Las Vegas NowNo More Coupon Cutting

No More Coupon Cutting

(Feb. 2) -- Clipping coupons from the newspaper is a tried and true way of saving money. But sometimes, you just don't get around to it. If that's the case, and you don't have time to do it during the week, here's an option -- go online.

You can save a lot of money and not worry about where to find your scissors. Kim Roman likes saving money. She cuts coupons out of the newspaper every week and files them. Surfing for coupons online is a whole new world for her. "I'm just not used to doing it that way. It always just comes with the paper and you cut them. It almost seems easier to me," she says. 

Consumer Reports can take the legwork out of searching for coupons online. Mandy Walker says there are plenty of websites offering all sorts of savings and bigger savings than you'll find in newspapers. But, first, be aware, online coupons can come with strings attached.

"Many coupon websites ask a lot of personal questions or require you to fill out a survey. As a result you may end up with a lot of spam in your inbox," says Walker.

Consumer Reports found sites that generate a lot less spam because they don't ask a lot of personal questions. HotCoupons.com calls itself your "local coupon source." You'll find a lengthy list of stores and services, everything from restaurants to your local auto repair.

Two other web sites, CouponMountain.com and CouponSurfer.com offer savings at hundreds of merchants and online retailers, such as Target and Dell. "While these sites generate less spam, it's a good idea to open a free e-mail account at Hotmail or Yahoo and use that to do your "coupon clipping," Walker adds. That way you can be absolutely sure surfing for online coupons won't jam up your inbox with junk mail.