Sunday, August 31, 2008

are we double dipping?

another question.. I know I do it all the time... I'm sure on other blogs I've seen some people sorta post it the same way I do so I'm wondering if everybody does this or if there is a system in which you can prevent this.. okay. maybe I should just ask the question and explain why I'm asking..

ARE WE DOUBLE DIPPING ON OUR DEALS?

for example.. let's say I have a WAGS $5 RR from last week, $2 left on my gift card from last months rebates.. then I get to my total and say I only spent $4 OOP but really I got paid $6 because next month I'll get $8 rebate for this xyz purchase and I got another $2 RR for my next purchase. so 8+2-4=$6 I got paid.

So my original $5 RR and $2 GC I already said last week or maybe even last money I made money on a deal because I was counting that $2 from the gift card in another deal and that $5 RR for this purchase I counted as being PAID from another transaction. and then same with the GC and RR I got PAID for today.. next month several deals will benefit from my trusty GC and my balance will be NOTHING OOP and then again I'll say I got paid.. and that RR for sure within a few days I'll say "wow all this for only 69 cents and really because I got another $1 RR I got paid 31 cents for this transaction" and so it rolls..

I know I type/write in circles so I'm sure everybody is confused.. but is there a system to show a credit for a RR or GC once and only once?

4 comments:

Unknown said...

I think we all get caught up in counting our RR, ECB's etc twice. I have seen people use them in a scenario and count them as savings, when they were already counted as savings during the original scenario that earned them. To get away from this, I only count them as savings when I use them, not when I earn them. Gets kinda confusing though

Rini said...

Most people absolutely double-dip. For me, I consider anything I paid with a gift card, RRs, or ECBs as part of my "out-of-pocket". My total earned - my total spent = profit.

I saw a post today with three transactions. The first transaction was a truly low out-of-pocket and earned $6.45 in ECBs. The second transaction USED those $6.45 ECBs plus $1.xx cash and made back $6 ECBs. The final transaction USED those $6 ECBs plus no cash and made back $6 ECBs.

Just looking at the final transaction, the author claimed a "$6 profit." No, no, no. You gave them a $6 ECB and got a $6 ECB back. That's not profit, that's just free stuff!

The "right" system in my opinion, as I said, is to compare your total paid (ECBs, RRs, cash, gift cards) to your total earned (ECBs, RRs, rebates). The difference between those two is your TRUE profit/loss. Of course, you can also take into consideration the value of the items you got doing the deal, but that's a separate issue. ;)

*Hippie* said...

I don't take into account my ecbs earned most of the time. I just say wahooooo I spent such and such out of pocket for ALL THIS STUFF!!!! LOL The ecbs are bonus! LOL

Anonymous said...

I just count it in the transaction I redeem it in. It gets way to confusing to keep up with it other ways. But I hate when people count RR's rewards twice.

With ECB's I always note what I earned, but i never include it in my savings.