Easy money-making ideas for everyday people

Reading Time: 2 mins

2022 is going to be a difficult year for many people in the UK to make ends meet. Inflation has reached a 40-year high, creating a cost-of-living crisis that’ll make it harder for anyone to stick to their usual monthly budget. And these worries have only been heightened by the looming threat of a recession later this year. Like many people, you might be considering extra ways to make money outside of your job. Below, we explore some potential money-making ideas you can try.

• Start a gardening business
• Private chef
• Buy and sell furniture

Start a gardening business

One option you could explore, for a start, is beginning a gardening business. Gardening is an industry that remains steady, even in precarious economic times: people will always need maintenance for their gardens. On top of this, you’ll be able to earn a competitive wage while enjoying rewarding work outdoors with friendly clients to chat to. But how can you begin? There’s no minimum standard you need to have reached to become a gardener but having any nationally recognised horticultural qualification will help. Plus, you’ll need to invest in a variety of tools, such as a cordless self-propelled lawn mower, trimmers and clippers etc, there is a wide range of tools you’ll need as a gardener. But with enthusiasm and the right tools, you’ll get off to a good start.

Private chef

If you’re an excellent cook, you could consider taking your skills and using them to become a private chef. This will allow you to explore your passion further and use it to earn some extra money on the side. The key to becoming a private chef is to market yourself well. Do you have a specific niche that can help you stand out from the rest of the chefs on the market? By using your special skills to your advantage, you can create a compelling brand that spreads naturally through word of mouth. Becoming a private chef can be stressful but also rewarding.

Buy and sell furniture

Upcycling furniture is another option you could consider. This is where you buy old, worn-down furniture and upgrade it to create something people will want to purchase for a higher value. You’ll need to have solid woodworking skills and a creative eye for the type of furniture that customers will be interested in. But if you have these skills, buying and selling furniture could become a profitable side hustle or even a new business venture for yourself.

2022 will be difficult financially for people and it’s natural for many to search for a side hustle to generate some extra income. And by consulting the guide above, you may just find inspiration for you to make more money.

Disclaimer: MoneyMagpie is not a licensed financial advisor and therefore information found here including opinions, commentary, suggestions or strategies are for informational, entertainment or educational purposes only. This should not be considered as financial advice. Anyone thinking of investing should conduct their own due diligence 

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Mortgage deals halted by lenders

Reading Time: 2 mins

Some mortgage deals have been halted or withdrawn by various banks and building societies. This comes after the pound fell to a 37-year low against the US dollar. Virgin Money is just one of the lenders who have halted their mortgage offers for new customers.  

Skipton Building Society have done the same as Virgin Money. Both lenders have said that submitted applications would still be processed based on previous deals. They have said new deals will be announced in the coming weeks, based on the changes within the market. 

On the other hand, Halifax have said it will stop mortgages with product fees from Wednesday (28th September). The bank has said this is the result of significant changes within the mortgage market in recent weeks. However, they have said mortgage rates themselves have not been changed. They will continue to offer fee-free options for customers. 

Other firms such as HSBC have said there are currently no plans to change any mortgage offers. NatWest have not yet changed any of their current mortgage offers, but have said they are continually reviewing their deals in line with the currently market conditions. 

Why has this happened?

The pound tumbled against the US dollar after the mini-budget was announced by Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng on Friday. The huge increase in the amount of government borrowing announced by the Chancellor has caused concern amongst investors about the country’s ability to meet the debt. 

The Bank of England have since stated they will not hesitate to further increase interest rates due to these record lows. 

A rise in the cost of borrowing in the long term has meant the cost of offering new mortgage deals is more expensive for providers. This, along with concerns of people rushing to get the best deals, has led to the decision to halt deals. 

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Millions Have Turned to Getting a Second Job in Cost of Living Crisis

Reading Time: 3 mins

New research from Royal London has shown that millions of UK workers have either had to take on a second job to cover the Cost of Living Crisis, or greatly increase their working hours in their existing jobs due to worries about rising bills. 

Second Job and long hours

According to the research, more than five million workers have already taken on extra employment to deal with their outgoings, and ten million more are making steps toward or planning this seemingly drastic approach. 

Royal London discovered that millions of UK employees are working extremely long hours, with over a quarter of full-timers staying at work for over 48 hours a week, which is the recommended maximum time: some have said they work 56 hours every week, which equates to over 11 hours each day in a five-day working week. 

Research also shows that only 10 percent of UK adults are confident they’ll be able to cope with the current rising costs and aren’t earning enough currently; two fifths working the longest hours are saying they are struggling to meet their basic outgoing costs. 

