It’s been a while since we’ve talked about cashback websites so I thought we could have a quick refresher today because when you make a purchase using a cashback website, it really is money for nothing!
I know that some of you will already use cashback websites regularly already and will probably be smiling to yourself quite smugly right about now because you’ll know just how much money you can earn from these sites just for doing what you would normally do anyway! You lot can move on for today. 😉 The rest of you, don’t be going anywhere because this is something you’re going to want to know about!
What are Cashback websites?
Cashback websites are exactly that – websites who give you cashback in your pocket and once you start using them and see the money start to build up then you’ll be pleased you carried on reading! The websites list a huge range of online merchants and if you visit the merchants website via the link on one of the cashback websites rather than directly then you will get paid cashback on your purchase.
Here’s an example from TopCashBack when I searched for Pet Insurance:
I was searching for pet insurance to see if I could beat the renewal quote we’ve had through for Buddy’s pet insurance and there are some great cashback offers there if I was to take out a policy with the above companies (there are more but I just highlight a couple). When I’ve written this post, I’ll click through on them and see if I can get a cheaper price than I’m paying now, taking into account the cashback too then I’m sure I’ll be able to.
If I was to take a policy out through the links above then whichever site I used would somehow communicate with Top Cashback and I’d see a nice little cashback amount appear in my account there.
How long does the cashback take to be paid?
It isn’t the quickest process for the cashback to be paid once you’ve earned it and I’ve known it take a couple of months which is pretty standard as far as I can gather.
Can I earn cashback on everything?
You’ll find all of the merchants that you can use on the cashback websites you’re registered with along with the amounts you can earn and any relevant terms and conditions.
What will I earn the most cashback on?
Insurance, financial products and utilities usually pay out higher amounts in my experience so I always look to see if I can get a better deal when any of my contracts come to an end. But it’s not just the big cashback amounts that you should be using cashback websites for as all of the smaller ones will add up over time. With smaller purchases that I’m making, I’ll generally find what I want online and then check to see if the company is on one of the cashback websites. If it is then I clear my cookies and visit the site through the link on the cashback site to earn my cashback.
Why is it important to clear my cookies?
I always clear my cookies before clicking on the link from the cashback site just to make sure that my visit is recorded as being through the site. If my cookies show that I’ve visited the site before then the cashback might not track properly.
What are the best cashback websites?
My favourite are Quidco and TopCashBack and just to be completely clear, the links there are my affiliate links so I get a few pounds when you sign up although with the Quidco link you get £5 too when you start earning cashback yourself. These are the only two cashback websites that I really use these days so the only ones I can genuinely recommend. It’s worth signing up to both if you just want to see how you go but if you’re only going to use one then they’re both as good as the other if I’m honest.
Do I have to make a purchase online to get cashback?
There are other ways to earn cashback that you can find on the sites above – completing surveys and registering a debit card to earn cashback when you’re out shopping are just some of them but they’re not ways that I’ve personally tried so I’ll leave you to discover them yourself.
Isn’t it just too much hassle for a couple of pounds?
Absolutely not! It takes about 30 seconds to check and see if a company you were going to use is on one of the cashback websites and another 30 seconds to clear your cookies. I’ll happily spend that time before I make a purchase if it was going to give me a couple of pounds back in my pocket. And it’s unbelievably worth the time when you’re looking at insurances and financial products because that soon adds up to a small fortune!
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Image credit: Shutterstock, olavs
