Want to put your couponing skills to use for others, and get paid for it? Then an online services marketplace has just the job for you.
Bark.com is seeking “professional coupon collectors” who are willing to scour newspapers, magazines, circulars and the internet for coupons, “to help time-strapped members of the public save money” – earning up to $20 an hour for their efforts.
There’s just one catch – the jobs are only available in the website’s UK home base right now. But Bark.com has an American version as well, so if the effort succeeds over there, there’s a chance it could be tried out over here.
Bark is a website that matches service seekers with service providers. Providers register with the site, then local buyers describe what they’re looking for, and Bark suggests possible matches. Some service requests are mundane, like home repairs, caterers or personal trainers. Others have been more unique, like the users who requested professional McDonald’s Monopoly players to collect game pieces on their behalf.
It was that request that inspired the pursuit of professional coupon collectors. “After the success of our McDonald’s Monopoly service, we started to have loads of requests for a wider coupon collection service,” Bark co-founder Kai Feller said.
It seems to make perfect sense – if you can pay someone to collect game pieces for you, why not pay someone to collect coupons?
So with the demand already there, Bark is trying to provide the supply. The company is inviting would-be professional couponers to apply on its website. “Are you a savvy saver?” applicants are asked. “Do friends ask you for money saving tips because you know where to find the best deals? Is your wallet full of loyalty cards? Then we have the job for you!”
Those in need of coupon assistance, in turn, can request help on the website as well. “Never know where to find the best deals? Sick of paying full price? We have Professional Coupon Collectors ready to help you!” would-be clients are told. They’re asked to describe what they’re looking to buy and what they’d like to save on, so they can be matched with professional couponers near them.
Given how much couponers can save, and how overwhelmed non-couponers can get just thinking about all the effort they’d have to expend to get similar savings, it’s a wonder there aren’t more professional couponers already. Some couponers happily share their hauls with friends and family, others have offered semi-professional services on a smaller scale, while only a handful actually have tried to make a career out of couponing for others.
But the best savings come when you combine coupons and sales to stock up, so you never run out before the next sales cycle. It’s not as easy as just making a shopping list and using whatever coupons happen to apply to the things you want. So unless they’re willing to be patient and work regularly with a professional couponer who knows their needs, clients most likely will not experience huge savings like they see on “Extreme Couponing”.
It was that show that partly inspired Bark to offer this service. Couponing “is huge in the States, there’s even a television program dedicated to extreme couponing!” Feller said. “The deals are out there, so if paying a Bark.com Pro Coupon Collector can end up saving you hundreds, even thousands… it’s a small investment.”
At $20 an hour, though, buyers had better hope they see some big savings to make the service worth it. And for professional coupon collectors who are fortunate enough to be hired, they may find that saving money with coupons has never been so lucrative.
