Looking for real coupons online can be overwhelming, since there are so many fake coupon sites out there. It’s difficult to know who to trust!
Online coupons and promo codes only work about one third of the time, according to Walt Roloson, cofounder of Wikibuy. There are tons of reasons why these codes may not work. They may have expired, there may be exclusions, they may not be transferrable… or you may have got them from a site you just can’t trust.
Keep it easy with a browser extension.
Browser extensions make it easy to save money online. There are many to choose from. Two of the most popular are Honey and Capital One Shopping, which was formerly known as Wikibuy. These extensions automate the process of saving money online. Here’s how they work.
Find printable coupons at Coupons.com.
Coupons.com is the best online source for coupons, with a huge inventory and an easy sign-up process. This site is widely regarded as the largest and most trustworthy source of coupons online.
Create a private coupon database in your email.
Set up a dedicated email account so you don’t get flooded with spam messages. Sign up for newsletters from all of your favorite stores, and you’ll receive discounts and real coupons automatically. This will keep your coupons in a separate inbox so they don’t overwhelm you… but you can always check for discounts before you complete your purchase.
I recommend setting up a Gmail account for this. You can use one that is similar to your typical email address. For example, if your email is [email protected], then you could potentially use [email protected] for your coupon database.
Collect coupons in your mailbox.
The coupons you receive in your mailbox are likely to be real coupons, especially if they come from trusted sources like Valpak or Money Mailer. These sources also put their coupons online, so you can check them out at Valpak.com and Moneymailer.com.
Check the Sunday newspaper.
The Sunday newspaper has always been a great source for coupons. Cindy Livesey, the frugal living expert from Living Rich with Coupons, estimates that the Sunday edition of the newspaper usually contains $50 to $300 worth of savings.
Larger and more popular newspapers will usually have better coupons. Although you could opt to subscribe, you’ll save more money if you can pick up a free paper from a friend, local business, or other source.
Check the weekly store circulars – and comparison shop!
Stores often put their weekly circulars on display near the front doors or registers. Although these are real coupons, they are often store-specific.
However, some stores do price matching and accept other retailer’s coupons. You always want to check ahead of time to make sure that the store you plan to shop at participates in price-matching. Many stores halted their price-matching programs during the pandemic due to product shortages, although this change may have been temporary.
Ask the manufacturer!
If you have favorite brands, you can reach out straight to the manufacturer for coupons. For example, Proctor & Gamble make a wide variety of consumer goods and they have coupons directly on their website. They have print-at-home coupons, online coupons and more. You can even request free samples!
Use this simple trick for online discounts.
If you sign in to the website, fill your shopping cart and then abandon it, you will often receive a discount several days later. This could come through an email, or through a retargeted advertisement.
Nicole Thelin
Nicole is the founder and lead researcher of Low Income Relief. After a personal experience with poverty and homelessness following her husband's sudden medical discharge from the U.S. Army, Nicole discovered the life-changing impact of community resources. This experience ignited her passion for empowering others to navigate similar crises. Nicole launched her writing career at age 16, working for various newspapers and publications. Her commitment to in-depth research and accessible content has been recognized by Google for Publishers and other industry leaders. For over 20 years, she has applied her investigative skills to uncover the most helpful, up-to-date information on benefits programs and community resources, ensuring Low Income Relief maintains the most extensive resource databases available.
Brian Daniel
Monday 1st of November 2021
That’s really awesome that you write about these things a lot of society might look down on. I used to be ashamed and embarrassed to be on Medicaid as well and have a Link ( EBT card ) not anymore & it really is people like yourself who don’t just see in black and white. ( also a good profession, considering you cover a not too popular topic. ) if you have any other articles or links to other things ( anything related I’d like to read them ) Thank you! Brian