Save money with your PC

No-one wants to spend over the odds when shopping, and with a little help from your PC you can make sure you always get the best deals. In this feature we’ll explain how to use your computer to save oodles of cash, and perhaps even make a little extra money by selling unwanted items online.

Get the best deal
You’ve got your credit card at the ready and a few ideas of what to buy, but what’s the first step to saving money with your PC? One of the quickest and simplest ways of finding a bargain is to use a price-comparison website.

By indexing prices across a huge variety of stores, these sites save a whole heap of hassle when it comes to finding the cheapest price for a particular item.

There are plenty of price-comparison sites from which to choose, including Pricerunner and Kelkoo. Run a Google search relating to a specific product and you’ll find a vast selection of other comparison sites in the results, or Google even runs its own at www.froogle.co.uk.

If you’re looking for a specific product, using a price-comparison site to find the cheapest price is as simple as entering the product name into the search box. However, they can also be extremely useful if you’re in the market for something, such as a TV, but don’t have a particular make or model in mind.

For example, Pricerunner lets you browse by product type and then apply certain filters to your search. This means you can click on LCD TVs and then enter details such as the size of screen you’re after, the maximum price you’re willing to pay and much more.

You will then be presented with a list of all the TVs that meet your criteria, along with the cheapest prices.

If you don’t have access to a PC when out shopping, you can use a mobile-based price-checking service ­ see the box on page 16 to find out how.

As with any kind of internet shopping, it pays to exercise a little caution when using price-comparison websites. If one store is listed as offering a product at a price far lower than the rest, try to find out more about the company.

If its website doesn’t list a phone number or company address be cautious about purchasing and, as with all online purchases, if you do buy then make sure you use a credit card to complete the sale.