Written by: Domenic Teoli
or newspapers on those Sunday mornings , clipping those coupons like kids opening up Christmas gifts .
For every coupon my mom would clip she would pause and smile , she would then turn to me and whisper " shop like mommy and save all the time " (LOL)
Today mind you , its still a great way to save and i'm sure more than half of us still clip coupons from catalogs whenever we can .
but with the Internet things are changing , every year more and more people are shopping online , and as the retailing business grows online , prices are dropping dramatically because of the competition .
Smart shoppers are noticing that shopping online is not only convenient but can save you lots of money .
So how do smart shoppers shop ?
Most smart shoppers use online coupons called coupon codes , these are numeric digits that are entered on a merchants site at checkout to receive a discount .
They also keep a list of their favorite stores and wait patiently for their promotional offers or blowout sales in order to save that extra 10 to sometimes 75% off regular prices and in addition they use coupon codes for extra savings ..
Now the tricky part is finding these coupon codes , many online merchants do not advertise discount coupon codes on their site, I don't think they want all their customers using coupon codes for discounts .
Here are four ways to find coupon codes .
1) One way to find a stores coupon online is by emailing the the merchant , most of them will take forever to email you back but some of them will , ( its worth a try )
2) you can find lots of printable coupons and coupon codes by hanging around shopping forums whereas you can trade coupons and deals .
3) download or order that particular stores catalog online if they have , most of them are free and many times you'll find coupon codes and promotional offers .
4) there are also some sites online that spend their days looking for coupons and they post them for free , if you find a site that has free discount coupons " BOOKMARK THEM " and try to find more sites that provide the same service .
Every-time you shop online always make sure there's no coupon codes lingering online for that particular store you want to shop .
Coupon codes are great savings . Use them whenever and however you can .
Visit the Best Coupons and Deals Shopping Site Now!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
How To Make Coupon Shopping Work For You!
Written by: Lili Pintea-Reed
Recently I've had many people ask me what I think of manufacturer's discount coupons. I use discount coupons -- but only if they work completely to my advantage. In my book, they are very handy if:
1) You can match a Store Sale to a Manufacturer's coupon thus getting the item for nearly --or sometimes -- free.
2) If you need to purchase a particular name brand for a gift.
3) If that name brand product is something your family just thinks is the best product for the job. We have a particular brand of toothpaste my hubby would never do without. Ergo -- we buy it with coupons.
4) Shop at a store that offers Double Coupons up to a Dollar Value, thus bringing the value of the coupon up too, or near a dollar off.
Example #1: My family's favorite toothpaste is normally $3.49 at the grocery store. When there is a store sale, it goes for $2.49. With an additional Manufacturer's Coupon for a dollar off, the price goes down to $1.49 a tube. That's when I buy it!
Yes, I know I could take a hard line as the "money manager" in the family, and say we have to use some generic brand for a dollar a tube, or better yet, just use baking soda... But sometimes when you live on strict budget life's small pleasures can mean a lot. Ask my husband the spender of the family (laugh).
Another frequent question people asked me if the stories of some woman who got $200 dollars of groceries for $20 bucks with coupons are true. Yes, this is possible IF you buy only products already on sale matched to an additional dollar off coupon. Then you pay just a few cents an item.
Example #2: We did this this week. We got the weekly sales flyer from a large local grocery and matched it to our coupon collection. My teenaged son likes to do this. We found many items we were going to need later for holiday gift giving or treat making listed in the flyer on store sale. We went to the store on a day they doubled coupons so all our coupons would be valued around or equal to a dollar. The original total was over $90 Dollars, but with the coupons our total came to $40 Dollars, which is less than half what it would have been... The sales girl kept looking and looking at the full cart and the low bill. It WAS a fine Frugal Moment.
