April 15

Saving You Money on the Web
Sun Review April 15, 2000

Would you like to get paid just for surfing the Net? Companies are cropping up all over the Web to offer you rewards, points and even free Internet access just for surfing the Web. MyPoints(www.mypoints.com) lets you earn points that you can redeem for purchases at online merchants. Become a member of PointClick (www.pointclick.com), shop within the PointClick Network, and you will receive a 10% discount off all purchases up to $100 per month. Skybiz (www.skybiz.com) offers free unlimited dial-up Internet access to 90% of Canada and the U.S.

But is it really free? Before you join any of these services, make sure you read all the fine print. Skybiz places an annoying menubar at the top of your screen that continually displays advertising, and they also monitor your web surfing patterns. Skybiz states that this is done to ensure you see advertisements that are suited to your tastes and preferences. PointClick and MyPoints claim that although they do not release your personal information to any other party without your express permission ("except for the sole purpose of data verification and supplementation"), they will release information in the form of grouped statistics.

Coupon and rebate sites are also gaining in popularity, with American websites once again taking the lead. CyberRebate.com (www.cyberrebate.com) is an Internet Rebate company where everything they sell comes with a mail-in rebate… up to 100% off. Don't forget that your purchase may be subject to Canadian customs and import duties. Specialoffers.com (www.specialoffers.com) offers savings on products and services from online merchants, plus hundreds of free and trial offers. And while you're on the hunt for coupons, visit the Coupon Clearing House (coupons.simplenet.com) for links to other coupon websites. Another great resource is About.com, which has an entire section dedicated to freebies on the Internet (freebies.about.com).

Closer to home, you can find great bargains at the B.C. Buy & Sell website (www.buysell.com) which features classified ads, auctions, coupons and real estate rentals. This Internet version of the popular weekly newspaper won the Five Star Webonomics rating from Wired magazine. Canadian Tire (www.canadiantire.ca/eflyer/e/) lets you choose your own personal e-flyer. Once you've subscribed, you'll receive your e-flyer every week via e-mail to keep you up to date on the latest specials and sale prices.

If you're looking for deals on air travel, mark Wednesdays on your calendar for last-minute Web specials at WestJet (www.westjet.com) or sign up for Air Canada's WebSaver e-mail bulletin (www.aircanada.ca).

And finally, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The men in red serge are keeping tabs on the latest scams, especially on the Internet. You can view the RCMP Scam List at www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/html/scams.htm