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Updated July 15, 2025   |   Articles

Cut the cost of your mobile phone contract

Andy Webb

You’re likely paying hundreds of pounds too much on your mobile phone.

For the first 12 years of having a phone, I followed the same pattern. A two year contract with a shiny new handset, which was then renewed with an upgraded phone, and then repeated when each contract ended.

But a decade ago I switched things up. I moved my tariff to a new network, and bought a new handset direct from Apple. Since then I’ve moved between networks on a regular basis and bought and sold new handsets. And saved a ton of cash.

And you can do it too: from going SIM-only through to downsizing your data, there’s no reason you should be paying more than £8 to £10 a month. Here’s how you can save on your mobile phone contract.

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

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Split your handset and your tariff

Go SIM-only

The best prices are often with SIM-only deals. Here you keep your old handset or buy a new one separately and pay just for your minutes, texts and data. Since you aren’t paying for a new phone, the monthly costs are also considerably less. 

You can get contracts that run from 30 days to a year, giving you far more flexibility than the 18, 24 and even 36-month deals you’re tied to with handsets (though longer SIM-only deals are still available).

At the time of writing you should be able to get a more than adequate data allowance from the major networks for under £8, and potentially as low as £5 for networks offering 5GB. And that’s before you factor in cashback or other offers.

Don’t get your handset via your network

Once you go SIM-only you’re no longer caught in that bi-annual cycle of getting a new phone when you don’t really need to. Ideally you’ll keep your handset for more three or four years. But with poor batteries, broken screens and ‘depreciated’ operating software (when updates are no longer supported on older phones), we all need to upgrade at some point.

However, you should generally avoid getting one as part of your contract. Most networks will charge you a premium on top of the handset price to get a new phone bundled with your SIM.

It’s very rare for these deals to work out cheaper, particularly for the latest handsets. Instead, you’ll save money buying it outright from Apple, Samsung or the likes of John Lewis.

Of course, the high cost of these handsets can be a barrier, but even then you don’t need to resort to including it in a contract. Apple and Samsung often offer 0% finance for two years, while you could choose a 0% purchase credit card instead. Do check your credit score first though.

Don’t forget to sell your old handset too. There are a number of sites that’ll give you a fixed amount, or you can hope for a better price via sites like eBay. Here’s more on selling old phones.

Choosing your new phone tariff

Whether you stick to a combined phone and SIM deal or split them up, you can still bring down the cost.

Don’t pay for more data than you’ll actually use

One of the biggest ways we waste money on our mobiles is via upselling, and now the networks are all about getting us to pay for more data than we need.

A few years ago when I haggled a new SIM-only contract with Three, the salesperson said “It’s only £3 more for 20GB”. Sounds good. Except I didn’t need 20GB. I didn’t really need the 12GB I had (but that was bizarrely cheaper than the 5GB option).

And I see this upselling all the time. There are always a number of promotions offering unlimited data at what looks like fantastic prices. But you really don’t need unlimited data, so however good the price, you’re still overpaying.

Most of you will be fine with 5GB or 6GB, perhaps less, while heavier users are still likely fine with under 12GB. And that’s assuming you can’t connect to wifi at home or work to use data even less. It’s easy to check your usage history via your account. So far this year I’ve used between 5.3 and 6.57 GB each month – and the latter was when I was on holiday!

I’ve written here about how you can work out exactly how much data you need.

Factor in the extras and freebies

I wouldn’t recommend choosing a new phone network based purely on extras, but if prices are similar it’s worth seeing what you can get.

Ones to look out for include:

  • Free streaming services (e.g. Disney+, Netflix etc)
  • Loyalty apps (O2, Three and Vodafone)
  • European or worldwide roaming

Bear in mind when it comes to O2 Priority or Vodafone’s VeryMe rewards that both are still available if you’re with a different network if you pay £10 – that might work out cheaper.

Saying that, those who also get broadband with Virgin Media should take a look at O2 as you’ll get double data, worldwide roaming and double internet speeds via an offer called Volt. Just make sure you’re getting a decent price on each service.

Don’t just stick to the big companies

You’ll have spotted that most of the cheap deals are with smaller networks. And I bet you’re warry of switching in case you can’t get reception.

Well, there are actually only four different phone networks – O2, EE, Three and Vodafone. All the others “piggyback” on one of these. So, for example, Giffgaff runs on O2 and Lycamobile uses EE.

This means you get exactly the same reception as someone on the host network but at a far lower price. The only real difference will be in customer service, though you’ll also lose network-specific benefits from the big brands, such as O2 Priority Moments.

I’ve written in more detail about these so-called ‘virtual mobile networks‘, including which ones operate on which main network.

It’s also relatively easy to bring your number with you. My moves across different networks all took less than 24 hours though it might take longer if weekends or bank holiday get in the way. Just ask for a PAC number, which you can get just by texting your network.

Finding the best price

Check if you’re out of contract

Text INFO to 85075 and you’ll receive a message from your network outlining if you in our out of contract. If you are still locked in you’ll also be told how much it’d cost to end the deal early.

Make a note of this date, and you can usually negotiate with your network up to 30 days before the end of a contract. This gives you the chance to see if you can get a better deal with your current network, and if not start the process of moving to a cheaper one.

But if you’re already passed that minimum term, you’re free to hunt for a new deal.

Compare prices

Just as you would with your gas or broadband, it’s important to see what other networks are offering. MoneySupermarket or Uswitch are decent price comparison sites, though they don’t include all the SIM-only networks.

You’ll also often find lower prices for the big networks via these sites, allowing you to access some (though not all) of the freebies available by those companies.

Check for cashback

If you’re switching network or upgrading without a new handset there’s less of a chance for cashback, but it’s worth checking anyway. Try both Topcashback and Quidco for SIM only too. And if you’ve never used cashback sites don’t forget the new member bonuses to get even more back!

You can also earn cashback to knock more off your bill using the app Airtime, but only with the major networks and a handful of others.

Call your network to see if they’ll negotiate

It’s still worth calling your network to see if they can match or beat the total savings you’ll find from the tips above. It helps to do some research first so you know what you can get if you switch.

Then ask to be put through to the ‘terminations’ or ‘disconnection’ team as they’ll usually have more sway. You can even do this over live chat if you prefer.

