Net Worth

Online coupons can save you cash

by Allison Tyra

Like seemingly everything else, getting your coupons is easier and faster through the Internet. Sites like Couponsurfer.com, Wow-coupons.com and Spy Find online coupons can give you printable coupons that are as easy to find as typing keywords into a search box. Some, like Valpak, have both paper versions and corresponding Web sites. Forget the Penny Saver and check out these Web sites that can save you hundreds of dollars a year on groceries, activities and more.

"I make saving money easier for people," says Terry Kuczykowski, owner of DealSeekingMom.com and mother of five. "I've always been one to seek out the best deals."

Sites like CouponMom.com and DealSeekingMom.com offer coupons targeted directly to a given audience -- in this case, mothers. MomsLikeMe coupons include deals on grocery brands such as Yoplait and Big G cereals and family friendly destinations like Dave & Buster's.

DealSeekingMom includes coupons for national chains like Target and Walmart, as well as local ones for central Ohio, where Kuczykowski lives, or discounts for other regions that she receives from people in those areas.

"I encourage my readers not to be brand-loyal," Kuczykowski says. "You can save a lot more."

Sarah Eppler, spokesperson for MomsLikeMe.com, says the site offers deals on national brands, which it gets from Coupons Inc.

"It's the same coupons across all 80 markets," Eppler says. Typically for household items, the 50 to 70 coupons per month are updated on the first of every month. With the discussion boards, local moms can share information about deals, sales or coupons specific to their area. Also, with localized mini-sites, MomsLikeMe.com allows the women who use their site to connect in real life as well, including events like coupons swaps and couponing workshops.

MerchantCircle.com features coupons and discounts from local business coupons like Dreamweaver art studio, Napoli Design Salon, The Elegant Cookie and Saint Louis Movers.

Subject-specific sites like WheretheLocalsEat.com and RestaurantCouponsRelief.com, which focuses on restaurants, are good if you're looking for a particular industry.

Most national brands and stores offer coupons for their products on the company Web sites. Old Navy, McDonald's and Walmart offer in-store coupons for any location in the country.

FabulousSavings.com provides both brand and store coupons for companies like Victoria's Secret, Amazon.com, Nordstrom, Nike and Bath and Body Works. The site also provides coupon "bundles," like "Discount 16th Birthday Gifts & Cards," "Toga Parties Online" and "Where I Can Buy Authentic Gucci Online."

Travel sites can help you out even in your hometown, with coupons to local attractions. ExploreStLouis.com offers deals on the Gateway Arch Riverfront, Saint Louis Zoo, Missouri Botanical Garden, the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House, Union Station, the City Museum's World Aquarium, the Missouri History Museum, Meramec Caverns, the Saint Louis Art Museum, The Magic House and Cardinals games with its St Louis Vacation coupons. Whether you have friends and family visiting from out of town, or feel like treating yourself to a night in a hotel in town, most vacation sites also offer hotel coupons. Travel sites like Orbitz.com, Expedia.com, EuropeTravel.com, DestinationCoupons.com and BedandBreakfast.com all provide options for your stay.

"You don't have to do all the work yourself. Just make your list, cut your coupons and shop," Kuczykowski says.