We are very excited to share that Amazon.com has decided to offer Cash Back through Ebates! Customers will be able to earn 3.0% Cash Back at 4 different Amazon.com categories. These four categories will change periodically. Currently you can earn Cash Back in the following categories: Shoes & Sandals, Grills & Patio Furniture, Grocery & Gourmet Food, and Swim Shop.

Your chance to vote for your favorite Ebates stores is almost over! Pick your five favorite stores, and we will get the top stores to increase their Cash Back for an upcoming sale :)

Ebates is adding new stores all the time. One exciting new addition is Loehmann's! Be sure to check out their great selection of discounted designer goods and earn 7.5% Cash Back.

We are kicking off Autumn in our Savvy Living Community in a BIG way! We have recently welcomed a new crop of Community Leaders: Kasey from Time2Save Workshops, Jennie from Bargain Blessings, Melea from Freebies2Deals, Kristin from BonBon Rose Girls, Kelly from Kansas City Mamas, Melissa from Stockpiling Moms, Angie from Seven Clown Circus, Sami from SamiCone.com, Liz from Hoosier Homemade, Arlene from Flour on My Face, Jen from Thrifty Northwest Mom, Corrie from "Cents"able Momma, Dagmar from DagmarBleasdale.com!

Hi my name is Laura. I am the newest blogger for Ebates. When I am not scouring the internet for the best deals, I like to spend my time watching movies, going to museums (I can often be found enjoying Blue Bottle Coffee on the SFMOMA's rooftop sculpture garden), playing with puppies, and spending lots of time outdoors. Since I like finding retro-inspired pieces, some of my favorite online shops are Urban Outfitters, ModCloth, and The Gap (I need basics too!), but I also occasionally lose many hours browsing Sephora.com since their online store is always stocked with the lipstick shade I am looking for.

Just the other day I stumbled on this lovely Tinley Road Leather Cuff. The neutral tones will go perfectly with nearly any outfit and you get cash back at Piperlime! I am excited to start posting all of my favorite finds and hottest deals.
 

Today's guest blogger is Nanette from A Mom Blog. She shares her quick and easy tips for shopping smarter in 2011. P.S. - This is a great starting point for those new to online shopping!

Looking to save more in the New Year? Find ways to double your rewards and keep more cash in your wallet next year.






Frequent Shopper Reward Cards - Many stores provide rewards both in store and online. Get twice the rewards using your frequent shopper card and shopping via Ebates and receive cash back with stores such as Staples and Best Buy.  

Ebay - Love shopping on Ebay? Who doesn't? Use Ebay on Ebates and receive 1.0% - 3.0% Cash Back turning that Ebay deal into an amazing steal!

Online Discount Codes/Coupons - Take a few extra minutes to check for online discount codes, percentage off codes, free shipping offers/codes and even online coupons before you complete your orders, Ebates has thousands of coupons categorized and finding the right one for you is a cinch.

Cash Back Shopping - Personally, I love seeing credits on my PayPal debit card that say I've earned X amount of dollars in cash back.By shopping through Ebates I'm able to take advantage of cash back increases like their Daily Double, plus I can save money on my order by using coupons. Between those and other perks like their New Year New You promotion, there's always a new way to make even more!

So what will you do to start saving money in the New Year?

Being that it is Shopper Appreciation Week here at Ebates and we have increased cash back at nineteen of our top stores, we thought we would continue to spread the love with a special preview of out new television commercial. We love our shoppers so much that we put them on TV!  Watch it live for yourself at these times: MSNBC 9:50 edt/6:50 pdt; HGTV 8:25 Pacific and Eastern, 8:43 BBC America Eastern an Pacific, DIY 10:17 Eastern and Pacific

You may have read not too long ago when Poppy mentioned our new Wireless Category, but there are some great deals in there, and I really feel like it warrants another mention here on the blog. See, we're super-excited to offer this new service; we are offering discounts on many different wireless carriers and a whole array of phones and smartphones.

As long as you start your cell phone shopping at Ebates, you can earn up to $95.00 in cash back when you buy a new phone or alter your cell phone plan. It is worth noting that there are a handful of exceptions to these deals, and the one most relevant to the last statement is that for Verizon plans, you need to be activating a new plan, not renewing an existing plan. Also, there is the age-old issue with the iPhone, where you must order direct from Apple, and the order must take place 100% online. But outside of those two little sticking points, you can get most all of the other leading phones from the cell carrier you want with some pretty hearty cash back rewards.

One of our better deals, in my humble opinion, is the Motorola Droid, which is being offered through Verizon Wireless, which will cost you just $19.99 with $35.00 in cash back when you activate a new account. This way you are not only covering the cost of your phone, you have some money left over for the first month's payment. I can speak from personal experience, as both brother-in-law and my good friend both recently switched to the Droid - it is a really slick phone. There are tons of apps that can be downloaded, and the slide-out keyboard always has me a little envious from time to time when I'm trying to peck away at the screen on my iPhone. Plus, the processing speed on the Droid is almost as impressive as Verizon's cellular and 3G coverage.

No matter what your taste in phone is; whether you're all about the Blackberry, or if you are obsessed with the Android OS, you can find a phone to suit your needs in our Wireless Category, and you'll be eligible to earn some cash back on almost anything your heart desires.

Hey there gentle readers, since we're all out of the office today, this seemed like the perfect time to not worry about finding deals or coupons for once, and just say thank you personally from all three of us here at the Ebates Blog. We have had quite the year. Thanks to all of you who tune in and read us on a regular basis (even those of you who just read on a semi-regular basis... we're still cool).

Hope you are having a wonderful Christmas, and we'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming of finding great deals and sales tomorrow.

Ebates will be featured on a number of morning news shows around the country tomorrow, Friday 13th. Check out the schedule below and if you are in one of these cities on the list, be sure to catch us on air! All times shown below are Eastern Time.

