<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-01-31</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001087875</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>COOLSAVINGS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>csav</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000057606</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LANDMARK COMMUNICATIONS INC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O GUY R. FRIDDELL, III</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>150 BRAMBLETON AVE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NORFOLK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>VA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>23510</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Warrant</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0.5</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-01-31</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>239434</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2004-02-01</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2009-07-30</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>239434</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>11950889</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Increases to $0.75 after July 30, 2005.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Under the terms of an Amended and Restated Loan Agreement dated as of July 30, 2001, as amended (the &quot;Loan Agreement&quot;), between the Issuer and Landmark Communications, Inc. (&quot;Landmark&quot;) and a Common Stock Purchase Warrant issued to Landmark by the Issuer on November 12, 2001, interest on the loan outstanding under the Loan Agreement compouned on January 31, 2004, which, in turn, resulted in the grant to Landmark of warrants to purchase up to an additional 239,434 shares of the Issuer's Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (such warrants being reported herein).</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Guy R. Friddell, III, Executive Vice President, Landmark Communications, Inc.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-02-02</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