I did this the most years with Three. I either had my price knocked down or data added for the same price, beating what I’d get elsewhere. None of these deals were available on the Three website, but came from saying I wanted my PAC.

A warning here though. You will be starting a new contract if you do this, which will overwrite pre-existing offers such as free roaming with some networks.

Read next

Our podcast

Listen to Cash Chats, our award-winning podcast, presented by Steve Alderton and Editor James Andrews.

Episodes every Monday.

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Updated July 15, 2025   |   Articles

Gift cards: should you ever use or buy them?

Andy Webb

Gift cards are a popular present option, but they have some major downsides.

From birthday and Christmas through to leaving and wedding gifts, at some point, we’ve all received and purchased gift cards. It makes sense – they’re an easy choice when you don’t know what to buy someone. The issue is that every time you buy a gift card you risk losing the cash on it.

The majority of the time you’ll be fine, but there are a few risks of gift cards, many of which can be reduced or avoided. Still, to be safe you need to know the good and bad of gift cards.

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

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When gift cards are bad

I’ll lead with the dangers of gift cards – the reasons you could find your gift card is wasted cash.

Gift cards prevent you shopping around

One of the key tenets of Being Clever With Your Cash is getting the best deal. The easiest way to do this is very simple – shop around for the best price.

Yet if you have a gift card to use at Shop A, but the best price for what you want is at Shop B, you’ve no choice but to buy it from Shop A.

Ok, so it’s not the end of the world if we’re talking about a few quid, but you won’t want to miss out on larger savings.

And what if the shop you have a gift card for doesn’t have anything you want? You’ll end up using it to buy something you don’t need and probably won’t use. It’s a waste of money.

Refunds go back to a gift card

Another big risk of buying with a gift card becomes apparent if you need to return your purchase.

The money will go back to a gift card for the same shop. This is less of an issue if you shop frequently at the retailer, but what if it’s a one-off purchase?

It’s particularly bad if it’s a large purchase leaving hundreds of quid on a gift card rather than in your bank account.

This is why I never purchase discounted gift cards for anything I’m not certain about.

You also need to be careful here that you don’t chuck out your gift cards once you’ve used them. While most retailers will issue a new gift card, some will require the funds to go back to the original card.

Be aware that online purchases could also be refunded to credit that can only be used online. John Lewis is one worth highlighting here.

Say you’ve got a paper or plastic gift card you can use at both John Lewis & Waitrose shops and websites. Use it on the John Lewis website and any refunds are in credit just to use online only at John Lewis – but not Waitrose.

They often have hidden expiration dates

Most gift cards will have an expiration date. If you don’t use them before this date you lose the cash. That’s fine with paper vouchers, and most sent by email, where you can see this date in black and white.

But you need to be particularly careful with plastic gift cards. These can be loaded with different amounts at purchase, which means the details printed on them are often generic.

This makes it hard to see when the card expires, or how much is left on them. This means that a huge number will expire unused.

There are also different rules for different cards. Sometimes they’ll be valid for a set period, perhaps one or two years. Others will be valid for a certain time since they were last used. But it’s not always clear which is which.

Some, such as the One4All card will start charging you a monthly fee after a certain time (with One4All it’s 90p per month after 18 months).

The best way to prevent them from expiring (other than using them straight away) is to make a note of when you bought/received the card and its value. Then each time you use it, make a note of the date and new value, or keep your receipts with it, they typically have details of what’s left on the card.

It can be hard to spend the full amount

Often you’ll find that if you don’t use the gift card in one go you’ll be left with a few quid, or even pennies, left over. They’re not enough to buy something outright, so you keep hold of the card until you next go to that retailer.

And then you forget. And that money sits there until the card expires. More wasted money.

There can be limits on using multiple cards

If you’re asking multiple people to give you cards to go towards a purchase, check if there’s a limit to how many cards you can use in a single transaction.

Marks & Spencer and Curry’s, for example, will only allow 10 to be used at once.

There’s no protection with a gift card

Spending with a credit or debit card can give you some advantages over gift cards. Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act protects credit card purchases over £100, while the Chargeback scheme for credit and debit cards is a route if you’ve problems with purchases under £100. 

If you pay with gift cards, or cash for that matter, you lose this protection.

And much like cash, if you lose your gift card there’s no way of getting it back. So try not to carry too many gift cards around with you.

They can be worthless if the shop goes bust

We’ve seen a succession of high street staples shut their doors over the last few years, and when this happens the administrators don’t have to honour any gift cards. 

A few years ago Arcadia only allowed gift cards to be used for half the total purchase, with the rest covered by another form of payment – forcing people to spend extra money so they didn’t lose the value of the cards.

Often shops closing down just stop accepting outstanding cards. Jessops, HMV and Peacocks all made gift cards and vouchers worthless overnight when they entered administration.

It’s also unlikely that buying gift cards on a credit card and using Section 75 would help you get your money back in these situations as gift card balances are usually far less than £100.

If, despite this, you still want to give a card, it would be wise to avoid any retailer which appears to be struggling.

When gift cards are good

That’s one long list of negatives when it comes to gift cards… but there are a handful of times when they can be worth the risk.

When you get an extra discount

You don’t have to buy them as gifts – you can buy them for yourself for your own shopping. And that can be a good thing when you’re able to buy discounted gift cards.


It could mean you pay less for your everyday shopping, including at places where it’s hard to find offers. For instance, though small you could get 2% back at Amazon or 4% at the supermarket – better than the rate you’ll get from a cashback credit or debit card.

And since the gift cards are like cash, you can stack them with other promotions and savings, such as in tandem with Meerkat Movies at the cinema, or with BOGOF offers.

The top places to look for these are:

For example, I often get an extra 6% off John Lewis gift vouchers via my Scottish Friendly ISA perks. It comes as an email but I print it out and I’m able to use it both online and in-person at the department store and in Waitrose.

Supermarkets often run promotions on selected gift cards, such as Spotify, Pizza Express, Cineworld and Footlocker. If we spot decent deals we’ll share them on our gift card deals page.

When you spend them straight away

The main way to avoid the bulk of risks outlined above is to spend your gift card as soon as you get it! That way they can’t expire, be lost or lose their value of the shop goes bust.

When you can use them on lots of things

If you’re set on buying a gift card for someone then you could look at one you can use at multiple retailers.

