How to Use Online Promotional Coupon Codes
$ Benefits of Using Online Coupons or Coupon Codes
Using promotional coupon codes is one of the best ways to save money when shopping online. Different coupons can be used for free shipping, a certain dollars off, a percentage off one item or the total order, or for free items. Dollars off coupons usually, but not always, have a specific minimum order, like $10 off $50, $20 off $100, $30 off $150. Sometimes online stores offer $5 off $5, $10 off a $10, or even $25! (You may still have to pay shipping on those though). Free items can be just about anything, including a stereo, dvd or dvd player, luggage or free case of paper, and they usually have a minimum order amount too.
P Where to Find Coupon Codes
Here! Moderators of this site scour the internet daily, looking for the hottest online promo coupon codes and deals for you. Sometimes the coupons are just out there, free for the taking. Other coupons are sent to you by email or snail mail, for fulfilling their requirements such as being a rewards member, signing up for email or a catalog or making a previous order. Some coupons can also be found for sale on ebay (depending on the coupon rules, this may be coupon fraud and may some day be enforced). Of course, you can always do a Google search, but you may not find updated results.
We now have a separate page for Amazon coupons and one for Dell coupon codes and sales.
7 How to Use Promo Coupons
Once you find the promo coupon codes, using them is usually very easy. There should be a coupon code box or a link to a coupon entry page, on the shopping cart page. You just enter the code and apply. But, different online stores have different shopping cart methods. For JCPenney, for example, you must indicate that you will be using a promotional code before you enter checkout. Linens 'N Things has you put the promo code in at the very end of the checkout process.
3 Rules of Use
The rules of using coupon codes depend on the site you are buying from. Many sites only let you use one coupon code per order. Others have a limited number. Using more than one coupon per order is called stacking.
There are two main types of coupons—one-time use, to be used once by one customer, and general use, available to everyone. Most general-use coupons can only be used once per customer, but some sites allow you to have more than one customer in your household. (After all, both you and your spouse could have separate businesses, and both businesses need supplies!) Some companies, whether by plan or by accident, have no limit on the number of times you can use a coupon, but have a limit of one use per order.
D If It's Too Good To Be True
If the coupon code deal is too good to be true--$10 off a $10 purchase with free shipping, allowing you to use it multiple times, for example--it probably is. After you go through the trouble of selecting your items and ordering them, online stores may cancel the orders. You just have to decide if you want to give it a try or not.
6 Coupon Expiration
TIP: Watch out for coupon expiration dates. You can beg a cashier at a B&M (brick and morter) store to let you use their coupon past its expiration date, but you can't beg a website checkout page to do this. That said, some sites are not set up to automatically deactivate their codes on their written expiration date, and it may be a few days before it is done manually.
: Coupon Code Links
Sometimes coupon codes come in links. In this case, you just follow the link to the online store and the amount of the coupon will automatically come off your purchase. Always make sure that the discount is indicated in your shopping cart before placing your order.
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Top Rebate Tips & FAQ
How to Get Your Money Back
Rebates are not that hard to get once you know how. Here are the facts you need to get the best and hottest deals by doing rebates for items purchased online.
First of all... Hurry!
… especially if the item is Free After Rebate (FAR). Other people are buying the same supplies and items that you are. They may soon become sold out.
Read the Offers and the Forms Before You Buy
Unless you think it will be sold out that quickly, read the rebate form and make sure the date is valid and matches the item. The item numbers should match what you're ordering. People do make mistakes.
Print out forms when you buy
It’s much easier to find the link to the rebate form if you print it out when you buy the item. If your printer is not working, or is out of ink, at least bookmark the form.
Watch Out for the Expiration Date
Rebates expire. That’s one of the main reasons people don’t send them in—time gets away from them. Send in your rebate(s) as soon as possible.
Make Copies
Keep copies of rebate forms, UPC's, receipts and other proof of purchase. It is up to you if you want to print them all out, but at least save them in your scanner program (organized by date, if possible). Mistakes do happen. It might be your mistake or the mistake of the person who opens your rebate submission and records your information. It is also possible that a computer crash at the rebate center could erase all of your records. If you want your money back, keep records.
