A SAVVY shopper has made £1,000 using a simple browser trick while shopping.
Data manager, Nicola Frapwell, has made it her mission to earn as much money as she can through cashback when making purchases online.
1
She does this via Topcashback, a platform where you can get cash simply by shopping with retailers via their website.
The 33-year-old supercharges her earnings by using it when shopping for Christmas presents – or in the January sales.
The shopping supremo, who lives in Haywards Heath, mid Sussex, with her partner, Luke, has been a member of Topcashback for around eight years.
She told The Sun: “I first found out about cashback sites from MoneySavingExpert, and then did my own research too.”
Initially, when Nicola signed up, she wasn’t expecting much from the cashback site. But that soon changed.
“Little did I know that I was going to end up earning £1,000 in ‘free money’ in a relatively short time – just for shopping smartly online,” she said.
“For me, it’s been a complete godsend.”
Get money for your spending
With cashback sites, once you’ve found a deal on something you want to buy, you click through the link to your chosen shop.
The retailer then pays the cashback site a commission for referring you.
After this, the kickback is paid into your account – usually within 30 days.
With Topcashback, you can save on everything from everyday shopping, fashion, beauty, holidays and takeaways to insurance policies, broadband bills – and even switching your bank account.
Nicola said: “I try to earn money through cashback when buying pretty much anything online.
“Recent wins for me include £35 when getting car insurance with Aviva through price comparison site, MoneySupermarket, and £30 when buying home insurance with Ageas.”
Nicola also recently earned around £10 when updating her winter wardrobe from the likes of River Island, New Look and H&M.
In addition, she recently bagged £5 cashback when buying a dress costing £50 on eBay.
This time of year, she adds, can be especially lucrative.
“I’ll try and get cashback whenever possible when buying Christmas gifts for friends and family,” she added.
The key here is to earn cashback on all your purchases on top of the money you are already saving from this seasonal sale.
Don’t miss out
To ensure she never misses a deal, Nicola has the Topcashback app downloaded on her phone, and the browser extension enabled.
She said: “This means I can view cashback rates any time I visit a retailer’s page. For example, I recently saw that M&S was increasing its cashback rate to 20% for a limited time, so bought clothes and other bits and pieces both for me – and as gifts – to take advantage of this. The rate is now back to 6.8%.”
When it comes to payments hitting her account, Nicola says it’s important to be patient.
“Sometimes cashback is paid within a month,” she said. “But with purchases like insurance policies, you usually have to wait a few months for the money to land.”
The shopping whizz says she plans on using some of the money she’s amassed in her ‘cashback pot’ to help cover the cost of Christmas.
“I’ve certainly felt the effects of the cost-of-living crisis in recent months,” she said. “My partner and I have noticed higher energy bills and food costs.
On top of this, we bought a new home around one year ago, and recently moved onto a higher mortgage rate – so right now, we are looking at trying to cut back wherever we can.”
How to earn cashback
Aside from Topcashback, another popular site for earning cashback is Quidco.
Cashback site, Rakuten, is also free to use. To sign up, you’ll just need your name and email address.
Be aware that terms and conditions will usually apply.
Take the time to read the details first so you know when you can expect to get the cashback – and any other requirements.
Don’t fall into the trap of shopping just for the sake of earning cashback.
Only use one of these sites to buy things that you need – and planned to purchase anyway.
If you make impulse buys, it’s not really a saving.
How to save money on Christmas shopping
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save money on your Christmas shopping.
Limit the amount of presents – buying presents for all your family and friends can cost a bomb.
Instead, why not organise a Secret Santa between your inner circles so you’re not having to buy multiple presents.
Plan ahead – if you’ve got the stamina and budget, it’s worth buying your Christmas presents for the following year in the January sales.
Make sure you shop around for the best deals by using price comparison sites so you’re not forking out more than you should though.
Buy in Boxing Day sales – some retailers start their main Christmas sales early so you can actually snap up a bargain before December 25.
Delivery may cost you a bit more, but it can be worth it if the savings are decent.
Shop via outlet stores – you can save loads of money shopping via outlet stores like Amazon Warehouse or Office Offcuts.
They work by selling returned or slightly damaged products at a discounted rate, but usually any wear and tear is minor.