Aqua Reward Credit Card - 3% cashback up to £100/year

Uplink

If you shop in Iceland, and you have that Bonus card, it sounds like a good deal. They can feed your Bonus card from your CC as a purchase, since it's not cash. It is a purchase, just a delayed one. You can't spend that money anywhere else. They're not exactly losing anything.

Hmm... Tesco too has a Christmas Saver thing. I wonder... You get 6 quid in bonus vouchers for 100 quid deposit (which you're supposed to save in tiny bits throughout the year, but there's nothing preventing you from putting it all in in November then getting it all back in your December statement, bonus included). Too bad Christmas just went, and there's quite a bit of time until next one, right?

Blue_Max

Uplink wrote: »

Tesco too has a Christmas Saver thing. I wonder... You get 6 quid in bonus vouchers for 100 quid deposit (which you're supposed to save in tiny bits throughout the year, but there's nothing preventing you from putting it all in in November then getting it all back in your December statement, bonus included). Too bad Christmas just went, and there's quite a bit of time until next one, right?

We also shop at Tesco and got a Clubcard. Somehow missed this "6 quid in bonus vouchers for 100 quid deposit" deal _pale_
6% return for investing for just one month is a cracker.
Oh well! Will have a go November this year.

Does anyone else know of these kind of deals?!

Gromitt

Blue_Max wrote: »

£26 for £25 is not limited to £4 per year or paying for Xmas shopping. Check it out at Iceland website.

I've just read the T&Cs on the website and whilst I agree the staff member was incorrect, the T&Cs are confusing compared to what you state:

Members of the Savings Scheme will receive a £1 Iceland bonus when they reach each savings milestones of £25 for the first time only.

So the first time you reach £25, you get £26 deposited.
But the second time you reach £25, no bonus is paid.

Blue_Max wrote: »

Even if the spend is about £52/year in iceland, using their saving scheme is worth an extra 4%. Much more on an APR basis.

So I carry around a bonus card to get £2 back in the first year ? Really not worth it!

aleph_0

Uplink wrote: »

Hmm... Tesco too has a Christmas Saver thing. I wonder... You get 6 quid in bonus vouchers for 100 quid deposit (which you're supposed to save in tiny bits throughout the year, but there's nothing preventing you from putting it all in in November then getting it all back in your December statement, bonus included). Too bad Christmas just went, and there's quite a bit of time until next one, right?

There is a MSE article on this: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/savings/extra-christmas-cash

I think we are straying slightly off-topic. Saver stamps which can only be spent in store are clearly treated as purchases because they are basically purchases. One can/should take advantage of this independently of how one pays.

The one interesting thing is the reports that Wilkinsons give cashback on credit cards, but run it through as purchases. It's been mentioned on here before, and could potentially be taken advantage of, but I suspect would quite quickly be stopped if it was more widely known (mainly because I'd guess CC charged are probably higher than it costs for them to process cash) - either by reprogramming their computers, or the assistant checking the card type before issuing cashback.

Blue_Max

Gromitt wrote: »

I've just read the T&Cs on the website and whilst I agree the staff member was incorrect, the T&Cs are confusing compared to what you state:
So the first time you reach £25, you get £26 deposited.

I have done this many times! So it must be that you misinterpreted.
"first time you reach £25" obviously apply to people who save small amounts.

Gromitt wrote: »

But the second time you reach £25, no bonus is paid.

Where did you get this?!!
Based on my experience you are incorrect.
As you are confused, call customer care team on 01244 842842 or email [EMAIL="customer.services@iceland.co.uk"]customer.services at iceland.co.uk[/EMAIL]

Gromitt wrote: »

So I carry around a bonus card to get £2 back in the first year ? Really not worth it!

That would be silly!
We have a lots of different cards of all sorts! Only 'carry around' the ones we are likely to use in a few days.

Uplink

Alright, I seem to have done the bad thing and gone over my limit with Aqua, but I'm not sure... Yesterday I checked my available to spend, online, and it was enough for a quick trip to Tesco. But apparently Amazon didn't earmark an order I placed with them. Today I checked my online available to spend as well and it said 1.00 DR (that is "negative available"). You should have seen how speedy I was to make an FP to cover it and have some more to spare.

Now I'm back in the black, but I wonder: did I actually go over my limit or not? Technically, they haven't paid out anything - just earmarked. The earmarks went over the limit, but they haven't parted with their money yet, because of the three day payment cycle. On the other hand the FP cleared already (i.e. before they part with their money).

Should I give them a ring?

Blue_Max

Uplink wrote: »

Should I give them a ring?

Good idea. When people phone and explain what has happened, they have been known to be flexible.
BTW. they have a freephone number 0800 5875770

aleph_0

I've noticed that the Reward Card is no longer linked to from the homepage, or from the "credit card range" page, but the page about the card and application system is still up. So there's a good chance the product is being temporarily/permanently withdrawn.

So if there's anyone lurking who was thinking of applying soon, now might be a good time to apply.

Uplink

Blue_Max wrote: »

Good idea. When people phone and explain what has happened, they have been known to be flexible.
BTW. they have a freephone number 0800 5875770

I haven't spoken to them yet (I dialled them after closing time) but my FP made it to the online statement already. Dated 26 Feb 13. That, like, never happens. It always takes a few days for it to show up, in sync with other transactions, although the transaction and posting dates are correct when they do. No other transactions appeared today. The FP is the only one.

I still have to figure out a pattern for the posting date of a FP (one made Friday was posted Monday, but I have mid-week FPs that show as posted next day, while others are posted the same day). First thoughts: it depends on the time of day, and only working days count. I usually FP in the middle of the night.

adindas

I am interested in knowing further about saving in Bonus Card.
3% return plus £1 for every £25 spend is worthy.

However I do not understand how does it works. I have bonus card with Iceland. But I get it in form of bonus point not real money (£).

So if you save say £100 to get £4 in return, do not they put it in bonus point instead of real pound (£) value ? If so I will still need to ditch it further they way they convert £ to bonus point, there might be some tricks involve in conversion hat we have not found yet, who knows ....