by B Pollard

So that is the benefit of using cashback sites, but however there are a few things that some people may see as a 'con' as opposed a 'pro' to using these sites: Retailers: as its still a new concept, not all high street retailers are on cashback sites, however more and more companies are being added everyday. Threshold on the accounts: The websites have a certain amount of money that you have to earn before you can claim your joining fee, refer a friend fees and cashback from purchases. This may seem a catch but if there wasn't a threshold then the owners would be paying people to join and then they wouldn't bother buying anything through the site therefore the owners losing out. Time it takes for the money to show: generally the money that has been earnt through the site doesn't show immediately in the consumers account as once a product has been bought, then the cashback site has to confirm with the retailer that the transaction has been successful and that the person has not bought a product, taken cashback and then returned the product. Therefore it can take up to 6 weeks for the money to show in the account and subsequently be withdrawn.

Some last tips: You are always advised to read the terms and conditions of any site that you choose to become a member of. Never pay out money to a site that claims to show you how to earn incredible amounts of money from the internet for a fee. Furthermore, you should never have to pay to receive money. There are many scams out there that get people to pay many under the premise of receiving more back...but, of course, they never do receive any! So please beware.

Always remember if to go through the cash back website's links. They log a harmless cookie onto your computer which tracks the sale and in turn this will then be credited into your account. However, be cautious when choosing a cashback site as although the cookies generally do track all your sales, if they don't work for any reason you need to make sure that the site you use has very fast and efficient customer service otherwise you may lose money you are entitled to. For example, one site I am a member of that has very good customer services is www.poundpig.co.uk, effectively dealing with a query I had about tracking times.

Do agree to receive the cash back website newsletter because they will send you the latest offers. Some give you 25pence or so to complete free competitions and surveys, many of which have to be filled within a few days.

So, that is an overview of how cashback websites work. As mentioned above I am a member of - www.poundpig.co.uk

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About the author

Writer and reviewer of retailers.