This year I’ve blagged 40% off at nice restaurants, free beer, money off clothes and savings on hotels.
These weren’t deals for everyone. They weren’t visible on the website or in the shop. Instead they were thanks to unique codes I’d been emailed having signed up to the brand’s newsletters.
If you pick wisely, you can make some great savings – the ones above were probably worth £100 in total. That’s a decent saving on things I was going to buy anyway.
Other newsletter benefits include freebies on your birthday, finding out about flash sales first or invites to exclusive events. It’s well worth signing up to get these deals and offers. But don’t just jump in and sign up for every newsletter.
If you want to avoid an inbox you can’t control I’ve a few tips for how to do it, and what to sign up for.
1. Have a separate email account
I wish I’d known this from the start! Try to use a separate email address when you sign up for newsletters.
First it’ll help to reduce the amount of spam you get in your main account, but it’ll also mean your main email address is less likely to fall into the hands of hackers. You can use this email for competitions too.
The downside is you’ll miss offers and deals if you don’t regularly check your account, but it’s worth the trade off. And most smart phones now will allow you to add multiple email accounts, so it’s just a few swipes to see what new messages have been sent.
2. Be picky
I’m not saying sign up for everything. Most of the time the emails sent out are of little use, and I don’t have time to read them all. But email overload can be avoided if are a little strategic.
I go for the companies I love, the brands I can’t afford at full price or the shops I use all the time. Often that’s restaurants and bars, but it also includes travel brands such as Expedia and Booking.com, supermarkets like Ocado and Waitrose, and clothes shops such as M&S and Gap.
3. Don’t accidentally get signed up
To make sure I don’t get emails from every online shop I use I’ll tick the box that says NO to emails from a company. Of course sometimes you need to untick the box. It’s all a bit sneaky. Oh, and when you’re asked for your email address in a shop so they can send you the receipt – well they’re going to be sending you lots of emails too. You can ask to opt out when this happens.
4. Unsubscribe if they don’t deliver
Stay on top of the emails and take note of the ones you don’t use. If they don’t deliver you discounts, just unsubscribe.
I can’t remember the last time I actually opened an email from Living Social or Groupon so I’ve stopped them both clogging up my inbox.
5. See who gives a birthday gift
Some companies, usually bars and restaurants, will send you a gift on your birthday. It could be a free meal or a free drink. They’re hoping you’ll bring in some friends – and some do require someone buys a full price meal.
Other retailers might offer you an extra discount in store on the day.
Remember though that they will email you ALL YEAR, not just on your birthday, so again don’t get carried away.
Here are some I know of.
- Mothercare (20% off toys for your child’s birthday)
- Ikea
- ASOS (15% off)
- Body Shop (sign up for their Love Your Body club)
- Paperchase (£5 voucher with Treats scheme)
- SpaceNK
- Byron
- Krispy Kreme
- Strada (though you can often beat their deals elsewhere)
- Ed’s Diner (freebies, 50% off etc)
- Pitcher and Piano
- Meat Liquor
- Barburrito
- Greggs
- Frankie & Benny’s
- La Tasca
- Pizza Express
- TGI Fridays
6. Sign up for the Be Clever With Your Cash weekly newsletter
Ok, I’m biased but it’s worth signing up to my newsletter. It contains all my new articles, any important news you need to know and of course the best deals I’ve found online and on the high street.
>> Sign up for my weekly Be Clever With Your Cash newsletter
What are your favourite email lists? Who give great discounts? Share in the comments below so others can sign up too.
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