Let’s face it, we’ve all been there, you’re about to checkout from an online store and you just can’t find a coupon anywhere. Well, before you pay full-price, did you know there are dozens of popular stores that’ll send you an instant coupon via email just for registering your email address? And if you already have an email address registered with the retailer, consider setting up a new “shopping only” email address…the perks are awesome if you know how to manage it correctly. Here are the stores that I discovered, many of which hand out coupons better than what you’ll find on coupon websites. (I’ll keep adding new ones as I find them)

A.C. Moore

Sign-up for email notifications from the folks at A.C. Moore and get a crafty coupon immediately sent to you for 55% off any 1 regular priced item. Not too shabby, ehh.

Adidas Store

The good folks at Adidas will happily throw you a 15% off coupon code that you can use either online or in-store.  By the way, did you know that it’s a myth that Adidas stands for “All Day I Dream About Sports”.

Aeropostale

Aeropostale might be going through Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, but they’ll still give you a coupon for 20% off your next order when you sign up for Aero emails. If you can’t find a coupon anywhere else, you might as well sign up and save an easy 20%.

Aldo

In case you’re not familiar, Aldo sells really nice shoes, boots, sandals, handbags, and accessories. But if you sign-up for emails notifications they’ll immediately send a 15% coupon to your inbox which can be used online and in-store.

Alibris Books

Sign up for emails from Alibris Books and they’ll hook you up with an immediate coupon for $5 off your $50+ online purchase. Not a huge discount but better than a kick in the ass.

Ann Taylor

Once you spend the 15 seconds required to sign up for Ann Taylor email updates, you’ll get an instant coupon sent to your inbox that’ll get you $25 off your $75+ full-priced purchase. An easy $25 for very little effort.

Birch Lane

Birch Lane will send you a 10% off coupon when you give them your email address. While the coupon can only be used on full-priced items, it’s still a worthwhile endeavor.

Charlotte Russe

If you like the clothing at Charlotte Russe, and you like to save money, sign up for their email notifications and they’ll give you a coupon good for 20% off your ENTIRE purchase. You don’t have to use it right away either as it lasts for 30 days.

Children’s Place

Score a $10 off $40+ coupon (also known as 25% off) at Children’s Place when you get added to their email list. The cool part is that the coupons will keep coming to your inbox too.

Cost Plus World Market

Give Cost Plus World Market your email address and zip code and they’ll give you a 15% off coupon. Not a bad trade, especially if your making a large furniture or home decor purchase.

Crocs

They’re so right, the fun does start when you have a 20% Crocs coupon in your inbox. Just sign up for Crocs emails to get in on the action. You can use the coupon both online and in-store.

Dick’s Sporting Goods

Dick’s Sporting Goods will send you an instant 10% off coupon (online only) when you sign-up. I bet Sports Authority never did that.

Famous Footwear

Famous Footwear will infamously send you a $5 off $25 or more coupon when you register for email alerts. And no, it’s not infamous, I just thought it was kinda catchy.

H&M

When you register for H&M emails, they’ll send you a 20% off any 1 item coupon + free shipping on your entire order (use coupon code 1616). The free shipping bonus is nothing to sneeze at as they typically require you to spend $40 or more to qualify for free delivery.

Hobby Lobby

Sign up for emails at Hobby Lobby and they’ll send you a welcome email with a coupon good for 40% off any 1 regular-priced item. They kinda hide the coupon in the email for some reason so you’ll have to look for it closely.

Joann Fabrics

Joann rarely has coupons good for for 20% off your ENTIRE order. But if you sign up for their emails they’ll happily send you one that you can use either in-store or online.

Kate Spade

Way down their at the bottom of the Kate Spade “thank you” email is a 15% off coupon that can be used in-store and online. You’d think they would make the coupon a little more prominent.

Lands’ End

Get yourself on the Lands’ End email list and they’ll shoot you over a coupon for 40% off any 1 item. The free shipping on $50+ is no biggie as they always offer that.

