Online Couponing In A Day For Dummies
by Beth Montgomery
Online Couponing In A Day For Dummies
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John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Copyright 2012 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada
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ISBN: 978-1-118-38336-0 (ebk), ISBN: 978-1-118-38338-4 (ebk), ISBN: 978-1-118-38339-1 (ebk)
Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Introduction
Since coupons made their debut in 1887, theyve only grown in popularity and now are available for almost everything you do and buy. As the world around us advanced from cassette tapes to MP3s, coupons werent left behind in the dust. They evolved into printable coupons, digital coupons, and now mobile coupons.
The Internet has become the place for deal seekers to gather together to share deals, find savings, search out coupons, and learn new tricks. For a newbie, this world can seem intimidating. Without help, couponing can often become a source of frustration and end up as more work than its worth.
This book gives you the tools you need to start couponing and join the online saving adventures without feeling like an outsider. It also strives to give you the confidence to start saving big.
What You Can Do in a Day
Cutting your budget and perfecting your money-saving techniques take time. I wont lie to you. However, this book is designed as a crash course to get you started, with a bit of an edge, and help you understand where you need to go next.
You can read through the entire book in one day (or two if youre taking your time). Then, as you start on your couponing journey, this book can serve as a guide for you to refer to when you need your memory refreshed or are ready to take your savings up to a new level.
Realistic Expectations
After hearing stories of extreme couponing, consumers assume they can grab a pair of scissors and suddenly pay $3.86 for $1,732 worth of groceries. This isnt the case!
So-called extreme couponers achieve these savings because couponing is their life. Its a full-time job. They buy things they dont need, just because they are cheap, and sometimes even use methods that are unethical or illegal.
I will not teach you how to do this. Instead, this book focuses on realistic couponing, where you can expect to save fifty to seventy percent on the average. Plan now to start slow. After you finish this book, pick one or two changes you can easily make immediately and start there. As you get more comfortable, try new tips to increase your savings.
Foolish Assumptions
For this book to be possible, I had to make a few assumptions about you and what you already know. These are the assumptions Ive made:
Youve seen a coupon before. Maybe you havent used one, but you could easily spot one in a lineup.
You have a computer and the basic skills to use it. You can turn it on, browse the web, and even print documents.
You are familiar with e-mail. I assume that you have an e-mail address that you can use to register for e-newsletters and saving sites.
You can navigate a web form. You understand how to register with websites and sign up for e-newsletters.
Icons Used in This Book
Icons emphasize a point to remember, a danger to be aware of, or information that I think you may find helpful. Those points are illustrated as such:
Tips are little bits of information that you may find useful.