I’m more than £1,500 better off thanks to these cashback websites.
Amazing Savings are the brands I really rate to save you some cash. Or in this cash, make some cash.
I’ve just cashed out £190 received from switching my broadband, and £4 from my Mother’s Day flowers order.
It’s no longer a secret, but people can still be wary or forgetful of sites like Topcashback and Quidco, and are losing out on free money.
Here’s everything you need to know to make sure you’re getting the most from the sites – and a few things to watch out for.
Free money? What’s the catch?
There isn’t one. Topcashback and Quidco get paid by the retailer every time someone buys through them. They then pay you a percentage of that commission. Companies can afford this as it’s a lot cheaper than expensive marketing campaigns.
How to get the cashback
When you’re shopping online, take a look to see if the shop you’re using is offering a deal on one of the sites. It’s normally a percentage of the sale, but sometimes it can be a fixed amount.
As long as you close other windows in your internet browser and click through to the site via the cashback site, it should register the sale. A few weeks – or even months – later the money should clear for you to pay into your account.
When to use it
Check every time you shop online, but the biggest deals are for insurance, mobile phones, broadband and pay TV. Most of my money has come this way.
You don’t always have to be a new customer. A few years ago I upgraded to fibre broadband (on a very good cut price rate) and received £110 cashback. I’d already been given £100 for switching my internet and TV to them 6 months earlier!
Ways to get even more
Right now, if you sign up to Quidco via my link you can get £2.50 extra when you’ve reached £5 of cashback. Topcashback also offer similar sign up deals throughout the year.
Both let you upgrade to premium for £5 a year. This gives you higher rates of cashback with some retailers and bespoke offers. If you’re buying a big insurance or utility product, it’s well worth spending the fiver.
When you ‘cashout’ the cashback, the easiest way is direct to your bank, but both give you can get another boost if you get it paid to a voucher.
The best at Topcashback is to pay in Tesco Clubcard points as they’re then worth double, triple or more when boosted on deals. I’ve written here about my top 6 uses of Clubcard points. Or you can get five to eight percent extra at shops such as Marks & Spencers, Debenhams and Argos . Worth it if you’re going to shop in these places anyway, otherwise probably not.
Quidco premium members can choose to pay out as Amazon gift cards and get a 2% bonus.
What to watch out for
First of all, it can be a risk, so don’t buy something just because of the possible cashback.
Sales won’t always track at the right amount – or track at all. I always take a screen grab of the page so I can check the rate I should have received.
Voucher codes aren’t always allowed, so just be aware they might reject your cashback if you use one that isn’t listed on Topcashback.
Top cash site people are waiting for over a year