You can get Coupons from: 1) a Sunday Newspaper
2) or online to a t site Like: OWS Deals/Coupons
Recently I've had many people ask me what I think of manufacturer's discount coupons. I use discount coupons -- but only if they work completely to my advantage. In my book, they are very handy if:
1) You can match a Store Sale to a Manufacturer's coupon thus getting the item for nearly --or sometimes -- free.
2) If you need to purchase a particular name brand for a gift.
3) If that name brand product is something your family just thinks is the best product for the job. We have a particular brand of toothpaste my hubby would never do without. Ergo -- we buy it with coupons.
4) Shop at a store that offers Double Coupons up to a Dollar Value, thus bringing the value of the coupon up too, or near a dollar off.
Example #1: My family's favorite toothpaste is normally $3.49 at the grocery store. When there is a store sale, it goes for $2.49. With an additional Manufacturer's Coupon for a dollar off, the price goes down to $1.49 a tube. That's when I buy it!
Yes, I know I could take a hard line as the "money manager" in the family, and say we have to use some generic brand for a dollar a tube, or better yet, just use baking soda... But sometimes when you live on strict budget life's small pleasures can mean a lot. Ask my husband the spender of the family (laugh).
Another frequent question people asked me if the stories of some woman who got $200 dollars of groceries for $20 bucks with coupons are true. Yes, this is possible IF you buy only products already on sale matched to an additional dollar off coupon. Then you pay just a few cents an item.
Example #2: We did this this week. We got the weekly sales flyer from a large local grocery and matched it to our coupon collection. My teenaged son likes to do this. We found many items we were going to need later for holiday gift giving or treat making listed in the flyer on store sale. We went to the store on a day they doubled coupons so all our coupons would be valued around or equal to a dollar. The original total was over $90 Dollars, but with the coupons our total came to $40 Dollars, which is less than half what it would have been... The sales girl kept looking and looking at the full cart and the low bill. It WAS a fine Frugal Moment.
You can get Coupons from: 1) a Sunday Newspaper
2) or online to a t site Like: OWS Deals/Coupons
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Are You Ready to Join the Internet Shopping Bandwagon
Written by: Perry Hrynko
Are you ready to join? The Internet shopping bandwagon, that is. Shopping online has become increasingly popular over the last few years, with new and improved safety measures, specialty shops and giant retailers like Overstock.com; all designed to entice shoppers.
In fact, VeriSign (the leading provider of security for web sites on the Internet) suggests e-commerce data from the holiday season in 2004 totaled 8.8 billion dollars in online purchases (based on an analysis of online sales volume processed through VeriSign payment services, which comprises more than 35% of North America's e-commerce and represents in excess of 120,000 online retailers).
Additionally, e-commerce transactions are estimated to be close to 168 billion dollars for the year 2005. In fact, in the year 2010 it is projected online sales could top the 315 billion dollar mark (Forrester Research 2005). One may ask, why such an increase?
Many factors can explain such increases. Improved security measures, ease of use and convenience are just a few of these factors. Let's explore these factors.
Security Measures- Despite all the fears of identity theft, online transactions account for less than 4% of identity theft. There are numerous software programs available (some for free) that the user can download to protect themselves from viruses and spyware. Worried about spyware? Download a free spyware program at www.safer-networking.com (called SpyBot Search & Destroy). Additionally, look for the locked padlock in the toolbar and make sure the http changes to https in your browser. The "s" indicates that the web site is a secure site and adheres to the industry standard for security values Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). Therefore, your personal information is encrypted and stays private during transmission over the Internet. Always delete sensitive information when exiting any website and do not give your credit card number to anyone requesting it in an email (phishing scams). Follow these simple steps a safe online shopping experience.
Ease of use- We have all seen the banner advertisements, just click on them and they take you to the web site advertised. Email advertising is growing in popularity as well and includes a link to click on to take the user to the site after they read the text ad. There are some unique and catchy names of web sites that are easy to remember. Have a favorite web site or shopping site? Just bookmark it and add it to your collection of favorites!
