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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-05-17</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 W 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>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-05-17</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>6965365</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.8</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>20220456</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">On May 17, 2005, pursuant to a Stock Purchase Agreement among Landmark Communications, Inc. (&quot;Landmark&quot;), Steven M. Golden and certain of his family members and certain related persons (collectively, with Mr. Golden, the &quot;Golden Group&quot;), Landmark acquired beneficial ownership of 6,965,365 shares of Common Stock of the Issuer from the Golden Group (the &quot;Golden Shares&quot;).  Landmark and the Golden Group are in the process of causing the transfer of record ownership to occur.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Does not include (i) 10,889,636 shares of Common Stock of the Issuer held by Landmark Ventures VII, LLC (&quot;Ventures&quot;), which is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Landmark, or (ii) 179,769,008 shares of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock of the Issuer held by Ventures.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Guy R. Friddell, III, Executive Vice President, Landmark Communications, Inc.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-05-19</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