Four in five people in the UK say they’re prepared for the financial crisis, having made preparations, but still a third of people have to take out loans or use overdrafts well before pay day. The main problem is that the outgoings of many greatly exceeds their income, despite taking measures to reduce their spending. As such, millions are being forced to take out loans or other borrowing services unexpectedly. 

 

SAVINGS 

Nearly a quarter of UK workers say they have planned to use their savings, but a fifth of people said that they could only fund a small unplanned cost from their savings. This is affecting people’s mental health, which in turn can affect their physical health and well-being, as well as (from a majority of men) an inability to accept or discuss their financial situation and (from a majority of women) feelings of despair and anxiety. 

In fact nearly three quarters of UK adults have not approached anyone for help or advice with the Cost of Living crisis.  

If you’re finding it hard to pay your energy bills, we advise first of all contacting your energy provider – most are friendly and eager to sort out how much you can afford to pay them from your current income. If not, Citizens Advice are always there to help out. 

Sarah Pennells, consumer finance specialist at Royal London, says, “We know that many households started reining in their spending six months ago as costs first started to rise, but with bills continuing to climb, it could be an incredibly tough winter ahead. While many have resorted to making significant spending adjustments, others, despite working all the hours they can, just can’t keep their heads above water. 

 “While the Government’s energy price freeze announcement will have brought relief, escalating costs across the board are deeply worrying, with only one in ten adults confident they’ll be able to cope financially. It’s not just the impact on people’s finances, rising costs are having a detrimental emotional impact, with over three-fifths saying they are suffering from emotional stress.” 

Sara Willcocks, Head of External Affairs at national poverty charity Turn2us, says, “If you are worried about money, we urge you to seek advice as soon as possible. You can do a practical financial health check, which means checking what benefits you are entitled to via the Turn2us Benefits Calculator or, if you have debt concerns, speaking to a specialist debt organisation. You can also find out if you are eligible for any grants towards these costs for energy, furniture and other household essentials via our Grants Search, as well as finding where you may be able to reduce expenditure.” 

MoneyMagpie have hundreds (in not thousands) of ideas to get a second income here.  

  

 

 

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Make Money From Cashback Sites: 2022 Edition

Reading Time: 5 mins

Cashback sites: Earn money for clicks. 

We have been talking about cashback sites for years. Often a useful way to make some extra money, we are shocked by how many of our readers still don’t use them. One of our team uses them to do her full Christmas shop and the credit she uses to buy gifts. So this is real money.

The idea of a cashback site, is to get cash reward when you click through from them to buy goods or financial products. 

Websites such as Quidco and  TopCashback offer cashback on a variety of goods and services, from mobile phones to car insurance and bank accounts to broadband. 

You can be paid cash from some websites when you spend with them, and potentially make £100s a year. They work by sending you to the company through a cashback site, which you then get paid for. You can make as little as sums range from pennies for groceries and small purchases to over £100 for some mobile and broadband contracts. 

SOME EXAMPLES OF CASHBACK SITEs we can personally vouch for 

Top Cashback is free to use: it also offers a premium version which, if you sign up, will charge up to £5 of what you earn each year and boasts thousands of high street names as well as smaller online sellers. They say you can earn up to £345 cashback per year, which you can withdraw straight into your bank account, Paypal or load up onto gift cards.  

Quidco is also a free service, this time offering a premium version which costs £1 of your monthly earnings: again, it offers work with thousands of popular and lesser-known retailers. As with Top Cashback, you can withdraw the money into your bank account, Paypal or convert it into gift cards, and the average earning reported is £300 a year. 

Rakuten is a newer cashback site. They have 500 retail partners and offer a free service where you can again transfer your cashback into your bank account. They also offer ‘Rakuten Points’ instead of cash back, which has extra value when buying items on their site. £1 of cashback coverts to £1.20 worth of points which you can spend on gift vouchers, movies, Rakuten TV, eBooks and audiobooks.  

CHOOSE A CASHBACK WEBSITE 

Register with one or more cashback sites. As we’ve detailed above, many sites are free to join but some charge an annual fee, sometimes for a premium version of the account which affords you more opportunities to earn cash back. 

LOOK FOR DEALS 

Search the website to see if your favourite retailers/financial services firms are offering deals on the products and services that would suit you personally. 

CLICK THROUGH 

Click the link provided by the cashback site instead of going direct: this way, you are using the cash back site as the referral source, and can earn cash back from the click. Oh, and if you’ve used the site before, make sure you DELETE YOUR INTERNET COOKIES before clicking through, so the cash back site will see that your click comes from their source. 

