Online Couponing In a Day For Dummies

By Beth Montgomery

Coupon online like a pro and save big money with this 100-page e-book

On a budget and need help figuring out how to coupon online? This concise e-book will show you where to go online to find the best store and manufacturer coupons, how to combine them for the best deals, and how to stay organized. Get this bargain priced e-book with "beyond the book" extras including a video demonstration, checklist, and more.

• Contains 100 pages of couponing tips, techniques, and ideas for saving money
• Includes extras online, including a video, checklists, and more
• Shows how to find, use, and combine money-saving coupons, and keep them organized

Tired of sifting through hundreds of blogs looking for coupons? Here?s an online couponing guide you can trust: Online Couponing In A Day for Dummies.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wiley
• Release date: Jul 17, 2012
• ISBN: 9781118383384

Book preview

Introduction

Since coupons made their debut in 1887, they’ve only grown in popularity and now are available for almost everything you do and buy. As the world around us advanced from cassette tapes to MP3s, coupons weren’t left behind in the dust. They evolved into printable coupons, digital coupons, and now mobile coupons.

The Internet has become the place for deal seekers to gather together to share deals, find savings, search out coupons, and learn new tricks. For a newbie, this world can seem intimidating. Without help, couponing can often become a source of frustration and end up as more work than it’s worth.

This book gives you the tools you need to start couponing and join the online saving adventures without feeling like an outsider. It also strives to give you the confidence to start saving big.

What You Can Do in a Day

Cutting your budget and perfecting your money-saving techniques take time. I won’t lie to you. However, this book is designed as a crash course to get you started, with a bit of an edge, and help you understand where you need to go next.

You can read through the entire book in one day (or two if you’re taking your time). Then, as you start on your couponing journey, this book can serve as a guide for you to refer to when you need your memory refreshed or are ready to take your savings up to a new level.

Realistic Expectations

After hearing stories of extreme couponing, consumers assume they can grab a pair of scissors and suddenly pay $3.86 for $1,732 worth of groceries. This isn’t the case!

So-called extreme couponers achieve these savings because couponing is their life. It’s a full-time job. They buy things they don’t need, just because they are cheap, and sometimes even use methods that are unethical or illegal.

I will not teach you how to do this. Instead, this book focuses on realistic couponing, where you can expect to save fifty to seventy percent on the average. Plan now to start slow. After you finish this book, pick one or two changes you can easily make immediately and start there. As you get more comfortable, try new tips to increase your savings.

Foolish Assumptions

For this book to be possible, I had to make a few assumptions about you and what you already know. These are the assumptions I’ve made:

check.png You’ve seen a coupon before. Maybe you haven’t used one, but you could easily spot one in a lineup.

check.png You have a computer and the basic skills to use it. You can turn it on, browse the web, and even print documents.

check.png You are familiar with e-mail. I assume that you have an e-mail address that you can use to register for e-newsletters and saving sites.

check.png You can navigate a web form. You understand how to register with websites and sign up for e-newsletters.

Icons Used in This Book

Icons emphasize a point to remember, a danger to be aware of, or information that I think you may find helpful. Those points are illustrated as such:

tip_4c.eps Tips are little bits of information that you may find useful.

warning_4c.eps This icon warns you of dangers or things to avoid.

remember_4c.eps Remember icon will offer gentle reminders and alert you things you should keep in mind while couponing.

exploresomemore.eps This icon directs you to the companion website for the book — www.dummies.com/inaday/onlinecouponing — where you can find videos and articles relating to online couponing.

Please note that some special symbols used in this eBook may not display properly on all eReader devices. If you have trouble determining any symbol, please call Wiley Product Technical Support at 800-762-2974. Outside of the United States, please call 317-572-3993. You can also contact Wiley Product Technical Support at www.wiley.com/techsupport.

Chapter 1

Understanding Your Local Stores and Sales

In This Chapter

arrow Locating and deciphering store coupon policies

arrow Price-matching competitors’ ads

arrow Getting familiar with store price-guarantee policies

arrow Taking advantage of special savings programs

arrow Translating sales and circulars

From Facebook to YouTube, couponing is everywhere you look online. Everyone loves paying less for the things they love, so the world of online couponing can be enticing. However, it’s easy to get intimidated by strange terms like stacking and rolling. And what in the world is ECB or SCR and why do you want them? Don’t worry, I’m here to help with all of that and more!

I know: The idea of saving 50 to 70 percent each week, getting free stuff, and actually getting paid to shop is why you’re reading this book, but before you dive into online couponing, a little offline research is in order, starting with getting well acquainted with your local stores.

You may be a world-class shopper who can walk the aisles in your sleep, but to be a master couponer, you need to know about more than just what’s inside your favorite stores. It’s important to understand exactly what savings those stores offer, the types of coupons they accept, their company policies, and even their markdown schedules. The more you know about how the stores in your area do business, the more opportunities and ways you’ll find to save money on all your everyday necessities.

This getting-to-know-them phase can be tricky. Some policies and savings may vary by state, city, or even store. Start with your favorite store, but make sure you learn about all the stores in your area.

tip_4c.eps Don’t dedicate your shopping to one store. Some weeks your favorite store may have amazing sales, but on other weeks their sales may not be so great. Being a loyal customer and shopping the same store every week is great for the store, but not for your budget.

Polish Up on Your Local Store Policies

Know as much as you can about your local stores’ policies regarding coupons, price matching, and special savings programs. No, store policies aren’t laws, but they are important. Unfortunately, with so many employees spread out across the nation and high turnover rates on cashiers, stores sometimes struggle to make sure employees are