Now that groceries are pricier than ever, many of us want to cut our costs - but it can feel like there are no feasible ways to do that. However, we’re forgetting the pieces of plastic most of us hold in our pockets or bags - our loyalty cards.
Consumer Expert Tom Church, Co-Founder of money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk, said: "It’s easy to overlook our loyalty cards when we’re in a rush, but simply downloading the apps and enabling notifications can open up a world of offers you didn’t know existed."
For those who want the crash course, here are Tom's seven easy hacks to make the most of your loyalty cards right now.
Read The Small Print & Use It To Your Advantage
Loyalty cards are a valuable tool - so if you’re used to mindlessly scanning it at the end of each shop and leaving it at that, you’re missing out on a lot of benefits. It’s worth reading the small print so you can stay clued up about what exactly qualifies you for loyalty points, and how to get more of them. For example, with Tesco Clubcards, you get one point for every £2 spent - but this doesn’t include scratch cards, lottery tickets or baby milk. If you’ve got a Nectarcard, be sure to take a good look at the partner offers tab in the app. Some in the Latest Deals community make a daily habit of it as there are regular offers such as double points to be had!
Make Use Of Double And Triple Points
Always make the most of double and triple points opportunities. Retailers often have promotions available where you can earn more points on specific products. At Superdrug, for example, you can get triple points on own-brand items if you have a health & beauty card. Plus, until November 14, you can exchange Clubcard vouchers for Delivery Saver Reward Partner codes and triple the value. Other shops have ‘points days,’ where you’ll earn double or triple points on everything you buy that day. I always wait to do my shopping when I know I can maximize my points!
Split Transactions To Pay For Shopping With Points Only
We’re all struggling with the cost of living crisis at the moment, so don’t be afraid to split your transactions to make the most of your points. If you have a Boots Advantage Card, your points need to cover the whole amount of your shopping if you want to use them. So, if you’re having a difficult month, split your shopping and use the points to cover as much as possible, then just pay the remaining balance.
Get 100s Of Points Just For Downloading Apps
Did you know that simply downloading a loyalty card app can result in some great rewards? Most loyalty cards have apps now, and lots of them will give you bonuses just for adding them to your phone screen. The Nectar Card app says that on average, their customers earn 3x more points on their shopping when using the bonus offers found in the app. Or, apps often offer download offers. With the Boots Advantage Card app, for example, you can get 4 points for a £1 spend when you get the app.
Look Our For Points Incentives and Boost Your Balance
One of my top tips is to look for ways to earn extra points. Retailers often offer incentives for loyalty card members for all sorts of things. With Nectar Card, you could switch to Sainsbury’s Energy and earn a whopping 4,000 extra points.
Tesco even offers Clubcard incentives on their phone plans - for every £1 you spend on your phone bill, you’ll earn 1 point. Some of these things are easier to do than others, and for incentives which involve switching providers, it’s important to make sure it’s still a good deal that works for you. Don’t get blinded by points lust!
Boost Your Points Value - Exchange For Holidays & Days Out
The best way to make use of store cards is to boost the value of your points. Often loyalty cards give you options for how you want to use your points, and sometimes there are ways to maximize them. Did you know that with Tesco Clubcard points, for example, you can exchange them for vouchers on holidays, train tickets, jewellery, bikes, days out and lots more? If you use them on Partner Reward Vouchers rather than in Tesco shops, they’re worth 3 times the value - it’s a no-brainer!
Fill Out Surveys For Extra Loyalty Points
Did you know that supermarkets offer points just for sharing your thoughts? If you’re a regular in Sainsbury’s, try out Nectar Canvass, or if Tesco is your local store then take a look at Tesco Shopper Thoughts. It’s a quick way to get some extra points and you never know when they’ll come in handy!
Plus, Tesco also has Tescoviews where you can give them feedback and each month you earn a fixed number of points. What’s more, you’ll be in with a chance of winning a £1000 gift card - that could last you an entire year in groceries!
For more stories from where you live, visit InYourArea