Levi’s Store

Levi coupons can often be hard to come by, so if you’re about to make a purchase and you can’t find one, just sign-up for their email alerts and they’ll send you a 20% off coupon along with free shipping.

Macy’s

If you have a Macy’s purchase in your near-future, and you’re planning on spending over $100, be sure to sign-up for their emails and they’ll hook you up with a 15% off coupon with free shipping.

Maurices

If you can’t find a Maurices coupon, just get added to their email list and they’ll shoot you over a 15% off coupon good for regular-priced items only. You can use the coupon either online or in-store. Cool beans.

Moosejaw

Somewhere in all that boiler plate is a coupon code good for 10% off all full-priced items at Moosejaw. How’d I get the coupon in my inbox? I just spent 10 seconds signing up for their email alerts. And yes, I agree, lawyers are a bunch of meanies.

New York & Co.

The fashion company New York & Co. will send you a pretty sweet coupon for $25 off $75 or more when you sign up for their email alerts. The coupon came to my inbox right away so it’s an easy way to score a killer coupon, then just unsubscribe if you want.

Old Navy

The web team at Old Navy immediately sent me a 30% off coupon code to be used on my next online purchase. It took me 10 seconds to sign-up which is a pretty good return on my time.

Origins

The skincare company Origins rewards those who sign-up for their email list with a smooth little 15% off coupon code. Not a bad discount for a company that rarely offers coupons.

Pottery Barn

Pottery Barn is another company that rarely has coupons, well, unless you sign-up for their email list. If you spend the 20 seconds required to sign-up, you’ll get a 15% off promotion code instantly sent to your inbox.

REI

When you sign up for REI emails they’ll shoot you over a 15% off coupon to use both online or in-store. As far as the REI disclaimers go, they really aren’t that bad.

Sanuk

My favorite flip-flops that I ever owned were from Sanuk. Total dessert for my feet, but at full price. I wished I’d have waited and signed for their email club and scored a 10% off coupon.

Shutterfly

While the folks at Shutterfly won’t send you a percent off coupon when you sign-up, they’ll send you an email that’ll get ya a free magnet, 50 4×6 prints, and a set of free address labels. Pretty cool.

Sole Society

Sign up for emails with Sole Society.com and you’ll be instantly rewarded with a 15% off coupon on your $80+ purchase. No flies on that deal.

Soma

When buying lingerie from Soma.com, be sure to not pay full-price, especially on your first purchase. When you sign up to be on their email list, they’ll zap you a 20% off coupon to be used either online or in-store.

Starbucks

Join the Starbucks email list and get hooked up with a 10% coupon to be used online. Use it to buy your Starbucks coffee, mugs, K-cups, and such. Starbucks rarely has a flat percentage-off coupon so the 10% off code is a definite win for shoppers. Don’t forget to also hack the Starbucks menu and save even more.

Tommy Hilfiger

If you have a Tommy purchase in your near future, be sure to get on their email list and they’ll reward you with a 20% off coupon. You can use it either on their regular website or in their online outlet. Also, you’ll have exactly one month to use the coupon before it expires.

UntuckIt

I’m a big fan of the “untucked” look, have been since I was a kid. So when I discovered UntuckIt, a company that specializes in making shirts designed to be untucked, I knew I found my sweet spot. Then throw in a 20% coupon for signing up for their email club and I’m officially sold.

Wayfair

Be sure to snag your 10% off coupon for registering your email with Wayfair. Not a huge discount, but better than nothing, which is typically what they have when it comes to coupons.

Williams Sonoma

The good folks at Williams-Sonoma rarely have coupons. So when I signed up for emails and got a 15% off coupon (on $49 or more order) I was pleasantly surprised. Be sure to save it for a significant purchase and maximize your savings in the process.

Ask the Reader: What store surprised you with a better than average coupon when you signed up with them?

