Online shopping these days is incredibly convenient, but it is also easier than ever to overspend. As well as continuous advertising, retailers use advanced psychological tricks to get you to open your wallet… However, you can fight back by using the best tools, strategies and hacks on the internet to keep your hard-earned cash in your bank account.

Here are 50 easy ways to save money every time you browse, stream or shop online.

---

Smart Shopping Tools & Browser Extensions

• Use cashback sites such as TopCashback or Quidco: Earn between 1% and 20% back on the purchases you were already going to make. Cashback sites like these often offer exclusive rewards to their members.
• Activate cash-back extensions like Capital One Shopping or use Microsoft Rewards: These extensions automatically find and apply the best coupon codes at the checkout.
• Claim cashback with receipts: Mobile apps such as Checkoutsmart and Shopmium let you scan your receipts so you can claim money back after you buy an item in shops or online. Some offer free products via cashback so it it worth checking these out.
• Become a VIP: Shop twice a month with any VIP retailer through the website Vouchercodes with a minimum spend of £15, and your two shops will count towards a £5 gift card (even if you’re not shopping for a specific offer).
• Get the timing right: Tools like Pricerunner allow you to track the price history of products so you know if you are actually getting a good deal.

---

Digital Coupon & Rebate Strategies

• Stack coupons with cashback: Combine store discount codes with cash back apps and a rewards credit or debit card such as Monzo for triple the savings.
• Abandon your shopping cart: Sign in to a website you want to purchase from and add items to your cart, then close the tab. Retailers will often email you a 10% to 20% discount code a day later to incentivise you to complete the purchase.
• Sign up for store newsletters using a spare email: Retailers almost always offer a 10% to 15% welcome discount for first time subscribers; Using a separate email inbox avoids cluttering your main email account.
• Hunt for student, military, or first-responder discounts: Websites like ID.me and Unidays offer huge online discounts if you can verify your status.
• Get chatting to customer service: Before checking out, open the live chat widget and politely ask if there are any active promotional codes or free shipping offers they can apply to your order.
• Search for “Gift Card Granny” or “Raise” before buying: Buy discounted digital gift cards for the store you are shopping at, then use them just like cash.

---

Tech & Browsing Tweaks

• Go undercover in Incognito mode: Travel sites and many other retailers use cookies to track your shopping habits and then raise prices if you look at a particular item multiple times.
• Clear your browser cookies and cache regularly: This resets dynamic pricing algorithms on many sites to provide you with the best deal.
• Use a VPN to change your location: Digital products, software, car rentals and flights can be significantly cheaper depending on what country you appear to be browsing from.
• Change your digital Birthday: Set the birth date on your retail account profiles to the current month or whatever time of year you want to treat yourself to get their annual Birthday coupons and deals.

---

Shipping & Delivery Hacks

• Filter by “Free Shipping”: Always check the shipping terms before falling in love with a product, as high delivery fees can ruin a good deal.
• Add “filler items” to hit free shipping thresholds: If shipping costs £5, but spending £3 more gets you free shipping, find a cheap, useful item (like socks or lip balm) to bridge the gap.
• Opt for “No-Rush” shipping: Platforms like Amazon often give you digital credits for eBooks, movies, or future purchases if you forgo next-day delivery.
• Use ship-to-store options: Many retailers offer free delivery if you pick up the item at a local brick-and-mortar branch instead of having it sent to your house.

---

Subscriptions, Streaming & Entertainment

• Audit your subscriptions with Rocket Money or Caleb: Use an app or manually check your bank statements to cancel digital subscriptions you forgot you had.
• Rotate your streaming services: Instead of paying for Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and Max all at once, subscribe to one for a month, binge your favourite shows, cancel it, and switch to another.
• Share family plans: Group together with family members for Spotify, YouTube Premium, or Apple One to split the cost legally.
• Utilise your local library’s digital catalogue: Use apps like Libby, Hoopla, or Kanopy to borrow eBooks, audiobooks, comic books, and movies entirely for free with a library card.
• Threaten to cancel: Go to the subscription settings of your internet, software, or streaming provider and click “Cancel.” You will frequently be met with an immediate retention offer or a heavily discounted rate to stay.
• Pay annually instead of monthly: If you know you will use a service (like a VPN or design software) for the entire year, paying upfront usually saves you 15% to 30%.
• Audit app store subscriptions: Check your Apple App Store or Google Play account for sneaky weekly or monthly app renewals you no longer use.

