Best Online Coupon Sites

It seems like only yesterday that people were frightened to shop online. Just a few years later, economists are now not only monitoring Black Friday spending but also Cyber Monday—the Monday right after Thanksgiving, when you're back in the office, in front of your computer, ignoring deadlines in order to figure out just what to get your sister who has absolutely no taste. (Statistics show that's not just us.)

Online shopping is the new mall shopping, and will only become more popular as new shoppers get comfortable living virtually. This season in particular, with the credit crunch and financial crisis fostering widespread spending panic, consumers are turning to the web to shop—and save—more than ever before.

Fear not, our fellow frugalistas: we've talked to the experts, scoured hundreds of coupon sites, and put together this, our first-ever Shoestring Smart Shopping Guide—for Online Coupons—to help you navigate the interwebs with ease.

From promotional codes to printable coupons, read on for our tips to affording and attaining everything from groceries to home theater systems this holiday season.

- - - - -

BEST ONLINE COUPON SITES: FUNCTIONALITY

Want to find the best deals through online coupon sites? Start with the big guns–the sites that have been around since the 90s and have had the most time to tweak their models. Thriving social communities, specialized savings widgets, and personalized offers are just a handful of ways these services continue to stand tall in a growing marketplace. Plus, as these formidable coupon sites continue to innovate and evolve while delivering top-notch content and community-driven info, they become leaders in the business of savings.

FatWallet
FatWallet not only offers steals and deals through their own listings, which can be tailored to your location, but features one of the most active and knowledgeable budget communities on the Internet. Forum members post and rate offers in every retail category, dishing on codes, ads, and deals the've discovered beyond FatWallet's already comprehensive listings. Devotees, such as one longtime user we interviewed, check the FatWallet Forum before making any purchase. "The forum is the best place to go for the most updated coupon codes and people's experiences using them." The Fat Wallet forum is informative and seemingly unbiased, with threads devoted to nearly everything and a relatively even ratio between the genders. FatWallet's community also posts their experiences using specific coupons and promotional deals, as well as alerting fellow bargain hunters to big savings found on specific products. One member, for instance, recently posted an unbelievably good deal on Bruno Magli men's shoes he found on Amazon. (Also excellent? Another forum member inquiring as to whether or not Amazon ships to the Nevada State Penitentiary).

RedPlum
RedPlum has successfully parlayed their dominance as the leader of print coupon circulars into online innovation. Going beyond just listing weekly savings and aggregating promotional codes from a variety of online merchants, RedPlum also features budget-minded editorial content that's slick and easy-to-read, often highlighting deals currently featured on their site. Red Plum almost reads like a magazine with its tasteful design and interesting, theme-driven RedPlum Sweet Finds and blog posts. Of course, you can always catch up on last minute holiday decorating tips once you're done shopping, but save those coupons as you peruse the site for other deals. Never want to miss a single fabulous steal? Install the Red Plum Sweet Saver widget onto your iGoogle page and see RedPlum's frequently updated sweet deals every time you open iGoogle.

Retail Me Not
Coupons for the people, by the people! Based in Australia, Retail Me Not launched just two years ago and is now the world's largest coupon site, featuring over 100,000 coupons from 30,000 different stores. The wide range of coupons and merchants, all generated through customer submissions, means a great mix perfect for when you're shopping for several people and have no idea where to begin. A web developer and programmer, co-founder Guy King came up with the idea for Retail Me Not while trying, without any luck, to find a coupon code online one day. "There were too many sources, too many advertisers. I realized a coupon site would be the perfect place to really harness people power—the more people who use it, the better the coupons you get." Retail Me Not was also the first coupon site to recognize the power of social functionality above and beyond community boards. “We’ve developed a mini social network, where people can write blogs, and participate in online discussions, of course," says King. "We're building a close little community through clipping and sharing." Signing up for Retail Me Not means you can submit coupon codes to be listed on the main page. Shoppers can take advantage of these consumer-driven savings opportunities by easily searching merchant deals and then indicating whether or not a particular coupon worked for them, contributing to the overall success rate of the offer. King doesn't like to develop merchant partnerships or rely on advertising, keeping access to the coupon codes on his sites open to everyone, not just members. Retail Me Not should be the first place you stop when starting your holiday shopping. (Plus: Check out their newly launched sister site, Beat My Price, for comparison shopping on particular items to find the best deal on the interwebs.)

CouponChief
Utilizing a ratings system much like Retail Me Not, CouponChief allows consumers to see how effective coupon codes are based on other shoppers’ experiences. CouponChief has also added an incentive-based twist to "social savings," however, with their Pays-2-Share partnership. "For every coupon a user submits, they will receive 2% of the sales made from that coupon up to $25 per store," explains Gary Gray, CouponChief co-founder. "Our top user has already submitted over 5,000 coupons and made over $5,000 in three months. Over 30 users have made at least $100 through submissions since we started the program in late summer."

BEST ONLINE COUPON SITES: FOLLOWING

Some online coupon sites have been trusted authorities in online savings since the days of dial-up and others offer deals not found anywhere else. These sites have firmly established their reputation with budget-minded shoppers, who visit on a daily basis, taking advantage of some of the best savings found anywhere on the web. Read on for the coupon sites with the most loyal followings.

