If you asked most people what they consider to be an area of their life where they could improve, many would say their finances. Saving money is important and beneficial in many ways, but it is often easier said than done. Thanks to the development of technology and the internet, e-commerce is huge and it's now possible to drop large amounts of cash at the click of a button. This means that you have to be a little bit savvy in order to save money when shopping or spending leisure time online.
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Use your Discounts!
With all of the choice available to us and the sheer convenience, it would be hard to avoid online shopping altogether, so instead, we'd advise you to make use of the different discounts that are out there. Signing up to email newsletters will often provide new customers with introductory deals and discount codes, and can always be unsubscribed from if you no longer want them. Similarly, it's important to look for student discounts and Blue Light discounts (which are for NHS workers, police officers, and social workers) because they aren't always advertised and you lose nothing by asking.
The 30-day Rule
This tip is helpful for any form of spending, but particularly for online spending because of the fast-buy nature of many web stores. The idea is that if you want to buy something (that isn't essential, like food), you write it down on a list along with the date, and then you check back in 30 days. If you still want the item, then it is likely more than an impulse purchase and you can go ahead and click Buy. This method is great for anyone wanting to go on a Financial diet, which is many of us, as a reported 17% of Brits want to cut down on their ‘frivolous' purchases, such as buying lunch rather than bringing it from home.
Source: Pexels
Utilise Browser Extensions
Whilst we may blame technological development for our spendthrift habits, it can also be the source of our saving success! Browser plugins and extensions are a really easy way to save money and find deals whilst browsing because they do the work for you. Extensions like Honey and GetJam activate when you enter an online store and look for discount codes in the background, which can then be applied when you get to the checkout. This saves you a lot of time and effort, and they are usually completely free to download.
Shop Around
One of the perks of the internet is that you can access lots of different stores very quickly. This means that if there is a branded product that you are interested in, you can easily compare prices from different websites. It might take a little more time to do the research, but you might find that those Nike trainers that you really want are being sold for a lot less on department-store sites likes ASOS, Zalando, and Selfridges. If you put in a little extra effort to shop around, you can find some great savings – and you don't have to walk to hundreds of different shops!