How To Get And Use Promo Codes

Two of the sweetest words on the Internet are Promo and Code. Here’s how to make this web-shopping tool work for you.

SHOP SMART | If Santa didn’t have elves working furiously in his workshop, he’d be wise to buy all his gifts online. No crowded malls, no parking traffic, no stress – in fact, if I didn’t know any better, he probably does this already. And you probably do too. But did you know that besides saving time, you can also save money? All you need is a neat little thing called a promo code.

Chances are you’ve seen it before: that small box at the bottom of the checkout page where you can “enter promo code here”. I burned through a lot of plastic before it occurred to me to figure out how to get one. After all, you can find anything online, why not a promo code.

So the next time I came across the promo code box, I Googled “promo code” and the name of the shopping site, and what do you know, I found an electronic coupon for free shipping, saving me $7. Not a bad exchange for a few minutes of my time. Since then, I’ve enjoyed bonuses like a few dollars off to more than 50 percent off my purchase.

Promo codes are one of the best-kept secrets of the virtual marketplace. They’re readily available but most consumers don’t know what they are or how to get them. Companies use these coupons for promotional purposes, typically sending them out to loyal customers and other targeted individuals but you can easily find them online on sites like RetailMeNot.com and VoucherCodes.ca or by simply searching for them on Google. For more specials and exclusive discounts, sign up for your favourite stores’ email lists – or better yet, become a fan on Facebook or follow their Twitter feed. You’ll be first to get the inside scoop and will never miss out on a discount again. —Natasha Muslih