SWEET DEAL
Full list of high street shops where you can get a refund if you find item cheaper at another store
Plus we explain how to get started with price matching
THERE is nothing worse than buying an item and then seeing it cheaper at another shop.
Even worse is finding the same store has slashed the price of the item a week later.
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But many shoppers may not realise they could get a refund if they spot a cheaper deal on something they just bought.
Or, they may be able to haggle their chosen retailer down before buying if a competitor has a better offer.
Price match guarantees are now common practice among retailers, according to consultancy Simon Kucher.
But some deals are better than others - so it's always a good idea to make sure you read the terms and conditions before buying.
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What is price matching?
Many shops now price match their items to other stores if a competitor is offering a better deal.
It means they will ensure the price of their item is the same price as an equivalent item at another shop.
Most supermarkets now price match to bargain shops Aldi and Lidl as a way to sweeten shoppers into sticking with them.
But many shoppers may not be aware other high street retailers will do the same thing - and in some cases will do so retrospectively.
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This means if you buy an item and then spot it cheaper at a competitor shortly after, you may be able to get your retailer to give you some money back.
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Which shops have the best schemes?
Some of the biggest names on the high street have generous price matching policies, but these are often buried in the small print of their websites.
Here are some of the best schemes we found.
Boots
Boots promises to refund you the difference if you find an electrical beauty product cheaper within 72 hours of your purchase.
Blacks
Outdoor retailer Blacks has one of the most competitive offerings out there - if you find an item cheaper somewhere else, it will actually knock off 10% of that price if you flag it up to seven days after your purchase.
Curry's
Curry’s promises to price match all items against any other UK retailer if you find a cheaper deal at any other high street store within seven days of buying your item.
Halfords
Halfords will refund customers the difference if they find anything from gadgets to fitting costs cheaper at a competitor within 14 days.
It says it will price match any branded item even if the product is on special offer and will even price match against its own-brand items if a comparable product is cheaper.
John Lewis
John Lewis used to price match to other retailers through its “never knowingly undersold” pledge, but it scrapped this policy in 2022.
However, the retailer will still let customers claim for a price drop refund if an item is reduced up to 35 days after they bought it.
Have a look at a retailer's terms and conditions to check their policy or ask them directly.
How to start price matching
The first thing to do is to look for a lower price online before buying an item.
Consumer champion Martyn James said: "Check out the price comparison websites out there.
"There are loads that monitor the price of key brands and goods over a year, so you can find out if the deal is good or not."
You can use a comparison website like PriceSpy, which tracks prices across more than 6,000 stores.
Then, check whether the shop you bought your item from has a price match guarantee.
If it does, check whether there are any conditions. For example, it may only agree to price match to certain shops or may only price match before you’ve bought the item.
The retailer should have a dedicated page on its website where you can either fill out a form online or download a paper form.
Make sure to provide all the information it asks for.
For example, it may ask for proof of how much you paid and how much its competitor is offering.
It’s a good idea to keep physical receipts when you buy items to use as proof later.
Ask the retailer whether it can email your receipt so you can’t lose it.
If you’re not sure whether a shop will price match, email or phone them and ask.
Mr James said: "If there’s no price match option with your preferred brand, you can still negotiate.
"And you might be able to approach the head office of a firm online to see if they’d be willing to discount for your loyalty."
Does anywhere else price match?
It's not just shops that price match - you may often find providers of basic household bills like insurers and telecoms firms will price match to keep you.
"You can play the price match card with utilities firms if you’re out of contract and insurance companies too, but get the quotes first," Mr James said.
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Tell the firm you've found a better deal elsewhere and ask if they would consider reducing your price before you leave.
Many car insurance companies will move a little on the price you have been quoted, depending on your circumstances, according to Car.co.uk.
How to get cheap car insurance
CAR insurance is an essential cost that you hope to never use but will need to cover the costs of theft or damage to your vehicle.
It's a legal requirement to have car insurance, and going without it could land you with a £300 fine, six penalty points on your licence and even a criminal conviction.
But there are several ways to slash your premiums.
Pay upfront
Insurers give you the choice of paying for insurance monthly or upfront.
Paying monthly spreads the cost of your cover but the insurer adds interest charges which means the average motorist pays around ten per cent more overall.
If you pay for your car insurance annually you don’t pay any interest.
A typical motorist can save up to £225 a year by paying in one go, according to comparison site MoneySuperMarket.
Increase your excess
The excess is what you agree to pay each time you need to make a claim on your policy.
You can usually choose your own excess when setting up a policy and it can be as low as £100 and as high as £500 or more.
The higher your excess, the lower your premium and vice versa.
This means you could bring the cost of your insurance down by agreeing to pay more if you do need to make a claim.
But before you hike your excess, make sure you would be able to pay in the event that you do need to make a claim.
Tweak your job
Certain jobs are seen as more risky than others for insurance purposes.
Making small but accurate changes to your job title can save you money.
For example, swapping your role from "chef" to "caterer" can save you £20, comparison site GoCompare found.
And changing your role from "fast food delivery driver" to "delivery driver" could save you £40.
But lying about your job could invalidate your policy so make sure any changes are legitimate and accurate.
Shop around
Not all comparison sites have the same range of insurers so to get the best price it’s a good idea to check two or three from Go Compare, Comparethemarket, MoneySupermarket and Confused.com.
Insurer Direct Line is also not on comparison sites so check its prices directly.
You can also get a free cash bonus by going via a cashback site such as Topcashback or Quidco.
Save the date
Renewing your car insurance sooner rather than later could save you some cash.
New cover becomes more expensive the closer you get to the renewal date.
But you can buy your car insurance up to 29 days before the policy start date and 'lock in' the price you're quoted on that day.
A typical driver can save up to £265 buying new cover at least 27 days before their current policy ends, according to Go Compare.
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