emails, but extra points for taking advantage of the offers.

An example. I get an email, join a book club, get 4 free books, only buy one more instead of the normal amount, get 1000 points. Join two clubs, get 4000 points. If I go through the links to sign up for the offers, I receive the offer, and the points add up towards the gift cards or other rewards.

Now, MyPoints has a new membership, my points insider-club. For a $1 trial (month), you receive a $10 rebate check, and they pay ALL S&H, return shipping, etc., for any purchases made through their site. While this is great for Eddie Bauer, or other shopping, it's fantastic for the clubs and deals.

An example of the insider-club:

Sign up for BMG music, 12 CDs for free with membership. You receive 250 points for signing up through MyPoints. BUT, there is a $3 S&H fee on EACH CD. Not so free. Now, go to insider-club, and submit the S&H for full rebate. You receive a check for the $36 (or whatever it comes out to), plus if you don't like them and return them, insiders-club pays for that.

Same for book clubs, etc. The S&H really adds up, but if you do the free for a month, free but just pay S&H, and other offers, collect the points, earn a gift card (I just received a $50 to Home Depot), and have all these freebies.

Sell the freebies? I'm using mine as gifts. Who knows what you can do.

There are many other clubs. I do prefer the cash back sites, like eBates. Club Mom I've tried, but they lost my purchase record TWICE, and hence all the points I earned.

Most sites also offer referral bonuses, where if someone signs up from your link or email, you each receive a bonus, points, cash (ebates is $5 CASH).

So, that's how it works. Any more questions? I've only been using these sites for a few months, but I'm happy to explain what I can.