Groupon is the big name in the social deals sites but it’s definitely not the only one in the market. In fact, there are so many Groupon clones that it’s hard to even count them all. But there is one in the mix that may stand out more than the others – and may in fact even be better than Groupon itself. That site is SociallyIdeal.

SociallyIdeal Doesn’t Require a Minimum Buy

Most social deals sites operate on the idea that an item can cost less if it is bought buy a lot of people all at once. For that reason, sites like Groupon require that a minimum number of people purchase the deal before it can be activated. Although it doesn’t happen often, this can mean that you go ahead and sign up for a deal and then don’t get it after all. You aren’t charged but you can definitely end up disappointed, thinking you’re getting a great deal and then finding out that you’re not getting that deal after all. SociallyIdeal doesn’t require any minimums so you don’t have this problem. You get the power of social buying without the requirement that a huge group buy into the same deal.

You’re Billed Right Away

Because you don’t have to wait for others to get the deal you also don’t have to wait until the deal closes for your credit card to be billed. This is a benefit to some people who are tracking their spending and want their current credit charges to reflect all that they’ve put on the card as quickly as possible.

Great for People in DC

This site is specifically good for people who are interested in DC Daily Deals. People who are living in or traveling to the nation’s capital can take advantage of the deals offered on the site. The site also offers deals for Baltimore and will be adding additional cities in the future. This is not to say that Groupon doesn’t offer DC deals. In fact, they offer deals for numerous specific areas within the DC metro area and because of that their DC page is actually kind of noisy. SociallyIdeal is more straightforward and simple when it comes to DC Deals.

All of the Normal Perks Still Apply

SociallyIdeal does offer the standard format and perks for deals that you’ve come to expect if you’re a Groupon user or a user of Groupon clone sites. For example, you still get $10 when you refer someone new to the site. You can share deals via Facebook and Twitter. Deals change daily and offer you as much as 80% off of the cost of products and services (although the standard is typically closer to 50%). It’s what you’re used to from daily deals sites but with some added oomph.

Tags: daily deals, groupon, Personal Finance, saving money, sociallyideal