Save time, effort and more importantly money simply by shopping online - we show you how.
The internet has opened up a new world of shopping possibilities and while all this choice can be daunting, the opportunities for saving money on your purchases are endless. It only takes a few small changes to the way you spend and you’ll be guaranteed to find the best deal whatever you’re buying, potentially saving yourself over £800 a year all from the comfort of your own home; we explain how.
Search, shop and save
Whether you’re after the latest wide screen TV or a pair of designer sunglasses, you’d be mistaken to think the high street is the place to go. Instead, your first port of call should be a price comparision website such as Kelkoo or Pricerunner as these do all the leg work for you.
Price comparison websites are designed to take the stress out of shopping by making it easy to search for products online. They hold the key to finding the cheapest product prices on the net and are not only a fantastic money saving tool but a time saving one too.
Instead of trawling through thousands of different websites, you simply need to type in what you’re looking for (being as specific or general as you like) and you’ll be provided with a list of matching products, all available to purchase online from a wide variety of retailers.
Cost, image and product information will all be listed making it easy to compare like for like and, as you’re able to sort by price, manufacturer and even popularity, finding the best deal for the product you want is completely hassle free. Once you’ve decided what to buy you simply click on a direct link to the retailer’s website and make your purchase – what could be simpler?
Get cash-back as you shop
If you dream of getting paid to shop, cashback websites could just be your little piece of heaven online. For everyone else they’re simply a great way of saving that little bit extra as you spend.
Cashback websites are a relatively new generation of sites that actually pay you money as you shop. They work on a referral basis, listing a large selection of online retailers and earning a referral fee each time you click through and make a purchase. To keep you sweet you’re then credited with a percentage off this fee as a ‘thank you’ for shopping with them, effectively giving you money back on your purchase for free.
Most cashback sites feature a wide selection of retailers and cover everything from electronics to home goods and clothing giving you access to the best selection of products possible. What’s more, as an ever increasing number of familiar high street names are signing up to programs like this, it really pays to visit a cashback site before you spend in store.
For the best possible savings you should visit a price comparison site before you click through using a cashback site as the latter simply displays a list of eligible retailers rather than individual product details. This way you’ll be able to make double the savings on your purchase by getting the best price possible and earning a little extra back too.
All you need to do to benefit from this money making opportunity is sign up to one of the many cashback sites for free, find the retailer you want to visit, click through to their site and make your purchase. You’ll then be creditied a certain percentage of your spend back to your online account.
Sites worth a visit include Quidco (offers 100% retailer cashback* but does take a £5 annual fee in exchange), Give or Take (again offers 100% cashback but with an unusual twist - you can either take the money yourself or credit it to the charity of your choice) and TopCashBack (a fee free, 100% cashback site).
Save with stress-free supermarket shopping
It’s not just 'major purchases' that the internet has revolutionised; you can now do your grocery shopping online too. This not only takes the stress out of your weekly shop but also means there’s more potential for big savings.
Most of the major supermarket chains now have an online presence so you’re able to choose from a much larger selection of products without leaving your sofa. This gives you more opportunity to shop around and find items that provide the best value for money with minimal effort.
It’s also much easier to keep track of your basket total online which is great if you need to stick to a budget. What’s more, most supermarkets allow you save a template of your weekly shop which not only helps you control your spending but also means that it literally takes moments to get your weekly groceries sorted.
Another bonus of shopping online is that you’re much less likely to be drawn in by the incredibly clever supermarket sales tricks that get you spending more when you’re in store. This means that you’re more likely to stick to your shopping list and less likely to buy things you don’t actually need.
However, if you’re not too fussed by brand loyalty and are looking to make really big savings on your weekly shop there is one particular website to note; MySupermarket.com.
This site is well worth a look as it not only allows you to create your weekly shop from the supermarket of your choice (it covers the major four) but has clever features that make saving on your shopping simple.
Once you’ve filled your basket with products from the supermarket of your choice, MySupermarket.com will then notify you of any offers you've missed, any items you can substitute for an equal quality but lower cost product and whether it is possible to purchase an equivalent trolley full at one of the other supermarkets for less.
This has the potential to mean really great savings as you can then choose whether to stick with the supermarket you originally shopped in or twist and go for the cheaper option, maximizing your savings for minimal effort.
So, by making the most of the search and compare facilities online, depending on your average spend, you could effortlessly save over £800 a year and even earn a little extra back in the meantime all from the comfort of your own home.
*100% cashback relates to the return of the referral fee earned from your purchase and not the actual cost of your spend.
**Based on a 15% saving on the cost of a weekly supermarket spend of £100 a week (£780) plus 5% 'cashback' on the UK average online annual spend of £600 (£36) which gives you a saving of over £800 a year by shopping online.
