Parents: 4 Coupon Sites That Offer Big Savings

Parents struggling to get their finances in shape face one whopper of a budget buster: kids.

The annual cost of raising a child, including child care and education, runs $10,930 to $12,030, depending on the child’s age and where you live, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But cost-conscious families can easily save on everything from diapers to college tuition just by doing a little online coupon clipping.

Start your savings hunt by visiting the web sites of your favorite product manufacturers, which often offer exclusive coupons that you can print out or request to be mailed, advises Colette Frey-Bitzas, a certified financial planner based in Setauket, N.Y. Then hit up the membership sites of every group you belong to, from your employer to the local parent-teacher association to see what discounts and deals they have. (The Avery Elementary School PTA in Canton, Ga., for example, offers parents 10% off at the local Applebee’s restaurant chain, among other discounts.)

To really rack up savings, though, visit coupon-clipping sites offering online and in-store deals. Here are four worth checking out:

CouponMom.com

Parents looking for a crash course in effective coupon use should make this free site their first stop, says Todd Mark, a spokesman for the Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater Dallas. In addition to providing a host of printable grocery and dining coupons, the site lets you sign up to receive weekly coupon and deal alerts for any item on your shopping list. A page of sample and free trial offers yields coupons on diapers, free formula and deals on other baby and child-care essentials.

Sample coupons: Save $5 on any Leapfrog Didj educational videogame (regularly about $30) with a print-out coupon. Expires March 28. Save $5 on one Huggies Gentle Care diapers product (regularly $14 for a 40-pack) with a print-out coupon. Expires April 12.

Upromise.com 

Take five minutes to register your credit cards and store loyalty cards online with this free rewards program, and every purchase you make at participating retailers will earn you cash back that gets deposited into a 529 college savings plan. Link to The Children’s Place through upromise.com, for example, and 4% of your purchase will go into a 529. “Is it a ton of money?” says John Pearson, a Norwalk, Conn.-based CPA who specializes in college planning. “No. But over the course of a few years, it adds up.” In the short term, membership can also yield savings on groceries and other purchases. The site's eCoupons feature lets you click on coupons to load them onto a grocery store loyalty card. Just swipe your card at checkout to redeem them.

Sample coupons: Save $5 when you buy any two 23-ounce containers of Similac baby formula (regularly $27 each) with a print-out coupon. Expires March 31. Save $1 when you buy any two boxes of Post kids cereal, like Honeycomb or Fruity Pebbles (regularly about $4 each). Expires March 31.

RetailMeNot.com 

Think of this free site as one-stop shopping for coupon codes, says Alan Fields, a consumer advocate. Special sections help parents track down coupon codes for kid- and baby-focused retailers. Users can indicate if a particular code works or not, quickly filtering out expired deals and duds. Sign up for an email alert to notify you when new codes pop up from your favorite retailers.

Sample coupons: Save $10 on your next American Girl online purchase of $30 or more by using code 161357 at checkout. No expiration date noted. Get free shipping (regularly $10) on your purchase at BabyAge.com with coupon code FUNFUR3 at checkout. Expires March 31.

Entertainment.com 

Use an Entertainment coupon book wisely and you'll more than recoup the $25 to $30 it costs to buy one. The book's publishers secure deals with local restaurants, museums, stores and other services, as well as big-name fast food and movie theater chains. Each book is valid for a year. New Yorkers, for example, receive 20% off admission to Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, a value of up to $25. In Portland, Ore., buyers get several buy-one-get-one-free coupons for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream cones, Pizza Schmizza pizzas, and Mocha Express coffees, among other deals.

Sample coupons: New Jersey book owners can purchase up to a dozen movie passes at AMC Theaters for $6 apiece (regularly $9.50 for adults, $6.50 for children). In Los Angeles, book owners are entitled to specially-priced season passes to Knott’s Berry Farm for one adult and one child. You’ll pay $94.99 for an adult pass and $64.99 for a child. (Regularly, passes go for $139.99 and $84.99.)