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Millions of us have one or more loyalty cards in our wallets, often with loads of points on them that we’ve never got around to cashing in.
It’s estimated that around £3 billion of unused loyalty points go to waste each year, so if you think you might own a share, it’s time to dig out your cards and make the most of them.
Here’s our rundown of some of the better-known loyalty schemes that are available. Remember that there are plenty of others available, and many smaller independent retailers now offer these types of schemes too.
Deserts might be some of the most inhospitable places on Earth, but many of us feel drawn to them for a reason. Despite the scorching days and freezing nights, these arid stretches of wilderness can make the perfect playground. There are all kinds of exhilarating activities you can only do in the desert, so if you like getting your adrenaline pumping, you’ll be spoiled for choice.
But if you’re looking for peace and solitude, you’ll find that, too. Gazing out at the vast, silent desert can be awe-inspiring, and a sense of timelessness blows on the breeze. Plus, despite the barren landscape, there’s more life here than you might think. Deserts have their own unique ecosystems, and whether it’s desert-adapted animals or alien-like plants, the flora and fauna are like nowhere else in the world.
Then there’s the natural beauty. From rolling golden dunes to truly spectacular sunsets, the desert is utterly unique, and few explorers leave without being awed.
So, to get you inspired, here are eight desert adventures for your travel wish list.
And, to plan your next trip, check out our holiday itinerary helper, or find thousands of travel deals using the button below.
Tesco Clubcard
How the scheme works: You’ll get one Tesco Clubcard point for every pound you spend at Tesco online or in store. You’ll also get one point for every two litres of fuel you buy when you fill up your car at a Tesco petrol station.
You’ll also benefit from the ‘Clubcard Prices’ scheme, which offers Clubcard holders significant discounts on a range of products. Any items that are included in the scheme are marked with a promotional sticker, letting you know just how much you could save with your Clubcard.
What are points worth? Every point is worth a penny if you redeem your points when shopping in-store, so you’d need 500 points to get £5 to spend in store. If you’ve got 150 points or more, they’ll usually be sent out in vouchers to you every three months.
However, if you put your points towards Reward Partner vouchers instead, they can be worth two or sometimes three times as much, so your 500 points could bag you a reward valued at £10
For example, current partner deals include meals at Italian restaurant chain Pizza Express, where every 50p in vouchers can be turned into £1.50 to spend there. If you’re looking for a day out with the grandchildren, every £5 in vouchers can be turned into £10 to put towards Legoland Windsor Resort admission.
You can find out more about how to spend your Tesco vouchers here.
When do points expire? Vouchers are valid for two years after the date they’ve been issued. You can extend the life of your vouchers by another two years by making a small purchase on the Tesco Clubcard site. This will result in the remaining balance being reissued as new vouchers with a new two-year expiry date.
If you think you’ve got points you might have forgotten about, you can get back the last couple of years of unused vouchers by logging into the Tesco Clubcard site and going to the ‘vouchers’ section under your Clubcard account. This will then show you any unspent vouchers, which you can either use online or print to use in-store. Alternatively you can download the Tesco Clubcard app to check whether you have any misplaced vouchers.
Boots
How the scheme works: Sign up for a Boots Advantage card and you’ll get three points for every £1 you spend. If you download the Boots app for the first time and make a transaction in-store, you’ll get exclusive points rewards too.
Boots also offers Advantage Card holders who are over the age of 60 a higher number of points when they spend, provided they’ve signed up to its Over-60s Rewards scheme.
Currently, those who belong to the Over-60s Rewards scheme get eight points for every £1 spent on Boots own-brand and exclusive products, which is double the points of a regular Advantage card. You can sign up for a Boots Advantage card here.
What are points worth? Each point is worth 1p, so 1,000 points is equivalent to £10. However, points can only be redeemed against your shopping in-store, and not for any other rewards.
When do points expire? Boots says it will remove Boots Advantage Card points from accounts after 12 months of inactivity. Using your card to earn points counts as activity, so as long as you shop at Boots relatively regularly your points shouldn’t expire.
Deserts might be some of the most inhospitable places on Earth, but many of us feel drawn to them for a reason. Despite the scorching days and freezing nights, these arid stretches of wilderness can make the perfect playground. There are all kinds of exhilarating activities you can only do in the desert, so if you like getting your adrenaline pumping, you’ll be spoiled for choice.
