Instagram Photo Contest Terms & Conditions

EBATES GIVEAWAY PROMOTION RULES

The “Ebates Giveaway” (the “Sweepstakes”) consists of a series of ongoing individual sweepstakes, each with individual sweepstakes prize packages (the “Individual Sweepstakes”) (collectively, the “Sweepstakes”) that are subject to these Official Rules except as expressly stated otherwise. No purchase necessary to enter or win. A purchase or payment will not increase your chances of winning. The Sweepstakes is sponsored by Ebates Inc., 160 Spear St, 19th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105 (the “Sponsor”).

1.     Eligibility: The Sweepstakes is open to legal residents of United States and the District of Columbia who are at least 18 years of age or older, have an Ebates and an Instagram account and have an internet connection at the start of the Sweepstakes Period (“Entrant”). Employees of Ebates Inc., its affiliates, Sweepstakes supervisors and members of their immediate families, are not eligible to participate or win. The Sweepstakes is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations. Void where prohibited. See Sponsor’s Privacy Policy at https://www.ebates.com/privacy_policy.htm for more information about privacy.

2. Mandatory Facebook Disclosure: This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook or Instagram. You are providing your information to Ebates Inc. and not to Facebook or Instagram. The information you provide will only be used for administering this Sweepstakes and for marketing purposes in accordance with Sponsor’s privacy policy, located https://www.ebates.com/privacy_policy.htm.

3.     Sweepstakes Period: The Sweepstakes begins on May 14, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time (“PDT”) and ends May 17, 2015 at 11:59 p.m. PDT according to the dates outlined below (the “Sweepstakes Period”). During each Individual Sweepstakes, Sponsor will conduct one [1] drawings (“Drawing”) of all qualified entries received during each Individual Sweepstakes. Qualified entries will not roll over to the next Individual Sweepstakes.

Individual Sweepstakes Periods
  Sweepstakes Entry Start Date Sweepstakes Entry End Date
1 05/14/2015, 11:00 AM PDT 05/17/2015, 11:59 PM PST

Entries for each Drawing must be received by 11:59 p.m. PDT by the relevant Sweepstakes end date according to Sponsor’s time.

4.     How to Enter the Sweepstakes: You must have an Ebates and an Instagram account. During the Sweepstakes Period, download the Ebates app on your smartphone or computer and follow the instructions to create an account for free. You may create an Instagram account by accessing Instagram at www.instagram.com and follow the instructions to create an account for free. Information you provide to Twitter to open an account is subject to Twitter’s privacy policy, located at https://instagram.com/about/legal/privacy/. Once you have your accounts set up, follow these steps to enter the Sweepstakes:

A.   Follow Ebates on Instagram (https://instagram.com/ebatesshopping/)

B.  Post a photo from when you were 16 years-old. Be sure to tag @ebatesshopping and use the hashtag #ebatesturns16 to be eligible to win. 

C. You will automatically be entered and your Instagram photo will be displayed in the photo gallery. 

In the event of a dispute as to the identity of a winner, the winner will be deemed to be the person in whose name the Ebates account was opened. Sponsor is not responsible for late, incomplete, void, corrupted, garbled, misdirected, or otherwise unintelligible Entries and for any problems, bugs or malfunctions Entrants may encounter when submitting their entry. Incomplete, garbled, corrupted or otherwise illegible entries are void and will not be accepted. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify false entries or entries suspected of being false and to disqualify any Entrant it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Sweepstakes or violating these Official Rules.

5. Odds: Odds of winning a prize depend on the number of eligible entries received.

6. Prizes: If eligible under these Official Rules, one [1] winners will receive a $50 Ebates bonus in their account.

No substitution, transfer, or cash redemption of prize permitted, provided however that Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize with another prize of equal or greater value should the advertised prize become unavailable for any reason. Selected Entrant cannot assign or transfer their prize to another person or business. Selected Entrant is solely responsible for any and all federal, state, and local taxes on prize. Gift card prizes are subject to the issuer’s Terms and Conditions. All activities related to the prize are at the Selected Entrant’s own risk and subject to whatever restrictions are imposed by the entities that govern such activities. If prize notification or any prize is returned as undeliverable, or if Selected Entrant may not accept or receive a prize for any reason, prize will be forfeited.

