THE RECESSION is making us a nation of bargain hunters with two-thirds of adults in the UK saying they scour the internet for a bargain.
Older people are among those most likely to snap up a bargain on the internet with more than two-thirds (67 per cent) of shoppers aged 55 or over saying they look for bargains online. And being in a higher income bracket does not make you immune from the voucher-code frenzy – with three out of five (60 per cent) of people earning more than £40,000 a year saying they’ve downloaded at least one voucher code.
Duncan Jennings, co-founder of VoucherCodes.co.uk said: “The economic downturn has meant it is not just lower earners who are looking to save money on basic purchases such as food and more expensive purchases, but higher earners as well.”
“The fact higher earners, the self-employed and older shoppers area all turning to online discounts shows the recession has left no one ‘untouchable’. Everyone is watching their pennies and the majority are taking full advantage of any opportunity to save money.”
The most popular vouchers downloaded from vouchercodes.co.uk
1 Pizza
Pizza vouchers were one of the original money-off deals and are still hugely popular today, with millions using them to make their money go further. The humble pizzeria has established itself as the one of the nation’s favourite dishes, with consumers downloading a pizza voucher, on average, every five seconds.
2 Burgers & fast food
However, it’s not just pizza deals driving consumers into restaurants – convenience food chains – especially burger joints, have made a huge impact on the UK high street. Demand for this fast food cuisine is being met by great deals from many of the largest chains.
3 Women’s fashion
Fashion is the busiest discount area outside the restaurant industry, and is growing more popular with consumers. Fashion sales are no longer confined to the traditional summer and winter slots and smart shoppers can look good for less, whatever the season.
4 Theme parks
The cost of taking the family to a theme park can be staggering – luckily many parks offer deals like 2-for-1 ticket admission or discounts on family passes. This year’s dreary weather saw deeper discounts as many of the UK’s top parks attempted to drive visitors through the turnstiles.
5 Health & beauty
The UK public like to look good. Cosmetics companies, hairdressers and beauticians have all capitalised on this, increasing the number of vouchers they issue dramatically over the past 12 months in order to meet the increasing demands of image-conscious consumers looking for a bargain.
6 Family attractions
From castles to zoos, the UK has a wealth of attractions to suit every family. Poor weather can often lead to venues offering reduced admission prices, so consumers should keep an eye on the weather forecast when they’re planning a visit in order to fine the best deals.
7 Leisure
With finances tight for most families, many leisure-providers such as bowling alleys and cinemas, offer some great deals on ticket prices. Deals like 2-for-1 cinema tickets and family bowling discounts can be a great way to spend some family time without having to break the bank.
8 Men’s fashion
While men typically don’t spend as much on clothes as their female counterparts – over a quarter have never purchased clothing online. However the number of retailers targeting male customers is rising rapidly as more and more high street brands try to part male customers with their hard earned cash by offering some serious discounts.
9 Gym memberships
Joining a gym can be an expensive business which is why most gyms are happy for prospective customers to come in and “try before they buy”. VoucherCodes.co.uk regularly features free passes for the UK’s biggest gym chains, ideal for new exercisers who may not be ready to commit to a lengthy contract.
10 Home & DIY
We all know that decking out a home can cost a small fortune so it’s no surprise to see such high demand from consumers for home and DIY codes. Many of the major DIY stores run limited time promotions, lasting just a couple of days, meaning anyone fixing up their property on a budget should keep an eye open to avoid missing the best deals.
Information from VoucherCodes.co.uk