---

Smart Secondhand & Marketplaces

• Shop refurbished electronics: Buy certified refurbished products directly from Apple, Dell, or Amazon Renewed. They come with warranties but cost a fraction of the retail price.
• Set alerts on eBay and Facebook Marketplace: If you are looking for a specific item, set an alert for key phrases so you can pounce on a listing the moment someone posts it at a low price.
• Use platforms like Vinted, Poshmark, and Depop: Buy gently used clothing online instead of paying retail markups on new fast fashion.
• Check local “Buy Nothing” groups: Use Facebook or the BuyNothing app to find neighbors giving away items you might need for free.

---

Travel & Booking Tips

• Use Google Flights or Skyscanner: Set up price alerts for your desired routes and let algorithms tell you exactly when the price drops to its lowest point.
• Book flights on Tuesdays and Wednesdays: Mid-week flights are historically cheaper to book and fly out on compared to weekends.
• Use cash-back credit card portals: Book your hotels or car rentals through your credit card’s rewards portal to earn massive point multipliers.
• Look into “Hidden City” ticketing: Tools like Skiplagged can find flights where your actual destination is a stopover on a longer route, which is sometimes cheaper than a direct flight.

---

Grocery & Household Automation

• Save with “Subscribe & Save”: For household staples like toilet paper, coffee, or pet supllies, use an automated delivery service such as Amazon to get around 5% to 15% off each delivery (Just remember to cancel any unwanted subscriptions after).
• Shop grocery apps for “ugly produce”: Services like Misfits Market or Imperfect Foods sell perfectly good, fresh produce that looks odd for up to 30% less than supermarket prices.
• Order groceries online to prevent impulse buys: Walking down physical aisles triggers impulse shopping. Ordering online forces you to stick strictly to your digital shopping list.
• Look for digital supermarket coupons: Before finalising an online grocery delivery order, check the app’s “coupons” or “offers” tab and clip discounts for items already in your cart.

---

Financial & Account Discipline

• Remove saved credit card details: Force yourself to manually enter your card number every time you buy something. This creates financial “friction” and gives you time to reconsider the purchase.
• Use the 24-hour rule: Put items in your wishlist or cart and force yourself to wait 24 hours before hitting buy. The initial dopamine hit will fade, and you will often realise you don’t need it.
• Calculate cost in hours worked: If an item costs £60 and you make £15 an hour, ask yourself: “Is this item worth 4 hours of my labor?”
• Use virtual credit cards: Services like Privacy.com let you create temporary burner credit cards with spending limits. This prevents subscription services from charging you after a free trial ends.
• Unsubscribe from promotional emails: Use tools like Unroll.me to mass-unsubscribe from retail marketing. If you don’t see the sale banner, you won’t feel the urge to shop.
• Unfollow brand influencers: Social media is designed to make you spend. Unfollow accounts that constantly push clothing hauls or gadget reviews.
• Buy out-of-season items online: Buy your winter coats online in July and your swimwear in January when digital retailers are desperately trying to clear out warehouse space.
• Use cash-back matching credit cards: Ensure the primary card you use for online shopping offers at least 1.5% to 2% flat cash back on all online transactions.
• Check for wholesale or bulk options: For non-perishable goods, use online wholesalers to buy in bulk rather than individual retail packaging.
• Buy generic brands online: From over-the-counter medicine to pantry staples, search specifically for the generic chemical or product name online to bypass brand-name markups.
• Utilise free trial trackers: Set a calendar alert for two days before a digital trial expires so you can cancel it before your card is billed.
• Track your net worth online: Use free tools like Empower or Mint alternatives to watch your savings grow visually. Seeing your progress makes it much more satisfying to save than to spend.

These are just some examples of how to save money online but if you have more ideas please let us know in the comments below!