7. Winner Selection and Notification of Selected Entrant:

One [1] Entrants will be selected at random by a representative of Sponsor from among all eligible entries received by the respective Individual Sweepstakes Drawing Dates according to the chart below (“Selected Entrant”).

  Drawing Dates
1 05/18/2015

The Selected Entrant will be notified by a direct message on Instagram asking for the member’s Ebates email address, followed with an email according to Sponsor’s sole discretion, to the address provided at the time of entry. Selected Entrant will be required to respond (as directed) within one (1) days of attempted notification. Selected Entrant will receive the Prize electronically or by mail within approximately thirty (30) days of the date on which the Sponsor receives the completed, signed Release from the Selected Entrant (exact timing subject to change based upon availability of Prize). In the event of a dispute about the identity of an Entrant, each entry will be declared made by the name and relevant information submitted at time of entry.

Limit one (1) prize per person. Due to the frequency of Ebates’ Giveaways, no Entrant (or individual) may obtain more than one (1) promotional prize in a period of consecutive twelve (12) months. Unless otherwise specified in a Giveaway, the total aggregated prize in the Entrant’s lifetime as an Ebates member cannot exceed $500 in cash value (this includes any member that deactivates an Ebates account then subsequently re-activates or opens a new account).

8. Publicity: By participating in the Sweepstakes, any Entrant in the Sweepstakes, irrevocably grants the Sponsor and their respective successors, assigns and licensees, the right to use such Entrant’s, name, likeness, biographical information in any and all media for any purpose, including without limitation, commercial, advertising and promotional purposes as well as in, on or in connection with the Website or the Sweepstakes or other promotions, and hereby release the Sponsor from any liability with respect thereto, unless prohibited by law.

9. General Conditions: By participating, Entrants agree to be fully and unconditionally bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of Sponsor and waive any right to claim ambiguity in the Sweepstakes or these Official Rules. Any portion of the Sweepstakes may be canceled, suspended and/or modified, in whole or in part, if in our opinion any fraud, technical failure or other factor beyond our control impairs the integrity or proper functioning of the Sweepstakes. Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual who is found to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Sweepstakes or the Website, to be acting in violation of these Official Rules, or to be acting in an unsportsman-like or disruptive manner, or with the intent to disrupt or undermine the legitimate operation of the Sweepstakes, or to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person, and Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages and other remedies from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. You may not enter with multiple identities or use any automated system, bot or other device or artifice to enter or obtain more than the maximum number of qualified entries. Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion to terminate the Sweepstakes and, if terminated, at its discretion, select the potential winner(s) in a random drawing from among all eligible, non-suspect entries received prior to action taken. Unclaimed prizes will not be awarded. All federal, state or other tax liabilities (including income taxes) arising from this Sweepstakes will be the sole responsibility of Selected Entrant. Entrants may be issued an IRS Form 1099 for the ARV of any awarded prize. Caution: any attempt to deliberately damage or undermine the legitimate operation of the Sweepstakes may be in violation of criminal and civil laws and will result in disqualification from participation in the Sweepstakes. Should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek remedies and damages (including attorney fees) to the fullest extent of the law, including criminal prosecution.