EasternTime                Location                    Station                       Program

7:40-7:45 AM          Rochester, NY            WHAM-ABC            13 WHAM News This Morning

7:50-8:00 AM          Jacksonville, FL           WJXT-IND               The Morning Show

8:40-8:45 AM          Yuma, AZ                   KYMA-NBC             Sunrise

8:45-8:50 AM          Rapid City, SD            KNBN-NBC             Newscenter-1

11:20-11:25 AM      Fresno, CA                 KMPH-FOX             Great Day

11:30-11:40 AM      Minneapolis,MN          KARE-NBC              Showcase Minnesota

12:10-12:15 PM      Phoenix, AZ                KAZT-IND                AM Arizona

12:30-12:35 PM      San Diego, CA            XETV-CW                San Diego Living

12:45-12:50 PM      Las Vegas, NV            KVVU-FOX              More!

Wow. I just lost a half an hour of my life marveling at this website. It's one of those rare sites that is a complete jumble of things, which is really what these blog entries are all about. Yes, a fiftieth post in a series is a special occasion, and I tell ya, Toynk is a special site. They have toys. Lots of toys. New or old, ranging in items from costumes to collectible figurines and replicas. And, as always tugs at my heartstrings - they have pet costumes.

There are so many varied items, I am having trouble trying to express myself here. Please; just go to the site, click around, and see how much awesome and bizarre stuff they have. You can order a $700 Gears of War bust of some snarling mutant creature, or you can spend $18 for a talking Donald Trump figure. Heck, they even have action figures of all five members of My Chemical Romance in a single set for $150. I tell you, if you're looking for most anything that has been immortalized in toy or figurine form, you have to visit Toynk, and if you visit Toynk through Ebates, you'll also get 5% Cash Back.

Check it out, you really owe it to yourself!

Ladies and gents, this merchant really threw me for a loop. When I saw the name "Out in Style" I immediately assumed I'd click through to a site filled with evening gowns, maybe tuxedo rentals, or something of that ilk. I couldn't have been more wrong.

Out in Style caters to adventurers, medics, first responders, campers, and other outdoorsy folks who have need for camouflage clothing, ballistics glasses, or Marine Corps-licensed workout DVDs. There isn't a dress or tie to be found, and I flippin' love it. You can find military boots, Zippo lighters, a whole array of EMT supplies, even a bike made by Smith & Wesson.

With all the obscure products on this site, it's easy to overlook the abundance of camping supplies they offer, or the sheer number of great products in their clearance section. So if you're one of the outdoorsy types, shopping at Out in Style will earn you a tasty 4% Cash Back.

Why limit your resourcefulness to survival training? Make your money work for you with Ebates!

Just last week I mentioned how much you can save on flowers with FTD Coupons, but what about those of us out there who don't have a sweet little honeypie to give flowers to? I mean, I'm shy enough that I have trouble talking to new or exciting women, I can't just offer them flowers.

Just as Ebates is able to help folks maintain a healthy relationship, they also can help you earn cash back in the process of finding love. Check out our page on how to Improve Your Life and Earn Cash Back and view the personals section. Naturally, the most exciting of these offers by the numbers is PerfectMatch -- where you will earn 25% Cash Back on your initial membership cost. The savings are one-time for new members, but if you're ready to take advantage of a website that wants you in a long-term committed relationship, maybe you will only have to pay for that first month over at PerfectMatch.

Find all sorts of ways to improve your live while earning cash back at Ebates!

Here at Ebates, we love our merchants. We love our merchants so much, in fact, that we have new merchants coming to us all the time hoping to be a part of the big happy Ebates family. Recently, we have added a number of well-respected and renowned merchants, and we are saying "welcome to the family" as we know best: with increased cash back for new merchants!

So, starting tomorrow and running through June 6th, you'll find these merchants with increased cash back in addition to rotating Daily Double merchants. It's a cash back bonanza!

- Walgreens: 5% Cash Back

- Bath&Body Works: 5% Cash Back

- DSW: 6% Cash Back

- NB Web Express: 3% Cash Back

- United Vacations: 2% Cash Back

- Sally Beauty Supply: 8% Cash Back

- Lenox.com: 8% Cash Back

So keep checking out all the savings, and be sure to keep an eye on the Daily Double for even more savings opportunities!

Here at the Ebates blog, we have written a handful of times about these wonderful social networking tools, but in the last few months we have picked up some new readers, and some of you new folks might not know how else to keep up to date with all the latest here at Ebates other than this wonderful blog.

So, if you haven't - check out our Facebook Page, where you can see updates on great deals and coupons as well as network with your fellow Ebates users. Got a great deal? Made a good deal better with the help of Ebates? Leave a note on our wall and let some other users see how much they could be saving!


If you're hooked on Twitter (like some members of our blog staff...) then follow Ebates on Twitter! Our Twitter account gives followers up-to-the-minute updates on deals, sales, blog posts, and funny little tidbits from around the office.

No matter how you keep up to date on your Online Cash Back and Coupons, make sure you stop at Ebates first to get the most Cash Back possible!

Oh yes, you know Calvin Klein Jeans. I have no question of that whatsoever. For years, Mr. Klein has been seeing to it that stylish folks the world over have quality good-looking denim to wear anywhere and everywhere.  What's new, however, is that Calvin Klein Jeans now offers 3% Cash Back through Ebates. That's right - you can now earn Cash Back on all your Calvin Klein Jeans purchases, big and small. 

It also bears mention that you can find much more than just jeans at CKJ, you can also find shirts, outerwear, skirts, dresses, and even shorts!  The best part is that all the apparel available at Calvin Klein Jeans is the perfect thing to wear over your Calvin Klein Underwear, a long-time Ebates merchant. So no matter what you look for in your Calvins, get it with coupons and Cash Back at Ebates.

Not a Calvin Klein fan? Models too skinny for your taste? Then search our Clothing category for something more your speed.

Come check out our Technorati Profile!

If you're part of our Facebook group, you have probably already heard the news, but for those of you who haven't, we have a pretty significant announcement if I don't say so myself: Ebates is now offering 4% cash back at Walgreens. That's right, folks, your favorite big chain pharmacy and drugstore is now, after far too long, a part of the Ebates family of stores.

