“I’m planning to make 2019 the year I sort my money out, and everyone tells me that I can save loads by being online. I don’t really know what this means, is it true? Will my details be safe on the internet?” Mike T, Wiltshire

Penny says:  Dear Mike,  Thanks for you question, and I agree these days, what with all the cost of living hikes and welfare cuts we are all having to constantly tighten our belts to get by.

I think you are spot on about saving money online and only last week I was reading a report from Lloyds Bank that claimed we could all save around £400 a year by using things like cashback websites, voucher codes, and another £344 by simply buying things online such as holidays, insurances and clothes.

If you then add the convenience of banking online, which enables us to check our account more often and use budgeting tools to stay in control we can avoid nasty surprises such as overdraft charges and even manage to squirrel away a little money for irregular spends such as Christmas and holidays.

The team at Which? have put together some top tips for saving money online here.

However, you are right to be concerned about safety, especially if like me you lack confidence online, so there are some steps you can take to make sure you have all the security basics covered at staysafeonline.org

I think getting online makes a great new years resolution, so good luck with all your money saving, let me know how it goes!

Penny.

Got a question for Penny? Ask us in the comments below, tweet us or email us.