10.  Limitations of Liability: If for any reason an entry is confirmed to have been erroneously deleted, lost or otherwise destroyed or corrupted, the Entrant’s sole remedy is another entry in the same Sweepstakes during the Sweepstakes Period. Selected Entrants also agree to release, discharge, indemnify and hold harmless Sponsor, Facebook, and each of their respective officers, directors, employees, representatives and agents (collectively “Releasees”) from and against any claims, damages, disability, attorneys’ fees, and costs of litigation and settlement, as well as any liability due to any injuries, damages or losses to any person (including death) or property of any kind resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from: (i) use, redemption, acceptance, possession, ownership, or misuse of any prize, (ii) participation in any activity, event, or excursion offered in connection with the prize, (iii) use of any facility, service and/or accommodation related to the prize, or (iv) participation in any Sweepstakes-related activity or participation in this Sweepstakes. The Releasees shall not be liable for: (i) late, lost, delayed, misdirected, incomplete unreadable, inaccurate, garbled or unintelligible entries, communications or affidavits, regardless of the method of transmission; (ii) telephone system, telephone or computer hardware, software or other technical malfunctions, lost connections, disconnections, delays or transmission errors; (iii) data corruption, theft, destruction, unauthorized access to or alteration of entry or other materials; (iv) any injuries, losses or damages of any kind caused by the prize or resulting from acceptance, possession or use of a prize, or from participation in the Sweepstakes; or (v) any printing, typographical, administrative or technological errors in any materials associated with the Sweepstakes. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Releasees are not responsible for computer malfunctions, network connections, email delivery problems, systems failure or incompatibility, typographical, technical or key-stroke errors, or interruptions in your internet service, and for incomplete, illegible, misdirected, misprinted, late, lost, damaged or stolen notifications. In the event Sponsor is prevented from continuing with the Sweepstakes as contemplated herein by any event beyond its control, including but not limited to fire, flood, earthquake, explosion, labor dispute or strike, act of God or public enemy, or any federal, state or local government law, order, or regulation, or other cause not reasonably within Sponsor’s control (each a “Force Majeure” event or occurrence), then subject to any governmental approval which may be required, Sponsor shall have the right to modify, suspend, or terminate the Sweepstakes. If the Sweepstakes is terminated before the designated end date, Sponsor will (if possible) select the winners from all eligible, non-suspect Submissions received as of the date of the event giving rise to the termination. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of these rules shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision. In the event that any provision is determined to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable or illegal, these rules shall otherwise remain in effect and shall be construed in accordance with their terms as if the invalid or illegal provision were not contained herein.

11.  Disputes: Disputes regarding these Official Rules and/or this Sweepstakes will be governed by the internal laws of the State of California. Decisions of Sponsor are binding and final. In the event of a dispute as to any entry, the authorized account holder of the email address used to conduct a search will be deemed to be the entrant. No claimant in any dispute involving Sponsor shall be entitled to claim or obtain indirect, punitive, incidental or consequential damages. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any provision in these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.

12. Sweepstakes Results: For Sweepstakes results and/or a copy of these Official Rules, send a hand-printed, self-addressed, stamped envelope (stating the specific Sweepstakes you are requesting the winners for) to Ebates Weekly Sweepstakes, c/o Ebates Inc., 160 Spear St, 19th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105. Requests must be received within 90 days of the end of the Sweepstakes.

© 2015, Ebates Inc. All rights reserved.

Holiday Shipping Deadlines

Holiday Shipping Deadlines 1

blogshipping

Making holiday wishes come true for your loved ones is stressful enough. At Ebates, we want to help you rest assured that all of your gifts arrive on time for the big day of unwrapping. Take a moment to note these important shipping deadlines to find out the last day you can place your orders at these top online stores and guarantee their arrival by December 25. Don’t miss out on last-minute gift deals as you dash to the holiday finish line.

Holiday Shipping Deadlines

[table id=4 /]

Holiday Gift Guide Geek-Inspired

Holiday Gift Guide Geek-Inspired 1

geekgg

Once upon a time, geek was used as an insult. Today it’s a title worn with pride. Whovians, Trekkies, Jedis, and zombie killers can proudly display their love for all things nerd. If you have a nerd or geek in your life, these gifts are sure to be a hit.

This geeky guide showcases eight items for fans of The Hobbit, Portal, Legend of Zelda, Star Wars, and more. After seeing all the products that the geek culture has to offer, it’s hard to not get sucked in yourself. (It’s worth it. Come to the dark side.)

1. Minecraft Sheet Magnets (Newegg) | $16.99
2. Star Trek TNG Wesley Crusher Uniform Hoodie (ThinkGeek) | $59.99
3. The Legend of Zelda Collector’s Puzzle (GameStop) | $9.99
4. Star Wars Death Star Wireless Bluetooth Speaker (Target) | $49.99
5. If Daryl Dies We Riot Crossbow Mug (ThinkGeek) | $12.99
6. Portal Cookie Cutters (Newegg) | $17.99
7. The Hobbit Map of Middle Earth (WB Shop) | $39.99
8. Doctor Who Tardis Slippers (Sears) | $19.95

Prices and Cash Back Percentages are subject to change.

giftguidetag

Don’t Miss Out on Extra Savings:

Sign up for a free account with Ebates and start earning Cash Back on all your purchases. Find thousands of coupons, promo codes and discounts at over 1800 stores plus get Cash Back savings with online rebates.

