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martin lewis Have shared yours Top Christmas Shopping “Hacks and suggestionsTo help people keep costs as low as possible this festive season.
Personal Finance Guru’s Money Saving Expert The team has compiled dozens of ways for buyers to ensure they always get the lowest price and know their consumer rights.
The Money Savings Service says it is “difficult” to make recommendations for this period, explaining: “Christmas It’s almost here and many people still have things to buy, so while we want to show you tricks and tips to help, we don’t want to buy into the retail enthusiasm that leaves January saddled with debt from paying too much for the big day.
“So, create a budget – a list of what you need and can afford – and stick to it. Don’t let discounts target your spending impulses. Then, systematically use the tips below to buy what you plan to buy with less hassle and cost.”
Recent analysis by discount-finding site VoucherCodes revealed that Brits are set to spend £3.43 billion pre-across.Christmas weekend, up 12.8 percent from last year. They found that 49.6 million people are set to shop this weekend, with more than 36 million of those heading to the high street.
Here are some key tips that Mr. Lewis recommends sticking to during the holidays shopping Competition:
Abandon the cart – and wait for the discount
One of the lesser known tips is to take advantage of the “abandoned cart discount”, which MSE describes as a trick that shops “don’t want you to know about”.
Many retailers will offer discount codes to entice shoppers who have added an item to their online basket and then changed their mind. Mr Lewis says people have reported varying success and wait times using the tip, and says it will typically be around 48 hours.
Shoppers say they’ve gotten up to 50 percent off at retailers like Asos, Currys, Harvey Nichols, The White Company and many more by using this trick. Some have also been sent flat-rate cash Discounts at supermarkets like Asda and Tesco.
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Many retailers now also offer discounts for signing up to their mailing lists, typically 10 to 20 percent off an order. This is an easy way to secure a discount, and there is no obligation to maintain the subscription after purchase.
Can you get cash back?
Money experts also advise buyers to find out if they can get the money cash Back on your spending, which gives a welcome return on spending and is usually compatible with any discount code.
Many high street banks are currently offering credit and debit cards with small amounts of cashback. For example, Nationwide is currently offering 1 per cent cash back – up to £60 per month – after bankers switch to its Nationwide FlexDirect account (which will also give them a £175 bonus).
Lloyds is similarly offering an Ultra Credit Card that pays 1 per cent uncapped cashback for one year. Like all credit cards, it’s essential that it be paid in full every month to avoid penalties.
Cash back can also be earned for customers of digital bank Monzo, which offers returns shopping With specific retailers (participating stores are refreshed on an ongoing basis). This will lead to regular offers like 10 per cent back from retailers like Asda and Asos.
know your Rights
Mr Lewis advises it is also important for shoppers to know their consumer rights, especially at Christmas time. Due to a quirk in the law, consumers are actually safer shopping online than in person.
Under consumer contract regulations, buyers have a 14-day “cooling off period” after placing an order where they have the legal right to change their mind. They then have a further 14 days to return the item (this excludes some items such as perishable goods).
Meanwhile, purchasing in store does not provide any right to return the item unless it is defective. Some stores may allow returns, but are not required to do so by law.
Mr Lewis advises: “This may take away some of the romance of Christmas, but if you’re buying an expensive gift for someone, it’s worth opening it and checking it’s not faulty while you’re still within the deadline for returning it, just in case.”