By Kyle James

Photo Credit: Terry Johnson

As we head toward the deals and coupons of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, I wanted to take this opportunity to highlight some things that are actually going to be a better buy before the big shopping weekend. Stuff that either doesn’t excite frantic turkey stuffed shoppers or always just seems to be on sale in early to mid November. See if you can take advantage of any of these deals this year and cross some names of your gift buying list at a MAJOR discount.

1. Winter Apparel

During the first couple weeks of November we always see an influx of deals on winter apparel on Rather-Be-Shopping, much better deals and coupons then you’ll find on Black Friday.

Retailers tend to try and sell older Fall inventory on BF and offer some screaming deals to entice shoppers.

But they seem to hold back on offering the awesome deals (ie, 40% off or better) on “in-season” jackets, boots, coats, winter sweaters, etc.

So I’d definitely shop for winter apparel now rather than waiting for Black Friday.

2. Cookware Stuff

Cookware and houseware retailers realize many consumers will be shopping for pots and pans in preparation of Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts.

The crew here at Rather-Be-Shopping.com has noticed this translates into some great deals and coupons on new cooking sets making it a great time of year to buy.

Essentially you kill two birds with one stone, you get a new cookware set or piece and you also get to blow the socks off your guests with your turkey, stuffing, and gravy.

Speaking of gravy, I really love gravy. Smother anything with gravy and I think I could eat it.

3. Candy! Candy! Candy!

My wife can attest to this one. She always stocks up on Halloween candy in early November as it’s really cheap because stores need clear it out.

As a matter of fact, we still have some Halloween Hershey Kisses in our freezer from last year.

By the way, have you ever had a frozen Snickers? One of my absolute favorites. Just make sure you have strong teeth before you crunch down or you might be heading to the dentist.

4. Furniture

November is a great time to buy furniture as new styles and fabrics tend to come out around Christmas so stores are trying to clear out last season’s models.

Cost Plus World Market, for example, is selling all furniture at 25% off the original price with a coupon code.

Also, JCPenney.com is having their biggest furniture sale of the year offering products at up to 50% off the original price.

Both of these deals expire well before Black Friday weekend.

5. New Cars

Don’t wait for Black Friday thinking car lots will be offering great deals as well. 2017 models are being cleared out right now and the longer you wait, the less inventory you’ll find to shop from.

If you head out on Black Friday weekend you’ll likely end up with the full-priced 2018 model as your only option.

6. Laptops (Not the Budget Variety)

Historically, budget, err….cheap, laptops are one of the hottest items on Black Friday and that doesn’t stand to change this year.

If anything, budget laptop deals will be better than ever this Black Friday. Early word has some pretty incredible deals surfacing.

But what if you are looking for a laptop that has stronger specs and won’t be obsolete in a few short weeks.

High end systems will not be on sale on Black Friday, so you’ll want to look for a deal now.

For example, we just got a coupon from Dell.com for $510 off the Inspiron-15 7000 touch laptop with the Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB memory, 1TB hard drive + FREE Shipping.

7. Patio Furniture

Many stores didn’t sell their inventory of patio furniture back when the temperature was 102 degrees, so now they are slashing prices to make room for fake Christmas trees and a blow-up Frosty the Snowman.

Their loss is your gain.

At my local Home Depot I saw a 8-piece patio set that normally sells for $699 marked down to an incredible $199.

If I didn’t already have some patio furniture I would have been all over it like white on rice. By the time Black Friday rolls around most of the great deals will be gone, buyer beware.

8. Wedding Dresses

The wedding season is over and dress retailers need to clear out last season’s styles to make room for the new.

If you are planning a wedding for this winter or next spring right now is the perfect time to buy your wedding dress.

November is by far the best month to buy your dress and deals up to 75% off are available.

Look for demand (and prices) to go back up in January as many couples get engaged around the holidays.

Key stores to check: David’s Bridal.com, The Knot.com, and House of Brides.com.

9. Christmas Toys

Many media outlets say to wait until closer to Christmas (after Black Friday) to find the best deals on toys.