Convenience- Ever wait in long lines during the holiday season? What a time saver online shopping has become! No lines to wait in, no parking hassles, no traffic, no gas expense, no crowds and your merchandise can be shipped right to your door! Or, if you prefer, you can have your purchases gift wrapped and delivered to another address. All you do is sit at your computer with your shopping list and get done in a few hours what may taken you several days and trips to the mall to accomplish!
There are many more advantages to shopping online (we have just covered a few) as well as some disadvantages, but carefully weighed out; the smart shopper will discover a happy medium between the two and e-commerce will continue to grow and be a force in the economy for years to come.
Find the Hottest Coupons and Deals!
Are you ready to join? The Internet shopping bandwagon, that is. Shopping online has become increasingly popular over the last few years, with new and improved safety measures, specialty shops and giant retailers like Overstock.com; all designed to entice shoppers.
In fact, VeriSign (the leading provider of security for web sites on the Internet) suggests e-commerce data from the holiday season in 2004 totaled 8.8 billion dollars in online purchases (based on an analysis of online sales volume processed through VeriSign payment services, which comprises more than 35% of North America's e-commerce and represents in excess of 120,000 online retailers).
Additionally, e-commerce transactions are estimated to be close to 168 billion dollars for the year 2005. In fact, in the year 2010 it is projected online sales could top the 315 billion dollar mark (Forrester Research 2005). One may ask, why such an increase?
Many factors can explain such increases. Improved security measures, ease of use and convenience are just a few of these factors. Let's explore these factors.
Security Measures- Despite all the fears of identity theft, online transactions account for less than 4% of identity theft. There are numerous software programs available (some for free) that the user can download to protect themselves from viruses and spyware. Worried about spyware? Download a free spyware program at www.safer-networking.com (called SpyBot Search & Destroy). Additionally, look for the locked padlock in the toolbar and make sure the http changes to https in your browser. The "s" indicates that the web site is a secure site and adheres to the industry standard for security values Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). Therefore, your personal information is encrypted and stays private during transmission over the Internet. Always delete sensitive information when exiting any website and do not give your credit card number to anyone requesting it in an email (phishing scams). Follow these simple steps a safe online shopping experience.
Ease of use- We have all seen the banner advertisements, just click on them and they take you to the web site advertised. Email advertising is growing in popularity as well and includes a link to click on to take the user to the site after they read the text ad. There are some unique and catchy names of web sites that are easy to remember. Have a favorite web site or shopping site? Just bookmark it and add it to your collection of favorites!
Convenience- Ever wait in long lines during the holiday season? What a time saver online shopping has become! No lines to wait in, no parking hassles, no traffic, no gas expense, no crowds and your merchandise can be shipped right to your door! Or, if you prefer, you can have your purchases gift wrapped and delivered to another address. All you do is sit at your computer with your shopping list and get done in a few hours what may taken you several days and trips to the mall to accomplish!
There are many more advantages to shopping online (we have just covered a few) as well as some disadvantages, but carefully weighed out; the smart shopper will discover a happy medium between the two and e-commerce will continue to grow and be a force in the economy for years to come.
Find the Hottest Coupons and Deals!
Friday, January 21, 2011
Is Online Shopping Secure?
Whether or not online shopping is secure is one question which gets asked over and over again by those who are considering making a purchase online. Unfortunately there is no simple answer to this question which will apply to all online shopping situations. However, there is a list of questions which online shoppers can ask to assist them in determining whether or not it is safe to purchase the item they are seeking online. A few of these questions deal with the online retailerís reputation, the security of the server and the return policy offered on the items. This article will discuss some of these questions in an effort to help readers make informed decisions regarding online shopping.
Is the Online Retailer Reputable?
Determining whether or not an online retailer is reputable should be the first step shoppers take before deciding whether or not to make a purchase online from a particular online retailer. This is important because shoppers are much more likely to be satisfied with purchased from a reputable breeder than they are to be satisfied when the purchase is made from an online retailer with a less than favorable reputation.
