Because, dear shopper, many of you won’t send in for that money; you’ll forget about the rebate or you’ll decide it’s not worth the effort. Even when you make a rebate request, you may have a problem. Remember, every rebate dollar that’s not returned is a dollar profit for that company.

Rebates are big with electronics. Business Week Magazine says “nearly one third of all computer gear is now sold with some form of rebate, along with more than 20 percent of all digital cameras, camcorders and LCD TVs."

The magazine reports that 40 percent of all rebates never get redeemed, which would translate into about $2 billion in extra revenue each year for retailers and manufactures.

There are some things you can do to increase your chances of getting your cash back. The most important tip I can give you is - follow the rules. If they say circle the product on the sales slip, circle it, don’t underline it. If they say use black ink, don’t use blue ink. Don’t give them any nit-picky reason to reject your request. Here are something other things to remember:

ORIGINAL RECEIPT: In most cases, you need to include the original receipt. If you attach a copy there’s a good chance they’ll deny your request.

PROOF OF PURCHASE: Odds are you’ll need to send in the Uniform Product Code or some other proof of purchase from the package. Make sure you understand what they’re looking for and cut out the right thing.

USE A STREET ADDRESS: Some companies won’t send rebate checks to a P.O. Box. If that’s their rule, you’ll need to play along. So when you fill out that rebate form, list a street address.

CHECK EXPIRATION DATE: Don’t cut it too close. You want to make sure your letter gets there on time. Be sure to use enough postage. If you’ve included a proof of purchase from the box, it will probably take more than one stamp.

MAKE COPIES: Before you send in your rebate request, make copies of everything, the sales receipt, UPC code, and application form. You’ll need this should something go wrong.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Rebate checks don’t come that quickly, and many times they come in envelopes that look like junk mail. So you need to keep an eye out for them. Washington State’s Attorney General Rob McKenna says rebates typically take up to 12 weeks to arrive. So when you send in the rebate request, make your calendar, so you don’t forget about it.

If you don’t get your check when it should come, you need to follow up. Contact the company or the rebate fulfillment center handling the offer - that’s why you need to keep copies of everything you mailed in, including the address. If that doesn’t work, then it’s time to file complaints with the Attorney General’s office, Better Business Bureau and Federal Trade Commission.

If you’ve successfully jumped through all the hoops and that rebate check arrives, make sure made out for the right amount. The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, a California-based consumer group, says it’s seen cases where the company sent a smaller rebate than advertised.

Could companies make the rebate process a lot easier if they wanted to? Of course they could! Staples has already done that with its "Easy Rebates" program. In some cases you can now apply for a rebate on-line -- there’s nothing to mail in! You can also go to the Staples Web site and track the status of your rebate request, whether it was done online or mailed in. The company says this new program has cut rebate complaints by 25 percent.

MORE INFORMATION:

The Great Rebate Runaround

Consumers Warned on Rebate Rip-offs

Consumers Playing Rebate Roulette This Holiday Season

Read the Fine Prints on Rebates