Sainsbury's credit card: Do you still earn "ordinary" Nectar pts?

rbb-jhb

Just wondering.... if I shop at Sainsbury's and pay with a Sainsbury's credit card, do I earn "double" Nectar points - 1 point per £2 spend on my Nectar account (as I would if I were paying with any other card or even cash) and then another 1 point per £2 spend on the Sainsbury's credit card?

And is there any downside to using the Sainsbury's card only for Sainsbury's purchases and using a better cashback card (Pulse) for purchases everywhere else?

SiliconChip

Yes - the ordinary points (along with any bonus points) show up straight away on the Nectar app (or the next day for petrol), the points earned for using the card are credited monthly.

No, I do this with the same cards as you, although I have other credit cards too that I make the occasional purchase on to keep them active.

WillPS

1 Nectar per £ is the standard Sainsburys earning rate (0.5p per £)

1 Nectar per £2 is the amount Sainsburys Bank pay on Sainsburys/Argos spend (0.25p per £) - this is no longer "double" since they nerfed it.

1 Nectar per £5 is the amount Sainsburys Bank pay on spend elsewhere else (0.1p per £)

All these rates are pitiful. In fact, if you have a NewDay Pulse card I'd use that in Sainsburys over a Sainsburys Bank card, as you'll earn the same headline rate (0.25%), it'll be paid in cash which is more useful and you won't suffer from rounding down to £2 chunks.

If you're serious about earning Nectar (as I am) get a Nectar Amex (which earns 2 pts per £ at Sainsbury's and everywhere else accepted, except Costco) and a Barclaycard Avios card for everywhere else (which earns 1 Avios per £, which can be converted in to 1.33 Nectar points).

rbb-jhb

Thanks for the advice. I'm thinking maybe take out the Sainsburys card for the 2-month bonus of 8000 Nectar points? I have family staying with me through July and August so my grocery spend will be higher than usual. Then after 2 months just put it away in a closet and continue using the Pulse card?

WillPS

rbb-jhb said:

Thanks for the advice. I'm thinking maybe take out the Sainsburys card for the 2-month bonus of 8000 Nectar points? I have family staying with me through July and August so my grocery spend will be higher than usual. Then after 2 months just put it away in a closet and continue using the Pulse card?

Nectar Amex has a higher sign up bonus of 20,000 points (need to spend £2k in 3 months, but can be anywhere, and not have held a personal Amex in your own name for 2 years+). You'll also get £30 via TopCashback on top. 

Unless you're wanting to benefit from an interest free period too?

rbb-jhb

WillPS said:

Nectar Amex has a higher sign up bonus of 20,000 points (need to spend £2k in 3 months, but can be anywhere, and not have held a personal Amex in your own name for 2 years+). You'll also get £30 via TopCashback on top. 

Unless you're wanting to benefit from an interest free period too?

I don't need an interest-free period  because I pay in full. I'll think about the Amex card - though that has a fee after the first year so I would have to remember to cancel it!

WillPS

rbb-jhb said:

WillPS said:

Nectar Amex has a higher sign up bonus of 20,000 points (need to spend £2k in 3 months, but can be anywhere, and not have held a personal Amex in your own name for 2 years+). You'll also get £30 via TopCashback on top. 

Unless you're wanting to benefit from an interest free period too?

I don't need an interest-free period  because I pay in full. I'll think about the Amex card - though that has a fee after the first year so I would have to remember to cancel it!

Even if you forget - Amex will refund any fees paid on a pro-rata basis when/if you do cancel, so if you remember in month 13 (after seeing the fee paid) you'd still get the vast majority back.