Though there’s always the risk that the companies selling these could go out of business themselves, you’ve got a choice where you shop. The main ones are One4All and Love2Shop.

Our podcast

Listen to Cash Chats, our award-winning podcast, presented by Steve Alderton and Editor James Andrews.

Episodes every Monday.

Listen now

Alternatives to gift cards

Really you’re better off giving cash, sending a cheque or transferring money to a bank account. Yes these can feel lazy and seem impersonal. But really, is that very different from a gift card?

I know people worry that the money will just disappear from a bank account on everyday spending than buy something special. That certainly is a risk, but you can steer someone to use the gifted money in a certain way.

Perhaps you can say “use this for a nice meal out”. Or to “put it towards a new winter coat”. Hopefully if you suggest this you’ll get a nice text or email sharing when and where it is spent.

And don’t be put off sending a cheque (if you’re still got a chequebook). There are a number of banks now that let you pay in a cheque via the app.

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Updated July 15, 2025   |   Articles

What are inflation and deflation?

Andy Webb
CPI, RPI and core inflation explained

Prices are changing all the time, usually upwards, and the rate these changes are measured is generally called inflation. However there are a few different options here, so we’ve broken down what they all mean, and why they matter.

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

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What is inflation?

Inflation is a measurement that helps us track the price increase of goods and services over time. 

It compares the cost of things today with how much they cost a year ago. And the average increase in prices is what we call the inflation rate. 

Let’s take a loaf of bread as an example. If it costs £1 to buy a loaf today and next year it costs £1.10, the annual inflation for that loaf of bread is 10%. 

And falling inflation doesn’t mean prices will go down. If a rate moves from 5% to 4% month on month prices are still increasing, they’re just doing so at a slightly slower rate.

What is deflation?

Deflation works the opposite way and tracks the rate that prices decrease for goods and services over time. 

So looking at that loaf of bread again. If it costs £1 to buy a loaf today but that falls to 90p next year, then the deflation rate would be -10%.

What’s the latest inflation rate?

Inflation is measured over a 12 month period, with the latest figures announced in the middle of each month. You can find out current rates in our UK Inflation: what is the current rate? article.

How is UK inflation measured?

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is in charge of measuring inflation in the UK and publishes figures each month to show how prices have changed. 

There are three common measures of inflation; Consumer Prices Index (CPI), Consumer Prices Index with Housing (CPIH) and the Retail Price Index (RPI). 

This can get a little confusing at first with all of the different figures, but the breakdown below shows how each one works and how relevant it is to you. 

CPI inflation

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is the UK’s official measure of inflation and the rate you’re likely to see make headlines. 

For CPI, the ONS tracks around 180,000 prices of 700 hundred everyday items in an imaginary shopping basket (called the basket of goods) to work out the inflation rate. 

These everyday items and services fall into one of the following categories: 

  • Food & non-alcoholic beverages
  • Alcohol & tobacco
  • Clothing & footwear
  • Housing & household services
  • Furniture & household goods
  • Health
  • Transport
  • Communication
  • Recreation & culture
  • Education
  • Restaurants & hotels
  • Miscellaneous goods & services

The basket of goods gets reviewed each year to make sure that it gives an accurate picture of how price rises relate to our spending habits and patterns.

This means that products and services might get added to the basket each month, while others are taken out.  

What is core inflation?

Another measurement for inflation you may have come across is “core inflation.” Core inflation tracks the same goods and services as CPI but doesn’t include food, energy, alcohol and tobacco. 

These are taken out as they’re generally seen as the most volatile, so core inflation should give us a better understanding of how prices are changing outside of the everyday essentials.

What’s in the basket of goods?

Inflation in the UK is measured by looking at the price changes for an imaginary shopping basket, known as the “basket of goods.”

The basket includes lots of products and services that we use and tends to change to reflect our spending habits to make sure that the inflation rate is relevant.

The contents are refreshed each year, and in March 2024, 16 were added to the basket including air fryers, vinyl music and gluten free bread. Items that have been taken out of the basket include hand gel, rotisserie chicken and bakeware.

You can see how prices have changed for individual items in this ONS calculator.

CPIH Inflation

CPIH is a measure of UK inflation that takes into account housing costs, as well as everyday goods and services. 

It uses the same basket of goods as CPI but also includes prices for things like the cost of owning, renting or maintaining your home. It also takes into account expenses like council tax.  

CPIH is the newest measure of inflation and was introduced in 2013 to plug some of the gaps left by CPI (mainly the lack of tracking of housing costs.) 

RPI inflation

RPI used to be the main measure of inflation in the UK until it was replaced by CPI in 2011. 

It tracks the same basket of goods currently used for CPI but also includes things like estate agent fees, buildings insurance, TV licence and mortgage interest payments (which aren’t included anymore!) And, it tends to be higher than the CPI and CPIH measure of inflation. 

Although RPI isn’t the main inflation figure anymore, it’s still used to set the price of things like interest on student loan repayments and rail fare increases we get each year – though there is the flexibility from the government to pick a lower rate if RPI is significantly high.

RPI also plays a big role in the level of retirement income people get from final salary pensions and annuities. 

Do we really need RPI?

So you might be wondering why we still use RPI if it’s technically been replaced. Well, there’s an ongoing debate about its purpose and relevance. 

On one hand, final salary pension schemes and annuities may see less of an income boost if RPI was scrapped altogether. 

However, the government’s use of RPI compared to CPI, in particular, has also come under fire. 

Usually, the government links its own spending – which includes things like the state pension, statutory sick pay and benefits – to the CPI rate of inflation, which is lower. 

However, it uses RPI (which is higher) when it comes to the costs we pay such as train tickets, car tax and student loan interest to name a few. 

At this stage, it remains to be seen what will happen with RPI and whether it is replaced completely by one of the other inflation measures. 

Our podcast

Listen to Cash Chats, our award-winning podcast, presented by Steve Alderton and Editor James Andrews.

Episodes every Monday.

Listen now

How does inflation affect me?

Inflation shows how much the cost of living is rising and gives you an idea of your spending power. So, the higher the rate of inflation, the more expensive everyday expenses tend to be. 

With the current cost of living crisis, we’ve all seen how sharply prices have risen over recent years. From eye-watering grocery bills to the cost of heating and powering our homes, prices have risen across the board. 

