Comments: The coupon shown is from TallyHo Restaurants and expires at the end of February. USE IT before it goes belly up!
Coupon Web Sites: Never Pay Full Price Again?
by Melissa Korn
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
provided by
These days, it seems there’s no sense buying something unless you can get at a steep discount. That goes for big-ticket items like houses and cars, down to such smaller purchases as vacation packages, electronics and clothes.
According to research group comScore Inc., 27 million Americans visited coupon sites in October, up 33% from a year earlier. And from last January to September, the number of coupon-related Web searches doubled. So it’s clear more of us are hunting for deals.
Scores of Web sites aggregate coupons and promotional codes that help people shop online without ever having to pay full price. Some, like Coupons.com, are geared toward grocery and drug store staples. (Today, that site is featuring $1 off Velveeta cheese and $2 off Perdue Frozen Fully Cooked Chicken on its home page.)
But others, like CouponCabin.com and RetailMeNot.com, offer a wider array of discounts for popular retailers, usable in-store and online. CouponCabin claims to have more than 100,000 discounts from more than 20,000 merchants.
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While some sites require subscriptions to get at the good stuff, most offer coupons for free. The sites make money by selling ad space or offering “featured discount” status to stores for a set fee.
Here’s how it works: I happen to be in the market for a new comforter, as mine was mauled by a pair of scissors (an arts and crafts project gone bad). At CouponCabin.com, I found a discount code for $15 off any order over $75 at Macy’s, which is having its own sale. I click the coupon link, which takes me to Macy’s site, find the item I want, enter the code upon checkout, and, voila — a new comforter for Melissa. CouponCabin.com even shows a screen shot of where to enter the promotional code on a store’s Web site.
Most coupon sites allow you to sort discounts by retailer, so if my comforter didn’t qualify for the minimum dollar amount of one Macy’s coupon, I could always check to see if it made the cut for another.
Coupon sites vary in breadth of offerings, but also in practicality. Users should scour these sites after picking out a specific item on a store’s Web site or when they want a certain item (say, a just-released DVD) but don’t care where they buy it. But if you’re tempted to buy things just because they’re on sale, steer clear, as these sites can turn your computers into a money pit.
RetailMeNot.com, for example, has shopping tips for certain stores, as well as a separate forum for shoppers to trade details on one-day sales and new markdowns. Sensible for people who have been eyeing those fabulous but otherwise too-expensive jeans. Not so much for people who just like to browse.
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Do you kow of any good Canadian grocery coupon sites?? There are canucks that are suffering here too!
ReplyDeleteWhen the real depression sets in there ain't going to be any coupons, so no need to memorize these websites. You'll pay your monthly wages for a pair of shoes or a pair of jeans. And, of course, Chineese are not going to be stupid either to sell a pair shoes for a buck. This is when the flow of wealth will change its direction.
ReplyDeleteyes BUT get it while you can! Hyperinflation will kick in, then its lights out... UNLESS you own Gold and Silver. 500 ounces of silver will buy you a $250,000 farm in the soon-to-be future.
ReplyDeleteEconomic analyst........ mmmmm I think your bunch missed the boat. Should we realy listen
ReplyDeleteto you? Did you even read the last post?
Billions will be lost by GOLD INVESTORS!
James Van Patten
James did you really read that piece? NO. Many will lose BILLIONS because they allowed the seller to keep in possession their Gold and Silver. When the company goes broke they take YOUR gold and silver with it. In other words take possession of your BULLION! What's the use of posting articles if nobody READS THEM?
ReplyDeleteSo you are saying silver will go to $500 an ounce. I highly doubt that. I can see it in the near future hitting $20, perhaps doubling to $40 by 2011.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct that gold must be held in your possesion. Keep in mind in the 30's during the last depression. The U.S. government went around and confiscated citizens gold held in banks and even went door to door. Don't think that can't happen again. Also, gold is a tricky proposition. You really need institutions or wealthy people to buy this gold you have in your possesion because when things get REALLY bad regular people will be looking at basic necessities not buying gold. Considering how we have been screwed to this point by these same elite people I'm a little nervous about that prospect. Gold is worthless if your family is hungry and needs shelter.
At the same time holding on to money during hyperinflation just erodes purchasing power and becomes worthless. I believe we call this being between a rock and a hard place and the outcome has already been predetermined because of socities lack of restraint and debt accumulation. When the banks offered us this cheap money we should have said no. Now everyone including those who acted responsibly are screwed.