Modern couponing – how to save money in the digital age

If you’ve ever disappeared down a YouTube rabbit hole on the topic of coupons (hey, stranger things have happened), you may have discovered the American reality show Extreme Couponing. Cue images of shoppers turning up at their local supermarket with a binder full of coupons. 

While newspapers, magazines and supermarket publications still offer paper coupons, these days couponing has undergone a digital makeover and gone largely online. According to a recent survey, 82% of Australian shoppers prefer digital coupons to paper coupons. So put away your scissors and learn how you can save money through couponing in the digital age.

The psychology of couponing

Apart from the obvious benefit of saving money, what attracts people to couponing? There are several key reasons why shoppers are drawn to using coupons for discounts:

• Sense of achievement: Using a coupon gives consumers a sense of cleverness or resourcefulness.
• Control over finances: With rising costs, securing a discount feels like regaining control over spending.
• Fear of missing out (FOMO): Time-sensitive offers create a sense of urgency, prompting quick decisions.
• Social validation: Platforms like RetailMeNot and Honey show how many people have used a particular code, which reinforces its worth.

A 2025 report by Couponorg.com found that 67% of online shoppers will abandon their cart to hunt for a coupon code before completing their purchase. This behaviour has shifted from a niche habit to a standard part of the shopping experience.

How to make savings through digital coupons and other online tools

Here are a few of the ways you can keep abreast of the latest digital deals:

1. Sign up for newsletters

One way to stay up to date with the latest offers from your favourite retailers is to sign up for their marketing newsletters. You might want to set up a separate email address to do this so you’re not cluttering up your main email inbox with promo emails.

2. Join Facebook couponing groups

There is a very active Facebook community dedicated to digital couponing. Popular groups include Markdown Addicts Australia and Mums Who Budget & Save but a quick Internet search will find you countless more. Some groups are more generalist, while others focus on a specific sector, such as technology.

3. Get rewards by taking surveys online

If you’re open to sharing your thoughts on topics like politics, household products or anything else marketers are curious about, you can sign up for a survey website and earn cash or other rewards for participating in online surveys and focus groups. More people are joining easy-to-use platforms like LifePoints, where you can accumulate points by voicing your opinions and then trade them for PayPal cash or e-gift cards.

4. Register for supermarket loyalty cards

While supermarkets still offer paper coupons too, by far the easiest way to stay up to date with the latest offers is to join their loyalty schemes. For example, both Woolworths’ Everyday Rewards and Coles’ Flybuys programmes allow shoppers to collect points with their purchases, which can later be exchanged for vouchers. These vouchers are often stackable with coupons, offering even greater savings.

According to McKinsey, 70 per cent of Australian consumers say they use their grocery loyalty programme almost every time they shop.

5. Download the major couponing and cashback apps

Many discounts, vouchers and coupons are now available through apps. Popular options include Cashrewards and Shopback Australia.

For example, using the Cashrewards app, you simply shop at your favourite stores via Cashrewards instead of directly with the stores. Cashrewards earns a commission from the store for this and gives part if it back to you in the form of cashback.

Apps offer clear benefits over traditional paper coupons. Since most of us always have our phones handy, there's no need to worry about leaving vouchers at home. Plus, there’s no delay at the checkout – just shop as usual, then scan your product and receipt at home to claim your cashback. Payments are typically sent to your PayPal account within a couple of days.

6. Make extra money with cashback websites

Cashback apps give you money back when you shop with retailers or service providers via their platform, rather than going directly to the site. To get started, you'll need to sign up for the cashback site, log in and search for the online store you want to shop with. If the store is listed, simply click on the cashback app’s link to make your purchase. Well-known cashback apps include Cashrewards and Shopback Australia.

7. Save time with browser extensions that find discounts for you

Browser extensions like Honey, Coupert and RetailMeNot can automatically search for and apply discount codes. They take the hassle out of hunting for deals, ensuring you always get the best offer without the effort.

Couponing pitfalls to avoid

While couponing can certainly save you money, there are some potential pitfalls to be aware of before you get started:

• Stockpiling too much of an item just because it’s on special offer – it’s one thing to take advantage of a coupon, it’s quite another to stockpile so much of a product that you don’t have space to store it, or you won’t be able to use it before its best before date. Try to be realistic about how much you actually need of a discounted item.
• Buying items you wouldn’t usually buy just to use a coupon – couponing can incentivise buying unnecessary goods. In a study entitled “Spending More to Save More: The Impact of Coupons on Premium Priced Products”, researchers found that “coupons for premium-priced products can actually make consumers spend more money than they would have spent in the absence of [a] coupon.” If you were going to buy an item anyway and you find a discount coupon, great. If you find yourself buying items you wouldn’t normally buy just to take advantage of a special offer, ask yourself if you’re really saving money after all.
• Spending too much time searching for coupons – your time is worth money too! If you find that the search for coupons is taking over your life, maybe you’re not saving as much as you think when you take into account the time you’re investing. Set yourself a realistic time limit per week for couponing to make sure it’s not getting out of control.

Digital couponing – the modern way to save

Embracing digital couponing and money-saving apps is a smart and hassle-free way to cut costs on everyday shopping. With everything accessible from your phone, it’s easier than ever to find deals, earn rewards and get cashback without juggling paper vouchers or waiting at the checkout. Using cashback sites, loyalty points and survey rewards from sites like LifePoints are just some of the ways you can benefit. Whether you’re doing a weekly supermarket shop or picking up a few essentials, these tools can quickly add up to meaningful savings, making them well worth using if you want to keep more money in your pocket.