'It's not a side hustle, but it's made me thousands': Woman shares simple habit that 'really adds up over time!'

Rather than following strict financial trends, Frapwell stuck to the 50/30/20 budgeting rule: 50 per cent of her income goes toward essentials like bills and mortgage payments, 30 per cent is set aside for non-essentials like holidays and dining out, and the remaining 20 per cent goes straight into savings.

In addition to loyalty schemes, the data manager also built a simple but powerful habit into her routine: using TopCashback when shopping online.

Over time, this small step has helped her earn more than £1,000 in cashback without changing what she buys.

She told GB News: "I wanted more control over my finances so I decided to start tracking my spending so I could see where I was spending the most and look for opportunities to save and earn cashback at the same time."

The data management professional, who meticulously tracks her finances using spreadsheets and direct debits, has integrated cashback earning into her normal spending habits rather than viewing it as additional work.

Her largest single cashback payment came from opening a new bank account, earning £60 through TopCashback plus an additional £150 incentive from the bank itself.

Frapwell continued: "I've made it a habit to use TopCashback for every online purchase, so now it's just part of my routine. At first, I sometimes forgot to click through the site, but once I built it into my usual shopping process, it became effortless."

Her systematic approach extends beyond cashback to encompass all aspects of her financial life. She maintains detailed spreadsheets to monitor income and expenditure, sets up regular direct debits into savings accounts, and allocates monthly amounts for treats to avoid overspending.

She has also ensured her husband participates in the scheme to maximise household savings. She subscribes to marketing emails from retailers and refuses to make purchases without securing a deal first, demonstrating how cashback earning fits seamlessly into broader money-saving habits.

She has earned hundreds of pounds by comparing car insurance, home insurance and broadband through TopCashback Compare, using the earnings to update her wardrobe, pay for insurance and treat herself.

"Always clicking through TopCashback before making any online purchases. Taking advantage of bonus offers, member events and higher rate promotions," Frapwell advised.

"Using it for bigger spends like insurance renewals, holidays, tech purchases and utilities such as broadband etc, which can offer £50-£100+ cashback in one go."

Her strategies include combining cashback with voucher codes and loyalty points for maximum value, though she notes users should check retailer pages to confirm which discount codes can be combined with cashback offers.

"Sometimes the TopCashback app has exclusive deals or higher cashback rates not available on the website," she added. "Inviting friends to join TopCashback can earn you additional bonuses once they make their first purchase."

She has also earned £30 through the platform's Tell-a-Friend scheme and recommends timing purchases during Black Friday, Cyber Monday or seasonal promotions when cashback rates increase significantly.

When asked about her total accumlation of £1,000+ in cashback through TopCashback she said: "It does take some time and consistency, but it's absolutely achievable - especially if you build it into your normal spending habits."

Her top tips for achieving this would be;

• Always clicking through TopCashback before making any online purchases.
• Taking advantage of bonus offers, member events and higher rate promotions.
• Using it for bigger spends like insurance renewals, holidays, tech purchases and utilities such as broadband etc, which can offer £50–£100+ cashback in one go.
• Stacking cashback with voucher codes or loyalty points for maximum value.

Frapwell's money-saving strategies extend well beyond cashback to include loyalty schemes, with Boots Advantage, Superdrug and Nectar among her favourites.

She has accumulated approximately £250 worth of Superdrug points through everyday spending and strategic shopping during member days.

"Superdrug often holds member days on Thursdays where you earn £5 worth of points for every £50 spent," she explained. "If I have a larger shop, say over £100, I split it into two purchases to maximize my points, effectively earning £10 worth of points for the £100 spend."

Frapwell added: "If I had to recommend just one small change that could save people hundreds each year, it would be tracking your subscriptions and cancelling those you don't use.

"Taking just a few minutes every few months to review and cancel unused subscriptions can free up a surprising amount of money without impacting your lifestyle."

Adam Bullock, UK Director at TopCashback said: "TopCashback has been helping people save money for 20 years and we're proud to be the UK's most generous cashback site.

"To start saving, simply sign up, search for the retailer you want, click the pink 'Get Cashback' button, and shop like normal. We'll track your purchase and add the cashback to your TopCashback account."

The platform offers free Classic membership with 100 per cent cashback rates, or Plus membership at £5 annually for up to 105 per cent cashback through exclusive bonuses.