How loyalty and reward cards can help pay for Christmas

Christmas is edging closer and the earlier you start to plan, the more you can spread the costs of this expensive time of the year. Now’s a good time to start planning the Christmas budget and gift list. I’m here with an idea, with a difference, that could help you to save hundreds.

The cost of Christmas in the UK can vary widely depending on individual spending habits and family traditions. On average, a typical UK family spends around £1,800, including expenses for gifts, food, decorations, travel, cards and other holiday-related activities. It’s a great idea to plan your Christmas budget, think about what your additional costs will be, and maybe start a gift list.
I urge you to think about gifts for two reasons. First, it may be that having a conversation with a family member or friend about not giving a gift might actually be the best gift you can give them. It’s not worth getting into debt for one day. 

Second, the earlier you start researching your gift purchases, the more likely it is that you’ll be able to find discounts on them, especially if you use websites like Idealo which can compare the prices of anything over time.

And don’t forget, if you’re a Boundless member you can take advantage of a range of discounted shopping cards for a range of retailers, which could save you money on food and drink as well as gifts and wrapping.  

Already a Boundless member? Simply log in to gain full access to all the offers and benefits included in your membership. 

Not yet a member? If you're working in or retired from the public sector or civil service, Boundless has two great membership options to choose from: Boundless and Boundless Plus. Enjoy unlimited access or discounted entry to many of the UK’s top attractions, as well as year-round deals on restaurants, holidays, shopping and much more.

How to save money this Christmas using loyalty and reward cards

Loyalty pays

Credit: Getty Images

A brilliant idea to save stacks on your Christmas costs is to save up your loyalty card points and vouchers and use them for Christmas gifts or food and drink shopping.

I have every loyalty card that exists (or it feels like that). I’m very good at remembering to use them on purchases, and I love to build up my balances to use at Christmas time.
Here are the schemes that have helped me to save money, and could do the same for you!

Don't forget as a Boundless member you can benefit from additional savings by buying Gift Cards from some of your favourite brands. 

Nectar/Avios

Do you have Nectar points or Avios points – and did you know you can switch one for the other? I have a British Airways/American Express Blue credit card with no annual fee that I use for all my general monthly spending, including groceries, fuel, household spending, clothing and days out with children. I pay off my balance in full each month ensuring that I pay no credit card interest.
I receive Avios points for my spending (1 point for every £1 spent) and by last Christmas – after two years of using the card – I’d accumulated 34,750 Avios points. Both my Nectar and Avios accounts are connected in my Nectar app and it’s a simple couple of clicks to convert my Avios points into Nectar points.

Every 500 Nectar points is worth £2.50 in vouchers to many retailers, the big ones being Sainsbury’s, Argos and eBay, which meant I had £173 in vouchers to spend! It was a real help in paying towards the Christmas shop and gifts for my children. 

I don’t have such a large balance this year, as I used my points to buy a bed from Habitat a few months ago. I currently have a balance worth £50.

Tesco Clubcard

I collect my Tesco points every time I shop at Tesco or buy fuel. It’s one point for every £1 spent in-store or online and one point for every two litres of fuel you buy.

I normally do my weekly shopping in Tesco, so not only do I collect my Clubcard points I also collect my Avios points as mentioned previously, double-stacking my loyalty points!

For 2024 I’ve been saving up my vouchers and my balance currently stands at £50. I could put this towards either Christmas gifts or the big food shop – but I can also double up the value of these vouchers to £100 to use in several restaurants including Pizza Express and Zizzi – and that’s what I plan to do, to make my money go further. There are also double-value offers for days out with the family, travel, railcards and many other purchases.

Boots

Another classic loyalty scheme is Boots Advantage points. I save up my points here to treat myself to a new perfume every Christmas. This feels like free perfume!

You get three points for every £1 spent, plus in the Boots app there are always offers for double points, or for £4 worth of points when you spend £40, for example. You can then use these points to redeem in full against items. I currently have a balance of £45 saved up.

H&M

Credit: Getty Images

This is the clothes shop that we (my three boys and I) shop at most regularly. You can earn 1 point for every £1 spent, plus extra ‘conscious’ points when you buy certain environmentally friendly clothing, take your own bag, and take in clothing to be recycled (this gets you a £5 voucher). You also receive a £3 bonus voucher for every 100 points you earn.

I currently have a balance of £10 saved up in this scheme which, combined with a bag of clothing to be recycled means I have £15 to spend.

Other loyalty apps

While the schemes mentioned above are those that I use most, I also have a huge array of restaurant loyalty cards and apps. My Subway app has enough points to give me (or a child) a free six-inch sub, saving me around £4. Costa has a great app where I get a free coffee for every 10 coffees that I buy in-store or at a self-service machine – I’m currently halfway towards a free coffee.

I also have apps for Co-op, Toby Carvery, McDonald's, the Anglian Country Inns pub company, and Hotel Chocolate – each of which gives me special offers and discounts.

On top of this, the tastecard including Coffee Club membership I get with Boundless offers great discounts including 2-for-1 dining or 25% off my total bill – it may not pay cash back but it certainly helps me to save, and many restaurants offer discounts over the Christmas period.  

My Christmas rewards pot

Across the four main loyalty schemes that I use regularly, I have £155 that I’lll put towards the cost of Christmas. I urge you to check yours. How much do you have saved? These schemes provide a lovely surprise bonus to help with an expensive time.

Do more with Boundless

If you're working in or retired from the public sector or civil service, Boundless has two great membership options to choose from: Boundless and Boundless Plus. With Boundless, you get unlimited access or discounted entry to many of the UK’s top attractions, including Kew Gardens and Wakehurst and WWT centres across the UK, as well as year-round deals on restaurants, holidays, shopping and much more.

With Boundless Plus, you can enjoy additional benefits including unlimited access to Historic Royal Palaces sites, National Trust for Scotland places, access to The Ramblers' extensive walking community, and peace of mind with roadside assistance and local recovery by LV= Britannia Rescue.