Set off from a cashback site

Instead of going to the retail website you want to buy from direct, start from a cashback website such as TopCashback or Quidco. These sites get rewarded for directing their members on to commercial websites and they pass all, or some of this money, on to their members. If you're looking to buy a tablet, for example, start out by searching relevant retailers on a cashback site that you've joined. When you've found an offering with an attractive cash back incentive - 5 percent or more is not uncommon - click through to the site via the cashback site link. Once your purchases have been tracked and confirmed, that money will arrive in your cashback account a few weeks down the line, ready for you to transfer to your bank account.

It's not an instant price reduction and some cashback deals don't work with other promotions, so check the terms before committing to purchase, but many people save hundreds of pounds over the course of a year via cashback sites.

Be on the look out for deals

If you don't have a discount code, don't just ignore this box on the payment page and go straight to pay. Open another window and search for a discount code for the retailer you are about to buy from. You will be surprised at how often you can find valid codes offering anything from free delivery to a few pounds off at the checkout. Simply copy and paste the code and watch the price fall. To be one of the first to know about online promotions sign up to deal publishing sites MyVoucherCodes or HotUKDeals.

Do a quick price comparison

Before you start off, it's always best to search for what you want to buy on a price comparison site such as Google Shopping, PriceRunner or Kelkoo. It'll help you understand what you can expect to pay and possibly uncover retailers you never thought to check. If you do find it cheaper elsewhere, go back through stages one and two again to see if you can find the retailer on a cashback site to reduce the price further (and you might as well do a quick discount code search while you're at it).

Pay with a cashback card

Finally, some providers will offer payment cards that reward you with cashback on all purchases made. Look for deals paying between 0.5 percent and 1 percent cashback on all card purchases; some cards with an annual fee will pay out more than this and other cards will pay out more during the first few months of membership. Money Saving Expert has a good overview on the most up to date credit card deals, and it'll help ensure you get it paid off quickly. While the amounts may not seem much, every little helps.