But if you’re looking for peace and solitude, you’ll find that, too. Gazing out at the vast, silent desert can be awe-inspiring, and a sense of timelessness blows on the breeze. Plus, despite the barren landscape, there’s more life here than you might think. Deserts have their own unique ecosystems, and whether it’s desert-adapted animals or alien-like plants, the flora and fauna are like nowhere else in the world.
Then there’s the natural beauty. From rolling golden dunes to truly spectacular sunsets, the desert is utterly unique, and few explorers leave without being awed.
So, to get you inspired, here are eight desert adventures for your travel wish list.
And, to plan your next trip, check out our holiday itinerary helper, or find thousands of travel deals using the button below.
John Lewis
How the scheme works: John Lewis’s reward scheme, My John Lewis, doesn’t give you points, but instead offers you some exclusive benefits, offers and competitions.
What are the scheme’s benefits? Unlike some of the other loyalty cards listed here, My John Lewis membership provides a blanket set of benefits, rather than you building up points to receive vouchers. The benefits change from month to month, and include rewards, competitions, exclusive discounts on certain brands, personalised offers based on your shopping habits, member-only events, and a chance to win your John Lewis ‘wish list’ up to the value of £1,000.
Another benefit of My John Lewis is that you’ll have access to their BeautyCycle and FashionCycle schemes. For both schemes all you need to do is bring either five clean empty beauty product containers, or five old items of clothing and you’ll receive £5 off of relevant spending.
You can find out more about My John Lewis and sign up for the scheme here.
When do points expire? There are no points to earn with the My John Lewis scheme, but the offers and deals that members can access are usually only available for a limited time before they are replaced with new deals. Deals and offers are also subject to availability.
Waitrose
How the scheme works: There are no points to collect with the myWaitrose scheme either. Waitrose is part of the John Lewis Partnership, but the myWaitrose scheme is separate from the My John Lewis scheme.
What are the scheme’s benefits? Cardholders can get one free coffee or tea a day. All you have to do is bring your own cup and make a purchase to claim your drink. You’ll get personalised money-saving vouchers that are released each week based on your shopping habits as well as exclusive savings such as 20% off selected fish from their fish counters on a Friday and 20% off selected meats from their counters on a Saturday. myWaitrose members also get free Waitrose magazines, as well as discounts on dry cleaning.
You can sign up for a myWaitrose card here.
When do points expire? As you don’t earn points on your spending, there’s no expiry date. However, the offers and deals that myWaitrose cardholders can benefit from have an expiry date which varies depending on the particular offer. Deals and offers change regularly and are also subject to availability.
Morrisons
How the scheme works: The Morrisons More loyalty scheme lets members earn points and access personalised offers and discounts through the More Card app or their linked account. Members scan their digital or physical More Card at checkout to earn points and redeem personalised money-off coupons tailored to their shopping habits.
What are points worth? Members earn More Points, typically five points per product purchased, which can be converted into £5 vouchers known as “More Fivers” once you accumulate 5,000 points. On top of this, the app shows personalised offers and club-specific deals based on your interests.
The scheme is mainly digital, with most benefits managed through the mobile app, although physical cards are also available on request. You can sign up for the Morrisons More scheme here.
When do points expire? As there are no points for the My Morrisons scheme, they will not expire, however the personalised offers available will change regularly, in line with your shopping habits.
Nectar
How the scheme works: You’ll earn one Nectar point for every £1 you spend in-store or online at Sainsbury’s, as well as getting one point for every litre of fuel when you fill up at a Sainsbury’s petrol station. You can also pre-select weekly bonus point offers, based on the things you buy often.
You can also earn and spend Nectar points at a wide range of other retailers. These are known as partner offers and the deals rotate frequent, but you could earn points by shopping on eBay, ao, Argos and more.
Shoppers with a Nectar card can also get discounts on around 300 Sainsbury’s items with the new ‘Nectar Prices’ scheme. Items that are cheaper under the scheme are marked with promotional labels in-store. If you have a Nectar card, the discount will be applied automatically when you scan it at checkout. If you are shopping online, you’ll need to add your Nectar card to your online Sainsbury’s account.
