37-year-old Lee Chambers turned to the Money Saving Expert founder Martin Lewis 13 years ago when he was drowning in debt and had been forced to temporarily move back in with his parents. Adopting the financial journalist’s tips not only helped him get back on his feet but one simple tip helped him easily earn £25,000 which he now wants to encourage others to use too.
In the middle of the credit crunch in 2008, Lee found himself in masses of debt after being made redundant.
He’d not long finished university which meant, not only was he skint, but he still had a student overdraft and loan to pay back.
Desperate, he turned to MoneySavingExpert.com for some tips on how he could save money on his everyday expenditure.
Lee said: “I found out about Topcashback on Money Saving Expert, getting my first £100 cash back by switching my bank account to Alliance and Leicester.”
Lee uses sites such as TopCashback and Quidco to purchase absolutely everything he can and says that people can make £200 easily in “just a few clicks”.
“I use it when I make major purchases like holidays, presents, furniture and appliances, as well as for everyday spending like food and clothes when it’s available.”
“People can make £200 in a few minutes when it comes to things like buying a Sky TV package or a mobile phone contract.
“In the beginning it takes some getting used to and you have to keep reminding yourself to go through a cashback site, but before long it becomes second nature.”
Lee knows only too well the negative impact finances can have on someone’s mental health as he runs a business called Essentialise Workplace Wellbeing.
For anyone else who is looking to improve their financial situation, he says the best time is now, before people do their Christmas shopping.
Lee tells people to then make sure that contracts and renewals which are coming up are bought through a cashback site.
It may have become a bit of an obsession for Lee, but his wife and kids don’t mind.
And why would they? Every year his cashback pays for an amazing Christmas with all the trimmings – a far cry from when he was struggling to make ends meet 13 years ago.