For the most part, they are correct. Our research, however, has actually found that the best deals are from the beginning of November until Cyber Monday.

In years past, coupons are better and site-wide toy sales are better in early November than in December.

Why you ask? Retailers are in the driver seat as we get closer to Christmas and won’t be offering many sales as they have a captive toy buying audience.

By Kyle James

Photo credit to Bill Ward.

ALDI started in Germany way back in 1913, and was often perceived as “cheap” in terms of quality grocery goods. But those days are long gone. If you shop regularly at ALDI, or maybe you’ve been curious about the store, this article’s for you. From the best items to buy at ALDI, to some cool insider ALDI shopping hacks, you’re bound to save some extra money on your next grocery trip.

The Items Worth Buying at ALDI:

The next time you walk into ALDI, be sure you walk out with these items…

1. Canned Goods

Whenever you can buy canned goods between $0.50 and $0.69 a can, you’re doing pretty darn good. Stock-up the pantry and save.

2. Pasta and Sauce

With a 2 lb. package of spaghetti pasta coming in at about $1.50, and jars of sauce selling for a buck, it’s hard to beat ALDI when thinking about a pasta feed for dinner.

PRO TIP: EXPLORE THE “AISLE OF DREAMS”

ALDI’s “Aisle of Dreams,” officially known as ALDI Finds, features a rotating selection of seasonal and limited-time items, from kitchen gadgets to home décor.

Get in the habit of regularly browsing this aisle as it can lead to unexpected and affordable “cool” finds.

3. Baking Supplies

Stock up at ALDI and save on baking supplies like baking soda, cornstarch, extracts, flour, and sugar.

Unless you need to buy in bulk, ALDI will typically beat Costco and Walmart on price.

See Also: 24 ALDI Savings Tips You Need to Implement Today

4. Spices

ALDI sells very liberal container sizes of spices and they’re rarely priced over $1.50 for any given spice.

Great for cooking, dry BBQ rubs, and overall very handy to have in the pantry.

PRO TIP: SHOP ALDI FINDS ON SUNDAY & MONDAY

ALDI Finds (that random aisle with weirdly amazing deals) get clearance stickers when stuff doesn’t sell fast enough.

I had an employee tell me to check Sundays or Mondays as this is when unsold “Finds” often get their steep markdowns.

If something you love is still full price, ask an employee when markdowns usually happen and shop accordingly.

5. Produce

Fresh fruit and vegetables at ALDI ire a steal and when they go on sale they’re ridiculously cheap.

They put some fruit and veggies on sale every week which makes for a great time to stock-up.

Plan you meals around the sales and you can cut a lot of money from your weekly grocery bill.

PRO TIP: ASK FOR A CASE DISCOUNT

Most shoppers have no idea that ALDI often offers discounts when you buy in bulk, especially for clearance or seasonal items.

This is NOT widely advertised policy, but many ALDI managers have the discretion to mark down full cases of certain products.

Items that have been on clearance for a while (often marked with a red or yellow sticker) are the best candidates for a discount.

Secondly, seasonal foods (think holiday cookies, pumpkin spice items, summer BBQ goods) tend to get heavily marked down once the season ends and you can often get a bulk discount if you ask.

Also, check everyday staples like canned vegetables, pasta, rice, and baking supplies and ask for a case discount.

Here’s How It Works:

Check for Full Cases Already on Shelves – ALDI stocks many items in the case they arrived in (just with the top ripped off). If you see a full case, that’s a sign it might be available for a discount. If you want a case of an item that’s not fully stocked, you can ask an employee if they have extras in the back.

Ask to Speak to a Manager or Shift Lead – ALDI cashiers don’t have control over pricing, so ask for a manager or shift leader. Say something like: “I’m interested in buying a full case of [product]. Since I’m purchasing in bulk, would there be any discount available?”

Be polite and friendly and you stand a great chance of a discount.

6. Cereal

If you’re not a big coupon clipper then it’s hard to beat the everyday low price on cereal at ALDI.

