Save Money With Vouchers, Cashback & Loyalty Cards

Looking to save money in the year ahead? There are lots of easy ways to get money off just about everything you pay for - from food to home appliances. The secret is to know how. In the first of our brand new credit crunching series, we tell you how to get and use money-off coupons, vouchers, cashback and loyalty cards to full advantage.

shopping-bags. Save Money And Get Discounts When Shopping

Money-Off Coupons And Vouchers

Thought money-off coupons were only collected by little old ladies? Think again - they're an effortless way to save a money. Apart from the obvious sources, though, there are lots of other ways to find and claim yours.

Where To Look For Coupons

Magazines And Newspapers
Magazines and newspapers are the most obvious source of discount vouchers, the weekend ones being the best. Bear in mind, though, that most of them need to be used pretty quickly - usually within a week.

Websites
We've said this before - you should never buy anything online without first checking whether you can get a further discount with a coupon or money-off code from either the retailer or a dedicated discount site. How do you do this? Simply type the name of the retailer concerned with the word 'discount' into a search engine, then find a code within the list of results to enter on the 'check out' page.

You might need try more than one code to find one that works - not all are recognised. Also, sites are updated every day, so if you can't find a code for a product, try again the next day. To keep ahead of the game, sign up for email alerts that tell you when new vouchers and codes are available.

There are lots of websites that will list companies which supply these codes - our favourites are www.vouchercodes.com; www.myvouchercodes.co.uk and www.promotionalcodes.org.uk.

Subscribe To Online Newsletters

You'll often be asked whether you want to subscribe to a retailer's online newsletter when you buy something - and if you're anything like us, up until now, you'll have thought, 'erggh, more junk mail' and ticked 'no'. However, there are benefits by doing so because you may get vouchers, discounts on certain products, and you should get invited to sale previews.

If you've not heard about a newsletter from somewhere you shop regularly, ask at the cash desk or customer services the next time you buy in store. If the retailer offers this service online, it's usually something you'll be asked as part of the 'checking out' process.

Share With Your Friends

Get into the habit of passing on news about discount vouchers with your mates - and ask them to do the same for you. The more you do this, the more you'll all save. If you share similar shopping habits with a friend, too (ie, you both like the same clothes' shops), club together to take advantage of 'spend over £100 and save £10' offers. In the long run, you'll save a fortune.