COMPLETE PURCHASE 

The retailer will then send the commission to your cashback site and pay a percentage of the money into your bank or PayPal account. With many of these sites, you could need to reach a cashback threshold before you can withdraw funds: each site has their own rules, so check before you use them. 

MAXIMISING CASHBACK SITES 

CASHBACK FREEBIES 

TopCashback and Quidco, as we’ve said, have offers that make you free money for completing surveys, entering prize draws or even obtaining price quotes from comparison websites. 

RECOMMEND A MATE 

A lot of cashback sites offer you a bonus if you recommend a friend by sending an email using the website’s dedicated referrals page. The email will contain a link to the cashback site with a code to confirm it was you who gave the recommendation. Remember, you won’t be rewarded yourself until the referred friend earns a certain amount of cashback themselves, so make sure to let them know they need to shop once they’ve signed up. 

LONGEVITY 

There are long-term benefits of signing up to a cash back site, for services such as internet and car insurance. The following sites for example, offer these rewards: 

• AA car insurance £15-£20 per policy 
• Asos 1.3%-6.8% of purchase’s cost 
• BT broadband £34-£97.75 per package 
• Currys 0.75%-18.75% of purchase’s cost 
• JD Sports 1.3%-17% of purchase’s cost 
• O2 mobile £5-£85 per contract 

Do check whether credit card, mobile phone or insurance providers are registered on cashback sites before entering into a contract with them.   

HOLIDAY CASHBACK 

This is a nice one: you can book your holiday through a cashback site, and there are some great deals available on flights and hotels, and then car hire, travel insurance and airport car parking.  

GIFT CARDS 

If you want to withdraw funds as a gift card with a specific retailer rather than have it put into your bank account, you will get a top-up on your cashback: there is a large list of retailers that offer gift cards. 

HIGH STREET CASHBACK 

Quidco’s ClickSnap app has a wide range of offline cashback deals, which are pretty simple: buy the product first, then upload a photo of the receipt. You can also earn offline cashback via TopCashback’s in-store cashback scheme. The cashback will automatically appear in your account whenever you buy something with the card you registered.  

CASHBACK CREDIT CARDS 

You can earn extra cashback on your online purchases by paying for your goods with a cashback credit card, which pays you back a percentage of what you spend on them. As with all credit cards, do try and pay off your balance in full at the end of the month in order to avoid interest.  

WATCH OUT FOR… 

CASHBACK WEBSITE FEES 

Some sites offer free signup or a premium site and don’t require upfront payment, but some of the lesser-known websites might charge you a fee to sign up, or require you to clock up a certain amount of cashback before you can withdraw your funds 

COOKIES 

Whenever you surf the internet, a cookie (information about the sites you visit) trail begins, so you have to make a new cookie trail between the cashback site and online retailer in order to earn the money: do this by deleting your internet cookies BUT make sure you’ve saved any important information you have stored on your computer that would normally be autofilled for you: passwords and logins, for example. 

SHOP AROUND 

Cashback sites CAN offer you better deals than elsewhere, but make sure before you sign up, because it isn’t always the case. You may get the same or an even better deal from non-cash back sites, so compare prices before you use the service. 

LATE PAYMENTS 

All of the above can mean it takes time for the money to appear in your account: it’s not always instantaneous. So if payment just isn’t turning up when you think it should, use the site’s official cashback claim link.  

A final note: if you’re starting out, Quidco or TopCashback are two of the bigger sites and are a great start if you’re thinking of getting into these cash back sites. Good luck! 

 

 

 

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Make money taking part in paid clinical trials

Reading Time: 7 mins

Taking part in paid clinical trials can be a way to make a lot of money in a short amount of time, but there are serious potential downsides so be very clear about those if you go in for this.

Depending on what kind of trial you take part in, how invasive the trials are, and how long they take, you can earn anything from £100 to about £5,000. If you’re impressed by the £5,000 figure, though, ask yourself, how much could this ‘treatment’ be harming my body for them to pay me so much money?

Here’s our guide to taking part in paid clinical trials for money the safe way.

• Paid clinical trials: What does it involve?
• Paid clinical trials: Who can take part?
• Paid clinical trials: How much can you make?
• Where can I find paid clinical trials to take part in?
• Thinking it through – Are paid clinical trials for you?
• Other ways to make money

 

paid clinical trials: What does it involve?

There are various types of clinical trials for money that you may be able to partake in. Drug trials are probably the most common as every new drug has to go through testing before it can be widely used.

As a health volunteer you would be involved in Phase One testing. Before this, phase drugs are tested in laboratories and on animals, but Phase One is when the drug is first administered to humans. The aim is to measure what happens to the drug once it’s in the human body until the point it’s excreted.

