Cashback: free money on everyday spending

Most people pay full price for things and never get a penny back. But with a little setup, you can be paid for spending you were going to do anyway — through cashback websites, the odd cashback card, and bank switching bonuses. Done sensibly, it's free money. Done badly, it tempts you to overspend. Here's how to do it right.

Cashback websites

Sites like TopCashback and Quidco are free to join. You click through them to a retailer before you buy, and they pay you a percentage of your spend (the retailer pays them for sending you, and they share it with you). It works on insurance, broadband, holidays, clothes, big shops — often several percent back, occasionally much more. Payouts can take weeks to "confirm", so it's patient money, not instant.

Bank switching bonuses

Banks regularly pay a cash bonus (sometimes £100–£200 in the UK) to get you to switch your current account, using the official switch service that moves your direct debits for you. If you're not attached to your bank, this is some of the easiest money going — and you can often do it more than once over time.

The "stack"

The real wins come from stacking — combining offers on a single purchase:

• Start at a cashback site → click through to the retailer.
• Apply any voucher / discount code at checkout.
• Pay with a rewards or cashback card you clear in full each month.

Each layer is small; together they add up — on something you were buying anyway.

Common questions

This guide is general information, not financial advice. Rules, rates and eligibility change and differ by country — always confirm the current details with the relevant official body before you act.

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