SAVVY mum Lynn Beattie may not have millions in the bank but she never has to worry about how she’ll pay for Christmas each year.
The mother of three, 48, uses a nifty trick to get hundreds of pounds a year for free – so she doesn’t have to spend a single penny at Christmas.
Lynn, who runs the personal finance blog Mrs MummyPenny, earns cashback every time she makes a purchase online and saves up the money until December, when she spends it on presents and food.
Lynn uses TopCashback, a website that pays you money when you click through it to do your online shopping.
TopCashback works by tracking your visit to a retailer’s website and if you buy something then you get a proportion of the cost back.
The amount of cashback you can earn from each retailer varies but most pay between 5 and 25%.
Lynn, from Knebworth, Hertfordshire, said: “It’s so easy. This is free money that loads of people are missing out on.
“In the last twelve years since I started using cashback websites I estimate I have made around £9,000.”
The busy mum said putting the money aside during the year helps her to budget for Christmas.
She explains: “I save up all of the money until December, when I use it to buy presents for my sons such as Adidas clothing, skincare, mobile phones or trainers. I now earn enough money that Christmas pays for itself.”
She tracks her savings, cashback earnings and loyalty card balances in a spreadsheet, so she knows how much she can spend during the festive season.
Lynn has also downloaded the TopCashback browser extension, which reminds her when she could get cashback on a purchase, so she never misses out.
The extension lets her know when cashback is available on a website.
If Lynn wants to make a purchase she just needs to click activate and the extension tracks the payment through the TopCashback website.
Lynn explains: “I try to get cashback on everything I buy online. When I send flowers to my friends or family for their birthdays or Christmas I get around 20% cashback.
“I even get cashback on my Dominos delivery.”
To maximise her earnings Lynn also books all of her family holidays through TopCashback.
Earn cashback with a credit card
If you don’t have any debits and always pay your bills on time each month then a cashback credit card could be a good option for you.
It works by giving you cashback in credit or points that you can convert into vouchers for shops, flights and hotels.
Big banks including Barclaycard, Santander, Chase and American express all offer cashback credit cards.
Some cards are best if you travel a lot, while others are good to help you save money on your day-to-day spending.
Do your research to make sure you choose the right card for you.
Some cards offer high rates of cashback for certain categories, such as holidays or fashion chains.
Always read the terms and conditions before you sign up and make sure you pay off your balance in full each month.
Failure to do so could see you hit with high interest fees, which will make any cashback you earn worthless.
She explains: “Some holiday companies will give you a small amount of cashback when you book through them.”
“You may think that 3% is a small return but when it’s 3% of £3,000 then it can turn into quite a chunky amount.”
Meanwhile, if you book every element of your holiday through the website then the money really adds up.
She explains: “I try to get cashback on my flights and airport car parking. Then if I do any pre-holiday shopping then I also try to get cashback.”
Lynn also uses TopCashback when she changes her insurance and broadband supplier each year.
The cashback website has a comparison tool which Lynn uses to compare quotes from energy, broadband and insurance providers.
When Lynn finds the cheapest deal and signs up she also earns hundreds of pounds in cashback.
Lynn said: “I once got £150 back after changing my broadband supplier through TopCashback.”
Currently, users who change travel insurance providers through the website can get up to £207 in free cash.
Meanwhile, those who switch broadband suppliers can get £199 cashback, while those who shop around for new car insurance could get £45.
How to sign up
There are several websites that can help you earn money on your spending, including TopCashback, Quidco and Swagbucks.
To get started you will need to make an account with one of these websites.
Next search the website for restaurants, retailers or utilities companies.
Some retailers will show you how much cashback you could earn as a percentage of the total cost of the purchase, while others will give you a set amount.
When you are ready to make a purchase simply click the get cashback button.
You will be redirected to the retailer’s website, where you can check out your purchase as normal.
Once the transaction is complete you will receive the money into your cashback account within a few weeks.
Watch out for pitfalls
Although some cashback users can earn hundreds of pounds each year, there are a few pitfalls to watch out for.
Cashback sites don’t necessarily always offer the cheapest prices, so do some research before you make a purchase.
Plus, payments can also take some weeks to reach your account, so these websites may not be a good choice if you need the cash right away.
Meanwhile, most cashback websites have a threshold of around £5 that you must hit before you can withdraw cash.
You should take out your cash as soon as you hit this amount just in case the company goes bankrupt or changes its payment policy.
Some cashback websites are small companies, which makes them more likely to go bust.
If this happens you have little protection, meaning that you are unlikely to get your money back.
Always stick to large providers that are well established.
Read our ultimate guide to earning free cash while shopping for more tips and tricks.
For more information about Lynn, visit her Instagram.
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