In a time when people can get live TV from anywhere in the world sent straight to their phone, the idea of clipping coupons must seem archaic.
It is something that only grandparents and eccentric reality TV characters are seen doing. Not to mention it can be a time-consuming process.

Clipping coupons requires finding a copy of the Sunday newspaper, digging out a pair of scissors and cutting the coupon out of the booklet.

Not to mention the fact that to get coupons for specific stores, actually visiting the store is a requirement. Who has time for all that?

Apparently not college students. Very few students clip coupons, and even fewer do it on a regular basis.

“I do when I see them,” said Sean Guthrie, a junior aerospace major. “It lets me buy a little bit more with the little paycheck that I get.”

One of the main complaints expressed was at how easy it is to lose coupons. Those who clip coupons regularly have to own a coupon book in order to keep their clippings organized. The book has to be taken every time they visit the store, and if they forget it, well, there goes their savings for that trip.

For those short trips for a specific item, many times it is easier to pull the coupon out of the book and throw it in a pocket or bag.

But of course, everyone knows that items have a habit of disappearing in bags until they are no longer needed.

If only there was a way to turn those pesky scraps of paper into a digital form that can be carried on a device that almost everyone owns.

Collegetokens.com has done just that. Through its Web site, students get coupons from their favorite establishments sent directly to their phone. Coupons are available from various restaurants and stores, and the deals vary from discounts on items to buy-one-get-one-free sales.

Retrieving the coupons is a quick and painless process; it takes about five minutes and there is no risk of paper cuts.

The first step is to access the Web site and select a state and city. The Web site offers coupons from 26 cities in over 15 states, so those who are leaving Murfreesboro for fall break might want to look for deals to save some money.

After selecting the city, visitors will be taken to a page that lists all of the coupons available in that specific city. The coupons range from free drinks at Bar-B-Cutie to discounts on apparel at Blue Raider Bookstore.

However, like their printed counterparts, these coupons have expiration dates. So those who want to save money better keep checking to see what new deals appear.

Within each posting there are links to a map and the company’s Web site, so viewers who are unsure of the business can check it out themselves.

Once visitors have chosen their coupon, they’ll need to return to the top of the page and type in their phone number with the area code.

Finally, all they have to do is click “Send Coupon by Text,” and within seconds they will receive a text message containing their coupon.  The best part of this process is there are no little shreds of paper to clean up once all the coupons have been cut out.

Using the coupons is just as easy as getting them. When purchasing the specified item, customers only need to present the text message to the cashier to get their discount.

They offer the same savings of a paper coupon without the hassle of digging through one’s pockets searching for a tiny piece of paper.

Although the Web site is not well-known, some students believe that it is a good idea.

One aspect of the idea that is popular is the inability to lose the coupons.

“I think it would be more helpful,” said Tradarius Phillips, sophomore computer information technology major. “I wouldn’t have to look around for booklets.

Another student liked the fact that she would not have to hunt down the coupons.

“Normally I would only see the coupons it I went there,” said Lesley Rawiszer, freshman chemistry major. “I wouldn’t have to go searching for coupons.”

The website does not have coupons for products that can be found at any store like milk and cereal, but everyone knows that college students will choose to go out to eat rather than cook any day. But for those who cannot afford to go out on a regular basis, there are other ways they can save money.

“Basically I just don’t go out,” said Guthrie. “But price check a lot of things to make sure you are in your budget.”

Some other tips are to buy off-brand products, check ads for special deals, use the price-match guarantee at Wal-Mart, and always shop with a list so that the number of spontaneous purchases decreases. Clipping out the coupons that come in the Sunday newspaper is also helpful. It may seem old-school, but it saves a lot of money.

Also, for those who have a campus meal plan, use it.

“Take advantage of what you have here,” suggest Rawiszer. “You can find some good deals here.”

Most food venues on campus do have combos that are more cost-efficient than ordering random items. Signs advertising these deals can be found at the entrance of the KUC Grill, entrance of the Cybercafe, and sometimes at the registers themselves.