This may well involve staying in free accommodation for a period of days where food and entertainment are usually provided for free. Although this type of testing is closely monitored and rarely causes serious problems, there is always the risk in being the first human to trial a drug and we shall say more on this later. Just be aware of what you are getting into before you sign up.

In fact, before you look into any potential drug trials for yourself, you should remind yourself about this trial where things went horribly wrong for some of the human testers. Also there is a helpful report on the BBC website about clinical trials today here.

Other kinds of testing are less common so they will be harder to find and will require being at the right place at the right time, but they also don’t carry the same risks as drug trials. Such tests include psychology tests, sleep deprivation studies and diet and nutritional studies.

 

paid clinical trials: Who can take part?

There are a wide range of medical trials out there and for each one the conditions for who can take part vary. Some, for example, require healthy non-smoking adults with no previous medical conditions, others require that the women who take part are past fertility so they are not harmed by the drug in any way, whilst other tests require that you suffer from a certain condition so that they can test a drug’s efficacy.

The testing company Londontrials says that if you’re healthy and aged between 18 to 75 there will probably be a test you can volunteer for. They also have special trials for people who suffer from asthma or migraines.

If you want to take part, you’re probably wondering are there paid clinical trials near me? Well, read on for a list of paid clinical trials.

 

paid clinical trials: How much can you make?

The amount of money you can make depends on what trial you are taking part in, how long it goes on for and how invasive the trial will be. You can earn anything from a few hundred pounds to a few thousand pounds. For example, Trials4us do overnight trials and offer up to £120 per 24 hours you spend with them. They have experiments for people with frown lines/crows feet which pays £720 but also have experiments paying up to £1,750 for healthy volunteers.

One of the best paid clinical trials you can partake in is FluCamp, based in Whitechapel, London. They offer up to £3,750 for taking part in one of their studies. However their clinical trials last between 10-18 days, involve having to contract some kind of cold, flu or respiratory virus and the treatments may not only be nasal sprays and pills, but also injections and drips. As with most clinical trial accommodation, you are provided with a room and entertainment, such as a television and games consoles. For some this might sound like the easiest way to make £3,750 they have heard of, for others it might sound like a nightmare.

 

Where can I find paid clinical trials to take part in?

As has been said, medical trials are the easiest to find when it comes to paid experiments. ClinicalTrials, a US ran database of clinical studies being carried out around the world, is a good place to start looking. It is particularly useful if you have a condition that you would like the opportunity to test drugs for because you can simply type in your condition and a location and see what results arise.

Here’s a list of paid clinical trials worth checking out, and they include:

• Trials4us – The UK’s largest clinical research organisation.
• Londontrials – a London based research unit with an exceptional record for safety.
• weneedyou – A Nottingham based centre who currently are offering opportunities that pay over £5,000.
• Flucamp – As mentioned earlier, FluCamp offers up to £3,750 to take part in flu based trials that last between 10 – 18 days.

For psychological, diet and sleep studies, it is worth contacting local universities and seeing if there are any such trials being run at the time.

 

Thinking it through – Are paid clinical trials for you?

If you feel uncomfortable about the idea of untested drugs, or you don’t like needles, then clinical trials probably aren’t for you. If those things don’t bother you, however, then clinical trials may be something worth considering.

There are people who question the ethics of paid clinical trials and it is understandable. Paying someone to do something they otherwise wouldn’t could be seen as exploiting the poorer among us by giving them money to put themselves through risk they would not, all things being equal, choose to subject themselves to.

That is why some clinical trials are unpaid.

However, by partaking in a clinical trial you could consider that you are volunteering to help contribute towards fighting diseases and ailments that plague thousands of people, and the payment can simply be seen as compensation for your time and inconvenience. It’s also a way of testing drugs out voluntarily rather than having them tested on animals who can’t complain or escape. Most clinics also provide reasonable accommodation, entertainment and meals. For some, then, this might sound like a great way to make quick, easy money whilst contributing towards a satisfying cause.

There are, however, legitimate questions to be raised about safety. All clinical trials are now done in the shadow of the ‘Elephant Man trial’ in 2006, so named because one of the volunteer’s head swelled up so much that it was comparable to the character in the 1980 John Hurt film. During the trial six healthy young men were injected with the drug TGN1412, which had not caused problems during animal testing, but caused a serious reaction in all the volunteers, leaving them in need of treatment for organ failure. One of those taking part lost his fingers and toes, and all were told they would likely develop auto-immune diseases or cancer as a result of the drug.

Since then action has been taken to make trials safer. For example, one of the problems during the Elephant Man trial was apparently that the drug was given to all volunteers at the same time, whereas the injections should have been staggered to monitor the affects in each person. Now there is a greater focus on staggering and ensuring that the right dose of a drug is given to volunteers.