High inflation has also caused significant increases to the interest base rate by the BoE. That’s because the BoE raises interest rates in an attempt to bring down inflation to its 2% target. And changes to interest rates can impact both borrowing (especially mortgage) and savings.

Inflation also increases the risk of your money losing value in real terms. One area is wages. If they don’t increase in line with inflation you’ll need to use a higher proportion of your income to buy the same goods and services.

Similarly, your savings could lose value as well because, if your money is earning less interest than the rate of inflation – you won’t be able to buy as much with it.

Read next

Updated July 15, 2025   |   Deals

Craft beer discounts, deals and vouchers

BCWYC Team

Save money on beer from the likes of Brewdog, Beer52 and more.

This page is dedicated to special offers, sales and vouchers which will help you get already cheaper beers for less, or make rarer and more expensive small-batch beers more affordable.

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

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Free beer

Free 4-pack of Beavertown for Londoners (ended)

You can currently get a free four-pack of Beavertown Satellite Super Session IPA. All you’ve got to do is sign up, purchase a pack from a London Co-op and upload your receipt using the link you’ll have been sent to claim the money back. You can get up to £7 for a 4-pack.

This offer ends on 30 November 2024 or when 3,600 cashback redemptions have been made.

Get a free 4-pack of beer

Beer 52

Beer52 is a monthly subscription box full of beers and there are always deals out there to save on your first box. Alternatively you can also buy individual beer as you please via an online beer shop.

Also, from time to time Beer52 also offer heavily discounted boxes of beers that are close to or just past the best before date. They’re still good to drink, and I once picked up a fantastic Stone Brewery box with 8 beers for about £12. I’ll add any of these deals I spot below.

Beer52: Free beer box trial (pay £5.95 postage)

If you’ve never used Beer52’s monthly subscription box before then you should be able to get a free box of 8 beers for just the cost of postage (£5.95).

If you don’t want to keep getting beers in subsequent months, which will be charged at the full price, you’ll need to cancel. You can choose to take holidays if you’d rather where you miss the odd month.

Try the Beer52 club

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Updated July 15, 2025   |   Articles

Amex Shop Small cancelled in 2024

Andy Webb

£5 back when you spend £15 at small shops won’t be returning

Every year, American Express ran a Shop Small offer giving money back for every £15 spent at small businesses. You could get money back from shops, restaurants, pubs and even places like hairdressers, galleries and dentists in the form of a statement credit.

But from 2024 it didn’t return. Here’s everything you need to know.

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

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What happened to Amex Shop Small in 2024?

One of my favourite perks for being an American Express customer was always Shop Small. You’d spend a set amount (around £15) and get a fiver back. It encouraged you to support local businesses and make some money!

However in the last years of the offer, it got smaller and smaller, reducing how many times you could use the promotion and how long the offer ran for. Eventually it was just three times over just three days – a far cry from the two weeks and ten redemptions previously.

Well, American Express quietly killed it off completely in 2024. Their press office told me that a competition announced in October 2024 was instead of the cardholder credit offer, rather than as well as.

Cardholders nominated their favourite independent retailers. There were 50 cardholders who won £1,000 credited to their card. You could enter ten times until 7 December 2024, though it had to be a different shop for each nomination.

In addition, ten of the nominated small shops got a £10,000 grant.

We don’t yet know whether this competition will return for 2025.

When is Amex Shop Small 2025?

American Express won’t be running the scheme in 2025.

How Shop Small 2023 worked

Though it won’t be back this year, here’s how it last ran in 2023.

The pretty big change was a reduction in how many times you could use the offer.

  • Earned £5 back for a spend of £15 or more (before 2021 this was £5 for every £10 spent)
  • You could get the offer at up to three different small shops (previously five shops in 2021 and 2022, and before that in ten shops)
  • There was a cap of £15 earned per card (previously £25 in the last two years, and £50 before that)

It also lasted for just three days. THREE. This reduction was a huge difference to previous years. In 2022 it lasted for ten days, down on the 13 of winter 2021, and 16 days in the years before this.

Other conditions stayed the same, including the rule that you could only earn a Shop Small credit once per retailer, per card.

How you could make the most of Shop Small

Here’s how you could take advantage of the offer when it was running. Note the following all refers to the offer as it ran in 2023.

Add the offer to your card

The offer wasn’t automatically applied to your account. You needed to “add” the offer to your card to take advantage.

Throughout the year you also saw other decent offers. Over the years I gained £250 off a £500 United flight, £20 back from a Eurostar trip, 10% off LNER bookings and £100 back from a £250 hotel booking spend – and there were plenty more. I reckon I easily made another £50 to £100 each year from these offers, sometimes much more.

Add it to your partner’s card

If you had an additional, or ‘supplementary’ card on your account for your partner, then they could also add the offer to their card.

This meant you could both take advantage of the promotion, and you could shop twice at the same retailer – once with each card.

Apply for an extra American Express credit card

You weren’t limited to a single American Express card. Since the offer was per card not per person, if you got another card or two in your name it increased the retailers you could spend at.

You could also get a welcome bonus on a second or third card as the Platinum and BA Premium Plus had different eligibility conditions, depending on which cards you already held. I’ve written more about how to get multiple Amex signup bonuses here.

The latest Amex offers

Check out this article with details of boosted referral bonuses and other extra offers with your American Express card.

Think beyond your normal shopping

It’s easy to always buy things at the same big shops, or visit the same places. This was a chance to try new stores and businesses.

Some of the businesses I looked out for were:

  • Off-licences
  • Corner shops
  • Cafes and restaurants
  • Bars and pubs
  • Small boutiques
  • Museums and galleries
  • Services like dentists, dry cleaning or picture framing

Buy gift cards

If there was nothing you wanted to buy in the moment but you knew there would be purchases you’d make at specific businesses in the short term, then you could buy a gift card using Shop Small.

Split the bill

If you used Shop Small at a restaurant and you were with someone else using Amex, you could split the bill so you both got the credit.

Who paid for Amex Shop Small discounts?

The money all came from American Express. The shops and retailers weren’t be out of pocket at all. You genuinely were helping shops by using this offer which is why it’s such a shame it’s gone.

Our podcast

Listen to Cash Chats, our award-winning podcast, presented by Steve Alderton and Editor James Andrews.

Episodes every Monday.

