Save money with your PC

A common trick used by stores is to omit Vat or delivery charges in the published price, and if you’re purchasing a large item delivery could turn out to cost well over £50, so be sure to check before buying.

As well as finding the cheapest price for goods such as computer equipment and TVs, another type of comparison website can also help track down the best deals for services such as gas, electricity, insurance, bank accounts and much more.

However, comparing prices for services such as these isn’t quite as straightforward. Unlike physical items, where the lowest price available is usually the best deal for everyone, the best service will depend on your own personal circumstances.

For example, a price-comparison site might highlight a £10 per month broadband deal with a limited download allowance as the cheapest, but if you use the internet a lot then the charges incurred by breaking the allowance could make it far more expensive for you.

To combat this most sites, including Uswitch and confused.com, let you specify certain details, such how you’re planning to use the service in question. This means they can then return the most relevant results.

This is especially important when it comes to hunting down the cheapest insurance – ­ if you’ve ever attempted to get a few online quotes, you’ll know just how frustrating it can be to have to enter the same detailed information on each company website you visit.

Comparison sites only ask for this information once ­ they will then use it to run searches on all the insurance companies they work with.

However, it’s important to understand what assumptions the price-comparison sites are making in order to get you the quotes, as what may seem like the cheapest deal may end up being more expensive once you’ve explained your circumstances and requirements to the insurance company in question.

With that in mind, jot down a list of your requirements before you start using any insurance-comparison website. If any comparison site does not allow you to enter all the requirements you’ve listed, there’s a good chance its prices won’t be suitable for you.