Tesco has announced a change to its Clubcard loyalty scheme, with points set to be worth twice their value, rather than three times, when customers cash them in from June 14. With the cost of living squeezing household budgets, shoppers are looking to get the most from every penny they spend.
With this in mind, money-saving expert Richard Price, of Britsuperstore, has given his top tips on making the most out of loyalty card schemes and other ways you can save money on your weekly food shops:
Sign up for rewards cards: Make sure to sign up for rewards cards at all the supermarkets you shop at. Some supermarkets may require you to provide personal information or fill out an application to sign up, but are great for low-effort instant rewards.
Tesco Clubcard - The Tesco Clubcard is one of the UK’s longest-standing loyalty schemes. Members collect points on in-store and online purchases, these can be redeemed as days or meals out with the family. However, with the cut from June, this may make many shoppers think twice before spending their money there.
Sainsbury’s Nectar card - Each point is worth 0.5% of your original shop, but occasionally Nectar runs promotions where you will receive more points for each pound spent.
My Waitrose Scheme - This card is a little different to the typical loyalty schemes where cardholders win prizes, save money on their shopping and get products free of charge instantly.
Iceland’s Bonus Card - This is great for budgeting and planning ahead of time and gives you an additional £1 for every £20 saved.
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Co-op Membership - No points are earned through this scheme, instead, any money saved is put back on the card for future purchases.
Morrisons More - For each pound spent you will receive five more points. When the total reaches 5,000 you’ll be able to redeem them for a £5 discount on your next purchase this card also can be used in-store at cafes and petrol stations.
Check for online discounts and promotions: Look for discounts and promotions on the supermarket's website or app. Even though a loyalty scheme may seem great just by looking at what products are on offer at certain supermarkets will also save you money these can be found on some websites' offers and promotions pages.
Plan your shopping trips: When searching to see which supermarket is cheapest, think about the time and money spent to get there as this can have a knock-on effect if the supermarket is further away. Have a detailed shopping list ready so you won’t miss anything out and don’t waste time planning meals while you are there. Have the week's meals and the ingredients you need ready.
Look at the reduced section: Many stores will have a reduced section that will have a short use by date but are often cheaper! These can often be found in the fridges near where the meat and ready meals are kept, and will often be reduced a few hours before the store closes.
Keep track of your spending: Keep track of how much you are spending each month and adjust your shopping habits if necessary. Rewards cards can be a great way to save money, but they can also encourage you to spend more than you need to. Try each week of setting yourself a budget and stick to it for a family of four try a £100 per week budget and see if this works for you.
Shop only when you have the time: Give yourself plenty of time to do your food shop, as shopping in a rush can lead you to buy the easy-access products which aren’t always the cheapest. Popular brands tend to be in the middle of the shelves, whereas slightly cheaper brands can be found at the top or bottom of the shelves.
Don’t be afraid to buy supermarket’s own brands: Recent data found you could save £8.43 on groceries per day just by shopping with supermarket own brand products and this doesn’t always mean it's lower quality produce, supermarkets sometimes sell their branded products just to draw in customers.
