Tired of paper coupons? Try mobile coupons to save money

CLEVELAND - Tired of forgetting coupons when you need them at a store? Now, you can have them sent right to your smartphone via text message.

I have coupons all over my refrigerator for Macy's, Bed Bath & Beyond, and other stores I might shop in the future. Sometimes I put them in my wallet. No matter my routine, it seems I never have them when I need them. Keeping track of all these money-saving coupons and offers takes a lot of organization so you have them at the right time. Now, you can skip the paper and be sure you always have one of these money-saving offers at your fingertips when you need them.

I've thrown out the paper and now I'm using text message for my coupons. More and more stores are participating in these text discounts. It ensures I always have a coupon when I need it.

Look for signs at store registers to see if they have a text campaign. You usually sign up for the alerts by texting a series of numbers. For Bed Bath & Beyond, I get a link to a mobile coupon. It's typically the 20-percent off coupon you receive in the mail. When I am at the register, I simply show the cashier the coupon and I get my savings.

I also was allowed to use my text savings twice at Bed Bath & Beyond in one visit. That never would have happened with a paper coupon, because they take those from you. I was buying a wedding gift and having it shipped so that was one transaction because you do this at the registry desk. Then, I bought something and used the same text coupon again. That's one advantage. You always have the coupon because it's on your phone. Nobody ever takes it from you at the register. There is a limit of one coupon per order.

If you get annoyed by the text messages, you can stop them at any time. Some stores also give you reminders so you know when a coupon is about to expire.

AT&T is also getting into coupon texting with a special alert when you are nearby a store offering a promotion. The cell phone carrier is teaming up with retailers like Gap, Staples, Zales, Last Call by Neiman Marcus, Duracell, Motorola, Discover, and more. You can customize the offers to receive offers relevant to your shopping habits. The AT&T Alerts are free and available to AT&T customers.