Anyone who’s trashed the shelves of TK Maxx knows that finding a good deal can be quite tricky.
But imagine you walk into a store, and once you’ve decided what to buy, a salesperson offers you a discount and automatically applies the discount at checkout.
Although this service does not yet exist on the High Street, it does exist online.
Until recently, when shopping online, I always waited to get to the checkout page before looking to see if there were any discount codes available.
So, for example, if I was shopping on the Marks & Spencer website, I would type the “Marks & Spencer voucher code” into a separate browser search bar before purchasing the item, in the hope of being lucky and finding some money.
It worked sometimes but, more often than not, I found a list of codes that didn’t work for my purchase for various reasons. What a waste of time and effort – not to mention frustration, knowing there could be discounts out there if I only knew where to look.
Anyone who’s trashed the shelves of TK Maxx knows that finding a good deal can be quite tricky. But imagine you walk into a store and, once you’ve decided what to buy, a salesperson offers you a discount and automatically applies the discount at checkout. Although this service does not yet exist on the High Street, it does exist online
Thank goodness, then, for a new generation of apps that work like an online shopping assistant, automatically finding you the best deals.
I’ve found a few of these browser extensions (apps you download on Chrome, Safari, or whatever internet browser you use) that apply all the discount codes available to you at checkout. They made my online shopping experience much better value for money, not to mention faster.
The first of these is the Honey browser extension which works automatically as you shop, looking for coupons for any shopping site you come to that has an agreement with.
When you arrive at the checkout and are about to pay, it automatically goes through all the possible discount codes. This means it takes longer to complete the purchase. A box appears in the top right of the screen indicating that Honey is trying several vouchers.
But it’s worth the wait if the app then finds a discount code that you didn’t know about and saves you money on the final purchase.
Even if it doesn’t find a discount code for your item, you can still earn “Honey Gold” through the app’s loyalty program, which ultimately equals shopping credit or gift cards. gifts.
These are financed by the commissions that Honey is paid by the various sites with which it is related. In fact, these commissions are the main reason why Honey is free because its revenue comes from the brands you shop with. On Amazon, Honey will also show you if a product is available at a lower price from another seller, which is very helpful.
The first of these is the Honey browser extension which works automatically as you shop, looking for coupons for any shopping site you come to that has an agreement with.
Is there a catch to this wonderful app that can save you money on purchases from a host of websites such as Nike, Skechers, Expedia and Forever 21?
Not really. Honey collects information about the websites you visit, but it says it doesn’t log your internet history or sell your contact information to advertisers.
The Honey app costs nothing to install on your computer, mobile phone or tablet, and there are no other user costs. Its use is completely free. Just go to joinhoney.com if you want to download it.
A similar browser extension that helps you get the best price for anything you want to buy is the Karma app.
When you go to buy something from a shopping website, it searches for coupons to lower the price for you.
It also lets you store links to products you’re interested in but don’t need to buy right now, so it can let you know when the price drops or there’s another update. product day.
This means you don’t have to go back to the website to see if the item is already on sale.
The app is connected to a host of websites, including H&M, Zara, ASOS, Net-a-Porter and Matches, and also offers cashback when you buy goods from certain websites.
The cash back element occurs when you shop on affiliate websites through the karmanow.com site.
All of these stores offer between 1-4% of the purchase price paid into your account as an incentive to shop there.
Other useful features include an in-app shopping list, where you can store lists of products you like.
Karma will then notify you when the prices for these have dropped.
You can sign up for Karma, which is also free, and install it in your browser, or download it to your phone to help you shop for less when you’re on the go.
A question for Jasmine? Email her at AskJasmine@MoneyMagpie.com
Recycle your clothes like royalty
The queen is very excited to makeover her clothes to wear all her outfits well.
And it was evident at the Jubilee celebrations that other members of the Royal Family had pulled a leaf from his book and were wearing old favorites rather than embarking on something new.
Royal fashion watcher Miranda Holder said: “The white Alexander McQueen coat dress that Kate wore to the Jubilee was originally seen when she attended one of the G7 summits. And Camilla wore a Bruce Oldfield number to the pageant again.
Give your clothes the royal treatment by recycling and revamping them to expand your wardrobe and cut costs.
Holder says using different accessories is the fastest way to change up an outfit.
“You can turn a daytime look into an evening look with a jazzy belt, earrings and a cool bag,” she says. “Scour vintage markets, thrift stores and discount sites because you can often buy unusual things that will give an outfit a new look.
‘Customize what you have. You might like an old blouse but you don’t like its belt or its buttons, so update it. There are plenty of tutorials on YouTube on how to rework things, from adding beads to sewing on patches or dyeing clothes.
Turn a dress that has seen better days into a skirt or top. T-shirts can be transformed into sleepwear. Old jeans can become trendy summer shorts.
It’s also worth browsing through your wardrobe to see what you might be selling. Use Vinted, Depop, eBay, Preloved, or any of the other second-hand websites to turn your clothes into cash.
The Commonwealth Games are being held in Birmingham this year, July 28-August 8, and you can watch the action live – and get paid for it – by taking up one of the thousands of short-term jobs they will have to provide. .
There will be roles in security, stewardship, catering, retail, cleaning, transportation, logistics and more, which will give you access to the Games and help you earn extra money during summer.
These temporary jobs will last anywhere from three weeks to three months, so there’s quite a bit of flexibility. Many are particularly suitable for students looking for a job during the summer holidays or anyone in between jobs who needs the money to get by.
Sports fans should definitely apply! Visit birmingham2022.com/jobs to register your interest.
Get 20% off all books at the award-winning books2door.com website. It has something for adults and kids of all ages and scores an impressive five-star rating on Trustpilot. Its prices are already up to 80pc off the cover price but, using my exclusive code, JASMINE20, at checkout, you can get an extra 20pc off any books you buy. Hurry: the offer only lasts until midnight Friday June 17. Only one use per customer.
If you’re 60 or over, you can get 10% off all your food purchases at Iceland or The Food Warehouse on Tuesdays through the end of July. Simply show proof of your age, such as a driver’s license, bus pass or freedom pass, at the cash desk to have the money deducted from your bill.
