Technology is catching up to our couponing world. America Online has teamed up with your favorite grocery store to add coupons to your store club card. Is this the coupon clipping of the new generation?
The free AOL service is called Shortcuts.com. Instead of having to clip coupons, you can load them onto your store savings card. Take the card to the store, choose your groceries, and swipe your card when you arrive at the register. The computer will automatically take the coupon savings off the grocery bill before you pay.
As a kid, I have fond memories of helping Mom clip and organize coupons before we went to the grocery store. Now, I have enlisted my daughter to help me get organized. It’s something we work on together. I am not ready to give that up just yet. It seems like it would save time but like all new services, it has good and bad points.
As of writing this, the new technology only allows a customer to save 20 coupons on the card at a time. I usually use more than that in one shopping trip. You can only save one coupon per item. So I will still have to cut coupons in order to receive multiple savings on items. Once the coupon expires, it is taken off the card. Several of my stores accept expired coupons within a reasonable time limit, so I will have needlessly lost the savings.
There are some positive points to this new technology. If you use coupons, then you have experienced the obnoxious looks by the impatient people behind you in line. With this new card, the cashier won’t have to scan numerous coupons to credit your savings. How many times have you decided to shop at the last minute and realized you left your coupons at home? When the coupons are loaded on the card, they will always be with you. If I want to purchase multiples, I can count the coupon loaded on the card as one and still provide extra clipped coupons to match the extra purchases.
So I guess for now, I will continue collecting coupons the old fashion way, but keep a close eye on this new technology. If you are looking for more coupons, check out Families.com’s database of printable coupons. The coupon trains are always looking for new riders and people and the forums have people who would love to trade.
When you order samples, many time they send free coupons with it. Your new freebie is for new moms. Johnson and Johnson have put together a care package of samples and coupons to help take care of new baby. When my package arrived a week ago, I received nine samples and eight coupons. They will make a great addition to the diaper bag. Call and request the “New Mom’s Kit” at 1-866-565-2229. It is an automated call and it will ask you to leave your name and address.
Leave a comment and let me know what you think of this new coupon service. Will you use it? Do you like the idea? Do you think it will save you money?
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