Yesterday was a very exciting day for me. I was catching up on some blog work and trying to fix my slow to non-loading site (which should be back to normal now), when I received an email. The email was from Shortcuts.com, a coupon service that I first heard about a few months ago. Finally, they are serving a store in my area!
I know at least half of you are wondering what Shortcuts.com is. The other half of you have probably been using it for several months. But for those who don’t know, here’s the skinny.
Shortcuts.com is a site that lets you download coupons onto your rewards card. They serve several stores, almost none of which are in the Pacific Northwest. Stores include Vons, Kroger, Ralph’s, Tom Thumb, and several more. And apparently, as of yesterday, Safeway is included.
Signing up for an account at Shortcuts.com is easy and free. You sign up with a username & password, enter your rewards card number, and select the coupons you would like to download to your card. After you download the coupons, you go shopping. If you buy one of the products that matches your coupons, the coupon amount is automatically taken off when your card is swiped. Easy-peasy!
Additionally, when you log into Shortcuts.com, you can see which coupons are loaded onto your rewards card and when they expire. You can even make a shopping list, if you’d like!
I wasn’t terribly impressed with the selection of coupons on Shortcuts.com, but I believe as time goes by, the selection will improve. It seems that most things, from newspapers to books and now to coupons, are moving from paper to electronic form. I’m just excited to now be included in the paperless coupon phenomenon!
What do you think of paperless coupons? Do you use them?
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Photo by rutlo.
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I have been WAITING for this! I’m definitely looking into it. Thanks!
I use shortcuts and cellfire, but I’m not terribly impressed. You don’t know whether it’s going to come off until your order is completed, and you don’t have proof that you loaded the coupon to your card. I’ve bought qualifying items and had times when the coupon wasn’t deducted.
A question that some of you may know the answer to:
What happens if you find a better, paper coupon in the store. Can you use that one instead?
Thanks for the tip– I will check it out. Many stores around me won’t honor internet coupons, but if it is loaded on the rewards card . . . how can they refuse?
I don’t use Cellfire, Shortcuts, or P&G Easysavers very often, since I don’t usually shop at Kroger (which is where they are accepted – at least in my area).
But I do use the Upromise ECoupons, since they help me save for my boys’ college fund and can be linked to my Meijer and CVS cards. They release new coupons each month…here’s some info about the coupons for June – http://www.centsablemomma.com/.....-june.html
I have a Borders Rewards Card (free to sign up) and get coupons through email constantly. Sometimes I forget to print them out and use them at the store. A sales clerk explained to me that I don’t ever have to print out the coupons for their store as long as I have my rewards card with me (which I always do).
I’m not sure if other stores with rewards cards are similar, but it might be something to check on if you are rewards card members for other stores.
For the Northwesterners, you may want to check further. If you don’t already know, Fred Myer has long been a Kroger store. Call the manager and ask if they will honor Kroger discounts.
WoW! Finally something I can use in my little town!
I will definitely be checking this out for my Safeway card, and tying Diana’s suggestion and calling to see if my Freddies will take the Kroger coupons. Those are the ONLY 2 stores within 50 miles of me !!!
After signing up and checking this out, I find that most are more for convenience type foods, which I don’t use, and not a whole lot of coupons, but there are a couple there I could use maybe. To add a 2nd reward card, after you are done with the registration process, go back and edit the card section on your profile.