You might not have ever considered yourself to be a cheapskate or a tightwad, but these days it’s actually fashionable to bag a budget deal or grab some discounted merchandise. The internet is full of site that offer the sort of items you’d normally buy for vastly reduced prices, so before you head off to splash your cash on something that might cost you a fortune, why not see if you can get it cheaper elsewhere instead.
City Breaks
If you’re booking a hotel stay for a holiday or a special occasion then don’t forget to check out the discounted hotel room websites so see if you can save a pound or two on the cost of your room. Hotels need guests to keep the money coming in, so if they don’t get booked they allow these websites to sell them on instead. They get their rooms filled, and the websites take a cut of the money. We reckon Trivago is one of the best sites out there, because it searches all the discounts and deals for you and lets you see who’s offering what for less.
Dine Out for Less
You can save yourself a little extra money buy planning a meal out through a discount website. Like our cheap hotel websites, restaurants will happily add special menus to a discount dining website to bring in budget conscious customers. It’s works out great for them, because if you like their food you’ll probably go back, and it works out great for you too because you’ll grab a fantastic meal at a bargain price. Check out sites like 5pm.com to see where you could be eating for less next time.
Discount Vouchers
There are loads of discount websites offering vouchers for less on everything from beauty treatments to helicopter flights. The obvious point to be mentioned here is that spending money on luxury items and trips is not exactly essential, so you can’t really consider it a saving if you’re spending money on items you don’t really need. That said, if you’re looking for something special for a birthday gift, or you’re just absolutely desperate to learn how to fly a plane, they can save you quite a bit of money.
Go Freeloading on Freebies
There’s nothing quite as good as getting something for nothing, and while it’s true that there aren’t many handouts these days, it’s also true that if you look hard enough you can find a few free giveaways that could save you money. Check out websites like offeroasis.co.uk which list free products companies are giving away as samples. You can snap up branded make up and toiletries, luxury teas and coffees and even free chocolate depending upon what’s being given away. All great news for the wallet, and nicer for you when your postman pops by.
Discount your Debt
Getting cheaper interest rates on your debt will leave you with more money to shell out on those little extras that you just can’t live without, and there are plenty of online comparison sites that can give you suggestions about the best 0% interest credit cards and loans on the market. But before you go and ditch all your old statements, or shred your loan credit agreements, check them first to see if you’ve been paying out on PPI that you didn’t want. If you have been, then you might be in for a pleasant surprise, with the average claim being made for a refund just above £5000.
