The internet has many uses that go beyond learning and communication. If you are well versed with the web and if you are technically minded, then there are tons of ways you can make money and set up incredibly businesses online and even if you're not there are lots of money saving tools.
In fact, the web is
now so ubiquitous that for the most part it can help you to solve
almost any problem. Here we will look at some of the best tools
available online that anyone can use, to help you save cash and live
more comfortably.
Cash-back websites
Cash-back websites
include sites like 'Quidco' and offer to not just save you money but
actually pay you money for every purchase you make. By following a
link they provide, you can buy from a whole range of things online
and then get money back for your hard work. So how does it work?
Simple: the websites get commission for referring you as a customer
to another website which will usually be somewhere to the tune of
30%. They then encourage people to buy through their links by
offering to share that commission, thereby earning you more money
back on your purchases.
Comparison websites
Comparison websites
allow you to quickly compare the prices of various services in one
place. If you were thinking of taking out care insurance then for
example, you might first head on over to a to a price-comparison
website in order to find out how much all the various providers were
charging. These sites work particularly well because they will
normally ask you to input your personal details first - meaning that
the prices they compare are those tailored to your specific
circumstances and requirements.
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Paperless billing helps organize financial records |
Paperless billing
Paperless billing is
great for the environment of course because it means you aren't going
to be wasting reams of paper. At the same time, it's also good for
your organization because it allows you to have access to all of your
bills and documents online rather than having to sort through tons of
paper files (and store them somewhere). Best of all though, it's also
often good for your wallet because it will often give you access to
considerable discounts - it's easier for those companies to work
without paper documents so they offer lower rates as incentives. So,
going paperless is good for you, them and the environment. Do it!
Amazon/eBay
Amazon and eBay can
save you money of course by letting you sell your old things but even
better is how much more cheaply you can buy a lot of your things by
going online. For instance, if you are planning on buying a book or
DVD, then getting it from Amazon's used and new section will often
mean you don't pay more than a couple of dollars. eBay is also great
for important things like gadgets from abroad which can often get you
great deals.
Group buys
If there's something
you want but can't afford, then the web might just offer you one more
option - that being a group buy. Find a forum or somewhere else where
lots of people discuss a particular niche or hobby, then just ask if
they want to club together for a group buy from a wholesale site.
This way you put in an order for a bulk lot and thereby receive a
considerable discount and just share those items between you when
they arrive.
Voucher sites
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Voucher sites discount group buying |
Competitions
This one's a long
shot but if you have the patience and the time, there are a huge
range of competitions available online that you can use to get free
merchandise and cash prizes. You have to be in it to win it and
thanks to the web it's surprisingly quick and easy to enter yourself
into a ton of separate draws.
About
the author: The
Author of this post, Nick Dunin, maintains a finance blog and works
at Debt Consolidation as a financial advisor. He provides advice to
many who are stuck with debt repayment and also blog about his views
and opinions on debt/loan issues.
Images: Author owned and licensed
Images: Author owned and licensed