Nevertheless, all safety measures can do is reduce risk, it cannot guarantee against it. It should be said that the vast majority of clinical trials go ahead without problem or incident and that cases like the Elephant Man trial are exceptions to the rule. Still, it is worth bearing all this in mind when considering whether paid clinical trials are right for you. Remember that with a lot of drugs the effects don’t show for some time so even if it seems clear at the time of the test you might have symptoms much later.

So if you plan to take part in one of these trials you should do so with all the facts and your eyes wide open.

 

Other ways to make money

If making money taking part in a paid clinical trial doesn’t sound like your thing, there are other ways to make money in this area without having to take part in a trial yourself.

Many of the organisations mentioned above will pay you if you recommend someone who goes on to take part in one of their experiments. For example, trials4us.co.uk offer anything from £90 – £350 for recommending someone who successfully completes one of their clinical trials. Of course if you are recommending a friend it goes without saying that they should be comfortable with taking part and it is probably best if you are not ideologically opposed to the trials yourself, otherwise you may come of as a little callous!

Some of the organisations also pay for blood. Again, trials4us.co.uk offers £60 per 600 mls of blood, or pays at a proportional rate. It also offers a £5 contribution towards your travel expenses. Giving blood, thankfully, does not entail the same kind of risk as clinical trials.

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Pound falls to lowest against US dollar for 37 years

Reading Time: < 1 min

Friday’s mini budget from Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng has sent UK borrowing costs soaring, sending shockwaves through financial markets and worry through investors. This has caused the pound to slump to its lowest against the US dollar in 37 years. 

The pound tumbled by almost 2% Friday, after the Chancellor announced £45 billion in tax cuts. This meant the British Pound was trading close to $1.10 against the US dollar for the first time since 1985. Subsequently, the cost of borrowing for the UK government on international markets rose the most in a single day for over 10 years. 

This comes after the Treasury said it would finance the tax cuts announced on Friday, as well as the energy price cap laid out by Prime Minister Liz Truss just days after she entered office. This will cost £72.4 billion more than planned for the current financial year in additional UK government debt sales. 

This will now see the Treasury selling £234.1 billion of government bonds this financial year, instead of the planned £161.7 billion. Similarly, the Bank of England are reportedly planning to sell £80 billion of gilts. 

 

At MoneyMagpie, we will aim to keep you updated on the latest financial affairs. 

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Loyalty Cards: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Reading Time: 13 mins

It used to be that loyalty cards were just about collecting points when you spend. Those points would then accumulate and be converted into money off vouchers. Alternatively, the points would accumulate as a cash value which could then be knocked off your shopping. 

These days, loyalty cards do so much more. You can still collect points, but you can also unlock discounts, get money off deals and earn exclusive rewards. However, it can be so confusing to work out which cards offer the best deals. Is it worth shopping around to get the best out of different cards, or should you stick with your favourite shops and benefit from being a loyal customer? What about cards which don’t offer points but give you rewards instead – are they worth it? 

Below we round up some of the most popular loyalty cards and apps, as well as what to look out for and how to get the most out of your shopping. 

• Supermarkets
• High-Street Beauty
• Hight-Street Books and Stationary
• High-Street Clothing
• Coffee Shops

 

Supermarkets

Tesco Clubcard

CARD or APP: Both

POINTS: 1 point for every £1 spent in store, and every £2 spent on fuel. Points can also be collected via Tesco Bank and Mobile. 

VALUE: 150 points is worth £1.50. Vouchers can be spent in store but Clubcard vouchers are worth even more if spent with Clubcard partners – this is probably what they are best known for. Clubcard boasts over 300 partners – from restaurants to theme parks and hotels. 

BENEFITS: Another benefit is that a lot of in store promotions are now only available to Clubcard members. Another good reason to sign up. 

EXTRAS: For regular shoppers who want to save even more, you can get Clubcard Plus for £7.99 a month. With Clubcard Plus you can get 10% off two big shops a month, 10% off most Tesco branded goods and F&F in-store.  

VERDICT:

Tesco Clubcard Vouchers really cover all bases – from money off your shopping to member only promotions but they come into their own when used to pay for days out and meals. You can turn 50p worth of Clubcard vouchers into £1.50 worth of reward partner vouchers to spend at Prezzo or Zizzi, for example. Used this way, it is one of the most generous schemes around. 

Sainsbury Nectar

CARD or APP: Both

POINTS: 1 point for every £1 spent in store, online or on Sainsbury’s fuel. 

VALUE: 500 points are worth £2.50, which can be spent in store or online.   

