Best ways to save money on shopping

 

For many of us, shopping takes up a large chunk of the monthly budget. Whether you’re trying to save money on food shopping, or cut the cost of buying online, we’ve pulled together a few tips to help you.

  • Work out what you spend your money on. Make a list of everything you buy in a typical month. This will make it easier to work out where you can cut back.
  • Shop around. Check out the competition and compare prices. For example, it might be cheaper to go to a different supermarket, or buy your electronics from a different website.
  • Use price tracking websites. If you search for the item you’re looking to buy using one of these sites, you’ll be able to see the prices it’s been sold at over the past year. You can also use them to set up email alerts for when prices drop. CamelCamelCamel can help you track prices for Amazon, and Idealo is available for many high street stores.
  • Beware of special offers. Vouchers, special offers and cashback deals were invented to make you spend more, not less. Never buy something you don’t need just because it’s on offer.
  • Don’t impulse buy. Think carefully before making a purchase - especially if it’s expensive. At the very least sleep on it! It might seem less appealing in the morning.
  • Check reviews. If you’re not sure about a product, check online to see if there are any reviews. Just type its name into a search engine, followed by ‘review’.

Remember your rights

As a consumer, you have the right to complain about problems with any goods or services you’ve purchased.

Using your credit or debit card

If something goes wrong, buying on your credit or debit card gives you greater protection than cash or cheque.

Credit cards offer the most protection – as long as the item or service you bought cost over £100, you can claim against your card provider under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act to get your money back.