Save With Co-op Connections

The holidays can break the bank, especially in today’s economic climate. This year, members can use the Co-op Connections app to save money.

Co-op Connections is a nationwide, Touchstone Energy program that allows cooperatives to partner with national and local business to offer exclusive deals for cooperative members, while increasing customer traffic and sales at participating local businesses. With the Co-op Connections app, members can access up to 480,000 deals with restaurants, travel, theme parks, movie theaters, event tickets and more.

Healthcare deals also abound for personal and pet prescriptions, dental, vision, hearing, chiropractic visits, lab work and imaging. With Co-op Connections, members can save 10 to 85 percent on most prescription medications at more than 60,000 retail pharmacies nationwide including Walgreens, Target and CVS.

“The prescription savings are very beneficial for members because it can be used everywhere,” said Alex Dal Santo, resource specialist at Touchstone Energy. “In the last five years, United members have saved more than $25,000 on prescriptions with the discounts offered.”

Additionally, members can save on travel and entertainment with discounts for airline tickets, amusement parks, Broadway shows, movies, hotels, rental cars and more.

Co-op Connections can provide discounts on emergency air medical transport. Both Careflite and AirMedCare offer members an annual air medical membership. Membership provides medically necessary air transportation in the event of illness or accident, with no out-of-pocket expenses. Before choosing an air medical transport plan, consumers should check with each service to ensure they provide transportation to in-network hospitals within that consumer’s insurance plan.

For members looking to stay home for the holidays, Co-op Connections local business partners provide deals throughout cooperative service territories. As cold weather moves in, these local deals can help insulate the home or tune up a heating system without cutting into holiday spending money. Some local deals for home improvement and energy efficiency include 15 percent off window replacements, 20 percent off window and door solar screens, $100 off insulation, $350 off HVAC installations and more.

Local deals can also connectmembers to self-care savings with deals for cryotherapy, IV vitamin therapy, gym memberships and energy teas.

“It’s a very easy to use the app on your phone,” Dal Santo said. “If you’re out in co-op country you can open the app and see what’s around and save some money at restaurants or stores.”

To access discounts, visit www.connections.coop and create an account. From there, members can either fill in their zip code to view local deals or click on the different category tabs across the top of the screen to view national deals for theme parks, health and wellness, security and more.

Local businesses interested in partnering with United and offering a deal can email connections@ucs.net to sign up or learn more. In addition to the discounts offered, it is free to join and a great way to get exposure for a business while helping the community.