I didn't need much shopping, indeed I could no doubt have done without altogether really, but the weather was cold, I had just walked the dogs and I had a freebie to pick up from Booths ... so it had to be done. 😉
First I called to Sainsbury's as I had a couple of things to pick up for Alan, so I made good use of my Nectar deals, but from both shops I mostly bought just what I needed. Some oddments of fruit and veg and a few other things. I also bought some treats, the covered almonds, the two little dessert pots (gosh these are so good) and when I saw the chunky fish fingers in Sainsbury's I knew what would be for my lunch when I got home.
I couldn't resist the Spring Rolls, they will make a nice tea one night along with a bit of a stir fry, and most importantly ...
... I remembered to pick up my freebie.
My total spend from both shops for this week was £20.90.
The Booths card is a good one for freebies every couple of weeks, alongside having money off when you buy a breakfast roll and drink in the café ... something Alan likes to do regularly ... and a free slice of cake for your birthday if you buy a coffee. Of course you also get money off deals on various groceries, 10% off all newspapers and 5% cashback on certain products that saves up over the course of a couple of months and which you can then redeem in vouchers off your shopping.
As with lots of other loyalty cards if it's something that suits your style of shopping I think it's worth having.
Which supermarket loyalty cards do you prefer or make the most use of?
Sue xx
I think it must be my Nectar card. I don't shop enough at the other places to benefit from them. But I accrue most points by using a Marks&Spencer credit card, which I pay off in full each month. The reward points from that keep me in decent underwear (in case I get run over by a bus) and the occasional meal deal. On the other hand the M&S sparks card is pants IMHO.
ReplyDeleteWe did brilliantly well out of our M&S card when the points system was the old one and we paid for all that building work on our Welsh house on it, of course paying it all off in full every month. I have never paid interest on the M&S credit card during all the years that I have had it ... I LOVE getting my annual statement. :-)
DeleteSounds like you got some good deals and of course, free is best! I have one supermarket loyalty card that I use almost exclusively since the pandemic because they offer free curbside pick up (well, parking lot pick up, really). I haven't grocery shopped in person since the pandemic. I miss out on the clearance items, but, I keep to my monthly budget of $100, so it works out well enough.
ReplyDeleteWhenever possible, it is so much easier not to go to the shops and thus avoid all that temptation isn't it.
DeleteI use Sainsbury’s for nice fresh bits the same way you use Booths. Although resistant at first I now always do the Self Scan thing in there. Not only do you get the ‘regular’ Nectar prices off the shelf which are available to anyone with their loyalty card but they offer a selection of ‘personalised’ ones when you scan - I see it as their way of “paying me” do to their checkout instead of a staff member. 😆. Some of the discounts are quite significant
ReplyDeleteAll those fresh bits were from Sainsbury's, getting lots of points for picking up just one or two of the veggies I need via my saved 'Nectar Prices' is a good way to build up the amount of points I have to spend. Yes, I definintely keep my eyes open for the discounts, most of the prices shown have a Nectar discount.
DeleteI'm craving butter beans, now! I love them especially cooked in the Greek way, Gigantes Plaki! xxx
ReplyDeleteI love them added to homemade tomato soup and whizzed up, they add a lovely texture to it and of course a good dose of protein.
DeleteLove those giant butter beans-you can sometimes bet them in Lidl too. My only loyalty card that gives me much return is M and S as I use it to pay all our big bills-January brought house insurance, new cooker hood and a recliner chair for husband which will be delivered in a few weeks. At least February and March have no Council tax as we pay over 10 monthly payments by direct debit. Catriona
ReplyDeleteOh I used to love the two council tax 'free' months, it's not quite the same now that I pay yearly. But at least it's all out of the way in one fell swoop.
DeleteI use my Tesco loyalty card. It gives money off items in the store as well quarterly money off coupons that come through the post.
ReplyDeleteI used to make really good use of my Tesco card and the coupons I got from it, I don't get so many coupons now as I rarely shop there, but I do enjoy the money off for cardholders.
DeleteAgree with Angela that the M and S Sparks card is pretty useless. Surprisingly the 2 I like most are Superdrug and The Works reward cards. I don't spend much in either store but ......especially in The Works........I often seem to get money off my bill. Clubcard feels a bit of a con and I don't have a Sainsbury's nearby so my Nectar card is now defunct. The Booths card sounds good.
ReplyDeleteAlison in Wales x
Yes, I agree too. I always said no to a Sparks card, although friends seemed to get some good offers at first, it seemed to fizzle out quite quickly.
DeleteI don't have grocery cards really. What I have is a membership in our local Co-op and every year we get back a portion of our spending. The rest of the "savings" are kept by them until we move or want to remove them.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
I am a member of the Co-op but I haven't shopped there since we moved from Wales, the one just outside our town is pretty small so I don't bother. The savings do add up though if you don't use them don't they.
DeleteSince I only get over the Pond once a year for a few weeks I don't see (nor expect) much savings on my British cards, but I do keep M&S and Waitrose apps on my phone and the cards stored in my @pple wallet (I remove the apps when not in country). These are the nearest stores to the places I stay and I have managed to get a few small deals out of both of them. In the US you can't really get lower posted prices unless you have the store's grocery card, but I almost never buy sales items unless the are part of my regular food list. Mary (g00gle chooses not to recognize me today :) )
ReplyDeleteThat's a really sensible way to have the British apps, and will give you savings while you're over here. The US grocery savings systems are very different to the UK ones aren't they.
DeleteGoogle is being a pain in the a*se just recently, comments I have left on other blogs are disappearing again. Thanks for adding your name. :-)
Here in Canada one of the most popular cards is the PC Opt card - issued by Loblaw, our largest grocery conglomerate. You earn points at various levels and on various items at all the stores that fall under their umbrella. They have cut back on the points awarded in the past few months and you often have to buy quite a bit to qualify for certain points but if you need certain items and really think it through, you can earn some significant amounts - especially if you can "double up". I think I was well over $300 last year and I currently have over $30 on my card in just this past month.
ReplyDeleteYou have to be very careful and pretty intelligent to work out the best way to use various stores 'discount' and card schemes don't you. It's mentally hard work going shopping these days!
DeleteI only use loyalty cards from my local baker, pharmacy, car wash and fabric store. At all these places you get a stamp or a sticker on a real cardbord card, and you don´t have to give your name. I know it is stupid, but somehow I don´t like all my shoppings registered and the data sold and analysed.
ReplyDeleteHilde in Germany
It's not stupid at all, there are a lot of folk just like you. I think this is why the supermarkets have now brought out the huge savings for their card holders and display two prices on the deals, to try and persuade more of the people who have been more conservative or careful in the past to sign up for them.
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