What are points worth? Each Nectar point is worth 0.5p, so you’d need 1,000 Nectar points to get £5 off your Sainsbury’s shopping. Alternatively, you may be able to boost their value slightly by putting them towards things like meals out, holiday reading, or money off your next purchase at your favourite shop.
When do points expire? There’s no automatic expiry date for Nectar points. But if you don’t collect or spend any points for a year, your Nectar account will be closed and your points lost.
You can find out more about how the Nectar card works and download the app for the scheme here.
Asda
How the scheme works: Asda has rolled out their Asda Rewards programme nationwide, a new app-based scheme to reward customers. Members earn money into a “cashpot” by scanning the app when shopping and completing missions set in the app.
What are points worth? Asda Rewards uses pounds rather than points. Customers can build up their cash pot by scanning the app after a purchase, buying ‘star products’ or completing missions set by the app. This cash can then be exchanged for vouchers and used on future Asda purchases.
When do points expire? Cashpot balances must be converted into vouchers within 6 months of earning, or they will be lost. Once converted, vouchers typically last for up to 90 days in the app before they expire.
The Co-op
How the scheme works: To become a Co-op member, you have to pay £1, which buys you one share in the Co-op. You can apply for Co-op membership here. Co-op’s loyalty scheme changed on January 24, 2024, so rather than getting money back every time you spend, instead you get discounts on Co-op-branded goods and other items through special ‘member prices’.
What are rewards worth: You’ll get money off branded and non-branded goods and services via ‘member prices’, as well as personalised weekly offers that you can choose in the app (for example, money off products or your shop). Members may also be entered into monthly prize draws or promotions automatically when they spend a minimum amount, giving them the chance to win prizes and community contribution. Co-op continues to support local communities through its dedicated Community Partnership Fund.
When do rewards expire? Individual offers and personalised deals shown in your Co-op app or online account have expiry dates that vary depending on the offer. You must use the offer by the date shown.
Marks and Spencer
How the scheme works: The Marks and Spencer Sparks scheme offers exclusive deals, treats and a charity donation every time you shop. The scheme works through the Sparks app and a digital account, through which you’ll receive personalised offers and treats. The scheme was relaunched as a digital-first scheme in 2020. While the physical card can still be used, the most comprehensive experience will be through the app or online.
What are the scheme’s benefits? While you don’t collect points through your Sparks account, you will get a range of benefits, offers and free items by being a member. The key things Sparks provides are: personalised offers, based on what you like to buy, a donation to charity with every purchase you make, free gifts every now and then, and the chance to win rewards such as free shopping or vouchers/.
You can sign up to the Sparks scheme here.
When do rewards expire? Most offers will only be available for a short period of time and will change regularly, in line with your shopping habits. The actual expiry for each reward or offer is displayed in the Sparks app or online account, so the best way to check is to view the details in your Sparks app.
Waterstones
How the scheme works: Through the Waterstones Plus scheme, you will get a virtual ‘stamp’ for every £10 you spend in store, online or in their cafes. Once you have 10 stamps, you will get £10 added to your Waterstones Plus account. You can then use your Plus account balance to buy pretty much anything from Waterstones’ range of books, stationery and gifts (exclusions apply).
What rewards can you get? The main rewards of the Waterstones Plus scheme are the £10 rewards you get once you’ve saved up 10 stamps. However, when you sign up, you will be asked whether you would like to receive the Waterstones Weekly email which they issue every Monday evening and details the week’s most exciting releases as well as access to signed and special editions, and early bird entrance to festivals and events.
Members will also get early access to seasonal offers and sales, as well as the chance to enter prize draws for free.
You can sign up for a Waterstones Plus account here.
When do rewards expire? Stamps expire 12 months after they’re earned if they haven’t been converted into a £10 reward. Once issued, £10 rewards usually expire 12 months after being added to your account, and if there’s no activity on your account for 12 consecutive months, Waterstones may close it.
Ryman
How the scheme works: The Ryman Rewards scheme lets members build up points, access exclusive member prices and participate in prize draws. You can join for free online or in-store.
What rewards can you get? Ryman Rewards members can access discounts on selected items in Ryman stores and on the website, with member prices clearly marked in store. Members earn 1 point for every £1 spent, and receive 100 points for signing up. Points can be redeemed on future purchases, with 100 points worth £1 off.
