How to Find and Use Online Coupon Codes

While most shoppers have long been aware of the savings possible by using paper coupons at many department stores and supermarkets the same is not true for those making purchases from online retailers. In fact, less than 4 in 10 shoppers report that they have used an online coupon when shopping online.

Just like traditional paper coupons that offer shoppers discounts at brick and mortar stores, online coupon and promo codes offer similar saving for those making purchases online. The difference between the two is that most Americans don't have to go looking for traditional paper coupons, they are delivered to them in the mail and their newspapers. The reason a minority of online shoppers have never used an online discount or promo code is that they don't know how to find them.

How to Find Online Coupon or Promo Codes

The easiest and most obvious ways to find online coupon and promo codes is to use a search engine, such as Google or Bing. When searching, be as specific as possible when looking for the coupons you desire. For example, if you're looking to buy sporting goods at Eastbay.com, your search terms should be something like "eastbay coupon code" or "eastbay promo code".

Your search will likely result in a myriad of results many of which will have already expired. It is your job to find those that are still current. Some will have clearly specified expiration dates while others may not. Don't be afraid to try an expired coupon code. It is not uncommon for a coupon or promo code to still work after its expiration date. Take notes of the coupon and promo codes you find and try them on the online retailers web site to find those that still work and those that don't. Be patient as it may take some time but the payoff can be more than worth it. This past Christmas I was able to save almost $41 on my Eastbay order by finding a 20% off promotional code through a Google search.

Examples of coupon or promo codes you might find are "TAKE20OFF" or "SAVE$10" or the like. Sometimes you won't find a coupon or promo code for your purchase itself. Rather, you may find a promotional code for free shipping on your order. Many of these free shipping codes have minimum purchase requirements but can save you substantial money on shipping costs.

If you don't know which online retailer you want to buy from, you can always visit online coupon and promo code sites directly. You can find a number of them by searching for the generic terms "coupon code" or "promo code" on any search engine. Some of the most popular sites include:

• Coupon Cabin
• Coupon Craze
• Current Codes
• Deal Hunting
• Ebates
• Promotional Codes
• Retail Me Not
• Shopper's Resource
• The Coupon Mom

More and more of these kind of sites come online nearly every day. Most have full time staff to search for and post online discount and promo codes daily. There are also specialty coupon code sites geared to targeted markets, like sporting goods or clothing and will focus on retailers that cater to that market.

How to Use Coupons or Promo Codes

Once you've found a coupon for your prospective purpose, visit that merchant's web site as you normally would. Add your desired item(s) to your shopping cart. During the check out process, enter the coupon or promo code you've found in the box provided. You may need to recalculate your balance for the discount to be applied. Ensure that your savings are applied before you complete your order. Keep in mind that some coupons don't have pubished expiration dates and can expire at any time, so don't take too long to act!

Getting the Most from Online Coupons

Once you have done a bit of online coupon code research, you will no doubt find a few coupon sites you find more useful than others. Bookmark these sites so that you'll be able to get to them quickly when you shop online in the future. Make it a habit to search these sites for coupon or promo codes before placing any online order.

Many brick and mortar stores also retail online. Be sure to check their websites for coupon codes before shopping at their store. Often there are discounts available online that are not available in stores. Whenever possible, group your purchases together to reach minimum purchase thresholds for free shipping offers.

You should also subscribe to e-mail newsletters for online retailers you find yourself frequenting. Many of these newletters include online coupon or promo code offers you might not otherwise know about. While your at it, many coupon code web site also have newsletters with up-to-date codes and special retailer offers.

Online coupon and promo coupons can be a great way to realize substantial savings when shopping online. By making it a habit to find and use these codes regularly, you can save time and gas shopping from home and might even keep a little more money in your pocket for change!