Sign up here: www.Ebates.com

 

Stay in the loop to hear about great deals and tips! Follow Ebates on Facebook andTwitter!

Get $75 by Inviting 3 Friends!

Holiday Gift Guide for the Gamer

Holiday Gift Guide for the Gamer 1

gamerhgg

It’s likely that you’ll be shopping for a gamer this holiday season. Sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, husbands, and wives are making wish lists for the newest consoles and gaming gear. We’ve made it easy by bringing together 10 of the hottest gaming gifts for the year.

1. SteelSeries Sensei [RAW] Gaming Mouse (Best Buy) | $50.99
2. ASUS VG248QE 24″ LCD Monitor (Overstock) | $288.99
3. Astro A50 Wireless Gaming Headset (GameStop) | $299.99
4. Destiny PlayStation 4 Bundle (Target) | $449.99
5. Elgato Game Capture HD 60 (Best Buy) | $169.99
6. Logitech G710+ Mechanical Gaming Keyboard (Sears) | $124.26
7. Xbox One Console Assassin’s Creed: Unity Bundle (Best Buy) | $349.99
8. 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die by Tony Mott (Barnes & Noble) | $25.65
9. Mario and Luigi Wii U 32GB Deluxe Set (Kmart) | $299.96
10. NVIDIA SHIELD Portable (Newegg) | $199.99

Prices and Cash Back Percentages are subject to change.

giftguidetag

Don’t Miss Out on Extra Savings:

Sign up for a free account with Ebates and start earning Cash Back on all your purchases. Find thousands of coupons, promo codes and discounts at over 1800 stores plus get Cash Back savings with online rebates.

Sign up here: www.Ebates.com

 

Stay in the loop to hear about great deals and tips! Follow Ebates on Facebook and Twitter!

Get $75 by Inviting 3 Friends!

Holiday Gift Guide for the Fitness Guru

Holiday Gift Guide for the Fitness Guru 1

hggfitness

It can be intimidating to buy presents for the people in your life you love fitness. Fitness gurus are on top of the latest nutrition trends and gear. But a runner can never have too many workout shirts or sneakers. We’ve compiled eight great gifts for those who either want to get started in fitness or already are deep in to it.

1. GapFit Motion Long-sleeve Moto Top (Gap) | $40.46
2. Nike Free 4.0 Flyknit (Foot Locker) | $99.99
3. Tory Burch Golden-Plated Fitbit-Case Pendant Necklace (Neiman Marcus) | $175
4. Fitbit One Wireless Activity + Sleep Tracker (Sears) | $99.99
5. Camelbak Eddy Glass Bottle (The Vitamin Shoppe) | $19.99
6. Apple iPod shuffle 2GB MP3 Player (Best Buy) | $49.99
7. The Sparkpeople Cookbook: Love Your Food, Lose the Weight (Barnes & Noble) | $21.35
8. nuun Electrolyte Enhanced Drink Tabs Variety Pack (Walgreens) | $17.99

Prices and Cash Back Percentages are subject to change.

giftguidetag

Don’t Miss Out on Extra Savings:

Sign up for a free account with Ebates and start earning Cash Back on all your purchases. Find thousands of coupons, promo codes and discounts at over 1800 stores plus get Cash Back savings with online rebates.

Sign up here: www.Ebates.com

 

Stay in the loop to hear about great deals and tips! Follow Ebates on Facebook and Twitter!

Get $75 by Inviting 3 Friends!

Holiday Gift Guide for Kids

Holiday Gift Guide for Kids 1

hggkids

Without literally thousands of toys to choose from this holiday season, buying gifts for your child, niece, nephew, cousin, or friend can become daunting. We’ve come up with ten great gifts for any child in your life, many which focus on creativity along with fun!

