10 Twitter Accounts to Follow for Great Deals
For those of you searching for discounts online, Twitter offers an almost endless cavalcade of fresh coupons and offers. By simply scrolling through Twitter feeds, you can find information about store sales, coupon codes and many other valuable tools for saving money.
[See: Your Month-to-Month Guide to Savings.]
Here are 10 of the best Twitter accounts to follow for great discounts:
@AmazonDeals offers an avalanche of deals at Amazon.com, as the account features lightning deals from all categories. This is an account worth glancing at if you're about to make a purchase in the next day or two at Amazon -- you may find deals on those items or items similar to what you want to buy. However, you'll have to dig through the deals to find the ones that apply to you.
@BookDealDaily tweets discounted books from a number of online booksellers, occasionally offering free picks as well. If you are looking for some cheap reads, you'd do well to start here. The books vary in both genre and quality, but some amazing books at very steep discounts pop up regularly.
@CouponKid offers a nonstop parade of coupon codes almost exclusively for online retailers. Many coupon code sites are full of outdated codes, but this Twitter account has the newest ones, which makes it much more likely that those codes will hit pay dirt.
@DealNews offers a motley mix of deals mostly from online retailers, along with articles on the ins and outs of buying specific products, all delivered with a sense of humor. The deals vary, but the articles and humor make this feed an enjoyable one to read and follow.
@RetailMeNot primarily focuses on retailer-specific coupons from large chain stores and restaurants, mixed in with the occasional article on spending less money and forming better shopping habits. The coupons here are usually good, although you may not find all retailers in your area.
@RedPlumEditor features coupons from the weekly Red Plum grocery coupon flyer, as well as additional coupons throughout the week. If you're primarily looking for grocery coupons, this is one of the best feeds to follow from this list.
@SmartSourceCpns features many of the coupons in the weekly SmartSource grocery coupon flyer. If you're looking for more grocery coupons, this is another one worth following.
@Starbucks constantly tweets about in-store discounts as well as coupons you can print or display on your phone. There are also contests for gift cards, though there is usually a flood of entrants so the chance of winning is fairly low. If you're a Starbucks addict, you really should be following this one.
@TheFlightDeal offers a one-stop shop for discounted airline tickets. If you're planning a trip in the near future, this account is worth a follow, particularly if you can be flexible with the departure and destination (for example, if you're in a multi-airport city or able to leave from an airport in a nearby city).
@VideoGameDeals offers an array of discounts on video games and video game consoles from a variety of online and brick-and-mortar retailers. This account is good to follow in the months leading up to the holiday season.
[Read: 37 Personal Finance Accounts to Follow on Twitter.]
There are so many great Twitter accounts tweeting out discounts and sales that it can quickly become overwhelming. Here are a few simple strategies to find the best tweets with deals:
1. Don't be afraid to use the search tool to dig through coupons. For example, if you're looking for discounts on mystery books, you may want to search Twitter for "@AmazonDeals mystery" or "@BookDealDaily mystery." If you want a coupon for detergent, try searching "@SmartSourceCpns detergent" or "@RedPlumEditor detergent." These will provide you with the results you're looking for.
2. Don't bother looking unless you have a real need. If there's nothing you're interested in buying at the moment, these accounts will just convince you to spend money anyway. That's unnecessary and not the best personal finance move. Instead, save this list for when you're ready to buy something. Then check these accounts for the latest deals on those products.
3. Be a savvy shopper. A piece of junk that you don't really want doesn't suddenly become something amazing just because it's on sale. Focus on items you would actually want without the coupon, and let the coupons and sales simply reduce the price you have to pay on the items you would actually use.
[See: 10 Strategies From Super Saver Shoppers.]
Twitter is a great tool for finding discounts, but, as with any tool, using it wisely makes all the difference.
Trent Hamm is the founder of the personal finance website TheSimpleDollar.com, which provides consumers with resources and tools to make informed financial decisions.