You all know how much you love walking into your local Walgreens store and seeing all the fun and exciting deals awaiting you? Well, if you go to Walgreens.com, it's just like that, except there is a much bigger selection and a whole heckuva lot more deals to be found. Plus, to the best of my knowledge and the knowledge of the rest of us here at Ebates, there are no limitations to what you can earn cash back on. Want to get 4% cash back on all your prescriptions? Go to Wallgreens. How about 4% cash back on everything in the Walgreens Weekly Ad? Sounds good to us.

With low prices at Walgreens, coupons and discounts sitewide, and 4% cash back through Ebates, it's a win-win-win situation!

When I started this series of postings, I was focused primarily on Ebates merchants who were a little more "out there" - you know, ones with odd names or, if possible, odd products. I find that while I enjoy doing those types of merchants very much, those posts tend to be as much a "do you believe?" as a "did you know?" Today, however, I am doing more of an honest-to-goodness public service announcement than anything else. I have discussed, ad nauseum, to a crazy degree, on and on how much I love t-shirts. I'm silly with them. So, when Jen, our resident merchant superstar, asked me if we should add 6 Dollar Shirts to our site, I immediately said "of course!" 

Sometimes it's nice when a company delivers exactly what they promise; case in point - 6dollarshirts. You go to their site, you find an array of clever, silly, humorous, and unique t-shirts. Guess how much they cost? That's right: six dollars. If that isn't good enough for you, if you need t-shirts for less than $6, then guess what; if you get ten shirts, they drop to five dollars a piece. Let's be blunt here, folks: you can't find cheap blank t-shirts for that cheap. So, in Bill world at least, this is too good to be passed up.

What's that you say? You want to save even more? Well then let me make your day: when you shop at 6DollarShirts and use your Ebates account, you'll earn 5% cash back on all your purchases. To put that in practical terms, you'll be saving thirty cents per shirt if you pay six dollars. Still not enough? Then you bulk-buyers, lend me your ear: want to buy an array of tees? Maybe you think you can re-sell somewhere, or maybe you just love graphic tees more than me. Then you'll love this: you automatically save 25% off all orders over one hundred shirts, or 35% off orders of over five hundred shirts. Buy big, and that's less than $4 a shirt. Plus 5% cash back. That is completely insane. Trust me.

Find more tees, graphic or not, at merchants on our shirt page.

Gentle readers, I won't lie to you. I'm a little let down by the misleading name of this merchant. When I started working here, and I read that name, I totally envisioned a "friendster for pugs" kind of site, where pugs could be friends and swap pictures and all that jazz. (yes, I'm aware of dogster.com and petster.com, but one more couldn't have hurt)

However, every time I click on the site, I don't get this: 

Rather, I get an eyeful of deals and savings on charms, beads, jewelry, pendants, and much more. Where I'm looking for scrunchy-faced pets with names like Mr. Wiggles, I find at 40% savings as part of the Spring Clearance promotion. While it may not be what I am looking for at any specific time, I can't help but be impressed with all the savings available on jewelry, especially their collection of Murano glass pendants and earrings. Being a single male, I have more use currently for a canine companion that I do for jewelry, but my search for poochie good times has given me a great resource for when I do have a special someone that I might need to buy some jewelry for.

So, while I look for pictures of pets, and end up with savings graphics that look a lot more like this:

As one of few "big box" stores left standing, you're probably not too surprised to hear that Best Buy coupons are some of the most in-demand coupons around Ebates. With such a great selection of electronics ranging from washers and dryers and car stereo equipment, to HDTVs and GPS systems, Best Buy has long been the brick-and-mortar leader of all things electronics. Thanks to the 1% cash back at Ebates that you can get just by shopping online at Best Buy through Ebates, you can have all the selection of your local store at your fingertips at any time - with extra Best Buy coupons, to boot!

What kind of Best Buy Coupons do we have up to offer today? Well, for starters, there's a bevy of $4.99 DVDs to choose from (including a $5.99 Disney Animation Sale), and of course their 10% Off Select Major Appliances as well! And, in case you missed it, there's even 5% - 15% Off Select Digital Cameras and 5% - 22% Off Select GPS Receivers too!

Any way you look at it, we've got tons of great Best Buy coupons. And if you don't like Best Buy coupons, well, we've probably got whatever it is you do like. With over 1000+ merchants to choose from, you're bound to find something great at Ebates!

I tell ya what, good readers, I have been counting down the days from the time we added this merchant until I could write this blog. Just look at the title. It makes me happy on any number of levels. So what can you find at Things You Never Knew Existed, besides 5% cash back? Well, there is really quite a wide range of stuff to choose from, from the classic prank supplies: itching powder, whoopee cushions, joy buzzers, and fake dog doo, in addition to sports collectibles, novelty t-shirts, and seasonal finds.

In addition to the wide array of more "unique" items, you can also browse the entire section of the site devoted to items as seen on TV, from the Push Up Pro system to the one-touch can opener, even those forklift straps that have always fascinated me. There is also an entire section dedicated to "useful things" such as battery testers, clocks, flashlights, and other assorted home goods. 

So what makes this worth talking about on the blog? Simple: you can earn 5% cash back on all your purchases, many of which are already discounted. This is a great opportunity to earn cash back on various gifts and novelties, as well as everyday items that you might not have realized you can earn some extra cash on. Plus, the name is just so enticing, I figure that warrants a little examination on its own.

As they describe it themselves: The Things You Never Knew Existed is a unique collection of over five hundred lighthearted gifts of "wit and whimsy, merriment and mirth."  I couldn't have put it better myself.

Let's be honest with each other for a moment. You're not reading this because you think I'm the world's wittiest writer, or because I make your day a little brighter. You're reading this because you like cold hard cash. Well guess what; so do I. Although I fantasize about having a secret Deal Hunting Diva fan club, I'm perfectly happy being a soapbox for money saving (or earning) tips. In that spirit, below are some ways to earn big Cash Back through Ebates.

