The popularity of online coupon codes has really begun to catch on, and every day, more and more people are realizing that they can save quite a bit on the things they need when they take advantage of these discounts. With a little planning, you can too!

It helps to have some patience, especially if you are just starting out. Sometimes, you will not be able to find a coupon code for the online store where you want to shop.

There are usually lots of valid coupon codes circulating around the Web, every store will not always have one listed. If that is the case, you can choose to wait and make your purchase when a code becomes available, or perhaps choose a different store that does have a code that will allow you to save some money.

Another more indirect way that online coupon codes can save you money is the savings you will realize at the gas pump and on your car maintenance. Gasoline prices are high and there seems to be no relief in sight any time soon. When you shop online, you don’t have to drive to the store, using up expensive gasoline and putting more miles on your car. On average, depending on the kind of car you drive, it costs anywhere from 35 to 40 cents for each mile you drive – not including the gas!

It’s easy to see how shopping online can help you save a nice chunk of change in a year’s time. We spoke of saving time in the paragraphs above, but the subject is well worth mentioning again. Few people put a price on their time, but you should. Your time is very valuable! Every minute of time that you save by shopping online instead of having to get the car out and drive to the store is a minute that you can put toward making your life more productive.

Next time you go to the mall, do a little experiment. Keep track of how much time it takes you to fight the traffic in order to drive there, find the items you are looking for, pay for them, and drive home again. You will be shocked! Now, see how that time can add up over the course of a year?

Remember – time is money! Shopping Online Saves You Both

Some people have tried online shopping, and are quite vocal about the cost of shipping. Obviously, they did not pursue the fun of using coupon codes, nor did they even try online shopping more than a time or two. If they had, they would have seen that not only do online coupon codes for free shipping pop up for most retail stores on the web with regularity, but most stores will offer free shipping even without a coupon code if you spend a set amount, usually $30 or so. So, this argument is a moot point. Online shopping with coupon codes can and does save savvy shoppers quite a bit of money.

Another way you’ll save money is that when you have an actual brick and mortar store in your area that also has an online presence, you will pay sales tax on your purchases from the web. This adds a small amount to your total invoice amount. For example, if you have a Best Buy in your city, and you order an iPod from BestBuy.com, you’ll be charged sales tax. On the other hand, if you purchase a pair of jeans from Old Navy.com, and there is no Old Navy store in your city, you will not have to pay sales tax. Think about that before you make your next purchase – every penny adds up after all.

Now that I’ve you you so much about shopping online, getting bargains and using coupon codes, you’re probably all excited about the money you can save. There are a few things you need to know in order to keep yourself safe while shopping online.

Never Buy A Coupon Code!

A disturbing trend has come to light on auction sights such as EBay where unsuspecting shoppers are actually buying coupon codes that are supposed to be free! This is not a good idea, and steps as being taken as of this writing to have the offending auctions pulled. Why would you want to pay for something that is meant to be free? The people who are running these auctions are counting on the fact that some shoppers will not realize that these codes are available for free all over the web.

Reputable Stores Only

Stick with stores that you know are legitimate when shopping online with coupon codes. If you run across a web store offering you an incredible coupon code like $75 off when you spend $100, or something equally as absurd, close your browser and run. This web site is more than likely after personal information such as your credit card number, and if you give it out to them, you may find a lot of unauthorized charges on your statement next month. As the old saying goes, if it seems just too good to be true, it probably is.

Use Google for Hard to Find Coupon Codes

When searching for a web site than contains information about online shopping and coupon codes, make sure you are using a site that offers you fresh, up to date codes. It’s very discouraging to click through to an expired coupon code thinking you are about to get a good deal, and instead you get nothing. Don’t settle for a site that just has a bunch of codes up on a page, either. At the very least, you want links to the online stores where the codes are to be used.

Choose a coupon code web site that seems friendly. You want to be able to ask questions when you need to, so a web site with a forum where shoppers can congregate and exchange ideas and thoughts about online shopping is ideal, especially for someone new to online shopping. If there is no forum, look to see if there is an email address where you can at least contact the owner of the web page.

Don’t Share Your Email Address with Coupon Sites!

You should be able to view the coupon codes on a web site without having to give out your email address. Now, don’t be alarmed when you come across a site that does ask for this information. You don’t have to give it out if you don’t want to. But usually, the site asks you to register if you want to take part in the forums, or to receive occasional emails about the web site. If a web site is asking for your information seemingly for no reason, back off. They may be simply harvesting email addresses, and if you give yours out, you may well wind up with an email inbox full of spam.

