How to Find The Best Coupon Codes for Online Shopping and Save Money

What are coupon codes?

A coupon is used by a business to offer products at a discounted price or other offers like free shipping or buy one, get one free. With the advent of technology and e-commerce, there has been an increase in the promotion and use of online coupons. One form of digital coupon that is gaining popularity nowadays is coupon codes, also known as promo codes. A coupon code is a series of characters used by businesses to offer discounts or limited offers on an online order.
Here is are some of the coupon codes used by businesses-

• Public codes- Any customer can see or use a public coupon code. These codes are used by businesses to draw in new customers and encourage existing patrons to come back to buy more.
• Private promo codes- Most businesses will use private promo codes to target a specific customer base. These are mostly given to existing customers for special offers. Private codes are also a good way to get new customers.
• Restricted codes- This type of coupon code is given to a single user to be used only once. One instance of a restricted code is offered to a customer as an apology for a wrong order or delayed delivery or as a thank you.

Where is a good place to find online coupon codes?

If you are wondering how to get free digital coupons or coupon codes, here are some ways you can get promo codes and save money while shopping online. Codes get you some good discounts and save you money. Here is how you find good places to get online coupon codes-

• Do a general search- If you are looking for good discounts on Burger King or Subway, you can type in coupon codes for Burger King or Subway and the search engine will show a wide variety of sources and sites which will have deals and promo codes for that business.
• Search by the promo code- So if you want a buy one get one free discount code on a meal you are buying, but don't know if there is a deal for the food you are craving, search by the promo code. You can search the web with the BOGO McDonald's offer and see if there is a BOGO offer by the fast food chain. Or you may get a BOGO offer from Wendy's that you may want to try.
• Check with stores- If you don't find a deal, you can go to the store or the website and see what offers they have. Many stores will always have some web special deals that may not be offered in-store or vice versa. So it is a good option to check both in-store or online to see what deals are on.
• Sign up for alerts- Most times, when you sign up for a brand's loyalty program, you have the option of getting the online newsletter or alerts. Opt for the service, as it will send alerts about upcoming deals to the store's email list. Some coupon codes sent via email may be one-time codes generated for the customer. So you won't get these deals on the site or other coupon sites.

How do I find the best coupon codes?

If you are searching for ways to get coupon codes, then here are some options on how you can find the best coupon codes for the products or services you want to buy-

• Loyalty programs- A good way to earn promo codes and get discounts is to sign up for a brand's loyalty program and the mailing list. Most times, when you sign up for a loyalty program, the brand will mail you a special code for joining the program. This code may not be available on the website. There are also some deals which are available only for the loyalty members, so they may not be listed on the website and can be accessed only when you sign in.
• Visit brand websites and apps- Most brands will have a weekly ad for the special deals, common coupon codes or discounts listed on the website. There may also be a limited offer or discount code on the ads that run on the home page. It is a good idea to check the home page of the website to check if there are any deals listed.
• Social media- If you follow a brand on social media, like the push messages or direct message them asking for a promo code or discount for an event like birthday or complain about an issue, the brand may offer you a discount code or cash back as a way to thank you for your engagement.
• Newspaper- Most Sunday editions of newspapers used to carry a special on coupons which could be cut out and saved for use. There are some newspapers which list the weekly deals on the online edition of the Sunday newspaper. You can subscribe to the online edition to get the coupon codes and save some money.

1. Through coupon sites

Most coupon codes are used by businesses as way to offer customers special discounts. The easiest way to shop and save money is to use promo codes. But a customer will always wonder where they can get reliable and valid discount codes for a great bargain. Here is how you can get coupons online codes for saving money while shopping-
Use third party coupon sites- There are many third party websites like FullFork which offer a discount code or daily deals for products or services. These sites use an aggregator and pay a percentage. They approach a business to work with them on daily deals or coupon codes. A third party website like Fullfork Features deals as per location and preference in a list format. The apps will also have a map feature to show how far is the establishment. Users can arrange deals using filters like dine in/takeout. Most apps allow deals to be saved for easier access. They also allow users to redeem deals in store via an offer code.
Coupon codes on trustworthy third party websites will usually have-

• A valid expiration date, which is found on almost all coupons but some fake coupons may have dates like February 30.
• Product or service exceptions to the coupon code or discount, which is a common practice with coupons offering flat discounts.
• The exact sizes of items eligible for discount like 20% off on 20-ounce bottles or one free medium coffee.