Brad's Deals
Since he was a "poor college student" in 2001, Brad Wilson has been handpicking deals on the web. He's been featured everywhere from the Wall Street Journal to NBC's Today. Brad's legions of adoring fans clamor for his Daily Deals and email alerts in order to score unbeatable savings, while merchants, including the venerable Neiman Marcus, know that being handpicked by Brad means big business for their bottom line. Wilson also provides excellent tips, advice, and information for bargainistas, including astute price predictions and useful statistics regarding Black Friday and holiday shopping. Check out his Black Friday guide for more tips & tricks used by retail insiders.

DealCatcher
At first glance, DealCatcher may seem like a run-of-the-mill coupon site. Look again. An early entry to the coupon aggregation scene, DealCatcher has been providing shoppers with stellar deals since 1999, when founder Dan Baxter started the website out of his bedroom. Closing in on their first decade of operations, DealCatcher now receives over 6 million hits per month, with deals from over 500 merchants and nearly 50,000 registered forum members (and counting). DealCatcher has moved out of Baxter's bedroom, but his hands-on approach and small staff make this savings haven the place that smart shoppers always enjoy calling home.

Ebates
Ebates.com, referred to by devoted member Matthew Dornic as "the crack of coupon sites," has partnered with over 1,000 merchants to give you money-back savings when you shop. Once you complete the painless registration process, you can start shopping. Select the store you want to shop through Ebates, click on the store, and if you order when accessing the store through Ebates, you get an "instant rebate." Simple enough.

8 Coupons
Currently only serving the New York City area, 8 Coupons is a treasure trove of savings for those living in (or freqently visiting) Gotham. Browse deals by neighborhood or category, save "clipped" coupons, subscribe to RSS feeds and email alerts, or even receive coupons via text message (all you have to do is show the cashier!) Plus, the Ocho Loco deals definitely should not be missed. Every so often, local merchants partner with 8 Coupons to offer unbelievable deals like 88¢ manicures at East Village spas and 8¢ bottled beers in local pubs. When will 8 Coupons be expanding out of NYC and into other cities, you may wonder? "By the middle of next year, we expect to be in Philly, [Washington, D.C.] and Boston," says Matthew M., a representative for 8 Coupons.

BEST ONLINE COUPON SITES: FOCUS

Know exactly what you want? Start here. These sites have perfected the art of targeting specific shoppers or showcasing deals on specialized merchandise.

Coupon Cowgirl
While deals here span everything from electronics to home goods, Coupon Cowgirl is much like many other coupon sites save its decidedly feminine twist. The Cowgirls offer cheeky graphics and an honest, informative, and clever blog, plus an entire section devoted to designer brands. Before buying the latest on-trend blazer or your favorite luxe cosmetics, check the Cowgirls' Luxury Brand section to see if they can help you save a few bucks. Their always handy What's the Better Deal calculator is located on the right side of each page, so you can check on not only how much you'll be saving, but which coupon will get you more bang for your buck if you're faced with several options to choose from.

My Grocery Deals
What separates My Grocery Deals from the legions of other supermarket savings sites? "Over 55,000 ZIP codes are available for consumers to search local grocery deals, and, in addition, we display deals for over 250 grocery retailers and 750 weekly flyers each week," says Ed Hladkowicz, vice president of business development for MyGroceryDeals.com. Hladkowicz says My Grocery Deals features over 25,000 deals each and every week, including savings found at "green" grocery chains such as Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. You don't have to sign up to discover your neighborhood's best grocery deals, and membership is free. In addition to joining an active online forum, members can access nutritional information for over 100,000 products and other perks. "Our e-book of savings practices is pulled together from our membership of over 215,000 shoppers," notes Hladkowicz. "It's another interactive way we created a dialogue with our users to provide a topical resource."

Woot!
Woot invented the One Day, One Deal approach to discount shopping online. Every day at midnight CST, Woot features a single electronics item available for purchase at extreme savings until it sells out, or for the next 24 hours. The online community discusses the "daily products you can’t believe you stayed up for," as well as providing insane statistics, breaking down everything from purchaser seniority, experience, and "Woots" per capita.  Woot's charm is not only in its specialized electronics deals, ranging from Homer Simpson USB hubs to digital projectors, but in its reputation as a techie paradise. Even if you don't Woot and buy, it's still worth checking out the daily deal, side deals, contests, World of Woot forum, and Wine.Woot! for the oenophiles. This is a one-of-a-kind site with a wonderfully irreverent sense of humor. (Check out their FAQs for proof.)

Mommy Savers
Kim Danger's Mommy Savers site is an affiliate of Coupons.com, but this is more than just a partner site of a gigantic online portal. Danger has created a one-stop haven for steals and deals dedicated to frugal moms everywhere. Not only does she provide coupon listings alongside other great offers and freebies, she’s also created a comprehensive, penny-pinching parenting guide that spans everything from kid's craft ideas to content for both stay-at-home and working moms. Danger shares tips via regular video clips and her blog posts detail personal tips for budget-minded moms. The Mommy Savers forum is also an excellent resource, with its thriving community of over 3,000 active members who share their adventures in motherhood, not just bargains.

What are your favorite coupon or promotional code websites? What did we miss, or why do you frequent these sites for the best bargains and special offers? Share your thoughts with Shoestring readers everywhere by posting a comment!