Shoes
To every woman's surprise, one of the best ways to earn big bucks is to indulge in some serious shoe shopping. Perhaps it's for this reason the highest cash back merchants in apparel happen to be shoe stores. At ShoeMall you'll earn 13% cash back through Ebates on shoes for the entire family. ShoeBuy offers 10% cash back through Ebates, and has everything from designer shoes to handbags and accessories. If that weren't enough, Mason Shoe, Masseys, and Maryland Square all offer 12% cash back through Ebates. With all this cash back, say "so long" to shopper's remorse!

Get more cash back in our Shoes and Accessories category

Despite the fact I've dubbed myself the Deal Hunting Diva, there are things even I can be taught. Perfect example: magazine subscriptions. Being a magazine fanatic for over a decade, I am fully aware that subscribing could save me a boatload of money. However enticing the offers, the idea of waiting two or three months for my first issue is something that has always kept me from filling out those pesky cardboard inserts. As far as subscribing online, I never really gave it a thought. Well I should have, because my monthly magazine habit of $25 adds up to three hundred dollars a year! For someone who passionately hates math, all it took was a simple equation to sober me up.

Just thinking of the hundreds of dollars I've wasted was enough to give me a sick feeling in my stomach, so after popping a pepto-bismol, I jumped into the Books and Magazines Category in search of relief. When it comes to glossy goodness, I routinely reach for Elle, Lucky, Vogue, Nylon, and a GQ for the bf. Thank goodness Ebates offers 26% Cash Back at Magazines.com, because my bill was going to be steep.

Or so I thought. 

Have you ever wanted to have some sort of cool personalized item? Wanted to get matching tees for a family reunion? Wanted to find a way to make a small batch of shirts with a great design you made? How about a coffee mug with a picture of you on it? How about sexy undies with your sweetie's name or picture?  Well you can get all of those things and much more at CafePress.com. They are a great site providing mostly user-supplied graphics for clothes, posters, home goods, and much more.

Take a peek, browse their great selection of merchandise from various designers or design something of your own.  Seeing how my birthday is coming up this weekend, anyone out there who loves my blogs and the person who writes them might spice up my life by buying me this shirt. 

It's just $22.99, which means with 10% cash back from CafePress, you'll be earning yourself over $2.00 just for buying your ol' pal Bill a gift.

If giving gifts to your fave blogger isn't on your radar, you can certainly clean up with 10% cash back on all your purchases, whether they be gifts for your family, your friends, or yourself. Check it out! We have been trying to pair with this site for a long time, and we couldn't be happier to offer you cash back on purchases from them.

Please, be patient, folks. We know that it is incredibly unlike us here at Ebates to be late on your payment, but due to a handful of merchants not paying us we don't have the money to pass on to you right now. We assure you that you will be paid for all credited purchases you've made - there is never a question about that; we are just experiencing a lag time in payment to us, and therefore payment to you. I am re-printing a letter from Kevin, our CEO, that most of you should be receiving in your inbox some time later today:


Dear Ebates Member,
 
You may have noticed that your cash back payment from Ebates has not yet arrived - but please rest assured that your payment is in process.
 
Given the challenging retail climate, a large number of our retail partners have been slow to pay our commissions for purchases you made in November and December, and these commissions are what allow us to pay your cash back rebates. To ensure the largest possible payout, we have delayed processing your payment until the last possible moment. We will complete processing and send a payment this week that reflects all purchases for which we have received payment from the retailer.
 
Any payments not received by Ebates as of today and paid this week will be sent to you in a special payment as soon as we receive them. You will still see these orders as cash pending in your Ebates' account.
 
Our goal remains to pay members cash back as quickly as possible and we apologize for this inconvenience.
 
Kevin H. Johnson
President and CEO


Again, I just ask that you bear with us - you are not alone, you will be getting money as soon as it is available to us, and if you have any questions, please contact our customer care department.

I'm going to be blunt here folks; you know Valentine's Day is this weekend. At this stage of the game, you should know whether or not you're going to have a special someone to share this Valentine's Day with. I can also say without hesitation that this year, much like last year and the year before (and maybe even the year before) I will be spending the big V-day with me, myself, and I. Quite honestly, I'm fine with it. I really enjoy the Valentine's Day traditions I have honed over the past years of singularity.

Still, as a single person who doesn't necessarily want to spend the rest of my Valentine's Days single, I have to be aware of what options are available to me; and as an Ebates blogger, I need to know which of those options can save me money in my hunt for love.

(Image courtesy of corbis.com)

Who doesn't love horses and ponies? I don't really want to know. But I tell you this much: if you're in the opposite camp, and you love ponies as much as the rest of us, then Back in the Saddle is the site for you.

It doesn't matter if you're a full fledged cowboy (or cowgirl), if you're an avid rider, or if you just happen to enjoy the majesty and beauty of the equine; Back in the Saddle has everything for the horse enthusiast. To be completely honest, and this is not coming in an ironic or disingenuous way, I had no idea up to this point that there was this much horse-related stuff out there. I have friends who ranch, I have friends who ride, and I have friends who are just "in to horses" but I didn't know that you could get a "human hugging a horse" statue to put in your home or a DVD shot in documentary style of the true nature of horses.

What's even more interesting to me, is they have a gift section of gifts you can get your horse. I always thought horses just ate carrots and apples and other assorted produce, but apparently you can buy fortified treats for your horse right here too. But the selection is not related strictly to gifts or obscure items; you can also get most riding supplies at Back in the Saddle as well, all with 6% cash back from Ebates.

A little tip that we here at Ebates learned the hard way:

If you prefer apple cider for your holiday bashes over more potent potables, please remember that apple cider is not vodka nor any other type of high-alcohol spirit. It should not be stored in the freezer. Rather, it is much like any other non-alcoholic beverage, and will expand when frozen. So, if you prefer your sparkling cider chilled to perfection, use an ice cube. Because otherwise, you will have quite the mess on your hands. I know we did!

For those of you who follow this blog regularly, be sure to keep us in your rotation, as this is really the nerve center for our communications. Still, we all realize that in this era of Web 2.0 communication and networking, everyone has their own preferred method of communication.