You can sign up for a Ryman Rewards account here.
When do rewards expire? Points expire after 24 months. Members are usually notified when their points are about to expire.
Costa
How the scheme works: Members of the Costa Club can earn free drinks by building up points known as ‘beans’ on their card or app.
What rewards can you get? For each drink you buy from a Costa store or Costa Express machine you earn one bean, or two beans if you bring a reusable cup to use in a store. Once you’ve built up eight beans, you can receive a free drink of any size in store. This means that you can get a free drink after only four visits to Costa if you’re using a reusable cup. You can also get free cake on your birthday, and app users can get exclusive discounts and extra beans.
You can sign up to the Costa Club here.
When do rewards expire? Beans collected via the Costa Club scheme will expire if a member has not used the mobile app or their card to either earn beans or redeem free drinks vouchers for 12 months since the last transaction. Free drink vouchers earned via collecting beans will expire six months after they have been issued.
Greggs
How the scheme works: Sign up for the Greggs Rewards loyalty scheme in the Greggs app and scan your app every time you spend there and you get stamps on your purchases. You collect these in six product categories as you shop.
What rewards can you get? There are six categories that you can collect stamps for when you buy something from Greggs. If you collect nine stamps in any one of the categories, you will get the 10th product from that category for free. The free reward will appear in your app wallet once earned.
You’ll receive a free hot drink just for downloading and registering on the app. You’ll also be sent a code which you can redeem for a complimentary sweet treat on your birthday, such as a cupcake, cream cake or doughnut.
Another benefit of the Greggs app is that you can click and collect your favourite foods, so you don’t have to queue when it’s busy.
When do rewards expire? Free rewards earned (after collecting 9 stamps) typically expire 31 days after they are added to your wallet. Greggs reserves the right to cancel your Greggs Rewards account if it has not been used for 24 consecutive months.
McDonald's
How the scheme works: Download the McDonald’s Rewards app and you can earn one point for every penny you spend at McDonald’s.
What rewards can you get? Once you earn enough points, you can redeem rewards at the counter, kiosk, in the drive-thru or through McDelivery. The number of points needed depends on the reward tier, starting with 1,500 points for items such as a medium soft drink, regular McCafé drink, hash brown, small fries or similar menu items, and larger rewards requiring more points as shown in the app (for example burgers).
When do rewards expire? Points used to expire on the last day of the 12th month after you have earned them. However, this has now changed so points will expire six full calendar months after you’ve earned them (plus the first day of the following month). You need to redeem them within this period or they will be lost. You can check your points’ expiry dates in the app.
Pret a Manger
How the scheme works: Download the Pret Perks app to earn stars with every purchase at Pret a Manger stores. You typically earn one star for each purchase you make in‑store or via click‑and‑collect. If you have a Pret coffee subscription, you may also get a bonus star each month you renew it.
What rewards can you get? Once you earn 10 stars, you can exchange them for a reward from a set list of products, such as a baked treat or snack, shown in the app.
When do rewards expire? Pret Perks rewards usually expire 30 days after they are credited to your account. While the stars themselves used to collect without a clear expiration, the resulting free item or perk must be redeemed within this 30-day window.
Superdrug
How the scheme works: Register for Superdrug’s Health and Beautycard online, then download the app and log into your account.
What rewards can you get? Members can access lower prices on selected products, and receive a point for every £1 spent at Superdrug. 100 points gets you £1 off a Superdrug purchase.
Their new VIP rewards scheme allows members to unlock additional discounts and freebies for spending certain amounts at Superdrug. Spending at least £25 will usually net you a one-off 20% discount, £75 will get you a free Superdrug own brand product worth between £4.50 and £8, £150 will get you free next-day delivery worth £4.90, and £300 will get you 12-month VIP status for the following year, including free next-day delivery, discounts and surprise freebies from other retailers.
When do rewards expire? Points are valid for 24 months, provided your account is not inactive in any 12-month rolling period. After 24 months, points will expire and you will no longer be able to access or use them.
Remember...
You should never base your decision on where to shop on whether they offer a loyalty scheme, as your top priority should be to find the best possible deals. However, loyalty schemes are well worth using if you are shopping somewhere that offers one. Just make sure you use any points or rewards before they expire.
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