Coupon clippers are now becoming coupon clickers
Everyone knows the economy is in turmoil, but apparently it’s much worse than I thought: Right now, in another window on my computer screen, the “SEND UPDATES AND SPECIAL PROMOTIONS” box on the registration page of a site offering a coupon for chardonnay has been checked — by me.
Signing up for e-mail alerts from people selling stuff is humbling enough, but given my near-fanatical devotion to Gewurztraminer, this previously unthinkable scenario suggests a level of desperation I can only assume is nationwide.
Yes, rising fuel and food costs have brought the coupon into vogue, with online coupons being the leading edge of hot. Sites like DealLocker.com, a Web-based discount clearinghouse that offers savings through online and printable coupons, has seen a 40 percent increase in use over the past month.
No longer the exclusive domain of the Sunday paper or ValPak, Web coupons are drawing savvy consumers in droves. And it’s not just a national trend. In Spokane alone you can find printable online coupons at www.spokanecountycoupons.com, which offers savings on everything from prescription drugs and vacuums to musical instruments and tattoos.
Larger, searchable sites, such as Coupons.com, CoolSavings.com, CouponMountain.com, CouponCabin.com, SmartSource.com and CouponMom.com are also worth a visit.
Most offer printable coupons and special offers for groceries, apparel, home electronics, toys and hobbies, and more. Some require that you register and log in, and most ask that you download the coupon software necessary for printing bar codes.
If that’s too much hassle, many sites offer coupon codes and special promotions for direct online shopping. Check out RatherBeShopping.com, a site that attracts some 2,500 bargain seekers a day in search of coupons and promotion codes from more than 500 retailers peddling just about everything but gas.
Speaking of gas, with oil at $143 a barrel, free-shipping coupons are a great way to save. Why waste money driving across town when you can buy that air conditioner/diaper-genie/espresso machine online and get it delivered, free of charge. RatherBeShopping.com has links to some free shipping discounts, or check out www.freeshippingon.com.
While it’s easy to find coupons for most brand-name grocery and household product lines, coupons for organic and natural brands are harder to come by. Some eco-friendly products offer coupons and discounts on their Web sites, including www.organicvalley.coop/coupons, www.stonyfield.com/coupons/signin.cfm, www.browncowfarm.com/ECoupons/index2.cfm, www.earthsbest.com/promos/index.php, www.naturemade.com/bonusoffers/ bo_main.asp?kbid=1060, and www.seventhgeneration.com/coupons.
When it comes to finding deals online, bloggers have good ideas, too. A few worth browsing include www.becentsable.net, www.attentiontargetshoppers.com, frugonomics101.blogspot.com, and babycheapskate.blogspot.com.