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How I used Shop Small in 2023

What I planned on buying

The changes to the promo in 2021 changed how I took advantage, and that was even more so with the latest cuts in 2023. I used to mainly spend in restaurants and bars, using it as an opportunity to enjoy a meal out with a little discount, but that got harder over a weekend, especially over multiple cards.

So I looked out for retailers that sold gift cards. This meant I could extend the offer by a few weeks and months.

How to get an Amex credit card

It could take up to two weeks for your card to arrive, though it’s usually much quicker.

(A quick aside, if you don’t feel confident you’ll be able to pay off your spending every month, then don’t even apply! The interest charges will far outweigh the benefits you get).

Right now there are a couple of boosted refer-a-friend welcome bonuses, which is normally a great extra. You can get the increased deals via:

The latest Amex offers

Check out this article with details of boosted referral bonuses and other extra offers with your American Express card.

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Updated July 15, 2025   |   ArticlesReview

Best supermarket cashback apps

Nicky Selwood

Just how good are the deals on grocery cashback apps?

We’ve reviewed CheckoutSmart, Shopmium and Green Jinn to see just what kind of savings these apps are giving and whether it is worth using them. 

From money off to free products, we’ll let you know whether they are worth checking out. Plus there’s a code to get a free treat with Shopmium!

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

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Image of mobile phone with CheckoutSmart, Shopmium and GreenJinn apps

How supermarket cashback apps work

Unlike when you use cashback sites to shop by clicking through, here the cashback is earned after you’ve bought the goods.

You need to look at the apps before you head to the supermarket – or even when you’re walking the aisles – to see the different promotions, pick up the products as you shop as normal and then claim your cashback when you get home.

Each app works slightly differently, but they all require you to select the offer you are claiming and upload a photo of your receipt. 

If that’s all done correctly you’ll start to build up a little bit of extra money which you then transfer to your Paypal or bank account or even transfer for e-vouchers.

Most of the time it’s a proportion of the item cost you’ll get back, but you can sometimes get all your money back – making the items free.

The majority of the products listed on these apps are new. That’s because brands want you to try something different, hoping you’ll keep on buying it but you will occasionally see everyday products.

By the way, they work with online orders too, and you usually don’t need to print out the receipt. Just take a screengrab of it on your phone or download it as a file.

Supermarket cashback apps compared

There are currently three different apps we know of and to be fair that’s probably plenty, as it does take some preparation before you shop to get the most out of them.

Shopmium

Main supermarkets on the appTesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Morrisons and Co-op
Other retailers (depending on products)You’ll sometimes see offers for Iceland, Ocado, Boots, WH Smiths and others
Minimum payout level£10 through bank transfer of PayPal
Welcome offerUse code KHMYEEFW for free Cadbury Buttons
Referral scheme£3 for every friend you refer who claims cashback

Having recently changed their payout minimum to £10, this may be a negative for some, but due to the number of high paying offers on this app, it is relatively quick to reach the £10 threshold and therefore it is my top supermarket cashback app. 

That said, it does have some negatives. You have to click on each product to see what the offer is, which can be time consuming and not the easiest thing to do whilst you’re shopping.

Watch out too for products where different versions are on offer at different supermarkets. Again you need to click in to check.

Therefore this app is one that requires a little of your time before you shop. You can, however, filter the selection to a specific supermarket so you know what offers apply where.

Saying that it offers plenty of high paying cashback. This month for example you can try Domestos spray for £1 so that’s £2 cashback on your purchase and Comfort for £1, so again around £2 back in cashback. It doesn’t appear to offer many ‘free’ products where you get the entire cashback but more offers such as 50% off, or ‘try for £1’ or save £1.50.

You can make extra cashback with special tasks such as submitting a specific number of cashback requests within a certain timeframe. They also offer a loyalty scheme where you can progress through the tiers to get extra benefits such as exclusive offers and birthday treats.

CheckoutSmart

Main supermarkets on the appTesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Morrisons and Ocado
Other retailers (depending on products)Iceland, Co-op, plus many more although most don’t have any offers apart from the daily £10 draw
Minimum payout level£1+ for your first payment; £5+ thereafter. NB payments under £20 made to bank or PayPal will incur a 5% transfer fee. Payments to e-vouchers just have to meet minimum payment level of £5.
Welcome offerNo
Referral schemeNo

CheckoutSmart tends to be the best for freebies. It also has a far wider list of supermarkets that are easy to filter. 

In terms of ease of use you can see the product and what the discount is at a glance, helping you see whether it’s worth your time and also allowing you to check this app whilst you’re shopping.

You can also filter the offers in terms of the highest percentage paid, which will give you the free products (100% cashback) first. The free products may be good enough to entice you to another supermarket. At the time of writing there are free energy drinks, salami and chicken bites available at different retailers.

If you want cash to your bank account or PayPal the app has a high £20 payout level, though freebies can help you reach that amount if you use the app frequently. Or you can instead choose a gift card, though only in multiples of £5. This payment method is set to alternate each week with the cash payout. The payout time can take a long time and I’ve often waited over a week to receive my payment.

There is a negative with this app, in that there are times where there is little change in the offers available and some offers seem to have been on the app for ages. You can also find that this app may have some retailers with very few offers available at times – I often find Morrisons lacking in new offers for example.

GreenJinn

Main supermarkets on the appTesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Morrisons, Co-op, Ocado, M&S, Booths, Wholefoods
Other retailers (depending on products)Boots, WH Smith
Minimum payout level£1.50 through bank transfer of PayPal
Welcome offerNo
Referral schemeShare a particular coupon with friends (marked with a green tab) and if they redeem it you’ll get a bonus £1

Green Jinn is easy to use and you can quickly select your retailer and see what offers are available without having to click into an advert like you do with Shopmium. There are some different products from what you see on the other apps as it claims to only offer good quality or healthy food and drink. At present, you’ll find lots of cereal bars, natural energy drinks and healthier drinks such as kombucha.

There are some really good offers for free products and some high-paying cashback offers too. It’s nice to be able to try a product for free or for £1 for example, that you may not have picked up usually. Just last week, I got cashback for the full price of a 4 pack of matcha fizzy drinks – that’s a £6 item I got to try for free!

Underneath all the offers is a section for each supermarket labelled ‘your everyday shop’ where you’ll usually find two cashback offers on fruit or veg so don’t forget to scroll down to these.

