5 Fabulous Online Coupon Sites for Valuable Money Savings

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Many companies realize the value of providing regular coupons to help stimulate their business and increase sales. These coupons offer customers a way of accruing substantial savings on their shopping and bring more “eyeballs” to a business. Some coupons offer a certain percentage off a particular product or service, while others offer a “buy one, get one free” deal or a “buy one, get a discount on another product” deal. A number of coupons do not offer a discount on the product itself, but rather offer free or discounted shipping of the merchandise purchased.

Due to the increased popularity of online coupons (and the ease of which a business can provide them), the number of websites that feature such coupons has grown to such proportions that it can be difficult knowing which one (or ones) to use. The following list offers an overview of five top-rated online coupon sites based on four key factors: ease of use, level of help and support provided, variety of coupons offered, and coupon availability and status.

Coupons.com

Coupons.com is perhaps the best and easiest online coupons website to use. Membership is not required to take advantage of the tens of thousands of coupons the site offers on a regular basis. The site has a helpful filter system that allows you to sort coupons based on store name, brand name, expiration date, etc.

By combining an easy-to-use interface with excellent support and service, Coupons.com has gained great popularity and ranking among regular coupon users. These factors make it easy and convenient for people to take advantage of the numerous deals available to them on this site.

Coupons.com does have a “members only” section of the site that is not free, and this section provides additional coupons that are not readily available on the regular site, as well as a variety of coupons from other competing websites. Consumers will need to determine whether the paid section of the site is worth their patronage, depending on personal shopping habits and how desperately they want to save money on a particular purchase.

Grocery Smarts

Grocery Smarts is another online coupon site that has a lot going for it. Here, consumers gain access to a wide range of printable coupons from nearly every large and small grocery store in the United States. The site is updated regularly, so people can always find good deals. Besides providing coupons, Grocery Smarts provides customers with a rating on each coupon deal, using a scale of one to five stars.

One drawback to this site is that it only offers printable coupons, not online coupon codes. It focuses on grocery products, so is not a good option for those who are looking to save money on non-grocery merchandise. At the same time, everyone has to buy groceries, and since most people buy their food, household cleaning items and toiletries at a local store rather than online, you will want to check out Grocery Smarts on a regular basis. The site is totally free and does not require membership or that you log in as a customer.

Shortcuts

At Shortcuts, consumers find an extremely easy-to-use online coupon site that provides the added attraction of having removed that annoying banner ads and link lists so often found on less professional websites. Shortcuts offers coupon codes for online use and printable coupons that can be used at local stores.

Shortcuts has two particular features which sets it apart from other online coupon websites. First, it has a unique savings program that allows you to earn a bit of money for every coupon you use. You have to sign up for membership in order to take advantage of the savings card feature, but the membership itself is free. The other helpful feature the site has is the ability to filter the search results and get only local deals. By typing in your Zip Code, you will see a list of coupons from stores close to where you live.

One disadvantage to Shortcuts is that, unlike its competitors, it does not allow you to share most of the coupons it offers via social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

MyCoupons.com

MyCoupons.com is an excellent coupon website for anyone who is new to looking for coupons online. This site provides a large number of useful coupons to choose from, within a well structured and manageable system that enables you to find what you are looking for quickly and easily. Newbies to online coupon sites will benefit from the website’s step by step video tutorial for any assistance they may need. There is also a customer service number on the website that you can call for help and assistance.

Unfortunately, the site does not have a daily deals section; however, it makes up for this by offering a large variety of coupons from stores small and large, and providing both coupon codes and printable coupons.

RetailMeNot

A visit to RetailMeNot will reveal thousands of coupons from both popular and lesser-known retailers offering great deals on everyday items. RetailMeNot also has a very helpful “Frugal Living” blog that offers general tips and advice on how to save money.

The downside to this site is a lack of good technical support; there is also no phone number you can call if you run into problems. On the other hand, the site does provide a practical search function to reduce your chances of encountering problems with its use.

These are but a few of the plethora of coupon websites consumers can take advantage of to save money on shopping. What appeals to one customer may not necessarily appeal to another. However, taking into consideration the amenities offered, these five sites are rated as some of the best coupon websites available online today. Each one has much to offer and can help consumers save hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year off their shopping budget.

(Photo courtesy of kyz)

5 Ways to Make your 2013 Money Savings Resolutions Come True

What are your New Year’s financial resolutions? We all have them, and they tend to revolve around either saving more money or managing your money more effectively (or both, if you’re extra ambitious). You might want to save a specific amount for a purchase, start an emergency fund, or simply beef up your household savings. No matter what your goal for 2013 is, the following tips will help you stick to your resolution and finish out the year in a better financial position.

Specifics matter

When you decide to set any goal, it helps to be specific about what you want to accomplish, as this will help you measure your success with concrete numbers and keep you on track. If you simply set a goal of “Save Money,” it will be harder to define what steps you want to take - -and harder to be able to tell when you’ve achieved your goal. Setting a goal of “Save $1200 in 2012” allows you to clearly define what you need to do, easily break your goal down into segments ($100 a month gets you there), and define success. If you are specific about what you want to do and how much you want to save; you’ll find your resolution is easier to stick to. and accomplish

Prepare to save

Make a budget and write down exactly what you are actually spending now – some of the figures may shock you. If you need help figuring out where your money is going, look over the bank statements from a few previous months. Knowing where your money is going will help you track down unnecessary expenses so that you can remove them, which allows you to painlessly boost your savings. If you’ve prepared your budget and know what areas will be impacted by your resolution, you’ll be more likely to stick to it all year.

Baby steps, big achievements

Little steps really add up when you are trying to save money. Bypass your daily $3.00 (or more!) coffee treat by making the beverage at home most mornings, and you could save about $50 a month – or $500 a year. By simply dropping your change into a jar at the end of the day, and then totaling it up at the end of the month, you can yield a surprisingly large sum over the course of a year, too. Taking little steps like these allows you to slowly achieve your savings goals throughout the year; turning into a Scrooge or tightwad the first month will make you miserable – and set you up for failure.

Creativity counts

Get creative about saving. Are there foods you can prepare at home for lunch to replace fast food or eating out at work every day? Getting acquainted with a few basic go to recipes can really cut your food costs.

This also applies to maintaining an active social life, while keeping your budget intact. Have you ever ventured into a thrift or consignment shop for your clothing needs? Headed to an auction for furniture or housewares? Checked out the cheap or free tourist destinations in your own hometown for some fun? When you look to cut expenses, it can be an adventure as you discover new ways to purchase the items you need and new things to do that don’t bust your budget.

Check your progress

Mark your 2013 calendar right now with specific dates to check your progress. Depending on your goal, you might want to give yourself a check in time each month, or just a few times a year. You can track your progress any way you like - from using an iPad or phone app to writing your goals and progress down on an old school paper calendar.

Spread the word

Share your resolution with others — being accountable will help you stay on track. If you have a partner, parent, or trusted friend in whom you can confide, you’ll be more likely to keep your resolution for 2013 and beyond. The best accountability partner is an objective third party who has goals similar to yours — or has already achieved the goals you hope to duplicate.

Helpful resources for your money savings resolutions: