How I Earned £200+ Back as a Student Nurse (TopCashback Guide)

I used to buy everything the same way everyone else does — find what I need, click buy, and never think about it again. Then one day I realised: I was leaving £100s a year on the table. Money that could have gone towards textbooks, travel to placement, or just a takeaway after a long shift.

TopCashback wasn’t something I’d heard about before I started training. No one told me. And for ages I thought it was too good to be true — until I signed up, used it, and actually had the money land in my bank account. This is exactly how it works, why it’s not a scam, and how much a student nurse can realistically save.

Affiliate note: this post contains an affiliate link. If you sign up through it I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you — that’s what keeps this site free and ad-free. I only recommend tools I use myself.

What Is TopCashback — and Why It’s Not Too Good to Be True

Here’s the simple version: when you buy something online, the retailer pays TopCashback a small fee for sending you their way. Instead of keeping all that fee, they pass most of it back to you. That’s your cashback.

It’s not a trick. It’s not a subscription. And it doesn’t cost you a penny extra. You pay exactly the same price as if you went directly to the shop — you just have to click through TopCashback first.

They’re the UK’s biggest cashback site — 165,000+ reviews and 4.6/5 on Trustpilot — and completely free to join. The Classic account stays free forever. You’re never forced to upgrade, and there’s no minimum amount you need to earn before you withdraw.

How Much Can a Student Nurse Actually Save?

This is the bit that matters. I’m not talking pennies here — I’m talking real money on the stuff you’re already buying:

• Textbooks & stationery — Amazon, Waterstones, WHSmith all pay cashback. Even 5–10% back on a £40 book adds up fast when you need 6 or 7 of them a year.
• Placement travel — Train tickets, coach fares, parking, even car insurance and breakdown cover. If you have to get there, there’s likely cashback on it.
• Uniform & kit — Scrubs, shoes, compression socks, bags, fob watches. Every time you replace something, claim it.
• Everyday shopping — Boots, Superdrug, supermarket delivery, phone contracts, broadband. It all counts.

£200 might not sound like a fortune, but when your loan barely covers rent, that’s your phone bill paid for three months. That’s your placement travel money. That’s breathing room you didn’t have before.

How It Works in Practice — Dead Simple

It takes about 30 seconds extra per purchase. Here’s the routine I got into:

1. Sign up for free using the link below — takes two minutes.
2. Before you buy anything online, search the retailer on TopCashback first.
3. Click through their link — it opens the shop in a new tab.
4. Shop exactly as normal. Pay exactly the same price.
5. Cashback tracks to your account within a few days. Once the retailer’s return period ends, it becomes payable — withdraw it however you like.

There’s also a browser extension you can download. It lights up automatically when you visit a site that pays cashback — so you can’t forget. I installed it and haven’t had to think about it since.

The Things No One Tells You (The Honest Bits)

I promised I’d be straight with you, so here’s what you actually need to know:

• It’s not instant. Cashback doesn’t land in your bank the same day. It tracks within a few days, then becomes payable once the retailer confirms they’ve kept the money — usually 6–12 weeks. Be patient; it gets there.
• Sometimes it goes missing. Rarely, but it happens. If it doesn’t track, you can claim it manually — just forward your confirmation email and they chase it for you.
• Stick to Classic account. There’s a paid Plus option (£5/year deducted from your earnings) with slightly higher rates. For most students, Classic is more than enough — keep your £5.
• Don’t change your mind after clicking. Once you go through TopCashback, complete the purchase in that same session. If you leave it and come back later without clicking again, it might not track.

My TopCashback Habits — What Actually Worked

These small habits made the difference between “I signed up and forgot about it” and actually earning money:

• Set it and forget it. Install the browser extension. It’s the single best thing you can do — you won’t remember to click manually every time.
• Big purchases first. Insurance, phone contracts, broadband — these pay the most and come round once a year. Never take one out without checking TopCashback first.
• Textbook shop around. Don’t just buy from the first link. Check Amazon, Waterstones, Blackwells — compare cashback rates as well as prices.
• Withdraw as soon as you can. Once it’s payable, move it. Seeing money land in your bank account keeps you using it. It’s your money — claim it.

Who Should Join — and Who Doesn’t Need To

You absolutely should join if:

• You buy your own textbooks or kit
• You travel to placement by public transport or car
• You pay your own phone bill, broadband, or insurance
• You do any online shopping at all — even occasionally

You probably won’t get much from it if: Everything is paid for by someone else and you never buy anything online. But for 2 minutes of your time and zero cost, why not join anyway? You’ll be ready when you do start buying your own things.

My Final Thought — It’s Your Money

The student loan doesn’t give you extra. No one’s going to hand you a bonus for being careful with money. But every time you buy something through TopCashback, you’re getting a little bit of it back.

It’s not going to make you rich. But it is going to pay for a few weeks of groceries, or that textbook you were dreading buying, or a night off from cooking after a terrible shift. And right now, every little bit counts.

Sign up below — it’s free, takes two minutes, and the sooner you join, the sooner you start claiming what’s yours.