Coupons without the clipping
Do you clip and collect coupons?
You can print out coupons at home, but that requires a printer --- not to mention an Internet connection. Some people swear by online sites such as The Grocery Game or couponmom.com to help stretch their food dollars by matching coupons with store sales to maximize savings.
Others pooh-pooh such discounts, say that they usually apply toward processed items sold on the inside aisles rather than whole foods that are better for you to eat --- think Hamburger Helper rather than produce.
Personally, I find myself using coupons for household products like detergent or soap --- or at least cutting them out. My problem is the follow through: making sure I have the coupons with me when I end up at the store, before the coupons themselves expire.
Well, one company has come up with a system to combat that problem, which I hope hits our shores soon.
Donna Montado, who writes about couponing at about.com, pointed out a new service called Shortcuts.com. Not available yet in local zip codes, but it allows customers to link coupons to their loyalty shopping card.
Then, when you get to the store, the coupons get added to your purchase when you swipe the card or keytag. No paper cuts, no printing, no forgetting them in the glove compartment or the kitchen table.
(photo: Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
Categories: Budgeting, Cheap/Frugal, Personal finance
Comments
We cut coupons religiously. I don't know if you are aware of this, but right on the Sun Web site, there is a link to 'grocery coupons.' I've printed them, taken them to four different stores (2 Super Fresh stores, a Giant, and one other I can't recall now), and was told at all four that they don't honor Internet coupons. Did I get bad information, or are the Sun's internet coupons useless?
Will Bill, I'm checking with our Web site folks here and they are checking with our HQ in Chicago to figure out the problem. Were you having issues with coupons from www.boodle.com or www.shoplocal.com? --- lfk
Posted by: WildBillFan | April 6, 2008 11:13 PM