Online shopping needs a few tools. Here are some suggestions.

Choose your payment card to keep it separate from your other finances and give you a better deal. MoneySavingExpert has the current crop of the cards that pay you when you go shopping.

Check current prices across a number of retailers with PriceRunner’s round-up or Google’s shopping tab.

Confirm that you are getting a good deal by checking how prices have changed recently with PriceSpy’s nifty insight into pricing history or CamelCamelCamel’s search tool which is specific to Amazon.

Reputation checking is essential when buying from an unfamiliar retailer. Trustpilot is a common source of information. Equally, a search for “review [website name]” will quickly give you a flavour of the retailer. Here is an example. Look out for review stuffing where unethical retailers attempt to improve their reputation with fake reviews – checking timing, language, credibility and response to poor reviews.

Price-matching policies Some retails offer generous price-matching. Here is a selection.

Cashback sites share the referral commission with you that they receive on your shopping. Examples include Quidco and TopCashBack.

And finally, if you are willing to overlook on-going investigations into Amazon’s treatment of its staff and its history of intentionally destroying pristine items then… Amazon has some discount departments: Amazon Outlet for overstocked items and Amazon Warehouse for pre-owned, used and open box items.