So if you happen to be one of those folks (like me) who can't seem to shake their Twitter addiction, Ebates is now up and tweeting again.  Also, if you used to follow Ebates on Twitter, we have changed the URL, so you'll need to follow the new "Max Cash" Twitter account. The best part is that you don't even have to sign up for Twitter to check it out whenever you want.  Just go to: http://twitter.com/Max_Cash and if you have a Twitter account, we'd love you to follow us. If not, we post some stand-out deals from here on the blog as well as other random deals or news tidbits that haven't or won't make it to the blog.

Hope to see you there!

Greetings dear readers,

I just wanted to give you all a little heads up as to why the blog has been a bit quieter in the last few days than you're used to.  See, at the moment, myself and the rest of the Ebates bloggers have been busy with a few new developments to the website and the blog that will be showing up gradually over the next week or so.

I can't give you exact dates or exactly what changes are in store, but I assure you, it will be a whole new blog experience when we're done with it...

Tantalizing, isn't it?

When it comes to e-commerce merchants, few places garner as much name recognition as eBay. As the front runner (and leader) of online auctions, eBay has surely stood the test of time over the past thirteen years. As one of the most popular destinations on the web, what can I say about eBay that you haven't heard already? After all, it's the only place on the web where you can find literally anything your (pure) heart desires. From dentures and die-cast replicas, to "depression blue" butter covers, there's nary a thing you cannot find with time, patience, and eBay at your disposal. However, there is one important factoid that many of our readers might not have noticed just yet: eBay is now on Ebates!

With 1% cash back on almost everything under the sun, eBay and Ebates work together miraculously to help you save money on practically everything you could ever need in your life. Why buy anything ever again without getting at least 1% cash back? It's important to note that while Ebates offers cash back on well over 90% of the categories listed on eBay, a few specific areas are strictly off-limits for cash back. These categories are simply too cumbersome to handle, and include:

• Business and Industrial
• eBay Motors
• Real Estate
• eBay Giving Works or other purchases that Benefit charities or non-profit organizations
• Gift certificates

Since the majority of these five categories are rarely used by most "average" eBay users, you can feel free to shop with reckless abandon in almost every one of eBay's million-plus auctions, buy-it-now storefronts, and more. So, what are you waiting for? Go grab that antique nightstand you've always wanted; you can rest easy knowing you're getting the best deals with 1% cash back that you never would have expected just for using Ebates. How great is that?

Greetings, dear readers. You know that we here at Ebates are always happy to see you, and always happy to help you save money in all your shopping endeavors. Naturally, with the recent economic woes our country has been experiencing, it is more important than ever to save money at every turn. By shopping with Ebates you are doing just that.

But don't take our word for it. Just last night on CNBC's program "On the Money", host Carmen Wong Ulrich spoke with the author of Practically Posh and editor at Women's Day Robyn Moreno. She was on as an expert on smart shopping and saving money, and Ebates was one of her three top picks for sites that will help you save money and time in shopping online. You can watch the video here, but have patience - she doesn't talk about us until 2:20 into the video, but all the advice leading up to our mention is invaluable as well.

If you have a slower internet connection, or just don't like to watch videos online, there is a posting on the "On the Money" blog that gives a rather concise rundown of the interview. You can read the blog here.

We hope that you all share our excitement about Ebates getting some national media attention, and encourage all of you who have blogs or are active on online forums to spread the word on Ebates - use your referral links and keep raking in that tell-a-friend bonus cash!

Good morning, readers. Today we are going to try a little social experiment.

Towards the end of last week, I was chatting with one of our engineers, and he was saying that he reads the blog pretty much every day, and it seems like for the most part Allie and Poppy are all over women's fashion (which they are), while Cole and I tend to favor your geekier things like external hard drives, digital cameras,  and bookcases. (which we do)

So, in the interest of having some fun and switching things up a little, all day today we will be celebrating the time-honored tradition of "opposite day".  This means that Cole and I will be bringing you all the latest in geeky fashion while Allie and Poppy will be supplying some tech or home care picks that will be a tad more helpful to folks who don't know what every letter in the acronym eSATA stands for.

Stay tuned.....

(image courtesy of Interesting Times)

Our sales team is always hard at work looking for the biggest, best and most in-demand merchants. We are proud to announce that we have recently added several hot names to our growing list of 900+ stores! Looking for fabulously feminine luggage or bags? Get 3% Cash Back when you shop at Vera Bradley. Know a golfer looking to step up his game on the green? Get 4% Cash Back at Callaway Golf . Don't forget to check out other great new stores like Ulta (featuring your favorite beauty brands) and Garnet Hill (beautiful apparel for women and kids).

It's that time again! Yesterday, we shipped out boxes and boxes of Big Fat Checks to members who accrued Cash Back between January 1st, 2008 and March 31st, 2008. If you are supposed to receive a Big Fat Check, please allow at least a week or two for it to arrive at your home. If, for some reason, you don't receive your check, contact our Customer Care team.

Still haven't entered the Ebates Valentine's Day Giveaway? There's still time! Enter by the end of today (February 12th) and you could win a $250 gift card from Snapfish. After you enter, head on over to Snapfish and check out their huge selection of customizable photo gifts, unique photo jewelry, albums, prints and more- perfect for last minute gift ideas. Even better? Through March 1st, Snapfish is giving you 20% off all Valentine's Day Gifts with code VDAYFEB08 at checkout.

Thanks to Dylan from Customer Care for passing on this email:

You guys are the best! I love Ebates! At first I thought this was just going to be another gimmick, with ridiculous, complicated procedures to follow just to get a few pennies back...but it's been a pleasant surprise. You do a great job of keeping me posted on my earnings, your web site is so user-friendly and I get my money with no hassle. Keep up the good work and Happy New Year to all of you!