1. Through coupon sites

Most coupon sites have browser extensions that can help scour for good discount codes. Browser extensions are plug-ins that can be downloaded on web browsers like Chrome or Safari and will scout the web for bargain-hunting and get the best deals and discount codes for you. Here is how a browser extension searches for the best deals for you.

• Most of the third-party coupon sites offer browser extensions, which can be installed on the browser.
• If you have a particular website you use regularly, check if that website has an extension.
• Install the extension on your browser, like Chrome or Safari.
• When you open any website for shopping, shop in peace, without searching for online codes coupons.
• Once you have completed your shopping, hit the browser extension. The extension will scour the website for all the coupon codes or discounts that can be applied to your shopping cart and apply the best possible deal for you.
• Some extensions will show you the list of deals that are available, and you can choose the best possible option, copy the coupon code and apply the discount in the apply code tab.
• The extensions will also track sale price history and let you know if there is a good deal or not.
• There are also extensions that offer cashback rewards to users. The extension will calculate the amount of money you will get, and it will be given to you in the form of a check or deposit in bank account.

How do I create coupon codes?

If you are business and want to create a promo code to draw in more customers or offer your existing customers a discount, here is how you can create coupon codes.

• Remember there are many coupon code creating software and sites that you can access to create a promo code.
• Calculate how often you offer coupon codes and discounts, and if a single template can work for you.
• Check the different sites and software features to see which will suit your business model and financial set up the best.
• Once you have selected the website or software that suits your needs the best, you are on your way to creating a promo code.
• Open the website and click on create new button, select the format you want for the promo code.
• Fill out the promo code form with the following details- promo code names like BOGO or 10% or flat 15% off.
• Open the text box and fill out information like conditions apply, promotional period, and exempt items, among others.
• If you have any images to add, upload them and resize them to fit the format.
• Click the save button to save the format you have created.
• If you have a problem with the format, then you can also edit the coupon code.
• Click on the promo code you want to edit from the Promo Code settings and select the edit button and an editor will appear.
• Make the edits you want and click 'Save Changes' to save your edits.
• Once you are sure the coupon code is prepared perfectly, you can link it to your website for the customers to access.

From where can I get valid coupon codes?

Apart from Fullfork, which we have discussed above, there are also some other coupon websites which offer great deals and valid coupon codes. Here are some websites you can check to obtain valid promo codes-

• Rakuten- Formerly called Ebates, it is one of the top coupon sites and also offers cash back. Their service is free and they also offer access to coupons along with a cash back program. The site also offers a Chrome browser extension so that you can check if the site you are on has offers.
• Ibotta- It is a cashback and coupon code app that can help you earn money back on certain items by completing some tasks like providing proof of purchase or watching a short video. The number of tasks vary depending on the item and the cashback amount. You can also apply offers from the app apart from discounts from brands, helping you save more money.
• Swagbucks- It is known as one of the best couponing website. The coupon codes can also be printed to be used in-store. You can also earn points for printing a coupon and you can redeem these points for gift cards at many retailers. They also offer tasks like watching videos or taking surveys to earn more points.
• BeFrugal- The app offers cashback opportunities at over 5,000 stores and is also known as one of the best sites for free coupons. The app allows you to apply coupon codes with the touch. The cash back earning can be redeemed via PayPal, direct deposit, check or gift cards.
• Groupon- The app has promo codes and deals for entertainment and restaurants. You can also find attractive travel deals through Groupon. The site also offers thousands of coupons. The app lets you sort deals according to city, neighborhood, or zip code and there are various filters available to get you the best deal.

How do coupon codes work?

Every coupon code has different offers and restrictions, but also offer you savings. Coupon codes come with terms and conditions, so it is best to read the fine print to know more about the terms of use and get the best discounts on coupons code-

• Once you find a code, type it in the code box at checkout, and click to apply it. Sometimes you can apply the code in the shopping cart before checkout, while other sites let you apply it after a certain point in the checkout process.
• Take care to ensure that you have entered the online coupon code correctly and check if the item is eligible for the discount. Also check if the coupon is still valid and has not expired.
• Once you click 'apply code', the code offer will be applied to the total cost of your shopping cart and you will get the discount.