Buying Online Coupons on eBay

I knew that I'd have to make a couple of large purchases at Home Depot and Lowes, but the problem lies in that I didn't have any coupons for either of the stores.   Sure, you can sign up with most store-sponsored credit cards to get 10% off your purchase, but do you really need another credit card?  Besides, most of those cards only give you a discount on your initial purchase.

I then took a stroll over to eBay.com to see what I'd find there. A simple search for "home depot coupon" and "lowes coupon" returned plenty of results and I knew that I found what I needed!  Most home-improvement store coupons are 10% off, and when you plan on spending $500 or more, that 10% adds up quickly.  A 10% discount was good enough to cover all the state taxes I'd have to pay, and then some.

Coupons on eBay range in price, Home Depot and Lowes coupons average around $10 for the 10% off coupons. In order to get the best return on your investment, you should be sure that you have enough on your shopping list or in your shopping cart to make your coupon pay off. For example, if you plan on spending $100 it would not be worth it to pay $10 for a 10% coupon since your investment is essentially wiped out.

The coupons on eBay are not limited strictly to Home Depot and Lowes, I just use those as examples because they are more sought after coupons to buy.  You can find all sorts of coupons ranging from Baby Products (Similac, Enfamil), Macy's Department Stores, Target, Linens'n'Things, and plenty of other major stores.

Before you bid on any coupons, follow these tips to ensure a safe transaction:

• Read the auction description carefully to ensure that the coupon you are purchasing is genuine. In an age where scanners and color printers are cheap, there have been many cases of eBay sellers selling fake coupons.  If in doubt, ask the seller to guarantee the coupons authenticity.  There have been thousands of counterfeit Home Depot coupons sold on eBay which have been rejected at many stores.
   
• Check the expiration date of the coupon. If it expires in less then a week and you don't receive it in time you lose out.  It's best to make sure that you have at least 2 weeks of time before the expiration date comes.
   
• Check the seller's shipping policy and rates. A coupon, in almost all cases, weighs less then 1 ounce which qualifies it for a first-class postage stamp. Add an envelope to that, and the cost should be no more then $1.  Do not give in to sellers who are charging $4.00 to ship a piece of paper, you are only encouraging them to rip-off other bidders.
   
• If you have doubts about the coupon you received, take it to the stores customer service department to verify that the store will accept it.

Finally, when you are in the checkout line, be sure to present your coupon to the cashier. When it comes time to pay, if you have a cash-back credit card you can expect another 1% off of your purchase!