1. Magformers 30 Piece Classic Set (Target) | $39.99
2. Melissa & Doug Alphabet Sound Puzzle (Bed Bath & Beyond) | $19.99
3. Hide and Seek Playhouse (Sears) | $34. 10
4. Play-Doh Fun Factory Deluxe Set (Toys R Us) | $17.99
5. Melissa & Doug Wooden Deluxe Puppet Theater (Gettington) | $71.95
6. Seedling Design Your Own Super Hero Cape (ReUseIt) | $35.99
7. Fisher-Price Grow with Me 3-in-1 Skateboard (FAO Schwarz) | $49.99
8. LEGO Minecraft: Crafting Box (Toys R Us) | $59.99
9. Disney Frozen Deluxe Toddler 2 Pack with Olaf (Target) | $37.99
10. Crayola Marker Maker (Kmart) | $19.99

Prices and Cash Back Percentages are subject to change.

giftguidetag

Don’t Miss Out on Extra Savings:

Sign up for a free account with Ebates and start earning Cash Back on all your purchases. Find thousands of coupons, promo codes and discounts at over 1800 stores plus get Cash Back savings with online rebates.

Sign up here: www.Ebates.com

 

Stay in the loop to hear about great deals and tips! Follow Ebates on Facebook and Twitter!

Get $75 by Inviting 3 Friends!

Holiday Gift Guide Fun Stocking Stuffers for Every Age

Holiday Gift Guide Fun Stocking Stuffers for Every Age 1

stockinghgg

Little gifts and tiny presents make for some of the finest stocking stuffers. Candy, gum, socks, and gift cards are the obvious treats to create the perfect holiday stocking, but we’ve gathered nine items under $15 that are fun for many ages. Don’t worry, chocolate is still on there!

1. Duck Tea Infuser (ThinkGeek) | $9.99
2. Q&A a Day 5 Year Journal (Barnes & Noble) | $16.99
3. Digital Innovations ScreenDr Mobile Device Screen Cleaning Kit (Newegg) | $13.20
4. Starbucks Salted Caramel Hot Cocoa Mix (Starbucks) | $4.99
5. Ghirardelli minis Assorted Bucket (Ghirardelli) | $12.95
6. Holiday Blend Coffee (The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf) | $13.95
7. Good Grips Silicone Razor Handle (The Container Store) | $2.99
8. Vibe FridgeFork Condiment Fork (Target) | $4.99
9. Toshiba 8GB Micro Swivel USB 2.0 Flash Drive (Toshiba) | $14.99

Prices and Cash Back Percentages are subject to change.

giftguidetag

Don’t Miss Out on Extra Savings:

Sign up for a free account with Ebates and start earning Cash Back on all your purchases. Find thousands of coupons, promo codes and discounts at over 1800 stores plus get Cash Back savings with online rebates.

Sign up here: www.Ebates.com

 

Stay in the loop to hear about great deals and tips! Follow Ebates on Facebook and Twitter!

Get $75 by Inviting 3 Friends!

Win $100 Gift Card to ULTA

Win $100 Gift Card to ULTA 3

Ebates_700x390

 

Lipstick, eye shadow, blush, and more. Perfume, hair care, gifts galore! ULTA has all your beauty favorites and gift sets that it can be hard to decide what to buy. We’re here to help make your shopping a little bit easier! We are giving away a $100 ULTA gift card to two lucky Ebates members. They’ll come in handy this holiday season when you want to shop for your friends, family or even yourself!

Be sure to visit Ebates before shopping at ULTA and you’ll earn 6% Cash Back on your purchase. We also have a bevy of coupons that will help you save even more. Black Friday online savings at ULTA begin at 7PM CST, stores open at 8PM. Sign up and be the first to know about ULTA’s Black Friday Deals by clicking the image below:

sneak

 

How To Enter The ULTA Gift Card Giveaway:

1. If you’re not already an Ebates member, visit us here and complete the free & simple signup: www.ebates.com. You’ll be on your way to saving money and earning Cash Back at over 1800 stores!

2. After you enter your Ebates email, you can earn extra entries for each type of entry. Comment, tweet, pin, follow us, like us, circle us — the more you do, the more entries you get! This sweepstake ends on Sunday, November 23, 2014 at 11:59 PM PST. The winners will be randomly picked through Rafflecopter, and will be posted on Facebook and this blog. Please be aware of the Giveaway Rules.

Be sure to keep an eye on your inbox, as winners will have 24 hours to accept the prize before we will choose another winner.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Take advantage of ULTA sales and deals!

See ULTA CouponsShop ULTA with 6% Cash Back

 

Stay in the loop to hear about great deals and tips! Follow Ebates on Facebook and Twitter!

Get $75 by Inviting 3 Friends!

Prices and Cash Back Percentages are subject to change.