This app also offers a variety of cashback on products at Boots and WH Smith including non-food options such as Rock Face deodorant which you can currently try for £1 from Boots.

The only gripe I have with this app is that since the products are quite niche, they’re often hard to locate. There’s been some really interesting CBD drinks to try for free at Waitrose, but I’ve been to two stores and have yet to find them!

Get cashback on all your supermarket shopping

Don’t forget you can use apps like HyperJar, Cheddar and JamDoughnut to buy supermarket gift cards and earn cashback. So, say you earn 4% back on a £100 Tesco gift card, that’s £4 off your spend! Here’s more on each app;

What to watch out for

Cashing out your cashback

When Shopitize suddenly closed a few years ago, many customers lost money that they hadn’t withdrawn from the app. So it’s vital that you don’t let money build up with these apps.

Payout limits are something to watch out for. It can take a while to reach the cashback  threshold in your account to let you cash out – a particular issue with CheckoutSmart.

All three apps require you to request to cash out as none offer an automatic option, so you have to remember to do it.

Spending money to save money

Just as important is to not let the discount convince you to buy something you don’t want – just because you’re saving 50p, it doesn’t mean you should buy it. But that said, if an item is free, it’s worth giving it a try or even donating it to a food bank if you’re’ not likely to consume it.

I personally love the option it gives me to try something for a discount price or even free that I wouldn’t normally buy but I’m never encouraged to try something new if the cashback offered is really low.

Uploading errors

Frustratingly, receipts will sometimes be rejected for quality purposes. You then need to retake the photos and upload them until they are accepted. But this is rare, and even receipts that have been crumpled up in my shopping bag have been accepted.

And obviously you need to remember to print the receipt at the supermarket too. And don’t forget to hold on to it until your cashback claim has been accepted – usually a couple of hours to a day at most. 

Buying the wrong products

Not all offers are valid at all supermarkets, and products can be very specific in terms of size and flavour. This means there’s a risk that you accidentally pick up the wrong product or buy it at the wrong supermarket.

I’ve certainly missed out by accidentally picking up raspberry rather than strawberry jam, or bought in Tesco to find the offer was only valid for Sainsbury’s.

You might also find that one flavour is on offer from one shop, and a different flavour from another, so read the full offer details to check.

While you’re at it, double-check the terms of the deal too. Rather than a simple money-back promo, or it could be along the lines of buy one get one free.

Finding the items in-store

And I wouldn’t go out of your way to visit a supermarket for one of these offers. I’ve often been frustrated to find my local branch didn’t stock the item.

It’s best to treat it as something to check when you get to the supermarket, rather than plan your shopping around it.

Are supermarket cashback apps worth using?

Since uploading a receipt and scanning the barcodes doesn’t take that long (maybe two minutes max) I’d say it’s worth the time to get cashback on a variety of products. 

It is worth checking all three apps before you go shopping or even when you’re walking from the car to the supermarket entrance, to see if there are any products with a good cashback offer that may be worth keeping an eye out for.

Remember that not all offers are valid at all supermarkets, and products can be very specific in terms of size and flavour, so make sure you’re picking up the right product at the right supermarket.

And keep an eye out for products that are on offer at the supermarket. Green Jinn and CheckoutSmart allow you in theory to get double discount, so you could end up getting cashback on the rrp whilst the product is on offer at the supermarket – in theory making you some extra money. This doesn’t work with Shopmium though.

All in all, I’m a fan of using all three apps, but I’m willing to spend an extra five minutes before or during my weekly shop to see what offers are available and to take the time to claim the cashback once I’m home. The fact I can sometimes try items for free, makes it worth the effort.

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Updated July 15, 2025   |   ArticlesReview

Deliveroo Plus – is it worth it?

Andy Webb

You can pay between £3.49 and £7.99 a month to get free delivery and other discounts

Takeaways might be tasty but they aren’t a cheap habit. And once you add in the service and delivery charges you get on top from the likes of Deliveroo and Uber Eats, it can quickly add up to much more than you intended.

Deliveroo knows this, so it offers a delivery subscription service, which gives free delivery on orders for a monthly fee. And did you know that Amazon Prime customers also get Deliveroo Plus included in their subscription?

But is paying for a monthly membership going to save you any money? Here’s our take.

Deliveroo plus logo

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

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What is Deliveroo Plus?

You’re basically signing up for a delivery pass with a monthly charge. Depending on the tier you select, you’ll get free delivery when you spend over a certain amount.

However, you will still pay the service charge on each order. Deliveroo also promises that members will receive extra “Plus” discounts – we’ll take a look at these below.

You are only tied into one month at a time so you can pick and choose when you want to use it. However, it will auto-renew if you don’t cancel.

Deliveroo Plus costs

There are two levels you can choose between:

Deliveroo Plus Silver

  • Cost: £3.49 a month
  • Minimum order for free delivery: £15 for close orders, but this may increase for restaurants further away — more on this below
  • Minimum order for free grocery delivery: £25

Until 31 January 2024, the minimum order for restaurant orders was £25, so the lower £15 level will mean single people can still take advantage of the scheme.

Deliveroo Plus Gold

  • Cost: £7.99 (was £11.49 a month)
  • Minimum order for free delivery: £10 for close orders, but this may increase for restaurants further away — more on this below
  • Minimum order for free grocery delivery: £15

You can order back-to-back free deliveries to different addresses with Gold, so you could potentially share your membership and split the cost.

In addition, Gold members get 10% credit back on every eligible order over £30. This cashback can then be redeemed on your next order. You can save up your cashback and stack it in one order, too.

Essentially, if you reckon you order more than £80 in takeaways each, you might make back the difference as well as get the other benefits, but this might be a fairly high threshold for a lot of households.

There is also an invite-only membership known as Deliveroo Plus Diamond, which gives you all the benefits of Gold membership plus free priority delivery on eligible orders and your full order value back as credit if your order arrives more than ten minutes late.

Other Deliveroo costs

You’ll still have to pay delivery charges if your order is less than the minimum set by your subscription level, and there could be a small order fee added on top.

Though you’ll get free delivery if you reach the minimum spend, there is still the service charge to pay – although this is reduced with the Deliveroo Plus Gold membership.

What is the extended delivery fee?

