Even though the weather is making us want to go back to bed wrapped in our duvet AND electric blanket, we’ve officially decided that it’s Spring. Or whatever passes for Spring in the UK. But it can be pretty hard to update your wardrobe without spending major cash, especially if you’re weeks away from payday or saving up for your summer holiday. So we’ve rounded up all the ways you can save your pennies while still getting your hands on the latest high street stuff.
Get social media savvy
Many brands will announce discounts and sales on their Instagram and Twitter profiles first – for smaller indie companies that don’t have the manpower for a full-on marketing team, social media is often their most immediate way to reach out to customers (i.e. YOU). Always follow your fav must-have brands and you’ll be the first to know if they have any sample sales, one-off discounts or offers.
Compare costs across both brand and department store sites
Lots of brands run their own online shops as well as stocking their range on one-stop department store retailers like Asos. Always try to work out which site works out cheaper (and don’t forget to include shipping). Take this handsome turquoise pair of Nike Air Max 1: it costs £79.89 on Nike’s official e-store, but comes in at £59.99 on Foot Asylum. That’s a saving of almost £20 for the exact same pair of trainers.
A quick, easy way of combing the internet for a better deal is Google – just put in the full name of the product and select the Shopping option in search. Google Shopper will automatically pull together results from eBay, Amazon and other retailers. You can even filter according to review score and price.
Sign up to email newsletters for first time discounts
Shops are usually desperate to get customers signing up for their email newsletters – it’s one way to boost their customer base. As a sweetener, many brands also offer new sign-ups a discount for your next order. Right now, American Apparel is offering first-time followers 15% off; Calvin Klein gives you 10%, and Gap does 30%.
Hellbent on getting that discount as a second-time customer? COUGH technically there’s nothing stopping you from signing up twice under separate emails COUGH. If you find the mail-outs annoying, you can use Unroll.me to unsubscribe from the newsletters en masse.
Always check for voucher codes
Ever looked at a magazine cover and been tempted by the 20% off shopping discount offered within, but totally failed to buy the mag or take note of the voucher code inside? No worries. There are loads of websites that keep a running tally of online shopping vouchers – try VoucherCodes, VoucherCloud or MyVoucherCodes. My go-to is Money Saving Expert, which collates all the most recent voucher codes on a single page and lets you know how many days are left till expiry. And if you’re a fiend for magazine freebies, this forum takes note of all the mini toiletries and smellies that come bundled with the newest issues.
Sign up to a cashback site
They might sound like a scam, but using cashback sites actually can pay off. Instead of going direct to an online shop, you click through to the company via a cashback link on the site. When you buy something, a percentage of the item’s cost is put into your cashback account. You have to wait a few weeks or even months until you can withdraw the money, but it’s worth it if you’re on a big splurge. With some websites, you can even get a little bonus cash or trade in your rewards for a higher-value Amazon voucher. TopCashBack and Quidco are two of the most popular cashback sites. You have to sign up, but membership is free.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.