After last week’s post on shopping with coupon codes, here is a follow up to answer some questions I’ve been receiving.

Coupon codes are also called promotional codes by some merchants. Don’t let this confuse you – they are the same thing, really. Most of the time, the online code is a series of numbers, numbers and letters mixed, or a short word that relates to the type of product, usually in all capital letters.

For example, a PetSmart code could look like this – MEOW838. The codes themselves are somewhat predictable. Generally, they are like the ones in the example above – a percentage or a flat amount off of your total bill, or free shipping. There have also been instances, usually seasonal, where the addition of a special coupon code will yield a free gift.

Another type of code is a clickable link that leads you to a page where a number/letter code will be displayed for you to enter when you check out. These codes are often included in email newsletters that online retailers send to customers who have signed up for them.

If you think about it, you’ll realize that an online coupon is merely a more modern version of the coupons that shoppers have been clipping from the Sunday newspaper inserts for years. And, like those paper coupons, online coupons can be found for almost any product that is sold on the Internet. You should be able to find coupon codes for the following:

• Clothing for Men, Women and Children
• Auto accessories
• Health and Beauty Ads
• Pet Food and Accessories
• Magazines and Books
• Computers and computer accessories
• Gifts and Flowers
• Electronics
• Furniture
• Food
• Sporting Goods
• Shoes
• Jewelry
• Art and Photography
• Office Supplies
• Online Services
• Music CDs, Movie DVDs, Video Games’
• Kitchen accessories, including cookware
• Gardening and Outdoor supplies
• Toys and Games
• Cigarettes and Cigars
• Airline Tickets
• Concert and Event Tickets
• Rental Cars
• Hotel Accommodations
• Restaurants

In short, anything that is sold on the Internet by a retailer or company, large or small, can have a coupon code associated with it. You will sometimes see multiple codes, and in this case, you should stop and figure out which one would give you the best value.

When you are just starting out using coupons online to save money, this all might seem a little confusing. But, after you’ve completed a transaction or two, you will catch on like an old pro.

For example, let’s say that you want to do some shopping at The Body Shop online. Your first step is to visit a website devoted to coupon codes in order to see if there are any current ones for this retailer. You spy not just one, but several codes. There is one that offers you free shipping on your order another which gives you 10% off of the total amount you spend, and another that is for $10 off when you spend $25. How will you know which one to use?

Stack Your Coupon Codes and Save Even More Money!

Depending on how much you are planning to spend, it’s a tossup between the $10 off and the 10% off. On some web sites, you can use more than one coupon code, which is called stacking. This is a very popular method for maximum savings, and a perfectly legitimate option. You won’t know if a retailer will allow the use of multiple codes until you actually type them into the space on the order blank and update the page to see if they went through. If they did, you will notice that your total amount due has been reduced. If they didn’t you will see a brief message, sometimes in red text that explains why you were not given the discount. It’s well worth your time to try multiple coupon codes each time you shop online!

Online retailers provide these ‘coupon codes’ to their customers as a form of advertising. They know that a good coupon code will bring the following three types of traffic to their site.

• New customer traffic – consumers who may not have ever shopped with them before.
• Previous customer traffic – consumers that came back to shop again because of the coupon code discount.
• Repeat business traffic – consumers who are so pleased with the items they purchased at a discount that they come back to purchase other items, possibly at full price. (This, by the way, is considered the best type of traffic.)

Coupon codes are a win-win promotion both for the shopper and the retailer who offers them. You get a good deal, and the retailer gets an increase in traffic. Unlike coupons that you cut out of the newspaper or magazines, online coupon codes can’t be lost or replaced. You can use the code once, then pass it along to a friend or family member so that they can get a good online deal, too. Many a convert to online shopping has been made with the sharing of just one good coupon code!

Online coupon codes can turn up in the most surprising places. You would not think that a high end store would offer much in the way of coupon codes or discounts, but they most certainly do, and good ones, too. This is a fantastic way to own luxury items that you may not be able to afford otherwise. It is not an unusual occurrence to buy a beautiful sweater that retails for hundreds of dollars for just a fraction of that price when you combine a sale with a coupon code.

Another reason why you should use online coupon codes is to be able to take advantage of the vast assortment of goods and services available on the Internet at a bargain price. If you live in a part of the country that does not have certain national chain stores, you can still shop at any of them from the comfort of your home. Or, if you live far from a big city and do not have many stores to choose from when you get ready to shop for clothing, items for your home, or anything else, you can turn to the Internet to find what you are looking for. Combine a world of choices with a coupon code that will save you money, and you have got quite a winning combination.