There are a few methods shoppers can use to verify the reputation of the online retailer. Consulting the Better Business Bureau is just one of these methods which can be very beneficial to the shopper. Here the shopper can find information regarding previous complaints against the online retailer and can use this information to determine whether or not the retailer has a reputation for dealing fairly with customers. Online retailers who have been in business for a few years and do not have any complaints against them or have very few complaints against them can generally be trusted while shoppers should be wary of consumers who have many unresolved complaints against them or who have only been in business for a short period of time.
Is the Server Secure?
The security of the server used to complete the online purchase should also be questioned by online shoppers. This is a valid concern because identity theft can cause a tremendous amount of problems for the shopper. However, there is a very simple way in which an online shopper can determine whether or not the website is secure. Whenever submitting sensitive data such as credit card information the shopper should carefully examine the web address. A secure website will have a prefix of https:// while an unsecured website will have a prefix of http://. If the website is not secure the online shopper should consider making the purchase by calling customer service instead of submitting the information via the unsecured website where it can be vulnerable to being intercepted.
What is the Return Policy?
Carefully reviewing the return policy of an online retailer can also give the shopper a good indication of whether or not the seller is reputable. In general the return policies offered by online retailers should be very similar in nature to the return policies offered by traditional retailers with the exception of special provisions for handling the shipping of the product back to the retailer. Return policies which are unusually restrictive should be considered suspect by the shopper and may indicate a need for the shopper to do some additional research before deciding whether or not to patronize a particular online retailer.
Find secure online shopping sites.
Is the Online Retailer Reputable?
Determining whether or not an online retailer is reputable should be the first step shoppers take before deciding whether or not to make a purchase online from a particular online retailer. This is important because shoppers are much more likely to be satisfied with purchased from a reputable breeder than they are to be satisfied when the purchase is made from an online retailer with a less than favorable reputation.
There are a few methods shoppers can use to verify the reputation of the online retailer. Consulting the Better Business Bureau is just one of these methods which can be very beneficial to the shopper. Here the shopper can find information regarding previous complaints against the online retailer and can use this information to determine whether or not the retailer has a reputation for dealing fairly with customers. Online retailers who have been in business for a few years and do not have any complaints against them or have very few complaints against them can generally be trusted while shoppers should be wary of consumers who have many unresolved complaints against them or who have only been in business for a short period of time.
Is the Server Secure?
The security of the server used to complete the online purchase should also be questioned by online shoppers. This is a valid concern because identity theft can cause a tremendous amount of problems for the shopper. However, there is a very simple way in which an online shopper can determine whether or not the website is secure. Whenever submitting sensitive data such as credit card information the shopper should carefully examine the web address. A secure website will have a prefix of https:// while an unsecured website will have a prefix of http://. If the website is not secure the online shopper should consider making the purchase by calling customer service instead of submitting the information via the unsecured website where it can be vulnerable to being intercepted.
What is the Return Policy?
Carefully reviewing the return policy of an online retailer can also give the shopper a good indication of whether or not the seller is reputable. In general the return policies offered by online retailers should be very similar in nature to the return policies offered by traditional retailers with the exception of special provisions for handling the shipping of the product back to the retailer. Return policies which are unusually restrictive should be considered suspect by the shopper and may indicate a need for the shopper to do some additional research before deciding whether or not to patronize a particular online retailer.
Find secure online shopping sites.
How To Avoid Impulsive Christmas Shopping
Impulsive Christmas shopping is a problem which plagues many during the holiday season and it can have a variety of complications. Some of the problems which often stem from impulsive Christmas shopping are going over budget, buying frivolous items and even forgetting about items that were already purchased. All of these problems can pose their own set of dilemmas and this article will discuss the ramifications of impulsive Christmas shopping. However, it is important to remember that although there are many problems associated with impulsive Christmas shopping there is also some merit to this shopping tactic.
