Whether you’re a fan of store cards or not, every shopper is asked whether they’ve got one when paying.
Some choose to avoid them completely, others use them as much as possible to save money.
There are some great benefits to owning a loyalty card, but with so many on offer, it can get a little confusing.
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Weekly food shops can be a chore as well as costly, so we’ve broken down the best supermarket loyalty cards for the best savings.
Co-op
Pros - Personalised offers
Cons - Doesn't collect points
The Co-op membership card doesn’t give you points, but you can earn money back on your purchases.
For every £1 you spend, 2p goes into your membership account and Co-op will match the amount to support community organisations and local causes.
Shoppers can also spend the rewards on most items from the Co-op, not just specifically Co-op products.
Although you don’t get points, there are exclusive member deals and personalised offers as well as discounts for Co-op services such as funerals, insurance and legal services.
The personalised offers are based on what you like to buy, and you can choose from a range of 2 different offers each week.
You can become a member on their website here , and it costs £1.
Lidl Plus
Pros - Weekly coupons
Cons - There's no guarantee the coupons will be to your taste
The Lidl Plus reward app offers weekly coupons with a range of different deals on certain products.
With new coupons every Thursday, you can save money on items every time you shop and unlock money coupons when you reach spending targets.
If you spend £200 in a month, you get a £10 off coupon, as well as discounts and benefits from their partners.
Their partners include The Cinema Society, Photobox, Hussle and My Spa Pass.
You can download the Lidl Plus app here on Google Play for Android phones and the App Store for iPhones.
Iceland Bonus
Pros - Ideal for budgeting
Cons - The discounts may not be for products you want
If you’ve got an Iceland Bonus card, you basically earn rewards by paying for your shopping in advance.
For every £20 saved onto the bonus card, Iceland will at £1 and give you exclusive offers when you shop.
On top of this, you’ll get a special treat on your birthday and free delivery on in-store orders over £25 and online orders over £35.
The card will also give you exclusive product discounts as well as the ability to plan and budget so you can be ready for any occasion.
Put it this way, if you try and save just £2, you could have £109 in a year, perfect for your Christmas food shop!
You can create an account for an Iceland Bonus card online or download the card onto your phone on Google Play on the App Store.
Nectar
Pros - Sainsbury's have some great brand partners that you can spend points on
Cons - It takes a while to build up some points
If you’ve got a Nectar card, you can basically earn one point per £1 in the store, online or on fuel.
The only downside is, it can take a while, as 500 nectar points are worth £2.50.
As well as the bonus scheme, shoppers will get weekly personalised offers via the website or the app.
Perhaps one of the best things about the Nectar card is the fact that you can collect and spend points with their brand partners.
Among the names are Ebay, Sky Store, Argos and Vue, so you can rack up your points or spend your points that way too.
Last month, Sainsbury’s joined forces with Crowdfunder to allow shoppers to donate to a charity of choice using nectar points.
The Nectar Card is another great one to build up your points for a special occasion like Christmas or a birthday.
Sign up for a Nectar Card here.
Tesco Clubcard
Pros - You can get up to 3x the voucher value
Cons - The monthly subscription fee
The Tesco Clubcard offers instant savings and money off certain products if you’re a cardholder.
It allows shoppers to collect one point for every £1 they spend, and that can be in-store and online, and every £2 spent on fuel.
150 points is equal to £1.50 in vouchers, but points are often worth more from Clubcard partners including Alton Towers and Pizza Express.
You can collect your points and unlock exclusive deals, and get up to 3x your voucher value with their reward partners.
For £7.99 a month, you can opt for the ‘Clubcard Plus’ which offers 10% discount on two ‘big shops’ per month in store.
It also includes 10% off selected Tesco brands such as Tesco Pet and F&F clothing.
Register for a Clubcard here and keep up to date on all your points.
MyWaitrose
Pros - 20% off the fish counter on a Friday
Cons - You can't collect points
Similar to M&S, Waitrose offers a loyalty scheme that doesn’t involve collecting points but does offer freebies and member-only prices.
A lot of shoppers enjoy the free hot drink whilst mooching around the store, but you have to buy something for that perk.
If you’re a member, you’ll also get a free copy of the Waitrose & Partners Food magazine and 20% off the fish counter on a Friday.
Sign up for a MyWaitrose card here.
M&S Sparks
Pros - You could get your shopping for free
Cons - It isn't a points based card
An M&S Sparks card doesn’t let you collect points, but they will give you personalised offers on things they know you like.
When you scan your card, they will donate to your chosen charity and will even give one customer a week their shopping for free in-store.
It’s basically a card which gives you little treats and thank yous, as opposed to a massive amount of saving.
If you’re lucky enough to receive a treat, it will appear in your sparks account.
Sign up for a Sparks account here.
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