Online shopping is something else. It doesn’t require a trip by car, bus or train; it doesn’t force you to take an umbrella if the sky is looking turbulent; it doesn’t even make you have to plan your day around it. It’s quicker, simpler, less stressful and often far cheaper than heading down to your local shopping centre or high street.
As online shopping becomes less of a fringe undertaking and is propelled into the mainstream however, hurdles related to price will inevitably arise; retailers want your cash, after all. So, how can you get those most bang for your buck when you’re shopping online? Here’s how.
Discount Codes
You know that little box at the online checkout that asks if you want to enter any discount or promotional codes? It’s not just for people with gift cards; there are thousands of discount codes out there at any given time that you can find, input and use to save those pennies. Head on over to sites such as dealnews, hotukdeals or slickdeals, type in the retailer you’re buying from, and chances are there will be some voucher codes for that specific store.
Delivery Options
It can be quite easy to click on the postage or delivery options offered by websites that will result in you receiving your goods in the quickest time, but this isn’t a particularly savvy move. Often you’ll be paying between £3 and £5 for the privilege, quite a lot for what is in essence a panacea for your impulses. Online websites, even distributors of large items such as Bedstar, will often have free or inexpensive delivery options. Pick the cheapest, wait a few more days and learn to hold your horses!
Sale Sections
Most online stores will have a section of their website where they place all of their outdated stock, often at a huge discount. These can be used for clothing retailers and the like, but they’re perhaps best when used for the purchase of electronics; buying new electronics is a silly move anyway (the price will have fallen drastically within a few months anyway as new products are inevitably released) and you’ll still be able to get a good product at a lovely price.
MoneySavingExpert
This site is the holy grail for all things money. Alongside providing excellent pages on banking, utilities, cards and loans, the website also regularly lists new deals, hidden brand sales and discount websites, all in all saving you a heap of cash.