Brits can earn cashback on everything from household bills to holidays and takeaways as well as everyday shopping through the site
Shoppers can earn money back on everyday spending through cashback sites(Image: GettyImages)
With household bills rising and everyday spending adding up, many shoppers are looking for easy ways to save money and cashback websites have become a popular option.
One of the biggest names in the cash back market is TopCashback, a platform which is free to join that gives members money back when they shop through its website or app with savings to be made from thousands of major retailers.
Founded over 21 years ago, TopCashback now has more than 25 million members worldwide and works with over 6,000 brands, covering everything from fashion and technology to takeaways, holidays and utility bills.
Popular retailers on the platform include ASOS, Lookfantastic, Currys, TUI, Argos and Marks & Spencer, while food delivery services such as Just Eat, Deliveroo and Uber Eats are also included.
How much cash back you earn depends on where you shop and what you buy, with rates varying between retailers. Smaller purchases may only return a few pence or pounds but larger spends – such as switching energy providers, taking out phone contracts or purchasing expensive tech gear – can offer more significant returns.
According to TopCashback, members earn more than £300 a year on average by using the sit for regular shopping, household bills and financial products.
The platform is completely free to join and offers two types of membership, the classic membership and plus membership, according to finance website MoneySavingExpert. When you sign up for TopCashback, you are automatically enrolled in the plus membership, so you will need to opt out if you prefer the classic membership.
The classic membership is the free option. If you choose this account, TopCashback states that “there won’t be any charges whatsoever”.
Where as the plus membership will deduct £5 from your annual cash back earnings in exchange for extra perks and membership benefits. This £5 deduction is taken the first time you withdraw money during that year, and it will automatically be deducted from your cash back balance.
If you initially choose a classic membership, you can upgrade to a plus account at any time but will be charged the £5 when you next withdraw your earnings from cash back.
Many members use the cash back they build up to help cover bigger expenses such as Christmas shopping, birthdays or holidays, as the money you earn from purchasing stays in your account until you withdraw it.
How does TopCashback work?
Using the site is fairly straight forward. First members log into their TopCashback account, search for the retailer they want to shop with and click the ‘get cashback’ button. This takes them directly to the retailer’s website and tracks that they arrived there through TopCashback.
From there shoppers simply buy as normal. When a purchase is made, the retailer pays TopCashback a commission for referring a customer. TopCashback then passes some or all of that commission back to the shopper in the form of cashback.
Once the transaction is tracked, cashback will show in the member’s account. After it has been confirmed as payable, and no returns have been made, users can withdraw their earnings through bank transfer, PayPal or reward wallet gift cards.
Each retailer also has an estimated payable speed, which gives shoppers an ideas of how long it may take for cash back to clear – this can be viewed easily on the website or via the app.
As with any purchase, it is worth comparing offers before buying an item, as the cheapest upfront deal is not always the best overall value once cash back is factored in.
