In September, The New York Times gave a primer on the brief history of coupon use in America and highlighted a noticeable increase in the use of coupons since the decline of the economy.

“Coupon redemption in America peaked in 1992, at the end of a recession, when 7.9 billion coupons were redeemed, according to Inmar, a coupon-processing company. By 2006, that number fell to 2.6 billion and stagnated there through 2008. (if this and the paragraph below are all one quote, they need to be together…)As the economy worsened and consumer sentiment plunged, coupon redemption ticked up 10 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008, compared with the period a year ago — the first jump in coupon redemption since the early 1990s. In the first half of this year, coupon redemption climbed 23 percent. Some 1.6 billion coupons were redeemed, leading Inmar to forecast that more than three billion coupons will be redeemed this year.”

In this new age of technology, coupon clipping is no longer reserved to a pair of scissors and the Sunday paper. Many sites offer print-at-home coupons, online shopping coupon codes and savings loaded directly to a frequent shopper card. The type of coupons available range from beauty products, free shipping and a plethora of grocery store items.

Top 10 Coupon Sites

Retail Me Not

Retail Me Not collects coupons from more than 40,000 retailers. This site features a simple way to search for coupon codes dedicated to specific online retailers. Promotional codes are user submitted and rated depending on success rate. Retail Me Not does not require a membership or subscription.

P&G Everyday Solutions

This site offers a variety of coupons under the Proctor and Gamble (P&G) corporation. These include name brand products such as Tide, Olay, Crest, Charmin and Iams, just to name a few. Membership is required and free, however, P&G Everyday Solutions will mail free samples as well. Coupons can be mailed, printed or loaded onto your grocery card (what is a grocery card?).

Shortcuts

Most grocery stores offer a membership card program. This card program is usually free and offers frequent shoppers lower prices on featured items. Shortcuts has teamed up with several grocers to provide a way to add additional savings onto the card. By signing up with Shortcuts and linking your membership to your grocery card, savings are deducted from your grocery bill at checkout.

Cellfire

Cellfire is similar to Shortcuts as far usability. Both offer memberships linked to your grocery card. However, Cellfire offers coupons and discounts available to use on your cellphone. With a downloadable application, users select a coupon depending on the retail establishment and show it to the cashier. The cashier copies code, and applies the discount.

Red Plum

Typically, Red Plum is a pull-out section in most local Sunday newspapers, but they also have a Web site. This Web site offers the same types of printable coupons for use in grocery stores. These coupons vary by location. No membership is required through Red Plum and coupons can be easily accessed.

Coupons.com

Coupons.com is a source for manufacturer coupons for grocery and health items. Membership is available but not required. These coupons can be selected and printed all at one time.

Smartsource.com

Smartsource offers printable coupons and deal from a large variety of manufacturers and companies. These are not limited to grocery and health food items, but also contain coupons for Blu-Ray discs and services. Membership is not required.

A Full Cup

A Full Cup is a site that contains a range of manufacturer coupons, online coupons and online shopping discounts. This site is also fully integrated and matches coupons with low prices on (?) products. A Full Cup provides references on the method of couponing along with savings. Membership is free and required in order to use this service.

Shop At Home

Shop At Home provides discounts for online shopping as well as a cash back program. When shopping online using their cash back program, users can earn cash as well as save money. Membership is required with Shop At Home, but is a free service.

Slick Deals

Slick Deals offers coupons — manufacturer and printable.. However, Slick Deals logs online retailer specials, temporary price cuts and sales. By following their blog, users can find specials and promotions online and in stores.

It’s important to understand a store’s policy regarding coupons because each store is different. Some stores allow you to “stack” coupons (which means using more than one coupon on a product). However, some stores limit the number of coupons to stack on one item. Using coupons can be an effective way to save money on everyday purchases and even special occasions.

The Shopping Journal listed fifteen excellent ecological friendly Christmas projects that you can make for yourself or for gifts. Each project had to be free, eco-friendly and re-usable. They essentially encompass the best of both worlds–they’re cheap and friendly to the environment. The fifteen projects included:

1. Glass Bottle Christmas Tree
2. Hard Drives Christmas Tree
3. lastic Bottles Christmas Tree
4. Plastic Cup Snowman
5. Plastic Bottle Snow Flakes
6. Button Christmas Wreath
7. Old Computer Parts Wreath
8. Ship In A (Used Wine) Bottle
9. CD Candle Holders
10. Snow In A Jar
11. Ping Pong LED Lights
12. Plastic Container Candelabra
13. Glowing Jar Light
14. Wine Bottle Lights
15. Plastic Cup Mini-Lights

Christmas tree made from bottles

As all homeowners know, utility bills can be expensive. There are a lot of tips out there that tell you how to save money with your utilities, but it usually comes with the cost of losing comfort. For example, a common suggestion is to set your air conditioner to 78 degrees. However, if you’re like me, that’s an uncomfortable temperature. Fortunately, there are other ways you can save money while also staying comfortable in your home.

Replace Air Filters

Most homeowners are throwing money out the window, simply because they don’t clean or change their air filter. A dirty air filter can cost up to 50% more each month. In general, you should clean or change your air filter at least once a month. I’ve found that you can get the best price on replacement air filters online, especially if you buy in bulk.

Unplug Electronics

Even when electronics are turned off, like televisions, they suck energy. This is usually caused by “standby mode” – where a TV maintains the use of electricity so it can be quickly turned back on. Since it’s inconvenient to manually unplug electronics each night, consider using a digital timer that will shut the power off (and back on) for you.

Use Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

Incandescent bulbs are very, very inefficient. Compact fluorescent bulbs use about a quarter of the energy that incandescent bulbs use. That means you could be saving 75% on your electric bill for the power that lights your home. They also last a lot longer than incandescent bulbs, so you don’t have to switch them out as often.

Get Energy Efficient Fans

Sometimes your ventilation system can’t do all of the work and you need the help of fans. Fans are excellent at circulating air and also making your overall environment feel cooler. Energy efficient fans also use very little power.