Fall’s Hottest Nail Trends

Fall's Hottest Nail Trends

fallnailsheader

As the leaves begin to fall and crunch underneath our feet, it’s now time to break out into spectacular new autumn nail polish colors. Navy blues, deep reds, and classic nudes are all go to colors for the season, but this year there are more options than ever. Check out these eye-catching colors that are perfect for the fall.

All of these colors (and so many more) are available at Sephora, with tons of coupon offers for purchases over $25 and 4% Cash Back at Ebates. Additionally, if you spend over $50 dollars, you qualify for free 3-day shipping. And don’t forget that every purchase comes with 3 free samples as well! Now personally, we’re a big fan of butter LONDON’s Brick Lane which reminds us of the leaves changing colors. Let us know in the comments below, what’s your favorite hue?

 

Top Row (L to R): Nails Inc in Basil Street ($9.50) | Dolce & Gabbana in Chocolate ($25) | Julep in Daria ($14) | Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics in Pagan ($10)

Bottom Row (L to R): Formula X in State of the Art ($10.50) | NARS in Chinatown ($20) | butter LONDON in Brick Lane ($15) | Deborah Lippmann in Rolling In The Deep ($18)

Prices and Cash Back percentages subject to change. Products available at Sephora.com

Need School Supplies? Here’s How to Save Some Cash

Need School Supplies? Here's How to Save Some Cash

backtoschool_guestblog

If you’re about to send the little ones off to school for another year, you’re probably knee deep in the process of shopping for their supplies by now. Outfitting your children with backpacks, lunchboxes, binders and more can be a costly venture, and every parent undertakes it when autumn rolls around. With a little research and planning, however, you can find plenty of ways to reduce the financial burden of back-to-school shopping.

1. Check Your Current Inventory
Before you head out on your first shopping trip, get the kids involved and ask them to round up everything they have left from last year. If they dig deep, you might be surprised by what’s still on-hand. If those backpacks and jackets are still just as good as they were last year, have your children reuse them. If you get some pushback, just placate them with another smaller purchase.

2. Create a Shopping List
Gather supplies lists from each of your kids’ classes and mark off any items you already have on-hand. Once you’ve done that, be sure to bring the list with you when you shop — forgetting it could mean a lot of money spent on unnecessary purchases. If any of the items on your children’s lists are optional, just don’t buy them. If you change your mind down the road, you can always purchase them later — usually after they’ve gone on sale.

3. Get Free Supplies
Sign up for the rewards program at your preferred office-supplies store, and stay on top of your emails. You can generally opt to receive notifications when school supplies are available at a discount, or possibly for free after a 100% cash-back rebate. You usually have to pay full price for items, but at the beginning of the following quarter you’re going to be issued a rewards certificate. Most websites post these offers online, so be sure to remember your username and password for each so you can easily access them once they’re ready.

4. Never Pay Full Price
The retailer’s strategy behind most cash-back rewards programs is to get you to pay full price for other supplies during your shopping excursions. Be patient and wait for the rest of the items on your list to go on sale. If it’s down to the last minute, check out your local dollar store. For things like backpacks and lunch boxes, wait a few weeks and you may be able to score a deal from the clearance section.

5. Stock Up When You See a Deal
If you see a 10-pack of pens for 50 cents, buy as many as you can. Do the same for notebooks, pencils and any other items you see at a bargain. Even if you end up overbuying, it just means next year’s shopping trips are going to be that much easier — and less expensive.

6. Use Your Cash-Back Rewards Wisely
If you find yourself with a pile of rewards certificates, be sure to write down all expiration dates so you don’t miss out on any savings. Better yet, set a notification on your calendar for about two weeks before each one expires so you’ve got some leeway to go out and use them. If worse comes to worst and you don’t see anything you need, ask if the retailer is willing to let you use the certificates to buy gift cards in the store — or try getting them online, as these typically have no expiration date.

Unless that summer vacation you just took is completely paid off and you have a healthy holiday shopping fund ready to go this winter, it’s important to save money however you can. Remember, back-to-school shopping is not necessarily a one-off event. Other obligations — such as sports uniforms, school play costumes, and field trip expenses — are going to pop up as the year progresses. Cut your back-to-school costs now and you’ll be that much closer to staying on track throughout the year.

How do you save on back-to-school supplies?