In April 2024, Deliveroo announced that it would be introducing a “small extended delivery fee” when drivers need to travel further (we think this is for ones four or more miles away) . We asked Deliveroo for more information on this and were told that the fee “applies to [Deliveroo] customers and primarily depends on how far the rider needs to travel to reach the customer. This fee will be discounted, exclusively for Plus customers, so members will pay less than other Deliveroo customers.”

We’ve taken a look at the app and it appears that the delivery cost for these restaurants is significantly higher — more than twice the cost a lot of the time. However, the minimum amount for delivery is also higher — and in the seven restaurants we checked, if you order above the minimum delivery, the delivery fee is removed.

However, order below the minimum order and you’ll pay a significantly higher delivery fee and a small order fee — these came to more than £10 at all of the restaurants we tried.

Deliveroo Plus discounts

Deliveroo Plus free trial

You can often get one 14-day free trial per account. You can cancel at any time before the trial ends but you’ll sacrifice any remaining days left. But forget to cancel and you will get charged.

If that happens, you’ve still got a 14-day cooling off period to request a full refund – as long as you don’t use the service in that time.

You’ll see the option to sign up in the app or on the site. If it’s not there then go to settings.

Free Deliveroo Plus with Amazon Prime

Amazon Prime members can get a free year of Deliveroo Plus Silver, worth £41.88. This (as you can see above) entitles you to free delivery if you spend £15 or more on an order. Here’s how to claim the offer.

If you end your Prime membership during the year you’ll also end your Deliveroo Plus membership. At the end of the year your membership will end – unless you had a membership running before activating this offer. In that case it’ll revert to whatever plan you were on.

Amazon Prime costs £95 a year and comes with free Amazon delivery and free Amazon Prime Video streaming (among other extras). You can also get a 30-day free trial.

If you already pay for Deliveroo Plus then it’s worth considering whether getting Prime as well for an extra £53.12 could be a decent deal. But following my year without Amazon, I’ve come to the conclusion that paying for Prime really isn’t worth it.

Our podcast

Listen to Cash Chats, our award-winning podcast, presented by Steve Alderton and Editor James Andrews.

Episodes every Monday.

Listen now

Deliveroo Plus rewards

These extra discounts have the potential to save you cash – but it’s a bit of a postcode lottery.

These are typically ones where you need to order a number of times at participating restaurants in a set time to get money off a fourth order – but the chances of you finding the restaurant you want to order from listed in this promotion are slim. And it could tempt you to order more than you normally would just to get a smallish discount.

If you pay for Gold you’ll also get £5 credit if your order arrives later than initially expected.

So, you probably don’t want to sign up expecting to save extra from the membership, though it’s a handy bonus if you do manage to.

Is Deliveroo Plus a good idea?

Andy’s Analysis

Taking a look at some of the delivery charges near me, they range from 79p through to £3.49 – with the majority around the £3 mark. Have a look at your most recent orders and see what you’ve been paying each month.

I’d imagine that if you are someone that regularly orders at least two takeaways from Deliveroo over £15, then you will hopefully get your £3.49 subscription fee back after one or two orders, maybe three.

It’s a tougher sell for people who won’t hit the £15 minimum spend for the Silver option. With the cost of the next tier at £7.99, earning 10% cashback would mean you’d need to spend about £80 per month on takeaways to make the month back. In delivery charges, you’d need to order at least three times a month (probably more) to get the month back. This can be harder to justify (unless you split the membership with a friend or family member at a different address).

So do the (quick) maths to work out whether you’ll actually benefit from this scheme or whether you’ll actually be spending more than the actual deliveries cost.

But even if you think that makes sense, there are some wider issues you need to consider.

First, if you sign up for a service like this it will be really tempting to order more takeaways. And that means you will spend more.

Second, it ties you into using just Deliveroo. And if you want to order from a restaurant on another app or direct, then you’ll have to pay a separate delivery charge.

Finally, it’s actually often cheaper to order direct from the takeaway. Since Deliveroo (and the other apps) take a decent cut of the sale, prices can be higher than if you go direct. Plus you need to factor in that service charge on top. Though sadly fewer and fewer restaurants are offering their own delivery service.

So check out the websites for your faves, and see if the prices are lower, and if delivery is free. If so that sounds like a better option – plus the restaurant will get to keep more of the money.

But if you order at least once a month from a Deliveroo only takeaway and spend at least £15 each time, then the family pass at £3.49 will mean you at least break even. That means there’s not much harm giving it a go – as long as you don’t start ordering more frequently than if you didn’t have it!

How to cancel Deliveroo Plus

Simply head to your account and select the option to cancel your membership. If that doesn’t work you can email [email protected].

Avoid supermarket orders on takeaway apps

Finally, a reminder that ordering from supermarkets on Deliveroo and Uber Eats is generally going to be more expensive than doing it yourself or ordering from their own delivery services.

Deliveroo promo codes

New users can also save money on their first order by using a promo code. I’ll list the best ones of these on my takeaway deals page.

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Updated July 15, 2025   |   Articles

How to get free Amazon returns

Andy Webb

The reason you choose when returning an item can affect how much money you get refunded

Amazon’s dominance and often low prices means you’ve probably bought something from the online giant over the last few years – even if, like me, you’ve been trying to support local businesses.

But what happens if you don’t want or need something you’ve purchased? Well it’s pretty easy to return something online with Amazon. But one of the steps is more important than you probably realise – the reason why you want to make the return. Pick the wrong one and you may end up having to pay the postage.

image of a parcel on a doorstep

Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.

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Amazon’s returns policy

As with most online purchases from any retailer, you’ve 14 days after you get the goods to return them. You don’t have to justify the return. In most cases, Amazon actually extends this period to 30 days.

A few items can’t be returned, generally anything that’s been customised or is perishable. You also can’t return media (such as CDs or DVDs) that have had their seal broken. You can read about these and a few other exemptions on Amazon.

But just because you can return a purchase within this time, it doesn’t mean it’ll be free.

Andy Says: Think twice if you’re returning to a small retailer

It’s worth noting that the refund rules apply across all of Amazon. But not everything you buy with the retailer is actually sold by them. It might not even be dispatched by them.

When you buy from third parties, they’ll obviously have to shoulder the costs of returns. And this can make quite a difference to their profit margins. 

So if you are returning the item because it genuinely is one of the chargeable reasons, consider whether you really should opt for a free option instead.

