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Living on a budget means you have to get creative with what you have, so when buying presents for Valentines Day or birthdays crop up I will often make my own edible gifts – giving things like jams or baked treats that you’ve taken the time to create and package up. Hopefully people don’t think I’m a cheapskate!
Another way to get round a lack of cash is to check the balances of all my loyalty cards to see if I can afford an impressive gift.
There’s nothing more satisfying than feeling like you’ve got something in return for your weekly shop – especially when the cost of food in our trollies seems to be rising so rapidly of late.
I know a lot of people who use their Tesco Clubcards to get some great deals and checking out the Clubcard Deals it’s easy to see why:
Magazine subscriptions are one of my favourite things to give as a present because it lasts all year.
I’m a huge fan of BBC Good Food Magazine for regular family-friendly recipe inspiration, it’s very accessible and ideal for family cooks who are stuck in a recipe rut.
If you’re tearing your hair out about what to get for your Valentine – men are SO hard to buy for after all – did you know that you can get a motorsport driving eperience or even go indoor sky diving with your points?!
Or perhaps if you’re planning on going our for a meal but are worried about the cost you could cash your points in at places like Ask, Brasserie Gerard or Strada.
You could reduce the stress of paying for your holiday by saving up enough points to nab yourself a stay with apartment 4 you.
Loyalty schemes are a fascinating area. Obviously the brands want you to keep coming back to shop with them, so incentives like the above are absolutely key, but don’t forget in return for this you are providing them with information about your shopping behaviour.
There’s an interesting clip on BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme where they interview Edwina Dunn, co-founder of Dunnhumby, which runs the Tesco Clubcard scheme, among others and talks about the challenges facing big brands in this area. LIsten here
How do you use loyalty schemes? Do you save them up and use them at the end of the year for Christmas presents? Are you one of those super savvy shoppers who manages to fly around the world first class on tesco points? Does it bother you that the brand holds your purchase history?
Katie Bryson is a freelance food writer and blogger. She left a career in online news at the BBC to immerse herself in the culinary world, taking in courses at Leiths School of Food and Wine and an internship at Waitrose along the way. Her family food blog www.feedingboys.co.uk is bursting with recipes and tips for feeding hungry families that’ll help inspire all those frazzled parents out there wondering what on earth to cook for tea!
Like half of UK I accumulate points on my shopping/petrol at Tesco. I then make a point of making those loyalty points work for me by getting the added value via the rewards scheme. I always buy magazine subscriptions for myself, family & friends, plus last year we bought our RAC membership ( saving loads of dosh!). I never redeem them in store (unless on a deal) as they are then only worth the face value.( The Money Saving expert would be proud of me)
Me too, I use mine usually for magazine subscriptions. Good Food for me, and Top Gear for my boys. I also used them a couple of years ago to buy tickets to a theme park, which the kids loved. Like Jan, I don’t redeem instore either.
Magazine subscriptions are such a great way of using them Ann – I need to stop cashing my vouchers in when I go to the shop and save them up for better things.
Feeding boys and a firefighter 
Like half of UK I accumulate points on my shopping/petrol at Tesco. I then make a point of making those loyalty points work for me by getting the added value via the rewards scheme. I always buy magazine subscriptions for myself, family & friends, plus last year we bought our RAC membership ( saving loads of dosh!). I never redeem them in store (unless on a deal) as they are then only worth the face value.( The Money Saving expert would be proud of me)
sounds like you’ve got it well sussed Jan! It certainly pays to be loyal…
Me too, I use mine usually for magazine subscriptions. Good Food for me, and Top Gear for my boys. I also used them a couple of years ago to buy tickets to a theme park, which the kids loved. Like Jan, I don’t redeem instore either.
Magazine subscriptions are such a great way of using them Ann – I need to stop cashing my vouchers in when I go to the shop and save them up for better things.