Secret ways the internet can save you money

Saving and Making Money

Updated on 27 August 2010 | 7 Comments

Next time you surf the net, make sure you know these secret ways that the internet can save you money!

The world wide web is a wondrous invention that has almost limitless possibilities.

One minute you could be looking up a delicious recipe and the next you could be having a sneaky nosey at your mate’s wedding photos.

It’s a great communication tool that connects millions of people from all over the world and it’s also pretty good at handily saving you money.

But what are the best ways to exploit the money-saving potential of web?

Well, I’m going to hop on my internet surf board to find out for you.

Be paid to shop

When I first found out about cashback websites, I was in slight disbelief.

Surely getting paid to indulge in a spot of internet shopping was too good to be true?

But after some heavy research (which consisted of an internet shopping marathon), I can confirm that cashback websites do actually work.

Allow me to explain further. Cashback websites work by using affiliated links and every time you buy a product through the link, you earn an amount of cashback.

All you have to do is sign up to a cashback website (some are free to join, while others charge a fee), and then when you want to buy something from a particular retailer, you check to see if that retailer is listed on your chosen cashback website. If it is, you simply click on the affiliate link shown and make your purchase as normal.

That purchase is tracked, the retailer pays the cashback site for introducing you as a customer, and the cashback site passes that payment onto you.

Some of the top cashback websites include the following:

Rachel Robson takes a look at a great way to earn cash back when shopping online

Online energy

Switching your gas and electricity tariffs using the powers of the web can really save you a lot of money.

The most competitive tariffs are available online and you’ll have the benefit of being able to access your account whenever you want.

If you switch to an online energy tariff, you will also receive e-bills instead of the usual paper bills that often lurk on your front door mat.

Not only does this mean your family dog will no longer be able to chew them to shreds but you’ll also be saving money, as it costs less to email you your bills than to send them in the post.

To compare current online energy tariff, have a look at our energy comparison tool.

Online mobile deals

Whenever I’m pondering through town, I can’t help but notice the loud advertising that glares at me through the windows of mobile phone shops.

Many shop posters boisterously claim to offer the best mobile deals around but the truth is, the biggest savings can be made online.

You can even earn £100 cash back if you buy your phone via the trusty internet.

Voucher heaven

If you don’t use vouchers or voucher codes, then you are missing out on a world of wonderful discounts and freebies - a place where you can get pizza for a fraction of the full price, a land where luxurious treatments and days out are within easy financial reach.

You get the idea.

The bottom line is; why should you fork out full price for something, when you could get it at a discounted price with a voucher?

The majority of vouchers that you can get online are free and come in the form of voucher codes that you can use online, or printable vouchers, which you can happily present to the relevant outlet.

Here is a list of the best voucher websites for online voucher codes:

Check out our regular Frugal Food blog for restaurant vouchers and Voucher Cloud is a favourite website of mine for getting printable vouchers.

Rachel Robson highlights four ways to save money as you shop!

Swapping sites

It’s official, swapping is the smart person’s shopping.

Really want a new TV but can’t afford it? Then it’s time you joined in on the swap-mania that is sweeping the nation.

These environmentally friendly websites work by providing a platform for happy swappers to switch items with each other to their heart’s content.

So next time you’re online pay a visit to one of the websites below:

There are plenty more online swap shops out there so make sure you have a look next time you surf the web.

Online rental

The next best thing to swapping online is making the most of the multitude of online rental websites that seem to have grown in popularity in the last few years.

Not only can you save money by renting films from online websites such as LoveFilm but you can even rent out designer items by the week.

Below is just a small sample of rental websites:

Price comparison

One of the more useful abilities of the internet is its handy ability to compare prices of various products and services - so that you know you're getting the very best deal.

Here at lovemoney.com we have a thorough comparison centre that can help you if you’re looking for a current account, credit card or insurance, as well as offering comparison services on mortgages, savings, loans, ISAs and energy tariffs.

There are also other nifty websites to check out - such as mySupermarket which? compares prices at the top four supermarkets (Waitrose, ASDA, Sainsbury's and Tesco) so you can plan your buys before you shop, ?s?a?v?i?n?g? ?y?o?u????? money.

I’ve just skimmed the surface of the ways the internet can save you money, so if any lovemoney.com readers have any other useful tips or websites that can save you money, feel free to leave a comment in the box below. 

Alternatively, why not start a discussion in our Frugal Friday (bargains and discounts) group?

More: Eight ways to make money from the internet | A new way to save money on the internet|

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