Everyone has seen it at some point while shopping online — that little code box that appears in the cart. While not many individuals put much thought into them, coupon codes always offer shoppers the chance to score great deals. Although the information available on the web is constantly changing, saving money with such discounts isn’t difficult. All it takes is to know how to find coupons and promo codes, as well as how to find them.

A Little Digging Could Go a Long Way

When coupons first began circulating online, finding them on the retailer’s site was quite hard. The best place you could find coupon codes was on related shopping sites. But this has all changed now. Although modern technology equips retailers with a litany of schemes to score big with consumers, savvy deal hunters have also figured out how to nab great deals with tricks of their own.

Signing up for email alerts is a good way to rack up multiple coupon codes. But don’t just sign up with your preferred stores – do so with their competitors as well. Most sites will give you a coupon for 10% off just for signing up on their mailing list. You could use a separate folder for promotional emails to keep your inbox organized. When you’ve got all your coupons in one place, it becomes easier to compare deals between stores and track sale trends over a period.

Promo codes can also be located by using a search engine to generate a list of sites that offer them. Having done this, you can then visit some of the sites and work out the potential savings from the available deals. There are also other sites that allow shoppers to compare prices between retailers with just a few taps of the keyboard.

Coupons are much easier to find when you’ve already decided which store you want to purchase from. If you haven’t quite figured this out but you know the item you want to buy, you can search the model number to see if any deals are currently on offer for it. This is a good way to pinpoint the exact item you’re looking for.

If you don’t find a current deal, you can take it a step further by identifying which stores are selling the product you want. Typing the model number (or a combination of brand and model number) into a search engine could direct you to sites that sell the item. Figure out which of the retailers you feel comfortable shopping from and, from there, use the search-by-store technique to see if any coupons are available.

Stack Multiple Coupons Strategically

Some retailers allow shoppers to use more than one code on the same offer. For instance, you could have the chance to use a 20% off coupon along with a shipping code to maximize savings. If you happen to find such a deal, you still need to use the codes in the right order. In the described scenario, you’d have to use the 20% off code first to apply the discount to the product’s full price.

Swap Coupons With Friends

Do you frequently land coupons for items you just don’t need at the time? If such is the case, you don’t have to be disappointed. Swapping coupons with your friends gives you the chance to find the codes you need while still putting the ones you landed into good use. To make this easier, consider starting a local coupon exchange platform with your friends. Such forums also exist on the web.

The Devil is in The Detail

When you find coupons listed on a store’s website, remember to check the fine print. This is usually found in the ‘details’ link, and offers information on the specific items eligible for the deals, and what products aren’t. On most sites, the links are usually found on the homepage, in the cart after the code is applied, or on product pages. Reviewing the information before the checkout process can save you a lot of time, as it allows you to verify if the purchase is eligible for discounts. You can also try searching online to see if there are any restrictions.

Pay Attention to Expiry Dates

It should be remembered that retailers have the right to expire coupons earlier than anticipated and without prior notice. Stores often do this when they’re facing increased demands, or when certain products are in short supply. So be sure to act quickly on a deal you’re interested in, as it may not be available after a while (or even the next day). If you happen to have an expired coupon, try calling the retailer’s customer service line. With some luck, they could go ahead and honor your code.

With coupons, you could easily turn an already good deal into a great one. Because most stores tend to have coupons of some kind available at any moment, new deals always come and go every day. All you need to take advantage of the savings is to understand how the codes work, and doing a little research before shopping.