Since 2010 (the year the series was first released), both shopping and couponing have moved online. In the past, it was necessary to manually cut coupons out of newspapers and take them into shops with you; a thankless and tedious task.
Now, thanks to online shopping and digital discount codes, you can save money without even leaving your house. There are even some browser plug-ins that will do a lot of the work for you when it comes to finding the right coupons – you really can’t go wrong.
26 BEST COUPON SITES FOR 2020
Here are the best coupon websites to start saving money today:
HOW DO COUPON SITES WORK?
All couponing sites work slightly different. Some mostly consist of simple search bars that allow you to search for the stores or deals you’re looking for. Other sites contain more of a social aspect – they may allow users to post their own coupons or contain forums for further discussion.
Coupons vs Cashback
Another important distinction to make is that some sites focus more on coupons and others on cashback. What’s the difference? Coupons can be used for a particular product (if it’s a manufacturer’s coupon) or at a particular retailer (if it’s a store coupon) to obtain a discount on your purchase.
Cashback is a percentage of the purchase total before tax and after coupons; the amount is normally credited on the website rather than given to you in actual cash.
Coupon Matchups
Something else you may come across is a deal matchup: a guide to the best combinations of coupons and sales at a particular store.
Finally, some sites may also have added features, like completing surveys, that allow you to make extra money. A perfect example is Swagbucks. Freebies, sweepstakes, and blogs are other common features.
There are a few ways to use the coupons you find. You can print off a physical version, download a PDF to show on your phone, or exclusively use the phone app to avoid the legwork.
Which Coupon Sites Are Legitimate?
Unlike some of the main ways to make money online, such as data entry jobs, there are few scams associated with couponing. After all, it’s harder to scam people who are just looking for vouchers than it is to scam those who are looking for work.
However, some websites contain coupons that aren’t exclusive to their sites but rather a store-run promotion. This doesn’t make the website illegitimate; they may well have exclusive coupons too, or other benefits such as getting a cashback.
WHERE CAN I GET COUPONS FOR FREE?
Most of the sites listed above are free. Coupon websites make money through affiliate links and advertisements, so they can give you coupons for free whilst making money themselves.
The only websites you must pay a membership fee to join are Entertainment Coupon Book and Free Shipping.
These membership fees may not be worth it for everyone. If you like going shopping very frequently – either because you have a big family or you’re just a heavy spender – then the fee is more likely to be worthwhile. If you’re single and frugal, it probably won’t be. It’s up to you to do the math.
FINDING THE BEST COUPON SITE
The sheer number of coupon websites might sound overwhelming, but after a little trial and error, you’ll figure out which ones bring you the best results. You may find that you refer to one website for grocery store details, one website for nonessential consumer good deals, and one site for trips or meals out.
Couponing may have once been reserved for those who had the patience and determination to collect and cut out coupons from the papers, but these days there’s no excuse to not get involved.
Even if you feel like checking coupon websites every week for the latest deal is a waste of time, you can still get involved.
All you have to do is download a phone app to refer to when you’re shopping in stores and install a browser extension to ensure that no deals escape you whilst you’re online shopping. It’s a minimal effort for maximum reward. What have you got to lose?
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