North Ayrshire Library and Information Service - Reference and Information

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Reference and information - online shopping

North Ayrshire Library and Information Service work in conjunction with the Council's Trading Standards Service to deliver online shopping and money saving workshops. Download the document (pdf) to accompany these workshops. (Please note we do not accept any responsibility for any transactions carried out on the following websites.)

If you are interested in attending any of our workshops in the future or have other websites you would like to recommend, please complete our general inquiry form.

Check our latest events for the next workshop.

Price Comparison Websites

Listed below are different price comparison websites that let you check the prices on thousands of everyday items from pencils to cars. Price comparison websites take the hassle out of walking the high street to find the cheapest price. Simply type in the item you requires title and the website will search hundreds of retailers and give you information like best price, delivery costs and availability.

Motor vehicle and home insurance comparison site

confused.com

Energy Information - a new free energy information pack is available from June 2009 from all Libraries, Local Offices and Trading Standards (tel: 01294 324917). The pack covers information on energy saving schemes, energy assistance packages and complaints procedures and was produced by North Ayrshire Local Energy Advice Forum (L.E.A.F).

Energy comparison sites and advice on reducing household bills

Listed below are websites designed to advise you on how to pick or change to the best energy supplier. There are also some excellent websites showing you how to manage you finances and household bills better. Trading Standards can help with energy price comparison information.

Food shopping

Listed below are some great websites showing you how to find bargains and offers at your local supermarket.

mysupermarket.com - helps you shop, compare and get the best possible price for your trolley.
fixtureferrets.co.uk - lists promotions on groceries at major supermarkets including Waitrose, Tesco and Asda. Search via shop, brand, promotion or category.
mysupermarket.co.uk

Cashback websites

Save money while you shop and earn cash back at the same time.

quidco.com
rpoints.com - another cashback site, this one promising up to 30% of the purchase price at almost 2,000 online stores. As well as providing details of good deals and cashback offers on partner sites, it hosts forums bringing together bargain hunters to exchange tips on tokens and offers they have seen elsewhere.

Vouchers and discounts

vouchercodes.co.uk - now the UK’s second largest online vouchers site and have exclusive deals with retailers that cannot be found elsewhere.
vouchercodes.com - is the UK’s original Voucher and Discount Code site. They work directly with thousands of online stores to bring you the latest discounts and exclusive offers to save you money when you shop. It’s completely free too!

Shop ethically and economically

giveortake.com - you can shop ethically and economically at Giveortake.com. Buy discounted products from about 500 online retailers including Marks and Spencer and Figleaves, and choose whether to keep the savings as cashback or to give the money to charity. About 50 charities are registered on the site, including Shelter and RNID. Bonuses of up to £60 cash or up to 20% of the value of an item can be claimed or donated on all kinds of purchases, including hotel bookings and clothes.

Save money on phone calls

saynoto0870.com - to avoid calling pricey 0870 numbers, which can cost about 15p a minute, you can use this independent site to see if there is an alternative. Type in the name of the company you want to call and you get a list of its cheaper geographical numbers and even some free 0800 numbers.

Are you entitled to any benefits?

entitledto.co.uk - by spending five minutes filling in some basic details about yourself, your pay and status, you can find out if you are entitled to any government benefits. The site, which is free and funded by the sales of software to local authorities and other organisations, will list all the tax credits and benefits you should be claiming. Well worth a look considering the amount going unclaimed.

Save money on getting photos developed

mydigitalprints.co.uk - finds the cheapest online photo developer for the exact quantity and size of prints for your needs. It also compares the cost of photo gifts such as mugs, calendars and greeting cards.

Discounted travel and days out

petrolprices.com - search via town or postcode to find the cheapest petrol near you.
carrentals.co.uk - Compares the prices of 40 car-rental suppliers in the UK and abroad to find you the cheapest.
daysout.co.uk - Has around 300 discount vouchers for days out in the UK and Ireland, including theme parks and attractions, such as Cadbury's World (£10 off a family ticket)and the London Dungeons(free child entry).

Senior concessions

oscaruk.co.uk - Features discount deals and concessions especially for over-60s.

TV, phone and broadband deals

simplifydigital.co.uk - an Ofcom-accredited specialist in phone, broadband and digital TV offers and bundles. Compare prices and buy digital deals from this impartial site.

Fun website for discounts, bargains and freebies

hotukdeals.com - shopping can be and should be fun. This website enables you to save money and find bargains by sharing information with other consumers on special offers, discounts, promotions, voucher codes, and freebies. They cover almost all areas of possible purchases including Clothing, Computers, Electrical, Entertainment, Finance, Groceries, Home, Kids, Mobiles and Travel.

Great websites for buying books

bookbrain.co.uk - a specialist price-comparison service for books.
abebooks.co.uk - an excellent all round book retailer.
penguinclassics.co.uk - Try amazon for amazing book deals often with free delivery. Remember many books have been printed in different editions and you can save ££££££s by shopping around.

Other excellent online shopping sites

amazon.co.uk
play.com - for all entertainment goods and clothing.

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