Get Frugal: Hit the Internet for Everyday Savings

The Internet is a great resource for locating savings on groceries, restaurant meals, and household goods.

These days, you can take it as a compliment if someone calls you frugal, penny-wise, or parsimonious. Why not hit the Internet to step up your cheapskate skills even more?

Trimming food costs

Sifting through the ads and coupons in Sunday's paper can try anyone's patience. Thankfully, a new generation of websites is willing to do the heavy research for you. All you need to do is log on, review the offers, and make your shopping lists. These three sites can get you started saving big money on your grocery bill:

• PPGazette.com. Use the Penny Pincher Gazette to review local grocery store circulars and search for printable coupons by zip code. The site also automatically locates coupons that match offers listed in grocery store circulars, so that you spend less time searching and more time saving.
• CouponMom.com. This site maintains a database of coupons distributed in national circulars through Sunday newspapers. You can sort them alphabetically, or search for specific items you need. Once you find an offer that looks good, use CouponMom's handy identification code to locate the coupon quickly in your Sunday paper. The site also provides links to printable coupons, and a database of grocery store specials, making it easy for you to magnify your savings by combining grocery store offers with manufacturers' coupons.
• CoolSavings.com. CoolSavings has a huge selection of printable coupons; you can also sign up for the weekly New Coupon Alert e-newsletter.

Even if you're not the type to stay home and cook every night, you still have options to keep the food bill in check. Try these strategies for restaurant savings:

• Restaurant websites. Restaurant chains often have email clubs; sign up for your favorites and you'll typically receive periodic offers in your email. Daphne's Greek Café, for example, sends you coupons for your birthday. Sign up for T.G.I. Friday's "Give Me More Stripes" program and you can download a coupon for a free appetizer or dessert.
• Restaurants.com. This Internet goldmine offers restaurant gift certificates that are discounted off face value, such as a $10 gift certificate for $5.

Mining the Internet for retail savings

Now that you know how to slash your food bill, you might as well learn how to save money on retail purchases, as well. The easiest strategy is to visit shopping comparison websites to find the lowest prices. Try Become.com, Shopzilla.com, mySimon.com, or Smarter.com. You can also join membership sites like InboxDollars.com to earn rebates on your regular purchases.

There's plenty of easy Internet savings out there for you to enjoy. That means that you can maximize your frugality without pouring over circulars with a highlighter and a pair of scissors. What could be better?