Extreme Couponing - Online!

If, like me, you consider yourself to be a savvy shopper, then the concept of Extreme Couponing is probably already familiar to you. Extreme Couponing, simply put, is the concept of applying multiple discounts to everyday consumer goods by way of using coupons and special offers.

In the United States, multiple discounts can be achieved by purchasing items on sale, and then “stacking” clipped coupons to reduce the cost of an item to a bare minimum (or even free). In Canada, stacking clipped coupons is generally not permitted by stores, but because items frequently go on sale, or clearance, applying just one coupon can have an enormous impact on the amount of everyday savings.

Traditional couponing is a great deal of fun, and can be quite addictive! I thoroughly enjoy searching for coupons, clipping them and organizing them in my coupon binder. Every week, I check the store flyers to see where the most savings can be made on items I intend to purchase, and then happily set off to the store to put my couponing plan into action. There’s something very satisfying about getting home with my shopping, looking at my final receipt and realizing the savings that I’ve made.

Generally speaking, printed coupons offer savings of perhaps $2.00 or less when used individually, and are mostly valid for groceries, pharmacy products, or everyday household items. But using printed coupons is just one way of achieving significant savings on purchases.

For our retail shopping needs (clothes, electronics, gifts etc.) more and more consumers now shop online, for convenience, variety, and potentially big savings. All it takes is just a few clicks of the mouse to visit an online store, search for products, add them to the shopping cart, and then checkout. It’s certainly a lot easier to shop online than to fight with traffic, crowds, parking, and risk the chance of leaving a store empty handed because an item wasn’t in stock, or they didn’t have our size. Online retail shopping has become a revolutionary way to shop; even if you’re not internet savvy the process is constantly being made easier by the offering of simple search options, point and click ordering, international shipping and easy returns.

Thanks to online coupons and promotional codes, it is now possible to apply our Extreme Couponing strategies to online retail shopping as well! Online merchants frequently offer sales and clearances where considerable savings can be made on purchases, and most often consumers are satisfied with these savings alone. But, by taking advantage of a sale and then combining those savings with an online coupon, the savings can be magnified in the same manner as they are with traditional couponing methods.

Let’s take Victoria Secret as an example. On their website, they are currently offering a clearance of 65% off over 1600 styles.

Example:

Pajamas original price $49.50 - Sale Price: $29.00

Hoodie original price $39.50 - Sale Price $19.99

T-Shirt Original Price $39.50 - Sale Price $19.99

Jeans Original Price $69.50 - Sale Price $34.99

In addition to taking advantage of these already heavily discounted offers, I would then head over to CouponSnapshot.com to very quickly search for additional saving opportunities with the merchant Victoria Secret. Victoria Secret is one of the many online stores that will allow multiple “stacking” of online coupons to maximize the savings, accepting up to a maximum of 3 online coupons per purchase.

NOTE: It is important to note that each merchant carries a different policy when it comes to online coupon stacking and so it is wise to check on the “help” section of their website before you shop.

So in the case of my Victoria Secret example above, I am able to receive FREE shipping, 2^nd Day Express Upgrade (a $10.99 value), and an additional $15 off my purchase by using online coupons.

Original Cost = $208.99

Actual Out of Pocket = $88.97

Total Savings = $120.02