It’s amazing what we will do to get something for free.
Take Wi-Fi for example. This morning, I decided to try out a new coffee shop. Since my laptop has become essentially an extension of my arm, I just assume (mistakenly) that every coffee shop offers free Wi-Fi.
They had great coffee. But you had to pay for access to their wireless network. Being a cheapskate at heart, I refused.
Instead, I hopped back on my scooter and wasted gas driving to go to another coffee shop. Then I proceeded to spend another $2 on another cup of coffee. So here I am overly caffeinated and pondering the psychology of spending.
Savvy shoppers who buy their products online have already found their way around many of the added costs of typical brick and mortar shopping, like cutting out the cost of gas and parking.
But what many people who shop online might not know is there are even more ways to save, on everything from shipping costs, to sales tax and even on the product itself.
And you can do this all for free.
A myriad of web sites have sprung up over the last decade to do provide you free money saving coupon codes for all sorts of products, from Norton Antivirus software to HP Computers.
Just try searching “coupon codes” in Google and thousands upon thousands of pages will come up. If you have a specific item you are ready to buy, you can narrow your search to find the exact coupon code you are looking for to plug in at the end of the checkout cycle. And, if you really want to make sure you have the best deal, you can hop from site to site to see who is offering the best deal.
Shoppers can often browse on these sites by searching for your favorite retailers or by browsing different product categories. Many of the sites will have a “Latest Deals” page or show what coupons are expiring soon. And some the sites even offer deals with up to 75 percent off regular retail prices.
Another great thing about the sites is they often will have user feedback and a percentage of how many times a particular coupon code worked for someone. So if 90 percent of users report that the coupon code worked for them, it’s a pretty safe bet that it’ll work you to as well.
Want to save more than $500 on a 55-inch television? How about 40 percent off your next supply of vitamins? You can even get low-priced airfare deals on air carriers like Southwest and Jet Blue. The offerings are endless.
Now that retailers are beginning to understand the powerful effect discount offers have on buyers’ shopping habits, they are eager to partner with coupon sites to provide even more savings for their loyal customer base.
That means the coupon sites can negotiate exclusive coupon codes and deals for the most recognizable and sought after brands so shoppers don’t have to spend hours scouring the web for the things they want.
The sites get paid a fee each time a coupon is redeemed and the shopper gets the deep discount, for free. If only finding free Wi-Fi was this easy.
About the author: Kristy Hessman is a freelance writer for a variety of media, including CouponPal.