BENEFITS: Weekly personalised offers.

EXTRAS: You can also collect and spend points with Sainbury’s big brand partners. They include Argos, eBay, Sky Store and Vue. Most partners give customers 2 points for every £1, but some offer more. Check out the website for more information. 

VERDICT:

Even if you don’t often shop at Sainsbury’s, it’s worth getting a Nectar card for the points you can earn from Sainsbury’s partners. Make sure to check where you can earn points. They mount up and you can spend them in so many places it really does make sense. 

Asda Rewards

CARD or APP: App 

REWARDS: Customers can collect ‘Asda Pounds’ by buying Star Products or completing Missions. 

VALUE: Star Product and Mission earnings (the ‘Asda Pounds’) are collected and displayed as a total sum in your Cashpot. The balance can be converted into vouchers to spend in store. 

BENEFITS: There is sometimes the option of converting a portion of your Cashpot balance into a Boost voucher, which increases its value by a certain percentage. 

EXTRAS: Asda also has a Christmas Savings Card. In the run up to Christmas shoppers can add a few extra £s into a ‘savings’ account. 

VERDICT:

Only really worthwhile if you are a regular and loyal Asda customer. If you do your weekly shop there you will benefit from the app. Otherwise, there is probably not a lot to be gained.  

Co-op Membership 

CARD or APP: Both – it costs £1 to join.

REWARDS: The Co-op loyalty card doesn’t give you points, you earn money back on your purchases. Members can also choose 2 money off vouchers per week, which are added to their card or app. 

VALUE: 2p for every £1 spent on selected Co-op products and services.

BENEFITS: Co-op matches the money back you earn and gives the same amount to support community organisations and local causes.

EXTRAS: The loyalty scheme offers exclusive membership deals and personalised offers,  as well as discounts on Co-op services such as insurance and funerals.

VERDICT:

The weekly money off vouchers are useful for small shops and the rewards do mount up. Co-op is particularly good for those with a social conscience as you are giving money to good causes every time you use your card. 

Iceland Bonus

CARD or APP: Both  

REWARDS: Iceland don’t offer points but their loyalty card acts like a savings account. For every £20 you save, they add a £1 bonus. It works by letting the cashier know how much you want to save and they upload it to your card or app. So if you save £2 a week, you could have £109 in a year.  

BENEFITS: You can spend from your Bonus Card in store or online – just let the cashier know how much you want to spend.  Iceland say this makes it easier for people to budget and save. There is no minimum or maximum amount you can save per shop. 

EXTRAS: Exclusive Bonus Card prices and free home delivery on orders over £25 instore on £35 online. Card holders also get special offers and treats on your birthday. 

VERDICT:

Best for very loyal Iceland customers, rather than those who pop in occasionally. The savings element of the card is a different take on the usual loyalty schemes – it could work particularly well in the run up to Christmas. 

Lidl Plus

CARD or APP: App

REWARDS: Lidl don’t offer points. Customers who have the app get 4 money off coupons a week, released on a Thursday. At the time of writing, coupons included 15% off chocolate bars, 15% off tinned fish and 10% off Manuka Honey.  

BENEFITS: Using your Lidl Plus app also means you earn cash back (similar to the Iceland Bonus card) – spending £100 gives you £2 credit, £200 gives you £10 credit. 

EXTRAS: Each time you shop you get a scratchcard offering the chance to win £20 off your next shop. There are also discounts from partners –  such as 3 month Kids Pass membership and up to £150 off bookings with Loveholidays. 

VERDICT:

Even with the temptations of the centre aisle, spending £100 in Lidl regularly is a tall order so the savings aspect is not as attractive as other stores points schemes. The coupons are also time limited. However, the scratch card is fun and adds a bit of excitement to your weekly shop. 

MyMorrisons 

CARD or APP: Both (Morrisons relaunched their loyalty scheme in May 2021) 

REWARDS: Morrisons no longer give points but send you personalised offers on the things you buy most often. Rewards are either in the form of money off vouchers for regular items or money off your whole shop.  

EXTRAS: Every time you scan your digital card, you have the chance of winning a Basket Bonus which can mean anything form £5 off your next shop to a bunch of flowers or a treat from the bakery. 

VERDICT:

Customers who are signed up to the loyalty scheme receive their coupons digitally – which is fine for those who regularly use apps, potentially less so for those who don’t or can’t afford a smart phone. The Basket Bonus is a good way to keep customers using their cards, with a good range of surprise prizes. 

M&S Sparks

CARD OR APP: Both 

REWARDS: You can’t earn points with a Sparks card, instead you get perks such as personalised offers, the chance to win a free gift and the chance to get your shopping for free.