The past few weeks have gone by so fast! So far, we've given away a Playstation 3, XBox 360, Nintendo Wii, and starting today, December 11th, we're giving away an Apple iPhone! If you still haven't won a prize, or if you haven't entered the Ebates Holiday Giveaway, this week is your final chance to win! Enter the Ebates Holiday Giveaway from December 11th through December 17th, and you'll have a chance to win the hottest gift item of 2007: an Apple iPhone! Use it for yourself, give it to a (very lucky) friend as a holiday gift, or simply stare at it adoringly. Hurry and enter for your chance to win! Winner to be picked on December 18th.

It's that time again! Tons of Big Fat Checks are on their way to Ebates users, so keep an eye on your mailbox! Remember you must have at least $5.01 in Cash Back (Tell-A-Friend or Sign Up Bonuses don't count towards the $5.01) in your Ebates Account to receive your check this quarter. If you have less than five dollars in your account, don't worry; your Cash Back will roll over to next quarter! For some of you, that means you'll have to do more shopping! I know, the pressure is almost too much, isn't it?

For those of you who are receiving a Big Fat Check this quarter, congratulations! There's nothing like getting free money in the mail.

We get a lot of Customer Care emails from shoppers wondering, "Where is my Big Fat Check!?". Ninety-nine percent of the time, it's because they've forgotten to update their home address in their Account Profile! So please, people. Visit your Account Profile now and make sure your mailing address is correct.

Want to see the full payment schedule for Big Fat Checks? Go here...

M

Many thanks to Becky at CompareRewards.com for passing on this great article from the local CBS affiliate in Wichita, Kansas. The following is a transcript of their report, but be sure to watch the accompanying video!

Online Shopping Rebates
By Megan Strader

A computer and a few minutes - that's all it takes to go shopping these days.  And, in an effort to lure you, some websites promise to give you money back...for simply buying what you need through them. Sites like "e-Bates.com", "FatWallet", and "Cashbackster" are just a few of the sites that have popped up promising to save you the trip to the store, and save you some money.

The sites get a kickback from stores to link to their websites.  e-Bates then gives you a portion of that commission simply by shopping through them. Both e-Bates.com and FatWallet are Better Business Bureau accredited companies with satisfactory ratings. Their home pages boast cash back savings of anywhere from one to eight percent. But, debt counselors warn people not to get too caught up in how much they're getting back and forget about how much they're spending.

Tim Hagan is the Executive Director of Education at the Wichita Consumer Credit Counseling Service.  He says it's important for shoppers to avoid getting caught up in the savings, "Some kind of adrenaline rush or motivation to just keep buying because they see that money piling up in their account but perhaps what they don't see is their credit card balance going up." Hagan says, responsible shoppers shouldn't have any trouble using these sites. "I'm not calling these a bad deal. If it fits your situation and you understand what you're doing and that's the way you want to buy things do it with your eyes wide open."

Folks we talked to with are split on whether it's worth the few bucks they could save. One woman we spoke with says she likes the convenience of shopping online and the reward at the end with the cash back is an extra bonus.  Another woman says, she's retired...and getting out to shop is much easier. The majority of feedback we found for the three sites we looked at was positive. Financial experts warn people to shop around and make sure the bargain websites are still offering the best deal when you factor in things like shipping and handling and exchange costs.

Our office was excited to find this little gem in our Google alerts this morning! WCNC, the local NBC affiliate in Charleston, North Carolina, featured Ebates on Monday in a piece titled "Cash For Shopping Online". The following is a transcription of the report, but be sure to check out the accompanying video!

---

Cash for Shopping Online

05:56 PM EDT on Monday, October 22, 2007
By ANNA CROWLEY, CHARLOTTE, N.C. --

We've all heard the horror stories of schemes that entice consumers by promising to pay them to shop.   Well, what if there really was an honest-to-goodness, bona fide offer like that out there? Imagine heading out to the mailbox to find a check waiting for you, just for shopping online.  Check out www.ebates.com.  Here's what it promises:  when you log on and start shopping at your favorite stores, you'll get some of that money back because E-bates gets a commission on what you spend and they are willing to give you a cut. You have 800 stores to choose from.  When you earn more than $5.00 back, E-bates cuts you a check and puts it in the mail. The site also updates coupons and other discounts daily to keep you in the savings loop.  There's a daily double. I checked out www.eopinions.com to see what they think and there are a couple of catches.  First, cash back can be as little as two percent of your purchase.  That means you'd have to spend $250 before you are eligible for a check.  But keep in mind, cash back percentages vary from purchase to purchase. Some deals are better than others and checks are issued quarterly so you have to be patient. We found out the site does have a satisfactory record with the Better Business Bureau.

We at Ebates love when users take a moment to give us feedback on their Ebates experience. Dylan from Customer Care forwarded the following email this morning and I'm pretty sure the whole office got a case of the warm fuzzies. 

I just want to say that you have a great concept/website. I've made $406 over the years that otherwise I wouldn't have made! It's a pleasure telling people about your site (especially making $5 - but that's not why I tell them). It really makes sense to use you. Keep up the good work!

-Scott P. 

People, this is exactly why you should not shop online without first starting at Ebates! Even if you only shop online once in a while, the Cash Back really adds up! Did you know we have members who regularly get thousands of dollars in Cash Back? Here's another recent comment we received, this time on the blog from Becky, who runs CompareRewards.com:

I received my Big Fat Check on time (as always!) and I just wanted to say how NICE it is to get something in the mail that's not a bill or junk mail! :) I've been a member for years -- didn't the website used to tell you exactly when you joined? -- anyway, it's been over 6 years since my first Big Fat Check and they've always come in a timely manner, and I've NEVER had a problem with order crediting. I run a website that reviews rewards / rebate programs like Ebates, and if you're in doubt, let me assure you -- Ebates really sets the standard for the rest. Keep up the great work, y'all!

Have you had a great experience getting Cash Back at Ebates? Leave a comment and tell us about it!

It's that time again! Tons of Big Fat Checks are on their way to Ebates users, so keep an eye on your mailbox! Remember you must have at least $5.01 in Cash Back (Tell-A-Friend or Sign Up Bonuses don't count towards the $5.01) in your Ebates Account to receive your check this quarter. If you have less than five dollars in your account, don't worry; your Cash Back will roll over to next quarter! For some of you, that means you'll have to do more shopping! I know, the pressure is almost too much, isn't it?

