Use these websites to fight the recession

Here's the lowdown on some websites that can help save you money.

This article was first sent to readers as an afternoon email.

In these tough economic times, the web is a weird and wonderful beast that needs to be treated with respect.

On the one hand, a wealth of free information and advice is available at the touch of a button. For the price of the broadband connection, you can catch up with friends, teach yourself new skills and organise almost every aspect of your life.

On the other, you could end up pouring your hard-earned into a web-shaped void. You could become a dot.com shopaholic, spend hundreds surfing the net on your mobile, or even get sucked into the murky world of online gambling.

Here, I'm going to highlight the websites to help you fight the recession. Use these and you should be able to save money, make money and get your finances firmly under control.

Just remember to drink plenty of fluids and go for a walk occasionally!

Make money while you spend

If you've decided to spend online, it's worth checking out your cashback options.

Several sites - like Quidco, Top CashBack, RPoints and GreasyPalm - will give you a percentage of what you spend back (in cash or vouchers) if you use them. And you shouldn't pay any more for your goods shopping through their sites.

Each one operates a slightly different membership system and payment scheme, so read this article, by my colleague Szu Ping Chan, to work out which is best for you.

Find the cheapest deal

When you're shopping online, it's also a good idea to use a price comparison site like Kelkoo or PriceRunner.

In a nutshell, this sort of site will scour those retailers with an online presence, to find out where to get the item you want at the cheapest price.

It's best to use a couple of different sites every time you search, as they all tend to cover slightly different retailers.

Eating in

When it comes to food shopping, MySupermarket is in a league of its own. This site allows you to compare the price of items sold at Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and Ocado - so you can hunt down the cheapest broccoli or the best value beef.

You can also shop inline via the site, and you can even compare the calories, fat, sugar and salt in items, so you can make the healthiest possible choices.

My colleague Donna Werbner even blogged recently about why she loves MySupermarket.

Eating out

If you want to treat yourself to a meal out, use TopTable to find a moneysaving meal deal.

The site has done deals with restaurants all over the UK and constantly offers discounted set menus, as well as offers like 'eat for half price' and 'eat for under £10'.

You can search by location, food type or price band - and by booking through TopTable you'll also accumulate reward points you can spend on free meals.

Free stuff

If you want something for nothing, Freecycle should be your first port of call. This community freebies network was set up so people could give away unwanted items, rather than taking them to the tip.

You could get your hands on anything from a bicycle or gardening equipment to clothes or furniture - and it's all completely free.

Sign up to your local network and you can opt for daily email alerts advertising unwanted stuff. If you want a specific item, it's also worth posting a 'wanted' notice on your local group's online message board.

Just remember to give something back by posting unwanted items of your own. And if you can't find what you're after on Freecycle, check out SnaffleUp, a newer and smaller contender for the freebies crown.

You're not alone

Being in debt can be a horribly isolating experience. In fact, there are millions of people dealing with similar money worries.

If you want to ask advice or just to get financial problems off your chest, I really recommend The Motley Fool's discussion boards.

There's a whole section dedicated to managing your finances, including the excellent Dealing with Debt, Money Saving Tips and Living Below Your Means boards.

Get help

If you think your money troubles are beginning to affect your mental health, it's important you seek help asap.

The website of mental health charity Mind now has an excellent section dedicated entirely to money.

It offers practical help and advice for those finding it hard to cope, and looks at how mental health issues can affect your financial situation.

Good luck!