Online Shopping Just Got Cheaper: The Benefits Of Coupons
Coupons aren’t just for crazy people anymore. When you shop online, odds are that you can save money if you’re willing to take just a few extra minutes to find a coupon code. Coupon codes are sort of like traditional coupons – online merchants use a series of numbers and letters that you type into a redemption box before you checkout. The site then applies the coupon before charging your card. Here’s how to make the most of these wonderful little bytes.
Rewards Programs
Rewards programs give you cash back or free merchandise for being a loyal customer. However, one of the oldest rewards programs is often forgotten in the new-age era of Internet shopping: the lowly credit card. Remember credit cards? Some of them offer cash back rewards. Guess what? The cash back option works with online purchases.
Some banks have even capitalized on this by issuing debit cards that give you upwards of 25 percent cash back when you shop through the bank’s online merchant system. These rewards programs are no joke. You shop as you normally would, and the bank gives you cash back based on the amount of shopping you do.
Discount Coupons
Discount coupon sites, like SumoCoupon, allow you to search a massive database of online retailers. Most retailers in the system are giving away multiple coupon codes for free shipping, a certain percent off your order, or some other deal. These coupons work just like paper coupons. You write down the code, enter it into an input field at checkout, and the retailer discounts your order.
While some sites allow multiple coupons, most only allow one at a time. Still, with offers like free shipping, the extra 5 minutes of searching might just be worth the hassle.
Bulk Orders
Some retailers offer discounts for bulk orders. Usually, you’ll get deals like this from outfits that are specifically set up to sell product in bulk. For example, bulkfoods.com sells nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and spices in bulk. You can’t really buy small portions – but most people who shop at sites like this don’t want small portion sizes.
Other retailers, like Amazon, offer free shipping when you spend more than a specific dollar amount on in-stock items. In a way, this is a sort of “bulk deal” because you typically have to buy multiple products from the site.
Rebates
Rebate sites aren’t new, but many people still don’t know about them – or they forget about them when they shop online. Here’s how it works: you sign up for a rebate site. The site is a central repository for all of your favorite retailers like Best Buy, Amazon.com, Walmart.com, and many other well-known brands.
When you make a purchase, the site instantly credits you with a rebate. When you’ve reached a minimum threshold, a check is cut and mailed to you. Combine this with coupon codes, and you could end up saving yourself some serious dough.
Russell Matthews is a personal finance consultant. His articles mainly appear on money saving websites. Learn more about SumoCoupon on their Twitter page.
on line shopping makes it easy, no more waiting in lines
I didn’t realize that you could use coupons on shopping site. I wish I knew that before I got my school shopping done. Oh well there is always next year. What a great way to save money.