Get Connected!

Living in this connected world has made using coupons and savvy shopping so much easier than it used to be!  Information is at your fingertips...all you have to do is USE it!  These are some of my favorite online resources (more than just the standard coupon websites) that you can be a part of in order to ramp up your savings!

If you are reading this blog, then you obviously are a person who spends some time online and you are likely pretty tech-savvy.  So some of this may be old news for you, but there are always new ways to plug in and save some money!

• Facebook:  If you haven't joined Facebook yet, just go ahead and drink the Kool-Aid!  You may not have a desire to connect with old classmates or share every detail of your life with everyone  you've ever met, but if you use it for nothing else, sign up to get the HOT coupons and freebies that so many companies are releasing on Facebook.  I can't even begin to list all of the coupons and freebies I've gotten on Facebook in the past 6 months!  How do you find coupons or freebies on Facebook?  Well, first just do a search for any company/product that you enjoy.  Chances are they have a Facebook page.  "Like" their page and you will get notices when they have a promotion.  You can always "like" your favorite blogger's Facebook page in order to get the heads up on hot deals!! 
• Twitter:  I admit, I am VERY new to Twitter and I have no idea what I'm doing over there.  But similar to Facebook, many companies are releasing coupon codes or special promotions on Twitter.  If you are like me and can't figure the whole thing out, then at least check out CheapTweet, which is a site that compiles tweets from everyone across Twitter that are about hot deals or money savings. 
• Forums:  There are a bunch of online forums about deals and savvy shopping.  These forums feature deals posted by users that usually are hidden deals or not advertised to the masses.  Slickdeals, Gottadeal, and Hot Coupon World are a few that I have visited in the past that are all large forums that are fast-paced and not really all that personal.  I find them to be good for the "hot deals" sections, but I haven't really gotten into posting or digging deeper for deals/information.  I personally likeA Full Cup's forum.  I visit the site a few times a week to check on the Target and CVS boards to see what kind of hot deals have popped up that aren't in the ads or for clearance reports.  They have boards for just about every major store and also a "hot deals" area, as well.  I like the feel of the board, too, because people are friendly and really uphold ethical couponing practices. 
• Blogs:  I'm obviously biased here, but I think that money-saving blogs are the best way to stay up to date on the latest hot deals!  And the best way to keep up with the blogs that you follow is through a blog reader like Google Reader.  Essentially the reader compiles all of the new posts from all of the blogs that you follow in one place.  So instead of visiting 10 different websites to see if there have been any new posts, you go to one website and you can read the posts you find interesting and delete the ones you don't care to read.  It saves time and allows you to read more blogs that each may have a different focus or niche.  You can also subscribe to many blogs via email...you will get an email each day with all of the posts from the previous 24 hours.  For some of my favorite money saving blogs, check out the blog roll on my site HERE.