I was recently given a brand new laptop computer, a wonderful little device. One of the reasons that my relatives were able to afford the laptop was because it came with two fairly substantial rebates that dropped the price by over $200. The catch? They have to remember to turn in the rebate slips.

Printers and scanners -- especially more expensive printers and scanners -- often come with rebates. However, those rebates are only good if you take the time to send them in. Pay careful attention to the directions; rebate companies will use any excuse not to send you money. And send them on time -- a savings is only a savings if the cash actually ends up in your pocket.

Two good articles on rebates can be found here:

Rebate Roulette from PC World.

Rebates - Quick Reference Page from About.com's Coupons / Bargains.