Saving money on online shopping

Since I finished working at Top Man and stopped spending the majority of my time in a shopping centre, physical shopping trips (i.e. actually venturing out of the house to shop) have dramatically decreased. This doesn't mean I've stopped shopping, but rather I tend to do it all online nowadays, particularly as my favourite retailer at the moment happens to be the online-only Missguided. Here are some tips for saving some money when shopping online.

1. Always search for a discount code

img: vouchercodes.co.uk

Before I part with my cash, I always do a quick google search for any discount codes. There are loads of sites that list valid codes, but my favourite is Voucher Codes. They seem to have the most up to date codes and not just widely publicised ones either; recently they listed a 30% off Motel code for at least a week before it was broadcast on Motel's website or emails, and often have random codes that have featured in magazines that you may otherwise miss.

2. Social Media is your friend

img: www.graphicsfuel.com

No brand neglects the power of social media, so I wold recommend following your favourite retailers on twitter, nstagram and Facebook. As well as getting style inspiration and notified about new items on Instagram [thank you, River Island PR], retailers frequently post discount codes on a variety of social media platforms, and I've also seen some ridiculous competitions on offer too.

(FYI: If your panicking about having nothing to wear at the weekend, a lot of sites, particularly Missguided, will offer free Saturday/ Next day delivery on a Friday to encourage you to buy a new outfit for the weekend)

3. Sign up to emails from Money Saving Expert

img: moneysavingexpert.com

The money saving expert site is an absolute gem. The site contains a wealth of information regarding more 'grown up' stuff such as banking, utilities, insurance and mortgages, which for those who have flown the nest and are struggling with the realities of adulthood could be extremely useful. But not only that, it has the latest restaurant, web site and clothing discount vouchers, gives tips on shopping on eBay, has info on consumer rights and far more stuff than I'd be able to capture here. It is pretty overwhelming just how much the website has on it though, so I find that signing up to the weekly email is really worth it. It ensures you get a compacted summary of the most recent and exciting stuff (most surprisingly for me, it has even been including a heads up of what the Boots Star Gift has been week by week)

4. Sign up or create accounts with your favourite retailers

Though a lot of these recommendations involve clogging up your inbox, I do believe that signing up to your favourite e-retailers newsletter's is worth it for offers and discounts that you might otherwise miss. You often get notified about sales early, so you can grab some great bargains before all the decent stuff in suitable sizes sell out. I've also found with 90% of the websites I've signed up to or have an account with will give you a birthday discount too, which is a sweet touch.

5. Look for cheaper alternatives

Though there will always be a place in my heart for Top Shop, without my staff discount it is a wee bit expensive to regularly splash out on. But I do find with the most popular trends you can almost always find a cheaper alternative. Prime example: the pastel cropped fluffy jumpers I was coveting but never got around to buying (fool...)- between £35-£45 at Topshop, £20 at Missguided. Why pay more?