BENEFITS: The money off vouchers are worth having – offers can be anything from 15% off bread, 20% of underwear to 10% off clothing. They change fairly regularly but you don’t always know when they are going to be uploaded.

VERDICT:

The jury is still out on the Sparks card. Lots of shoppers would rather collect points and get money off vouchers to spend as they please, rather than being directed towards specific savings. Another major downside is that you have to remember to load the offers you want to use onto your Sparks card. The cashiers can do this for you but they don’t always ask. However, the savings to be had – when they are available and loaded onto your card – are definitely worth having. Overall, it’s worth carrying the card or downloading the app, just don’t forget to check it regularly.  

MyWaitrose

CARD OR APP: Both (You can also get a key fob version) 

REWARDS: You can’t earn points with a MyWaitrose card. Instead, you get regular money off vouchers (to use on your whole shop), personalised vouchers based on your shopping habits and the occasional freebie. 

BENEFITS: MyWaitrose card holders get 20% off the meat and cheese counters every day and 20% off the fish counter on Fridays. They also get money off extras like dry-cleaning and a free magazine.

EXTRAS:  Card holders used to get a free newspaper and a free hot drink. Waitrose no longer offer the free paper and have paused the free hot drink. The website says they are working to bring this perk back. 

VERDICT:

Waitrose is a viewed as a high-end supermarket and as such has a smaller share of the market. Customers tend to be loyal – without the pull of a loyalty card or lots of money off deals. The MyWaitrose card is worthwhile even if you only do occasional treat shops there, you can still get your money off the fresh food counters and use your personalised money off vouchers. 

  

High Street – Beauty

Boots Advantage Card 

CARD or APP: Both 

POINTS: 4 points for every £1 spent.  

VALUE: 1 point =  1p (so for every £1, you earn 4p). 

BENEFITS: You can spend your points at any time, as long as you have enough points to cover the whole transaction. In other words, you can’t use your points to pay a bit towards your total shop, they has to pay for everything you’re buying. You can still pay for a couple of items with your advantage card and the rest with cash or your bank card. 

EXTRAS: Advantage card holders receive a free health and beauty magazine and there are often lots of offers on, meaning you can earn extra points when you buy certain brands or spend a certain amount. Over 60s can earn 8 points per £1 on many Boots own products too. 

VERDICT:

One of the best known loyalty cards, with Boots advantage it really does pay to shop. Points accumulate quickly and are worth more than most other loyalty schemes. 

Superdrug Health & Beauty Card 

CARD or APP: Both 

POINTS: 1 point for every £1 spent.

VALUE: 1 point = 1p. Points can only be used in multiples of 100. So 100 points = £1 off, 200 points = £2 off, and so on.

BENEFITS: Unlike the Boots Advantage Card, you can use your Superdrug points in combination with cash. So, if you’re shopping comes to £7.45 and you have 500 points, you can use those points to knock £5 off your total bill, then pay the remaining £2.45 in cash. 

EXTRAS: Members get free standard delivery on online orders over £10 (non-members have to spend £15 to get free delivery). You also get special discounts every Thursday and a birthday treat. 

VERDICT:

You don’t get as many pennies for your points as you do with a Boots Advantage Card, but the Superdrug card does allow you to use your points to knock money off your shop. This is a big plus point for us.  

 

High Street – Books and Stationery

Paperchase Treat Me 

CARD OR APP: Card  

REWARDS: As the website says – no points, just perks! You get a £5 credit on your card for every £50 you spend (limited to one reward per transaction). New customers also get 15% off their first shop. 

BENEFITS: You can earn money off your shopping, get extra perks at the end of month and a £5 birthday gift voucher. You can also get a free delivery upgrade online, on orders over £30. 

EXTRAS: When you buy 7 greeting cards within 12 months, you’ll get one free. 

VERDICT:

Perfect for anyone with a stationery fetish but not so much if you just buy the odd card or pen. Treats are only redeemable for a month after they are activated, which is a minus point, however it’s worth having for a free £5 voucher on your birthday.  

Waterstones Plus

CARD OR APP: Both 

POINTS: Earn a Plus Stamp for every £10 you spend.  

VALUE: 10 Stamps = £10 to spend in store, in the café or online.

BENEFITS: Get an exclusive treat every year. 

EXTRAS: Loyalty card members are notified first about offers and sales, as well as exclusive events. 

VERDICT:

It’s a generous reward scheme. Even if you only bought a couple of paperbacks or one hardback a month at Waterstones, you could still effectively get £10 a year back! This could get you a free book. For anyone who loves reading, this is always going to be worth it. 

