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So you'd like to save money?

By Ian Urie

Well, in these recessionary times, maybe we should try the internet.

Everyone loves a bargain, so here's maybe a new twist on an old angle.
Pre-internet days, word spread by word of mouth about bargains.

Now, there's a site that tells you where to find them.



Clicking on the grab will take you there.
It's HotUKdeals.
Basically the members on the site tell everyone when they find a bargain.
Now, when I type this, it sounds a bit naff.
However, if you consider that there are thousands of people who browse the site,
you start to get the idea that there may well be something on the site that may interest you.
Most of the bargains are time based, in other words you find that a bargain only lasts for a short time.

I find the site really addictive, and it appears in my history file more times than is probably good for me.
I've bought  quite a few things from seeing the deal on the site and, once you do, you really appreciate
how good the site can be.
It's very easy to navigate and the bargains listed normally have a link to the item, if it's online.
If it's simply in the shops, go to the shop and purchase it as normal.
Firms  have discovered that this site can help shift stock, and you see some of them announce sales etc. on the forums as well.
Have a gander at it, and discover the wide world of bargain hunting.

As with all things online, one link leads to another.
Browsing the forums, some of the items mention Quidco.
It's a name that wasn't familiar to me either (at the beginning).



Guess what? Click on the grab to go there, as usual.
Quidco is a co-operative that has managed to get cashback deals with a list of retailers.
The list is extensive and is growing daily.
The premise is simple.
Start shopping via the quidco site (after joining), and if the purchase is from one of the merchants they've signed up, you get a discount paid retroactively.
So, how does the site survive?
All is explained on the site, however, here's a quick run-through.
The site is run by funds from the membership.
The fee is £5 a year.
This is taken from the cashback you've earned, so no cashback, no fee.
Once the cashback has gone over the £5, you get the rest, either through your bank or PayPal.
Simple!
I suggest reading through the documentation on the site, it is quite painless.
Some of the folk who told me about the HotUKdeals site use Quidco and have already received decent amounts of cashback.
It's another wrinkle on the system.
Have a read at the site and see if it could suit you as well.
They have also made it plain that they don't sell your information to anyone, and the tracking from the site is simply to calculate cashback.