For those of you who are receiving a Big Fat Check this quarter, congratulations! There's nothing like getting free money in the mail.

I'll even let you in on a little secret: Even though I work at Ebates, I didn't get a Big Fat Check for the first two quarters! No, that doesn't mean I wasn't shopping through Ebates. The truth is that I was too lazy to update my home address in my Account Profile! So please, people. Visit your Account Profile now and make sure your mailing address is correct.

Want to see the full payment schedule for Big Fat Checks? Go here...

It's that time again! Thousands of Big Fat Checks are on their way to Ebates users, so keep an eye on your mailbox! Remember you must have at least $5.01 in Cash Back (Tell-A-Friend or Sign Up Bonuses don't count towards the $5.01) in your Ebates Account to receive your check this quarter. If you have less than five dollars in your account, don't worry; your Cash Back will roll over to next quarter! For some of you, that means you'll have to do more shopping! I know, the pressure is almost too much, isn't it?

For those of you who are receiving a Big Fat Check this quarter, congratulations! There's nothing like getting free money in the mail.

I'll even let you in on a little secret: Even though I work at Ebates, I'm getting my very first Big Fat Check this quarter! No, that doesn't mean I haven't been shopping through Ebates. The truth is that I was too lazy to update my home address in my Account Profile! So please, people. Visit your Account Profile now and make sure your mailing address is correct.

Want to see the full payment schedule for Big Fat Checks? Go here...

For those of you who subscribe to Ebates' newsletter, keep an eye on your inbox. We've given the newsletter a makeover! Not that we didn't like the old newsletter, of course. Change can be good. Healthy, even! The new newsletter will feature product reviews, hand-picked offers from our resident coupon guru, and, well, a rather thoughtful looking photo of yours truly.

It will also have information on products and services you may not have known are on Ebates. Did you know you can earn Cash Back on tax services, Netflix and designer handbags? (Real ones, thankyouverymuch!) How about car rentals, hotel reservations and groceries? 

Yes. Cash Back. All of them.

The new newsletter will be coming to you weekly, so keep your eyes peeled. Visit your Account Profile if you haven't subscribed!

You!

Well, Ebates users, if you want to get technical. In 2006, Ebates users donated more than $10,000 in Cash Back to charity. That's pretty amazing, if you ask me! It baffles me that some shoppers, for whatever reason, choose to pay retail prices when they could be earning Cash Back.

To some, Cash Back is all gravy. That's fair, but when you can easily have that Cash Back sent to the charity of your choice, then you really don't have an excuse! No matter how small (or large, for some turbo-shoppers) your donation, it will be much appreciated.

Last month, I wrote this post on how easy it is to donate your Cash Back to charity. Many people start thinking about donations around the holidays, but having your Cash Back mailed quarterly to a charity is a great way to keep giving, year-round.

If you want to start donating your Cash Back to charity, visit your Account Profile.

Today marks an event every Ebates user looks forward to: the mailing of the Big Fat Checks! We mailed the checks today, so they should be arriving at your house within a few days.

Last quarter, I took pictures of the checks getting shipped out. It's always an exciting time for us here at Ebates, since most of us are major Cash Back earners. I can't even bear the thought of shopping online without getting Cash Back!

Some Ebates users get a little Cash Back- say, $10. Others are earning hundreds and even thousands of dollars from their purchases! Needless to say, we've got some very loyal users.

Whether you are using it for holiday shopping, donating it to charity, or just putting it in the bank, enjoy your Big Fat Check!

Want to earn Cash Back at over 800 stores? Click Here to join Ebates!

Unless you work in Customer Care at Ebates, it's likely that you won't get to talk to Ebates users very often. Blogs are great because we can read what people are saying about their experiences earning Cash Back and saving money! There's nothing better than coming across the glowing review of a really satisfied Ebates user.

Lauren of HealthyParenting.net recently explained how easy it is to quickly save a lot of money on everyday purchases:

  ...The discount amount [at Ebates] ranges greatly and most stores sit at about 4-6% but if you think about it, earning 6% back just for shopping.........its FREE money. There are also over 800 stores to choose from by searching keywords or browsing by category.    

As an example, I just ordered a very narrow wood console table for our hallway from Bellacor costing about $200 and $12 was credited to my Ebates account.  This particular store offers a 6% rebate.

Amy, founder of MomAdvice.com, recently posted about "Saving More on Your Christmas Shopping ", referencing the recent post,  Top Three Cash Saving Tricks for Ebates:
 

I absolutely love Ebates and it has greatly simplified my holiday shopping. I can go to their website and click under their Special Offers link. The offers are listed alphabetically so I can see quickly at a glance if Children's Place is running a sale this week or not. Scroll down or click through under the letter of the place you are looking for. You can also sort these offers by type. Say that you don't want to pay shipping or you are looking for money off coupons, and the offers will be sorted this way. Categories are available too!

I frequently search just under a keyword search. If I am looking for a new coffee machine, I can search under that. I then sort this by price lowest to highest (you are shopping with me, remember?) and then I can see quickly who has the best deals and how much I would get back with the cash back rewards. It even calculates the exact amount you would get back, down to the penny, so you can see quickly how much you could potentially put into your check.

Another huge way to save on your Christmas shopping is to shop early! In fact, next week on Ebates, we'll be launching a twelve day promotion in which we'll be featuring the hottest products of the 2006 holiday season, hand picked by the Ebates staff. We'll even be offering increased Cash Back at some of those stores. Shopping early means you can preorder high demand items, and more importantly, beat the crowds. You'll save cash and your sanity.

Want to earn Cash Back like these bloggers have? Click Here to join Ebates!

Last week, three Ebates merchants finally took the plunge and are now offering Cash Back:  Blair.com at 6%, Newegg with 1% and Enterprise Rent-A-Car with 2%.

You may be wondering, "What good is 6% Cash Back, let alone 1%?"

