I’m a bargain-hunter and you’re shopping all wrong – here’s how to get money off ALL the time
WE all love a to nab a bargain when shopping in the sales – but what if there were certain tips and tricks to ensure you saved money every time you bought something?
Well, it turns out you can, just by making a few small changes to your shopping habits.
Here Salman Haqqi, Personal Finance Editor for Money.co.uk, shares his top 10 expert tips to find the best discounts and save on your shopping…
Email alerts
Most shops will send regular discount codes to customers by email.
Sign up for emails from the shops where you are likely to spend the most money.
You will get notifications for things such as discounts, free delivery and in-store promotions.
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Shop smart
Don’t forget to take advantage of events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Particularly if you’re looking to buy specific tech items, which are discounted considerably on sites like Amazon.
This year, Black Friday will officially start on November 25 and will run across the weekend until Cyber Monday.
But it’s increasingly common for brands to start offers earlier, so it’s worth checking the website leading up to the main event.
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Get cashback
Sign up for free on a cashback site, then click through to buy something.
The site will get paid for sending traffic to the store and you’ll get some of it back, saving many who do £100s on their Christmas shopping bill.
It’s a good idea to search for the cheapest deal, and then check to make sure that cashback is available.
You can also use a cashback credit card, earning you cashback on your purchases throughout the year, that you could spend at Christmas.
Take advantage of vouchers
When you download free apps like Vouchercloud, you’ll have access to thousands of discount codes and offers on anything from food and drink to high-street fashion.
All you need to do is sign up and then search for the deals you want to take advantage of.
You’ll usually then be given a code to use online or in-store.
Go compare
With recent price hikes, traditionally cheaper supermarkets are levelling out with competitors, making it trickier to know where to get the best price for your grocery shop.
Use free online comparison sites such as My Supermarket to compare prices and be alerted to any current offers, deals and discounts.
Be strategic with sales
If there are things in your calendar such as Christmas, birthdays or holidays that you know will require extra shopping, why wait and pay full price?
Take advantage of the seasonal sales all year round.
For example, January sales, end-of-summer sales, Black Friday & Cyber Monday are all sales periods where you can find considerably lower prices.
Combine online orders
Plenty of online shops offer free delivery if you spend a minimum amount.
So if you see that perfect gift for Dad, resist buying straight away and see if there’s anything else on the site that Mum or Grandma might like.
You’ll significantly reduce your shipping costs this way.
Discount deals
Some current accounts will offer discounts or cashback when you spend at specific shops.
If your current account doesn’t offer any benefits, you might want to consider switching to a more competitive account.
Workplace perks
Plenty of companies sign up to ‘work perk’ platforms which offer employees perks and discounts across retailers, restaurants, holidays and more.
It’s always worth asking your manager or HR department what perks are on offer, to be sure you’re not missing out.
Keep getting points on your loyalty cards
Finally, make sure you’re using loyalty cards every time you spend in your most frequented shops.
Building points on your loyalty cards may feel like a drag, but busier shopping seasons such as Christmas will bolster your loyalty points.
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Some retailers offer double points during certain periods too, which is the perfect time to do your shopping.
In turn, you’ll build up points credit to purchase free items in-store.