If it’s sold by Amazon though, I’d say it’s fair game to get them to fund the return costs. If it’s “fulfilled by Amazon” or sold by another shop, then it’s best to pay to return (as long as it’s not their fault).

When Amazon will charge you to return an item

There are three options you can choose which will mean you will get your refund minus £3.99. These are:

  • Accidental order
  • Better price available
  • No longer needed

The first one is easy to do with Amazon’s “One Click” buying option. I know I’ve accidentally hit that button when browsing but realised in time to cancel the order before dispatch. But if you’ve not realised until the package arrives at your front door Amazon wants to charge you the cost of sending it back.

This is possibly also the option you’d choose for any mistakes you made – perhaps you selected the wrong colour or didn’t properly read the description.

The common theme with the other two options is that you’d rather not keep the purchase, either because you want to pick it up for less elsewhere or you simply changed your mind. In each of these instances, Amazon is saying yes you can get your money back, but we’re going to charge you for having to bring the items back to the warehouse.

It is possible however, to avoid these charges by choosing one of the other options instead.

When Amazon won’t charge you to return an item

Now if you’ve brought something that is broken or faulty then Amazon has to either offer you a replacement or a full refund. And you’ll also get the delivery cost back. You will have to explain how it or the packaging is broken.

You can also get a free return and full refund if an item has arrived after it’s estimated despatch time. This is a really useful one. I think lots of people shop on Amazon for the fast delivery, often when they’ve left something to the last minute. And if a delay means you get something too late, then it’s worth returning the items and getting the full refund.

But what if it’s not damaged and arrived on time? Well, there are alternatives reasons you can choose, including the following:

  • Incompatible or not useful for the intended purpose
  • Performance or quality not adequate
  • Description on website was not accurate
  • Unauthorised purchase

I think the first three here are all justifiable selections if what you’ve bought isn’t what you hoped it would be. I wouldn’t use unauthorised purchase unless this really has happened – which could well happen if you’ve got kids talking to your Alexa smart speaker!

A final group where you can get free returns, and all your money back, is anything categorised as clothes, shoes, jewellery or watches. With these, you have to be able to try something on, so it’s near on impossible to know if it’s right before you order. If you’re not with Prime, here are some tricks to save money on your Amazon delivery.

What happens if you paid for speedier delivery?

One caveat with these reasons for returning is that you’ll only get the cost of the cheapest delivery refunded. Now, if you’re a Prime member buying from Amazon then this is irrelevant, as you won’t have been charged delivery.

But non-Prime members, or anyone buying from a third party might have paid extra. Of course, if the item is faulty you will get all the money back.

How to return purchases to Amazon

It’s actually very easy. Go to the orders section of your Amazon account and find the item you want to send back. Choose one of the reasons above which gives you free returns, then select whether you want a replacement or a refund.

If you choose refund you can have the money put back on your payment card or added to your Amazon account. Credit to your account will happen as soon as the item is received. If you choose your card, it’ll take 5 to 7 days.

Then you’ll be able to choose your return option. You can drop your parcel off at a number of drop off points including a Post Office or an Evri ParcelShop or arrange a collection. You don’t even need a label for some options, as they can be provided when you hand over your package.

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Updated July 15, 2025   |   Articles

What to do with old coins and banknotes?

Andy Webb

There are an estimated 76 million old £1 coins still in circulation and £7.2bn in old notes

image of old twenty pound notes

How many old notes and coins are still in circulation?

A BBC Wales investigation found that a staggering £7.2bn of old-style banknotes were still out there.

The breakdown of old notes was:

  • 110 million £5 notes
  • 62 million £10 notes
  • 171 million £20 notes
  • 52 million £50 notes

And there are coins too. The current pound coin, with its many sides, two colours and other anti-counterfeiting measures has been around since May 2017. The old round coin stopped being accepted in shops six months later.

At the time there were thought to be 500 million of the old coins in circulation, so the fact there are still 76 million out there is surprising. There’s a good chance many of them are lost forever, but a huge chunk of that £76 million pounds has to be just sitting in our homes.

The best bank switch bonuses

Check out our list of all the bank switch offers you can get when opening a new current account

the best bank switch offers on a blue background

What to do if you have an old £1 coin

If you find an old pound coin, you won’t be able to use it any shops or businesses. And you won’t be able to exchange them for the new pound coins either.

But you will be able to pay them into accounts at banks, building societies. If you don’t have your bank near you, or it’s someone like Monzo or First Direct with no branch, then you can also deposit old round pounds at the Post Office.

So if you track any down, then simply pop into your branch with your bank card and get it added to your balance. There’s a chance your bank could have a minimum number of coins to make a deposit

Before you do that, it’s worth a quick check on somewhere like eBay that you don’t have a rare version which could be worth more.

What to do with old £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes

If you have a UK bank account, the easiest way to exchange your old banknotes is to pay them into your bank account at a local branch or Post Office. There are also 48 Post Offices that will swap old banknotes, even if you do not have a bank account.

You can also take your old notes in person to the Bank Of England in London or send them via the post for a swap.

Where to look for old coins and notes

If you haven’t checked for the old coins or notes, here are a few of the less obvious places you might have forgotten to check.

Your kid’s room

Soon after the old pound coins stopped being legal tender, my then seven-year old niece shared she had a small pot full of them that she was saving. In the end it turned out my dad (her granddad) had already switched them over to the new version. But it shows that if you’ve got kids with a money box or small purse they could be hoarding some old coins.

Winter clothes and bags

If you change your wardrobe with the seasons, then there will be some clothes – particularly coats – you’ve not used for six or more months. Check the pockets and check the bottom of bags.

Occasional use bags

A bit like the winter clothes, you might have bags you rarely use. It could be a posh handbag or a small one for weddings and nights out. You might have a sports or gym bag that’s not been used all summer. Basically anything you’ve not used for a while but you might put cash in!

Random change jars

We’ve got a couple of these at home and I tend to forget they are even there. Since I hate having loose change I tend to empty my wallet whenever I get some. This is usually onto random surfaces, which my wife then moves into a jar. It’s mainly pennies, but you could have a pound or two buried within.

coin jar
One of our random coin jars – no £1 coins, new or old, but plenty of coppers!

Your glove compartment

Though most car parks are going cashless, you might have a few quid hidden in the glove compartment.

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