Some people have all the luck when it comes to finding good deals. They find the right sources to snag the best sales and discounts, and you’re the one who misses out. We all have a friend who’s at the right place at the right time shopping, but it’s not necessary when it comes to saving money. Coupons can be a great way to get a discount when you need one, no matter what time or season you shop. There are many ways to find coupons that will save you those extra dollars.
Online websites – There are several online sites that post coupons daily for anything from grocery to designer clothing. Sites like Shop Pirate have a search feature where you can find any existing coupons for whatever brand or store you’re looking for. Although not all of the coupons listed are valid (some are expired or haven’t yet reached their redemption period), the selection of coupons is impressive and can have you saving a ton of cash.. Rarer coupons for items that don’t typically go on sale are snatched up the fastest. However, managing to get one of these coveted coupons means getting an item for little or next to nothing. Coupon-users can subscribe or sign up on some coupon sites to receive updates alerting them to good deals.
Forums – Aside from websites with searchable coupons, online forums can be extremely helpful. Fellow couponers will share coupons with other users on these forums and sound the alarm when there’s a super sale or a coupon for a hot product. Online blogs can also be a valuable resource. Bloggers who post daily updates on deals can be found on websites like Blogger, WordPress and Foursquare. These bloggers make it their job to provide knowledge on ways to save money, as well as searching out the best coupons for their loyal followers.
Social Media – Ask and you shall receive. Many people don’t know this, but contacting brands is an easy way to get free stuff. Any brand worth buying is going to have not only an online website, but a social media presence as well. Brands like Costco and Target flood the pages of their Facebook or Twitter fans with promotions and daily deals, but sometimes you simply need to butter them up to get special coupons. Providing feedback for brands helps them know what their customers like and dislike, and they’ll probably give you a free coupon or sample for your loyalty.
These brands often send out newsletters or monthly updates to customers who sign up for them. It never hurts to sign up, and you’ll be able to be notified before many others about sales at your favorite stores. There’s also the incentive many brands offer of a heavy discount for first-time users. Signing up usually comes with a special coupon for new followers. For example, Payless Shoesource offers a 20% off coupon to those who sign up for their Rewards Program which helps improve their following and makes obtaining demographics data for the company.
Google Search – Sometimes, the simplest way to get what you want is to search for it directly on Google. It’s straight to the point, and you can pinpoint exactly the item you’re looking to save on. A simple search for “online coupons for Folgers coffee” will pull up a multitude of results. The only bad part is that you may get too many results. Google searching can uncover coupons from just about anywhere, and many of these coupons are going to be expired because the sites that post them don’t take them down once their redemption period has passed.
There’s also the fact that you won’t find the best discounts out there with this method. The rarer the coupon, the less likely you are to find it with a simple Google search. The bigger discounts come from the brands themselves through promotions or special offers, online coupon websites, and these brands have some measure of control over the dissemination of these coupons over the internet.
Whether you’re an extreme couponer or just a savvy shopper, coupons are always appreciated by those who use them. Families save hundreds or thousands of dollars each year by using the coupons to take a good chunk out of their grocery bill or the cost of school supplies for their kids. Online websites, forums, social media and Google searches can all help you do the same. If you want your wallet to feel a little heavier, all you have to do is try these methods out and see the savings for yourself!