With the UK in a cost of living crisis, saving money has never been so important.
Many of us are currently cutting back on expenses and only purchasing what is necessary. With this in mind, a shopping expert has shared some of his top tips to save money on your purchases.
Jack Baker from Next Day Delivery has offered some advice on how to still buy the items you want whilst saving money. From the best sites to find discount codes to how to save when online shopping, Jack has plenty of top tips on how to bag a bargain.
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Search for discount codes
Most websites will have a section where you can enter a discount code to save money on your order. Normally just a few letters long, these codes can save you around 10-20% on the cost of your basket. According to Jack, finding a reliable discount code site can save you a considerable amount of money.
He explained: "No coupon site is perfect, and certain coupons will only work on some products too, so make sure you have hit the coupon criteria before thinking a code doesn't work.
"Once you have found a reliable coupon website, add it to a bookmark folder on your computer so you can revisit it every time you shop online. Constantly add to the folder with good sites so you have a place to come every time you shop to cut down on your expenses."
Use a browser extension
If you don't have time to search for coupon codes, then Jack recommends downloading a browser extension. Chrome and Safari allow you to install plugins, which are known as extensions. To save money, Jack suggests looking for a browser extension which automatically finds coupon codes for the websites you use.
Jack said: "To save time and money when shopping a browser extension can help. To find a coupon extension, go to the Chrome store or your browser equivalent, search for 'coupons' and pick one that has good reviews. Try a few of them out as different extensions will find different money-saving codes as you shop."
Check the source code
For those who are more tech savvy, checking the source code of a website can be a way to uncover embedded discounts in the website's code. According to Jack, this can be done when at the checkout page of a site by right clicking the page and selecting 'inspect.'
This will bring up the code of a website, which you can then search by pressing CTRL + F. Jack added: "This method doesn't always work and can be a bit difficult for some to do, but if you can do it you can find some real bargains.
"When you are searching the code for coupons, try searching common naming patterns like Save10 or 10Off. If you manage to find a coupon you can enter it in the coupon field on the site. A 30-second search could save you hundreds and make your money last a little longer."
Use Google to find discounts
Jack suggests doing a quick Google search to find discount codes - whilst remaining wary of any possible scams. He said: "When using Google to search for discount codes for your favourite retailer, ensure you only use a website that looks legitimate. Sometimes scammers will create pages on their website to target these types of searches and will then infect your computer when you click on them."
Abandon the shopping cart
If you aren't in a rush for your items, Jack suggests that abandoning your online shopping basket can be a simple, yet potentially effective, trick. Some websites will have an email sequence that is used to try and win customers back and will often offer money off to entice you to return to the site.
To do this, fill out your email and then abandon your basket. Alternatively, add items to your basket and move your mouse to the 'close' button on your browser.
Use the live chat function
Jack recommends utilising a website's live chat function by asking the advisor if there are any discounts available. He said: "Most businesses would rather keep you as a customer than lose you, so try your luck. If they don't offer you a discount, you can always cancel the service and then look for introductory offers elsewhere for the same service, either way, you will save money."
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