SAVINGS STAR

I wanted to share a new electronic/digital coupon website I just found out about.  It's called Saving Star.  It's similar to Cellfire although it doesn't have as many coupons available as Cellfire does.  From what I've seen so far the coupons might be worth more then Cellfire's.  I just activated my account and loaded my shopping card info.  How many stores you can input varies depending on where you live.  There were only four stores available in my area and I have cards for two of those; Kroger and CVS.  I'm definitely going to be using the $1 off Skinny Cow Multi-Pack.  This is the first program I've seen that had Perrier and S. Pellegrino water coupons so those caught my eye.  In this hot weather mixing some fruit juice and sparkling water together is quite refreshing.

Some Coupons I activated:
$1.50 off California Pizza
$0.50 Dannon Greek Yogurt
$1.00/2 Juicy Juice All-Natural 100% Juice
$0.40 No Yolks noodles
$1.00 Skinny Cow Multi-Pack
$1.00 Perrier Sparkling Natural Mineral Water
$1.00 S. Pellegrino or Acqua Panna

For those that aren't quite up on all the techie stuff, these are electronic coupons which are also called digital coupons.  I think electronic coupons are one of the best inventions ever.  I seriously dislike having to gather, cut, sort, organize and carry all those coupons around when I can scan my card or use one of the new electronic key tag programs and all my coupons come zipping off my bill without me carrying anything but my purse and the phone into the store.  Yes, these programs take some time initially to open accounts and then upload new coupons on a regular basis but I think overall they take a lot less time and lack the headache factor.

Kroger has their electronic coupons on their website that you can upload to your card after opening an account.  As I mentioned, Cellfire is another program that is very popular and also works with the Kroger card.  P&G has a website that has electronic coupons you can upload to various store cards including Kroger's. 

For those that have Smartphones, you can do searches to find out what programs are available for your model.  I plan on trying GeoQpons for Blackberrys.   It works off GPS on your phone and gives you coupons for stores and restaurants within 10 miles of where you are.  You're out shopping and realize you want to go to Bed, Bath & Beyond and realize you forgot your coupon at home.  You use one of these types of programs and they'll pull coupons available for use at the stores located with 10 miles of where your current location is at.  Another use would be that you and the girls are out and about and decide you'd like to stop for some lunch but being frugal you'd like to use a coupon - utilize the program and it will list restaurants within the area and the coupons for each.  Once you get to the restaurant you just show the waitperson the coupon on your phone and you're set.

Advantages are you always have your coupons with you without carrying a binder or organizer of any sort.  Another advantage is you don't have to stand in line and scan coupons while people get irritated behind you - they come off within seconds of your scanning the card allowing for a quicker checkout.  It also allows you to use self scanners at stores that don't allow coupons in the self scanner lines.  They you to accumulate coupons without buying newspapers or magazines thereby saving money unless you really read the Sunday newspaper (does anybody do that any more?).  It also saves money over online coupon programs because you don't have to print them so you save on paper and ink.  Most of these programs can be accessed via Smartphones so if you get to the store and realize that you forgot to update your coupons you can always login on your phone and update your coupons before shopping and they should be available by the time you're done shopping (some programs say up to one hour).  Not like that's every happened to me before, I'm just saying. 

There are disadvantages including the number of stores that use electronic coupons.  If your regular store doesn't have a card then it is more difficult to use them, but not impossible.  There are programs for smartphones from what I understand that will overcome this issue.  The variety of coupons availabe can be a disadvantage.  I think the more people utilize these programs the more they will become available and the selection will expand also.

I would love to hear about other sites that have electronic coupons.  For those that have Smartphones I would love to hear how you utilize them to save money on groceries.  Matt is forever telling me I need to stop using my phone for everything else but what it's for - talking - but I'm all for using electronics, including my phone, for everything that I can.