Do you remember the reality TV series Extreme Couponing? It aired for five seasons between 2010 and 2012. The show featured folks who filled their shopping carts with multiple bags of coffee, canned goods, paper products, and other staples. Then, using previously clipped coupons, you could watch in amazement as their grocery bill went from a couple of hundred bucks down to a fraction of its original cost.
The series was a huge hit. In fact, you can still catch the reruns on TLC. There are plenty of colorful characters, and it serves as an instruction guide for everyday consumers who want to save themselves a ton of cash on groceries and other items.
While clipping coupons from inserts and flyers is still a popular money-saving pastime, the practice has become more of a digital experience these days. With dozens of websites and apps for savvy shoppers, couponing is more exciting than ever.
In this post, we’ll discuss some of the top coupon sites and apps to save money this year. Each of them is unique, but all of them are designed to save you money on things you already purchase, which means more money in your pocket at the end of the month. Let’s get started.
Best Websites and Apps for Coupon Enthusiasts
We’ve divided this article into two parts. The first part features three top couponing websites. These sites are great to visit if you are just starting out with couponing. They are filled with tips, strategies, and guides to help you start saving on your next trip to the supermarket.
The second part of the post lists three of the top couponing apps. You can download one or more of these to your smartphone, and you’ll have your coupons with you no matter where you go—no clipping required.
Top Couponing Websites
The Krazy Coupon Lady
The Krazy Coupon Lady is an excellent resource for newbies and veteran couponers alike. Founded by stay-at-home moms Joanie Demer and Heather Wheeler, it began as a blog about saving money and is now a multi-million dollar corporation. Don’t be intimidated by the numbers, though. This site is still as down-to-earth as ever.
You’ll find pretty much everything on this site. Visitors can check out the best deals at their favorite retailers, clip virtual coupons, and take advantage of tons of tips and tricks. The site is updated several times a day, so you can get all the hot deals as soon as they are posted. They even have an app so you can coupon on-the-go. Be sure to download the Free Quick Start Guide to Couponing while you’re there.
Refund Sweepers
Refund Sweepers is an old-school couponing and refunding site that hasn’t changed much over the past two decades. As a result, the site is basic and not the most user-friendly. However, if you’re interested in learning from a hard-core couponing community, Refund Sweepers will become your new obsession.
While you can find most of the same deals that you would on The Krazy Coupon Lady site, Refund Sweepers is built around trading. Users can post in one of four forums focused on coupons, rewards, freebies, or general savings. Members frequently list coupons or rebate forms they have to trade with a list of coupons they are looking for. Since inserts vary in different parts of the country, it’s an ideal way to acquire paper coupons you need or brighten someone’s day with a stash of coupons you’ll never use.
Southern Savers
You don’t need to live in the South to join the Southern Savers community. The site is an excellent resource for anyone who wants to save money. There are plenty of how-to guides at Southern Savers, including:
- Understanding Coupon Terms and Abbreviations
- Where to Get coupons
- How to Start Couponing
- Store Coupon Policies
- Video Tutorials
Southern Savers features other topics that couponers may be interested in, too. For example, they have a whole section on frugal living that includes inexpensive menu plans, home decor, and date ideas. The pull-down menu even includes an article on how to get paid to take surveys, including a nice writeup about Branded Surveys.
Setting up a free account at Southern Savers allows you to track your savings, create a custom homepage, and save shopping lists, but it’s not required to enjoy the site.
Top Couponing Apps
Ibotta
Ibotta has become a trusted app for anyone who wants to get money back on their purchases. Every time you shop in a brick-and-mortar store, on your phone, or online, you’ll get the opportunity to save. It works like this:
- On the app, choose among thousands of deals on items you plan to purchase the next time you go shopping.
- Shop as you usually would, but take a photo of your receipt.
- Upload the picture of your receipt to Ibotta. Ibotta will calculate your cash-back reward and add it to your balance.
- Once you have earned at least $20, cash out your earnings via PayPal or a linked bank account.
With Ibotta, you’ll get a bonus just for signing up, and you’ll even get cash back on Shiptd or Walmart Grocery Delivery. Plus, you can earn every time you refer a friend.
Coupons.com
Coupons.com is one of the most recognized sites among couponers everywhere. It’s a central clearinghouse for coupons of all kinds, with new ones added all the time. It’s also versatile. You can print out coupons at home and clip them to take to the store.
Users can also link their store loyalty cards (they partner with most major national retails like Walgreens, Target, Supermarkets, etc.) to save. Once you are set up, just tap your store, pick the coupons you would like to use for that trip, and the savings will automatically apply when you check out.
Like Ibotta, Coupons.com also has a cash-back feature where you can upload and submit your receipts and earn a cash-back deposit into your PayPal account.
Dosh
If you are looking for a couponing app that requires the least amount of effort, Dosh is it. Instead of scanning barcodes or taking photos of your receipt, you just link your credit or debit card. Then, the app automatically scans your purchases for available offers and cash-back deals. In essence, you simply shop as you usually would, and Dosh runs in the background.
Dosh partners with thousands of retailers, including restaurants, grocery stores, and travel services, so there’s a pretty good chance you will earn with this app. A few popular places to make money with Dosh include:
- Dunkin Donuts
- Instacart
- Disney
- Sephora
- Walmart
- Pizza Hut
- GNC
When the balance in your Dosh wallet reaches $25, you can withdraw your earnings to PayPal or a bank account. The app is available in the App Store or on Google Play.