Going over budget is one of the major concerns of impulsive Christmas shopping. A common scenario is to pick up a few small items each time you go out Christmas shopping. These gifts may seem small and seemingly harmless to your budget but they can add up over time. For example you may only be purchasing items which cost less than $10 but if you buy enough of these items, you could find yourself hundreds of dollars over budget without even realizing it. One way to combat this problem is to write down each item and the price of every gift you buy. This will help you to be aware of how these small gifts can add up and may prevent you from shopping on impulse in the future.
Purchasing frivolous gifts is another problem associated with impulsive Christmas shopping. You may see a few small items which you think will make cute gifts at the time but after you purchase these items you might realize they are actually quite silly. When this occurs you have two choices you can either return the item or replace it for a more meaningful gift or you could keep the item and give it to your friend or relative anyway. If you opt to return the item you may find yourself pressed for time to find a replacement gift depending on when you started shopping. If it is close to Christmas already, you may have difficulty finding some thing at the last minute and may have no choice but to give your friend or relative the gift you purchased on an impulse.
Another problem often associated with impulsive Christmas shopping is forgetting about items you have already purchased. If you purchase a number of small items on impulse you may put these gifts in a safe location and then completely forget about them. When this happens you may end up buying additional gifts for those on your guest list who were supposed to receive the impulse gifts you already purchased. This can cause you to go over budget and also create unnecessary stress.
While there are many problems which are often associated with impulsive Christmas shopping, it is important to remember that sometimes impulsive Christmas shopping is a good idea. When you see an item that you just know will make the perfect Christmas gift for a friend or relative and purchase the item without giving it any thought that is the exact definition of impulsive shopping. However, it is also not necessarily a bad thing. Buying a gift on impulse is not a problem when the gift you purchase is a great gift for the intended recipient but impulse Christmas shopping becomes problematic when it causes the shopper to go over budget or purchase silly items they wouldn't normally buy.
Do all your Christmas shopping in one place!
Going over budget is one of the major concerns of impulsive Christmas shopping. A common scenario is to pick up a few small items each time you go out Christmas shopping. These gifts may seem small and seemingly harmless to your budget but they can add up over time. For example you may only be purchasing items which cost less than $10 but if you buy enough of these items, you could find yourself hundreds of dollars over budget without even realizing it. One way to combat this problem is to write down each item and the price of every gift you buy. This will help you to be aware of how these small gifts can add up and may prevent you from shopping on impulse in the future.
Purchasing frivolous gifts is another problem associated with impulsive Christmas shopping. You may see a few small items which you think will make cute gifts at the time but after you purchase these items you might realize they are actually quite silly. When this occurs you have two choices you can either return the item or replace it for a more meaningful gift or you could keep the item and give it to your friend or relative anyway. If you opt to return the item you may find yourself pressed for time to find a replacement gift depending on when you started shopping. If it is close to Christmas already, you may have difficulty finding some thing at the last minute and may have no choice but to give your friend or relative the gift you purchased on an impulse.
Another problem often associated with impulsive Christmas shopping is forgetting about items you have already purchased. If you purchase a number of small items on impulse you may put these gifts in a safe location and then completely forget about them. When this happens you may end up buying additional gifts for those on your guest list who were supposed to receive the impulse gifts you already purchased. This can cause you to go over budget and also create unnecessary stress.
While there are many problems which are often associated with impulsive Christmas shopping, it is important to remember that sometimes impulsive Christmas shopping is a good idea. When you see an item that you just know will make the perfect Christmas gift for a friend or relative and purchase the item without giving it any thought that is the exact definition of impulsive shopping. However, it is also not necessarily a bad thing. Buying a gift on impulse is not a problem when the gift you purchase is a great gift for the intended recipient but impulse Christmas shopping becomes problematic when it causes the shopper to go over budget or purchase silly items they wouldn't normally buy.
Do all your Christmas shopping in one place!
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