Most boxes come in at about $1.39 to $1.89 per box and they’re pretty darn tasty from all accounts.

7. Canned Broth

Be sure to stock-up on the ALDI’s Chef’s Cupboard broths at about $0.49 a can.

Hard to beat that price anywhere.

PRO TIP: HACK THE MEAT & CHEESE AISLE

ALDI’s cheese selection is legit, especially during the holidays. Get gourmet-style cheese for half the price of other grocery stores.

The best steak deals are actually in ALDI’s vacuum-sealed “Black Angus” meat section as they’re better cuts for the same price as lower-quality ones.

8. Salad Dressing

Check out the in-house brand vinaigrette and bleu cheese.

Both are suppose to be awesome and about half the price compared to the name-brands you’ll find at the grocery store.

Let’s now looks at some ALDI hacks to maximize your savings even further.

See Also: ALDI Return Policy: Here’s the Dealio + Hacks for Success

6 Insider ALDI Hacks Worth Knowing:

Here are some insider ALDI hacks to maximize your savings and make your next visit a little more efficient.

1. Forgot Your Re-Usable Bags?

Not a problem, just grab an empty box, or almost empty, from a shelf and use it to take your groceries home. And yes, ALDI is completely cool with you doing this.

2. Take Advantage of Their Double Guarantee

The ALDI double guarantee is pretty darn impressive and not known to many shoppers.

If for any reason, you’re not completely satisfied with any food item you purchased, you can return it for a FULL refund plus they’ll offer a replacement.

Doesn’t matter how much of the item you’ve consumed, just bring it back in with your receipt and they’ll take care of you.

PRO TIP: SKIP THE PRE-SLICED PRODUCE

Do the math people. ALDI prices look low, but pre-cut fruit & veggies cost way more per ounce than whole produce.

Example: A $2.99 container of pre-cut pineapple = half a whole pineapple’s yield. Buy whole pineapple and cut it yourself and save 50%.

3. Know When “Special Buys” Happen

Any loyal ALDI shopper knows that a “Special Buy” on an item means huge savings, often up to 75% off the already low ALDI everyday price. But when do they happen and on what products?

The single best way to figure out what items are (and will be) Special Buys is to bookmark this page on their website and check it weekly.

It shows the weekly ad at ALDI as well as what Special Buys are coming to ALDI in future weeks.

Plan your shopping accordingly and save big.

PRO TIP: KNOW WHICH ITEMS ARE CHEAPER ELSEWHERE

News ALERT. Not everything at ALDI is the best deal.

In particular, skip these items peeps:

Toilet paper & paper towels → Costco/Sam’s have better bulk deals.

Name-brand cereal → Walmart is often cheaper.

Soda & name-brand snacks → Grocery sales + coupons win here.

4. ALDI Bread “Discount” Secret

ALDI is known to discount their bread items exactly 5 days before the expiration date.

So if you’re shopping for a loaf and you notice the expiration date is 6 days out, wait a day to buy and save some cold hard cash.

5. What’s Up With the Yellow Hook?

Have you ever noticed the yellow hook on the front of every ALDI grocery cart? No, they’re not for hanging-up your 2-year old by his overall straps.

Turns out they’re for your reusable bags, just hook them on and have more room in your shopping cart for your actual groceries.

6. Store Brands Secret at ALDI

Similar to Trader Joe’s, many of the items at ALDI are produced by big name-brands and then repackaged specifically for them.

And yes, they’re typically sold for less than the name-brand.

Rumors have circulated for years that ALDI’s Kirkwood chicken is actually packaged by Tyson and their apple pie is made by Mrs. Smith’s.

The takeaway here is that their in-house brand is really solid and provides a terrific value.

Do you have any ALDI hacks worth sharing? Let me know in the comments and I’ll investigate.

Ask the Reader: Have do you save money at ALDI? What items do they sell that make the trek to the store worth it?

By Kyle James

Photo credit to Mike Mozart.