Best loyalty schemes revealed

From a free drink at your local coffee shop to discounted tickets for some of the UK’s biggest attractions, there are plenty of ways to save money or bag yourself some freebies by taking advantage of loyalty reward schemes.

Many of us now have at least three loyalty cards, but knowing which schemes offer the best perks for you and your family is vital when it comes to being savvy with your spending.

Here’s our round up of some of the best reward schemes available, as well as some top tips for ensuring you get the most out of your loyalty cards.

For every 150 Clubcard points you collect, you’ll receive a voucher worth £1.50. But the great thing about Clubcard vouchers is that you don’t need to spend them in Tesco – you have the opportunity to boost the value of your vouchers by up to four times when you spend them with selected partners, including the RAC, LEGOLAND®, Dobbies and Virgin Atlantic.

You can see the full range of offers online, with some great deals to be had on everything from breakdown cover and railcards to restaurants and family days out, so you can spend your points in a way which best suits your family and lifestyle. Some of the current offers include:

• entry into West Midland Safari Park for £5.50 in Clubcard vouchers (normally £23)
• a Family & Friends Railcard for just £15 worth of vouchers (normally £30)
• an adult cinema ticket at Cineworld for £4.50 in vouchers (normally £12.40)

Nectar

Best for: people who want to earn loyalty points on their supermarket shopping as well as with a range of other stores and want the freedom to spend their rewards in a way that suits them.

You can collect Nectar points from a wide range of retailers, including BP, Argos, Sky, RAC and Sainsbury’s. You earn one Nectar point for every £1 you spend at Sainsbury’s, however some retailers have their own unique offers, meaning you could receive more points for every £1 you spend.

With over 500 brands now part of the Nectar card scheme, you can pick up points in lots of different stores. Plus, you can now add the Nectar Toolbar extension to your internet browser to make sure you never miss out on points when shopping online.

You’ll be able to boost your points by taking out one of Nectar’s credit cards, and be able to earn up to 3 points for every £1 you spend. Sainsbury’s also hold regular points boosting events, including fuel promotion events, and will even reward you with additional Nectar points for using your own carrier bags in store.

Like Tesco’s Clubcard scheme, you can spend your Nectar points on days out, flights or at your favourite restaurants. You can also use your points to receive money off purchases by swiping your card at the checkout or using it online.

IKEA Family Card

Best for: anyone planning a visit to IKEA! Especially useful for those who live near an IKEA store and want to make the most of the savings in the restaurant and the free workshops and activities.

With an IKEA Family Card, you’ll save money on a range of products across the store and enjoy an extra 10% off sale prices. So, whether you’re just popping in for a few items, have recently moved to a new house and need to kit out your new pad, or are simply looking to spruce up one of the rooms in your home, there are big savings and some great freebies to be had by becoming an IKEA Family member.

As a Family Card holder, you can also take advantage of monthly deals on selected products across the store and are entitled to free product insurance, so you’re protected against any accidental damages during delivery or assembly. There’s also guaranteed prizes to be won when you swipe your card at the checkout during ‘Swipe a Surprise’ promotional periods, meaning you can win anything from free IKEA products to a family holiday.

IKEA Family members are also entitled to a free tea or coffee at any time from Monday to Friday, and receive a special discount on the food in IKEA restaurants. So, if you live close to an IKEA store, you can pop in and grab a bite to eat for even less!

If you fancy learning more about how to make the most of your home, from creating your dream kitchen to organising your storage space, you can also go along to local IKEA Family events and how-to workshops to learn new skills or pick up ideas for your latest project. Some stores host cinema evenings for kids in their creche, while others hold interactive hands-on workshops for those who want to spend a couple of hours getting creative. Most events are free for IKEA Family members and guests, meaning you can plan some budget-friendly weekend activities for you and the family.

As well as discounts on IKEA products, you can also save 15% on solar panel installation by Solarcentury, so as well as enjoying a range of freebies and big savings on IKEA products, you can go green for less and save up to 50% on your energy bills.

Boots Advantage Card

Best for: those who regularly buy toiletries, beauty and healthcare products and want a great deal on Boots Opticians or Hearingcare services.

Boots offer a generous four points for every £1 spent in store or online with their Advantage Card loyalty scheme. With each point worth one penny, it’s easy to rack up the points and earn some great discounts if you’re a regular shopper. Points can be redeemed against most items in store, however you must have enough points to cover the whole cost of the item you’re purchasing.

As a member, you’ll receive regular vouchers, including discounts and points boosters, which are tailored to the things which you most regularly buy. Boots also hold regular double points promotions and events, which are great for topping up your total if you’re buying more expensive items such as electricals for birthday and Christmas presents, or stocking up on essentials such as toothpaste and other toiletries.

There are also further discounts to be had if you’re also a member of the Boots Parenting Club, Boots Opticians contact lens scheme or More Treats for Over 60s. If you sign up to the Contact Lens Reward Scheme, you’ll receive one point for every £1 you spend at Boots Opticians as well as 10% off Boots own brand products. Boots Parenting Club members are entitled to 10 points for every £1 spent on baby products, while More Treats for Over 60s members receive 10 points for every £1 spent on Boots own brand products as well as exclusive offers on Boots Hearingcare and Boots Opticians.

Top tips for loyalty reward scheme success

There are some great perks to joining loyalty schemes with retailers you shop with regularly. However, you need to be savvy with your spending if you want to earn the best rewards. Here are our top tips for getting the best out of your loyalty cards:

Don’t substitute earning points for saving cash

It’s important to remember that points don’t always equal cash, so always shop around for the best deals if you’re trying to save money. The best way to top up your points is at bonus events, and it’s not worth collecting a few extra points at the expense of saving a few pounds in cash.

Store your cards safely

It’s no good having a loyalty card if you never collect points with your purchases. Free apps like Stocard enable you to store all your loyalty cards on your mobile, freeing up wallet space and meaning you don’t need to worry about losing your cards and someone else redeeming your points!

Keep track of your memberships

Some retailers will wipe your loyalty points if you’re inactive for a 12-month period, so be sure to stay on top of your schemes and check your account for any unused vouchers to avoid missing out. You can check the value of your points using this handy tool from MoneySavingExpert.com and see if you’re sitting on any unused rewards.

Plan your reward redemptions

Take some time to plan what you’re going to spend your rewards on. If the school holidays are approaching, you might get some great deals on days out and experiences, or you could renew your RAC membership if it’s coming to an end. If it’s something you would have bought anyway, then you know you’re getting a great deal.