Trust in Social Media

OXFORD, England, September 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

• Over a third of Brits turn to social media as a trusted source of advice
• Mum's the word on domestic tips
• Every little helps as Brits bank over £3.4 billion a year through online money saving tips

Whether seeking advice on money, health or relationships Brits are increasingly turning to the internet as a trusted source of information. One third of people in the UK (32 per cent) now turn to social media channels for practical guidance with over a third (36 per cent) claiming that the advice they get through the internet is as reliable, if not more reliable, than advice gleaned in person.* The study released today by Smart Shoppers UK, an online community for savvy shoppers, shows Brits saved £3.4 billion over the last year thanks to money saving tips shared on the internet.**

However, mums are still a top resource for domestic advice including cooking (23 per cent), cleaning (21 per cent) and childcare (15 per cent), while the internet is the most popular place to turn for money saving tips according to over a quarter (26 per cent) of respondents.  

Matthew Betés, head of community at Smart Shoppers UK commented, "We know from our own online community, which is dominated by savvy mums, that women who are juggling a hectic schedule as well as the family's finances are an excellent source of money saving advice.  This could be anything from where to find the best deals to how to make a face pack from the products in your fridge.   Based on the strength and quality of their advice and the obvious popularity of social media as a resource, we've launched a dedicated SmartTips app on Facebook which allows our community to share their pearls of wisdom with an online audience, and vote on the best tips."

Great advice from the Smart Shoppers UK community:

• Fridge not so fresh? Cut a lemon in half, scoop out the flesh and fill it with table salt. Place in the egg tray and leave for 24 hours to remove all odours. Genius! (Tip from Smart Shoppers UK fan, Lynn Fancy)
• Did you know you can use vinegar to get rid of sweat stains or marks on white bed sheets? Soak the fabric in one part vinegar to ten parts water before washing with your usual detergent. (Tip from Smart Shoppers UK)
• My top tip is to shop around.  Sounds simple but it is worth doing online research for holidays, Christmas presents and days out. Prices can vary a lot between retailers and so it is worth not rushing into a purchase but to make sure you do a lot of comparisons (Tip from Smart Shoppers UK fan, Carol Baker)
• Spray the front of your fridge/freezer with furniture polish and just lightly wipe over with a cloth. Don't rub, by not rubbing you are leaving a protective film on the surface which makes it easier to clean in the future. (Tip from Smart Shoppers UK fan, Evie Moffat)
• When making pea and ham soup, if it is too salty from the ham, add a couple of spoonfuls of mashed potato. It will thicken the soup and soak up the excess salt. (Tip from Smart Shoppers UK fan, Claire Swift)
• When using wine for cooking, instead of wasting the rest of the bottle, freeze it in an ice tray. Next time you need wine for cooking you won't need to open another bottle. (Tip from Smart Shoppers UK fan, Cathryn Meara)

The results showed that the internet dominates as a source of advice across all areas of our lives, appearing in the top three places to turn to for help and information at all points in the survey:

Money Saving

1.       The internet 26.1%

2.       Partner 20.7%

3.       Financial advisor 15%

Major purchasing decisions

1.       Partner 38.5%

2.       The internet 23.6%

3.       Mum 10%

Cleaning

1.       Mum 21.1%

2.       Partner 20%

3.       The internet 11.6%

Cooking

1.       Mum 22.6%

2.       Partner 20.8%

3.       The internet 17.8%

Childcare

1.       Mum 14.8%

2.       Partner 14.8%

3.       The internet 6.8%

Health

1.       Doctor 39.9%

2.       The internet 20.6%

3.       Partner 16.9%

Sex and relationships

1.       Partner 15.7%

2.       Friends in person 14.2%

3.       The internet 13.1%

Fashion

1.       Friends in person 14.6%

2.       The internet 14.4%

3.       Partner 13.7%

Beauty

1.       The internet 14%

2.       Friends in person 13.5%

3.       Partner 9.1%

Careers

1.       The internet 18.7%

2.       Partner 13.3%

3.       Friends in person 8.8%

Visit the Smart Shoppers UK page at http://www.facebook.com/SmartShoppersUK.

*All stats, unless otherwise stated, are taken from research carried out on behalf of Smart Shoppers UK by Opinion Matters among 1,064 adults living in the UK between 14 and 21 August 2012

**£3.4 billion figure based on an adult UK population of 50.7 million

Contact: James Green, james.green@loudgroup.com, tel +44(0)1235-433-060