How to get the most bang for your buck online

These days, finding ways to stretch your money further is becoming increasingly important and particularly when online, many of us miss out on deals and discounts by not doing the proper research. This leads many of us to overspend. However, there are now many useful online features and websites that you can use to maximise your spending, ensuring you are making the most of your money every time. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most effective ways to do this.

Check out product ratings and reviews

Before you even get started looking for ways to make your online experience cheaper using discount codes, reward programs or special events the first thing you should do is check out the ratings and reviews for the products or services that you are interested in. While this seems like an obvious first step, many of us dismiss this useful tool to help find the best quality products online. By reading other people’s opinions of purchased items, you can generate an informed decision that makes sure you are getting a quality product for a good price. While there are many super cheap options online, often you end up getting what you pay for. Therefore, this is a great first step to whittle down the wealth of online options to just the ones that offer you the most bang for your buck.

Comparison websites are your friend

Comparison websites are a helpful tool if you want to compare the prices and features of similar products online. Whether it is the latest mobile deal, new car insurance or the cheapest summer flights, the abundance of different online options can be overwhelming, especially when you want to get the best deal. The best comparison sites help you compare prices across different providers for the same product or service ensuring that you find the cheapest possible deal. Some easy-to-use examples are Compare The Market for insurance, Skyscanner for flights and Google Shopping for more general browsing. Furthermore, if you are unsure of the exact product you are after, there are sites out there that compare the features of similar items that can help you make the right decision.

Shop during seasonal sales and special events

Many online retailers have seasonal sales throughout the year that offer generous discounts on old stock as well as promotional deals on new arrivals. To ensure you are getting the most out of your money, you should take advantage of these sale periods whenever possible. Famous annual special events such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday provide the potential for significant savings on certain items, which can be particularly helpful in the lead-up to the festive season. Keeping an eye out for flash sales and limited-time offers is another great way of using retail sales to your advantage. Importantly, remember to assess whether you actually need an item that is on sale before buying it. Impulse buying in the sales is easy to do so care should be taken to ensure you only purchase the things you need.

Use sites that offer bonuses and rewards

Whatever you are using the internet for, make sure that you are using sites that offer bonuses and rewards for your loyalty to their site. Useful sites like TopCashBack and Rakuten offer generous cashback rewards when purchasing products through their sites when shopping online. If you like to play online, using a casino with a bonus and cashback rewards scheme enables you to get better value money when playing, with free spins and cash bonuses often up for grabs. If you are saving up for a holiday, companies such as Flybuys enable you to collect points on everyday online purchases which you can then spend on flights to holiday destinations. One thing people often forget is that there may be special discounts for specific groups. The Blue Light Card (given to members of the NHS, emergency services and other roles) can be a huge help with discounts across a huge range of options. Whatever you are spending your money on, there is often a rewards scheme that can help. It is always worth double-checking before you miss out.

Voucher codes and coupons are out there

Voucher codes and coupons have become more and more popular in recent years, with many people regularly using them to get significant savings on online products, events and experiences. Websites such as Honey, Groupon and Wowcher provide shoppers with a diverse catalogue of discount codes, vouchers and coupons that can be used across a huge array of items. Next time you are shopping online, before confirming your order, check out these online sites to see if any codes can be used to bring the price down. As well as reducing the cost of everyday items, often you can find significant discounts on experiences such as spa days, courses and even holidays. When spending on large purchases such as these, voucher codes are one of the best methods for making sure you get the most for your money.

Shop second-hand

Many of us know the feeling of impulse buying items online and then never actually using them. Lots of these items make their way back onto the internet being sold for bargain prices in second-hand marketplaces. Taking advantage of these sites is a stress-free way of saving some money while helping to stop perfectly good items from going straight to landfills. Established sites such as eBay and Facebook Marketplace are super useful for finding items such as furniture, electronics and toys for discounted prices, while often many of these items haven’t even been unboxed. Furthermore, second-hand fashion sites Depop and Vinted have become hugely successful in recent years offering both sellers and buyers a good deal. Whatever you are after, be sure to check out the second-hand alternatives before you click confirm order.

By using these six useful tips, you should enable yourself to get the best possible deal whenever you’re spending online. While each individual tip might not always provide you with a significant saving, having all these different methods at your disposal is a sure-fire way to get the most bang for your buck when online.