Let me tell you, Cash Back really adds up fast. Ebates keeps track of your Cash and displays your lifetime earnings right at the top of the page. It's a cool feature because it's often hard to keep sight of just how valuable Cash Back can be when you're earning a little at a time.

If you buy something pricey like, say, a new computer from Newegg or a piece of jewelry from Blair, you could easily rack up a lot of Cash. A $1000 computer at 1% Cash Back gets you $10!

One awesome deal is the 50% off weekend car rentals promotion at Enterprise. Be sure to start at Ebates to earn Cash Back!

Want to earn Cash Back at these stores? Click Here to join Ebates!

If you've shopped on Ebates before, you know how easy it is to click on one of your favorite stores and get Cash Back. Simple enough, right?

What you may not know is that there are a few simple tricks that can help you save even more:

1. Deal Layering: Layer the deals by combining Ebates' coupons with Cash Back. When you've decided on a store from which to buy, simply click on the link next to the store name that looks like this:  . You'll find all of the coupons available for that merchant, including some that are exclusive to Ebates members. Use the coupon codes at checkout and get Cash Back at the same time!

2. Double Cash Back Tuesdays: Come to Ebates every Tuesday and see which merchant is doubling the Cash Back! Just  a few weeks ago, Fossil doubled their Cash Back to 16%. Think about it: You buy a $100 watch, and get $16 back when normally you'd get $8. You never know when your favorite store might be doubling their Cash Back, so make sure you check Ebates every Tuesday!

3. Ebates Reminder Tool: We often have users who bought something from a merchant but forgot to start at Ebates! To make sure you always get Cash Back when you shop online, get the Ebates Reminder Tool. It's free and easy to install. If you change your mind, you can easily remove it.

Want to start earning Cash Back and using exclusive coupons at your favorite online stores? Click Here to join Ebates!

Have you noticed this banner on the Ebates homepage?:

"I need to fatten up my what?"

If you're new to Ebates, this can be confusing. No, we're not asking you to lock a check in a tiny cage and gorge it with grain and full-fat milk. We're telling you that September 30th is the deadline to earn Cash Back for your next Big Fat Check!

To earn Cash Back, you have to sign in to Ebates, then click on a merchant link to shop. The percentage listed next to the merchant's name is how much Cash Back you'll receive when you make a purchase. Remember, though, that you have to click through Ebates to get the Cash Back!

I've earned some Cash Back. Where's my Big Fat Check?

We send out Big Fat Checks quarterly, but you must have at least $5.01 in Cash Back from purchases made through Ebates in order to receive your check. This quarter, the Big Fat Checks will be mailed on November 15th.

Ebates is run by human beings, and occasionally errors are made. Do we have your current address? Is your PayPal account still active? If for some reason you don't receive your Big Fat Check, we have a very attentive Customer Care department. You can submit a question here and you'll get a quick response.

Ah, the Big Fat Check. Guess this means you'll have to hurry and buy those new shoes you've been eyeing before September 30th! The things you've gotta do sometimes...

Congratulations, Vicki! You are Ebates' biggest fan!

We loved Vicki's enthusiastic entry on why she loves Ebates- she may have been skeptical at first, but is now a loyal Ebates shopper! Enjoy your $500 gift card to Viator.com!

(Don't forget to vote in the Summer Vacation Photo contest- voters have a chance to win a travel prize from Expedia!)

Here is Vicki's winning entry:

I was just sitting at home buying my Christmas gifts and came across Ebates' website. I sat there and started reading all it offered to me...Yes, ME!  It was not for the stores or to win some so-called "FREE" gift card if you go to 60 websites and buy 20 items.  This was actually for MY benefit. It was sooo simple: Just buy what I was going to buy anyways...and get paid!!  I just couldn't believe it.  In the back of my head I was saying "Whats the catch for this website?". So here I go. I started to sign up. Wait, they haven't asked me to buy anything yet? Wait, they haven't asked for my credit card? Whats going on here? Could this be for real? Alright, I'll try and buy something from their website and see what happens...WOW! Nothing was asked of me except from the merchant I was buying from. OK, well let's see if that "Fat Check" really comes. It sure did...and has been coming faithfully ever since. This is the NUMBER ONE EASIEST way to make money on the web...all you do is buy as you normally would, just use EBATES' website....THANKS EBATES!

We had a lot of great entries from Ebates users. Here are some excerpts:

"...I really gush with enthusiasm when I tell someone about EBATES. I feel that if someone is empowered with the knowledge that they can receive money back with the ease and variety that is offered through Ebates, it would be foolish not to give Ebates a try." -Lynn

"Well, I'm getting ready to pass my $500 mark in Ebates cash back!  That's a pretty hefty chunk of change for 3 years of membership. My friends and family tease me because I JUMP to purchase online anything anyone wants just so I can get the Ebate!" -Kelci

"Anyone who doesn't even try Ebates or even take a minute to see if the merchants they shop online with is simply overpaying and cheating themselves.  This is truly a no brainer!" -Cindy

"Ebates centralizes the buying experience and then they (get ready for this!) give you money back on your purchases. And you get to watch the dollars add up and find their way back into your pocket for a change. It's free. It's easy. It's the smart thing to do." -Michelle

"I have to be Ebates.com's biggest fan!  I was skeptical at 1st when I saw the ad saying you'll get 5 or 6% back, but believe me, I have deposited checks into my bank account and this is the real deal!" -Jason

Ever felt confused about Ebates? Have you ever had questions like:

"What is Cash Back?"

...or, "If I give you my email address will you feed me more spam than a World War II housewife on her last two points of the ration book?"

First off, we at Ebates hate spam. Hate it. That's why we don't participate: it's rude and intrusive. We don't sell your email address to anyone, nor do we send you unsolicited emails. When you join Ebates, you can opt out of the Ebates newsletter (an easy way to be notified of our latest deals, so you should probably stay subscribed). In other words, the amount of contact you get from us is your call.

What are some other things you'd like to know about Ebates? Even if you've visited once and really have no idea what it is, ask away- you don't even have to give your email address to respond to the blog!