Keep a List of Rebates Sent
Always write down the date you sent the rebate, the item, the amount you paid for the item and amount of the rebate. The other information, such as the address, offer number, and 1-800 number, is already on your scanner. If they send you a tracking number by email, you can add this to your list if you want.
When you get your rebate check in the mail, mark it down, so you know that you have received it. If you don’t get rebate within a few weeks after the date promised, call them. They may want to know the tracking number. The more information you can give them, the better. You may need to resubmit something by snail mail or fax, but ask if you can give them information, like the UPC, over the phone. AND, don't put your check in a drawer and forget about it. Most rebate checks expire 90 days from their date of issue.
Submit Online if Possible
If offered, online submission is obviously easier and cheaper. You don’t have to keep copies of your rebate materials. You don’t have to open or cut holes in your packages trying to get your proof of purchase. You don’t have to give up your receipt. And you don’t have to pay for the postage. Some companies, like Staples and CompUsa, offer Easy Rebates, where you don’t have to send in anything. They know that you bought it from your order detail (or you can type in an exclusive rebate number written on your B&M receipt) so all you do is submit it through their website. You can usually do this right after you order the item. You don't even have to receive it first!
Other companies let you presubmit your rebate online, but you still have to send them the receipt and proof of purchase. This may be a little quicker for you, but you still have to make copies and pay for a stamp. Online submission helps the rebate companies a lot, since they don’t have to pay someone to type in your name and address. If you do this, your rebate might be processed more quickly.
What is a Receipt?
You know what a receipt is when you buy something at a B&M (brick and morter) store, but what about an Internet store? When you buy online, usually your receipt is the packing slip that should be with your order. A few companies may require your confirmation email, either instead or in addition, to the packing slip. Read the rebate form, it should tell you. In some cases, such as a preboxed printer being sent from the manufacturer, a packing slip may not be sent. In this case, use the email confirmation or print a copy of your online order status. If there is a toll-free number on the rebate form, you can call and make sure.
What Are Combination Rebates?
Combination rebates require more than one product for the rebate. An example is a rebate for a printer when also purchasing a computer. Combination rebates often make the printer FREE with the purchase of the computer.
What About Multiple Rebates?
Some companies offer advertise more than one rebate for the same item. If so, they should have it set up so you don’t need the original packing slip or UPC twice. Read the form carefully. If it says they’ll take a copy, they should take it. Sometimes you can make money if the rebate amounts total more than what you paid!
Making Money! 
Sometimes you can make money by combining rebates with coupon codes and/or doing multiple rebates. The secret is to find things that are Free After Rebate (FAR). Then, you need a dollars off coupon. In most cases, your total purchase must meet a certain minimum. You can use inexpensive fillers if needed. Some rebate offers let you buy multiple products for multiple rebates. Here is an example: if the rebate limit for an item is 10, they are FAR with free shipping and you have a $20 off $100 coupon, you make $20, plus points or ebates, plus credit card rewards, minus sales tax and the cost of postage and envelopes to send them out. Read carefully to find out whether each must be sent separately. You may need to print 10 forms, 10 envelopes and 10 postage stamps, decreasing your ‘gain’ by more than $4.10. You have extra work with multiple rebates, but they can pay off!
Aren’t the Companies Selling the Products Going to Lose Money If Customers Are Making Money?
These companies want your business. Manufacturers have priced their items with the knowledge that they are going to use the rebate as a promotion. They know that a certain percentage of customers do not send for rebates at all. Another number of people fail to keep track of them or don’t bother to call if they don’t receive them. In addition, they expect many customers to like their item and buy it next time without a rebate. If you used a coupon code offered by the supplier, they are offering that promotion based on their profit margin. By combining rebates with online promo coupon codes, you are increasing the companies' businesses. Its a win-win situation!
To find the latest and hottest deals with rebates, including items that are FAR (free after rebate) look on our Best New Deals page!
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