Social couponing explodes in NYC, as younger residents fuel the craze

It wasn’t long ago that clipping coupons was something you’d picture your parents or grandparents doing, maybe sitting in a rocking chair, looking for deals at D’Agostino.

But times have changed, and in this city, the coupon market has a completely new feel — it’s going social, and the Big Apple’s nearly unmatched density of businesses has made it a prime target for the trend as New Yorkers indulge on deals at restaurants, salons and activities.

Services like Groupon, LivingSocial and Scoutmob have led the social couponing charge, with some leveraging group-buying power for huge daily discounts at local businesses. Their reach has ballooned over the past seven or eight months — even amNewYork launched its own Daily Deals earlier this year — making many wonder: Are our days of coupon clipping on their way out?

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