I can hear the echoes of my husbands voice disagreeing with the title for this blog post, Martin, I assure you, it IS true.
Here are my pro shopping tips to save money when you shop for gifts in the run up to Christmas.
BLACK FRIDAY
Every year in the middle of November make a note that there will be sales coming because of Black Friday. Don't be scared it isn't another version of Halloween it is the first shopping day after Thanksgiving in America. As the world of shopping has globalised, the 'savings' days have also been assimilated globally. At least we get some extra sale dates before Christmas!
Black Friday generally launches on the 16th November and lasts until the 23rd November; Amazon is launching their Black Friday sale on the 16th.
I have noticed quite a few retailers in recent weeks offering 15-25% off for limited short periods.
SIGN UP TO YOUR FAVOURITE BRANDS NEWSLETTERS
One way I keep in the loop with my favourite brands offers is by signing up to their newsletters. Quite often I get exclusive offers that you can't find by googling alone (trust me I have tried when I haven't been a signed up newsletter reader)
FIRST PURCHASE?
If it is your first purchase with a retailer sometimes they will send you a welcome discount to encourage you to start shopping with them. I always sign up to the newsletter on the off chance that they will have one even if the retailer isn't promoting it. My top tip is that you can always delete your subscription after you have purchased whatever you want from them and just get the discount!
PUT THINGS IN YOUR BASKET
Sign into a retailer having put one item in your online shopping basket and then close the page with it in your basket. Sometimes this works with them emailing you a discount code after a 'while' to encourage you to purchase the item. Although this seems to be a rarer occurrence these days.
JOIN QUIDCO
I can't emphasise enough how much CashBack I have genuinely received from Quidco. In the last three years I have received over £1000 back in Cashback. That means that I have also spent a lot through it - lol.
I use it for EVERYTHING from our joint Greenflag Membership, through to booking hotels with Hotels.com and also for buying presents and gifts from the likes of Ebay. The amount of Cashback varies from day to day with each retailer so it is always worth checking Quidco before you purchase anything. I have been lucky enough to have wanted to buy something from Ebay when they were offering 8% cash back from Quidco.
Here are my pro shopping tips for Quidco:
1. Check Quidco before you buy anything
2. Check Quidco before you buy anything (I know I am repeating myself but it needs to become second nature to you)
3. Go to Quidco then buy through your website browser (safari, internet explorer, chrome) on your phone, iPad or laptop. Generally (please check) but generally these are the reliable ways to get the cash back, not using the specific retailers App. For example I always book my hotels with Hotels.com through the link from the Quidco homepage not in the Hotels.com app.
4. Join their 'Premium' service. You seem to get your cash back quicker and get cash back bonuses worth up to £50 a year as well as get access to exclusive prize draws. It costs £5 from your cashback every year.
5. Refer Quidco to your friends if you click here I get £5 and you get £5 back too. A drink for us both when you save money!
6. Check if the Quidco offer is available in a shop. Some highstreet retailers also offer you cash back if you buy in store as well. All you have to do is register the Card that you're going to buy the item with on Quidco's link to that retailer. For further information click here and visit the Quidco HighStreet page.
Check the Quidco website before you buy anything! (I know I am repeating myself but I want to make it second nature)
JOIN GIVEASYOULIVE
This is basically a charitable version of Quidco for your nominated Charity. I support a local animal sanctuary. It doesn't cost anything for you to join or use it, and it doesn't cost anything for the Charity to join all you've got to do to help them is shop! Whenever you buy anything after clicking on a link to the retailer through Giveasyoulive, a percentage of the transaction is donated to your nominated Charity.
I mainly use it to shop with the retailers that don't use Quidco and atleast I am able to give to the Charity this way.
It has already raised over £9m for charities in the UK. The best thing about it is it is free to join, and when you sign up through a link from a friend you're also raising an additional £5 for their nominated charity. So if you like the idea of raising money, as you shop for charity then please sign up by clicking on this link - www.giveasyoulive.com and you will also be raising a one off £5 for my nominated charity.
If you know of a charity that would benefit from this fantastic scheme. Then please get in touch with your favourite charity and get them to sign up with this link: https://workwithus.giveasyoulive.com/#get-started
So there you go, my pro tips on shopping online; enjoy 'saving' money. And remember to always check Quidco and Giveasyoulive before you buy anything.
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