 

High Street – Clothing

TXMaxx Treasure

 

CARD OR APP: Both 

REWARDS: Collect ‘keys’ every time you shop. Rewards are not based on how much you spend, but on how often you visit a TXMaxx or HomeSense store, you can also collect  ‘keys’ online. Collect 5 keys and then choose a reward.

BENEFITS: You can collect up to three keys per day – one from each of the stores and one online. Rewards can be an item, a chance to win an experience or a trip or you can donate to charity. 

VERDICT:

Another card that rewards you for frequency rather than the amount you spend, you can accumulate keys pretty quickly and earn your rewards. There is no minimum spend, so for dedicated customers, you could visit a store a day and earn a reward a week! Worth having. 

H&M  

CARD OR APP:  App 

POINTS: £1 = 1 point 

VALUE: with 0-299 points you can get reward vouchers and offers. Once you’ve got 300 points you become a Plus Member which gives you access to even better benefits and offers. 

BENEFITS: Get 10% off your first purchase when you join. 

EXTRAS: Members get free delivery on orders over £20, free Click & Collect and 25% off on your birthday. Plus members get free delivery on all orders, surprise offers and unique access to special collections. 

VERDICT:

Even if you don’t shop at H&M regularly it’s worth having the app on your phone and collecting points when you shop. There are no real disadvantages, and you get perks just by being a member.  

Urban Outfitters – UO Rewards

CARD OR APP: App 

POINTS: There are lots of different ways to earn UO points – check out the website for a full list. You get 75 points for signing up, 50 points for downloading the app, 50 points for subscribing to the email and 30 for enabling push notifications. And that’s just for starters. You also earn 25 points when you make a purchase. 

Entry level members get some perks, but it only takes 300 points to become a Silver Member and 600 to reach Gold. Considering you get 230 just for joining the scheme, you’re already well on your way to Silver. 

VALUE: £5 voucher for every 100 points.

BENEFITS: All members get early access to the sales and new collection launches, as well as member-only competitions and bonus point days. There is a long list of perks – again check out the website for all of the details. 

EXTRAS: Current extra perks include Denim Days – earn 10 bonus points when you shop for jeans and the same when you shop Urban Renewal (the vintage arm of the brand). 

VERDICT:

As loyalty schemes go, UO Rewards really does reward you for being a loyal customer. You can earn points by shopping for any items (from scrunchies to coats) so the points accumulate without breaking the bank. The perks are good value too. 

 

Coffee Shops

Costa Coffee Club

CARD OR APP: Both 

POINTS: £1 = 5 points (collect in store or at Costa Express machines).

VALUE: 5 points = 5p, so to earn a £1 you’d need to spend £20.

BENEFITS: You can order your coffee in advance using the app and you can earn sometimes bonus points when you buy a drink or snack.

VERDICT:

Points are only active for 12 months and you have to spend an average of £60 before you’ll earn enough for a free drink, but if you are a regular customer it makes sense to download the app or swipe your card.  

Starbucks

CARD OR APP: App 

POINTS: You can’t earn points at Starbucks, it’s stars. £1 = 3 stars.

VALUE: For a free drink you’ll need 150 stars.

BENEFITS: Once you reach 450 stars you become a gold member and can get extra shots of expresso, dairy alternatives, and other extras for free. Gold members also get a free drink on their birthday.

VERDICT:

It’s not a very generous scheme – you have to spend at least £50 to get a free drink. There are better loyalty schemes out there, but if Starbucks is your coffee shop of choice, you’ve nothing to lose by earning your stars. 

Caffe Nero

CARD OR APP: Both (you can transfer stamps from your card to the app in store).

POINTS: Get a stamp every time you order a drink (made by the barista).

VALUE: 9 stamps =  a free drink. 

BENEFITS: Get an additional stamp if you use a reusable cup. You can also add money to the app meaning you can still buy your coffee if you’ve nipped out and forgotten your bag or wallet. 

VERDICT:

One of the better coffee shop loyalty schemes – it’s simple and you only need to buy 9 drinks (to get 9 stamps) before you get your freebie. 

 

There are hundreds of loyalty cards, apps and schemes out there these days. Most of them are free and don’t cost you anything to use. However, these are loyalty schemes – they pay you back for being loyal. To get the most out of any of them, pick one or two for each of your needs or shopping habits and try and stick with those. You are far more likely to get the benefit this way. If you shop all over the place and use all the loyalty cards available, you will still get points and rewards – it will just take a lot longer. 

What to look out for? To get the most out of your cards, keep an eye on the app or website and see when bonus offers are running. There’s nothing more frustrating than completing a big shop and then realising you could have saved money if you’d used your card or uploaded an offer.

 

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