I’m standing in line at Ulta when it hits me. Panic. Guilty, desperate panic. I’m anxious and even a little depressed and, at first, I have no idea why. Makeup shopping is supposed to be exhilarating, cathartic – yet I can only sense a dark cloud of shame invading the part of my brain that used to light up whenever I visited this store. And then it hits me, when the woman in front of me strides up to check out and happily hands over her coupon for $3.50 off a $10 dollar purchase. I get these coupons in the mail all the time, but when was the last time I remembered to bring one to the store? It’s embarrassing!
Don’t get me wrong: I LOVE getting Ulta coupons. I love getting any coupon. I save them every time they grace my mailbox. I gingerly trim them, imagine all the extraordinary things we’ll buy together, and promise we won’t part until we get the most bang for our buck. And then, almost immediately, I lose them. Once one’s long-expired, I’ll stumble upon it wedged helplessly between the sofa cushions, and it hurts to throw it away. What’s worse, I moved a few months ago and the United States Postal Service didn’t get the memo. I’m not sure what bothers me more: my short-term memory loss, or the fact that I’ve most likely, unwittingly willed those Ulta coupons to my residential successor. But something happened while I stood fidgeting, coupon-less in that Ulta line: bitterness took hold, pushed me over the edge, propelled me to finally risk failure and rejection by trying to redeem a coupon off my phone. It pushed me to SnipSnap.
When I first heard about SnipSnap, I was immediately attracted to the idea of instantly accessing coupons from my phone. I’d played around with SnipSnap at home and I couldn’t believe how many coupons were in its database. But, let’s face it: it all seemed too good to be true. If I hadn’t hit this situation at Ulta, I might never have tried out SnipSnap for real. I was terrified of being rejected at the register with the same hostility I’d get for trying to pay with a counterfeit bill. But this time I didn’t care. I opened SnipSnap, searched for “Ulta,” and found the exact coupon I needed. When I got to the register, I displayed the bar code and held my breath. The cashier didn’t even flinch. It worked! Cha-ching! A wave of relief. That old, familiar rush I get whenever I make off with what works out to be a free lip-gloss or eye shadow.
That was my first time using SnipSnap, but it led to more. A lot more. And, in a way, it led to me writing this blog. I love the thrill of a freebie, and I’m tired of trying to keep track of all those little bits of paper I get in the mail.
Enter the world of mobile couponing, where deals are almost impossible to resist, coupons magically appear at your fingertips, and smart phones are smart enough to remind you to use your coupons when you arrive at a store. What I love about mobile coupon apps like SnipSnap is that I can continue to live a busy, spontaneous lifestyle, while still being thrifty and responsible. I don’t have to plan ahead to save and I don’t have to carry print coupons with me when I’m on the go. I used to see coupons as occasional treats I’d find and then eventually forget to use. Now, armed with a huge digital database of mobile coupons, I never go into a store without expecting to score a deal. And I’m rarely disappointed.
This blog will be dedicated to mobile couponing in all its incarnations. I’m blogging about everything: which apps to try out, which deals work and which don’t, which stores accept mobile coupons, and how you can combine your mobile coupons with other offers to secure the best savings possible. I’ll also feature mobile couponing success stories from people like you and me, as well as tips and tricks from some of the most seasoned couponers in the country.
The possibilities are endless! I can’t wait to share my experiences but, most of all, I want to talk to you, and learn how you’re using your iPhones and Androids to save. What are your tips and tricks? Please email me at liz@snipsnap.it with your stories!
