Double-Save for Christmas and earn 14%

dag_2

Agreed, but then, that is where my second point comes in - if someone is already savings-conscious, all he needs to ensure is that he has liquid cash to buy these stamps to the extent he projects he'll need for his grocery shopping for the duration when he can redeem the stamps for extra cash.

In other words, I guess you mean you'll only buy as many stamps as you'll need for your Christmas food - and you won't buy more stamps than that? That makes sense - thanks.

The T&C's on the back of my card say that you only get the bonus if you redeem the whole amount between 22nd Nov and 31st Dec, but you can spend the money you've put on the card at any time.

That's fantastic. Which brings me on to my next question (sorry for asking so many) ....

Do you have to spend the whole savings in a single transaction to get the bonus? Or can you spread it out between 22 November and 31 December?

You are all stars. My nearest supermarket is a Safeway - 10 mins walk - my next nearest is an Asda - 20 mins walk, then Tesco, around 40 mins walk. But I was thinking of moving house some time this year. I guess that the Asda scheme would be the best one to put my money into.

juno

Do you have to spend the whole savings in a single transaction to get the bonus? Or can you spread it out between 22 November and 31 December?

The exact wording of that bit is:

4 The bonus amounts applicable only become valid when the card balance is £49, £97 or £144 as at 21st November and if the total value is redeemed between 22nd November and 31st December. Any amount saved over £144 will attract the £6 bonus but no more.

MarkyMarkD

This would probably benefit someone like me. (I think)

Like some of the others have mentioned, I like to spend money as, where and when etc, BUT, each Christmas I (or should i say 'we' because I'm speaking on behalf of a small company run by my husband and myself) spend at least £600 to £800 on Christmas gifts for customers.

I loathe this practice, but it's an annual thing, and it's always spent on wines and spirits. So, looks good already, plus it will get one, or both of us, a bit more disciplined and organised moneywise. Won't it?

I'm not sure I've got my thinking hat on straight  ;), but it looks good to me.

Wouldn't you do better to buy store vouchers at a discount, and use them? Or even give the vouchers rather than the wines and spirits? Or buy the wines and spirits wholesale and save money that way?

Sofa_Sogood

Wouldn't you do better to buy store vouchers at a discount, and use them?  Or even give the vouchers rather than the wines and spirits?  Or buy the wines and spirits wholesale and save money that way?

Thanks for the question/reply MaryMarkD

You'll have to bear with me because I might be old (ish ), but I'm really new to all this money saving.

For instance, I wasn't aware you could buy store vouchers at a discount. Can you give me any examples please? In simple womans' terms

And as for buying the wines and spirits discounts? I don't think there's a lot to choose between the wholesalers and the big supermarkets. The best thing would be if the other half took a trip on the ferry, but I can't see that happening either.

It's a custom that started about twenty years ago unfortunately, and as it's a custom, the customers have come to expect wines and spirits. Unfortunately.

Hope that makes sense?

Not sure I've still got my thinking hat on straight either.

When I read Martin's idea I knew it wouldn't apply to me if it was for food, so that seemed like the best idea.

Combined with that is the need to get into some sort of order with regard to our finances. We don't save a penny on a regular basis, so this seemed a good opportunity to 'start small'.

HT made sense?

Roger_Rampant

My understanding is that you don't need to rush out now and *sign up* with any particular retailer

The idea is that you save up (with a bank) over the year, then in November you go to your supermarket of choice, and pay in an amount on one of the cards that they have on display near the tills that will be enough to cover what you want to spend in that supermarket in the run-up to Christmas

Then on the appropriate date in November a bonus will be added to your *savings* by the supermarket, increasing the amount available by a few percent

The supermarket have given you that percent just for having your money for a few days, and the bank has also paid you interest over the rest of the year, hence the *double payout*

I shop all year at Tesco, and the Clubcard vouchers that I receive are valid for up to 2 years. Most people seem to spend their Clubcard vouchers as soon as they arrive, but we save them all up until Christmas, and then use them to pay a large wodge of our Christmas food/drinks bill

vanessaw

great idea but now Asda, for instance, have introduced the Savings Cards (like credit cards) do u still get the same savings???? ie save 49 and get a pound free!
Do Tesco's do free stamps on their cards or do u save with them only by clubcard vouchers? :-/

loobyloose

I find at my tesco store that the closer i get to christmas the stamp machines run out of stamps. But now tesco have changed their scheme, instead of getting your vouchers every 3 months, you can opt in to them keeping them and paying out at the end of the year and also you can pay money onto your clubcard (just like saving stamps) and the more you save the bigger bonus. Just thought i'd note this and i'm not advertising tescos.
just i think its a good scheme. And you could add your balnce from savings account around oct/nov its all good!

Maisie

I thought about Martin's tips re Christmas savings club at stores.
Tesco give £1 in November if you save with them. Somerfield I think was £3 or £4 but Asda said they do not run this Christmas scheme now. You have to buy one of their computerised gift cards and top it up at the till if you want to save for Christmas. Not what I was looking for.
They don't give any extra benefits for saving with them.

Start saving it's only about 22 weeks to Christmas!!.

deemy2004

Ive got one of the Asda savings cards.. So whens the bonus day ?

What day in Nov so I can bung £150 onto it.