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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Urgent Query before I embarrass myself in Tesco

59 replies

XmasGridlock · 27/12/2020 15:15

Elderly relative has given us some Tesco saving Stamps for Christmas. Have never heard of these and all I can find online dates back to 2010 ish. Nothing on Tesco website about them. Do they still exist? Can I use them?

OP posts:

Sinful8 · 27/12/2020 17:35

@Bunnybigears

What is the point of savings stamps? Rather than, say, a voucher?

If you want to buy a voucher for £50 you have to pay £50 there and then, with savjng stamps you can pay a £1 each week when you do your shopping.

But you could just wait the 50 shops and do it at once

Nowaynothappening · 27/12/2020 17:36

My Nan got me £100 of them for Morrisons one Christmas and it was a total godsend, I put it towards our Christmas food shop. The idea is you pay £1 or £2 a week and have enough saved up at the end of the year for your Christmas shop.

OrangeGinLemonFanta · 27/12/2020 17:37

I imagine that historically, things like that were a life line for housewives without bank accounts but with husbands would drink or gamble away any cash left lying around the house.

RickiTarr · 27/12/2020 17:40

But you could just wait the 50 shops and do it at once

This is for people on very tight budgets, very old school. People who need to save in small weekly amounts. Otherwise what would be the point?

Original poster

XmasGridlock · 27/12/2020 17:47

Used it earlier without issue. The woman on the checkout knew exactly what it was, popped it through and gave me what I hadn't used as change. Had no idea these even existed. Haven't seen a machine in our Tesco either. It's a great idea though for budgeting.

OP posts:

Mama1980 · 27/12/2020 17:47

Yes you can absolutely use them. I save two each year for people and my mum always does one for me.

MollysMummy2010 · 27/12/2020 17:55

I save my Co-Op points up - had over £200 so Christmas cost nothing for food and drink. My mum used to collect them in a book years ago. Sure I have still seen Tesco machines for the stamps.

SuperHighway · 27/12/2020 18:08

Those stamps are a blast from the past for me. I used to buy them throughout the year when our DC were little and we were on a tight budget. It was great to be able to buy the Christmas food without worry. I used to use my reward vouchers carefully too throughout the year for trips out and meals out. How times change. This year I bought 4 Fortnum and Mason's hampers for family 😄

KihoBebiluPute · 27/12/2020 18:09

In the days before I could do a Direct Debit, I had a little card that I could buy stamps for at the post office that let me save up for my TV licence. I am quite old though.

JazzyGeoff · 27/12/2020 18:12

Some of these posts are a bit 'let them eat cake?'

InFiveMins · 27/12/2020 18:19

They are still valid. I'd go to the customer services till first and enquire about how to use them.

ItsIgginningtolookalotlikeXmas · 27/12/2020 18:19

A jar of pound coins at home could easily be spent at the pub. I imagine something you could add to the weekly shop came in very handy not only for thrifty savers but women who were kept restricted in their "housekeeping" money by their husbands.

LowlandLucky · 27/12/2020 18:20

CO-OP do them too. You usually get 2 free stamps in the book. Such an easy way to save a pound or two a week.

MooseBeTimeForSummer · 27/12/2020 18:23

I remember our local Co-op gave you stamps according to how much you spent. You then licked and sticked into a booklet. My mum saved the booklets for her Christmas shop.

Blimey. That’s a flashback. I can taste the gum and recall the gummed up feeling in my mouth from doing too much licking!!

Riapia · 27/12/2020 18:28

@MollysMummy2010

I save my Co-Op points up - had over £200 so Christmas cost nothing for food and drink. My mum used to collect them in a book years ago. Sure I have still seen Tesco machines for the stamps.

I am saving all my Co-Op money to pay for my funeral. I’ve told my family that it’s my ash cash.

QueenOfLabradors · 27/12/2020 18:37

@OrangeGinLemonFanta

I imagine that historically, things like that were a life line for housewives without bank accounts but with husbands would drink or gamble away any cash left lying around the house.

This was definitely the situation with one of my family members, and not so many years ago either.

Elderflower14 · 27/12/2020 18:50

Co op def still use them... I work for them and sold some a few days ago!

Laughnaff · 27/12/2020 18:58

We have a little machine next to the check out tills. 1 pound per stamp. I’m going to start doing them for next Christmas

SavoyCabbage · 27/12/2020 19:02

I was in the queue on Christmas Eve and the bloke me was talking to him mum about them as he was about to spend them on his Christmas shop. He buys tea a week through the year.

DressingGownofDoom · 27/12/2020 19:03

@Laiste

Why would you go to the trouble of exchanging cash for Tesco stamps all year and then go back to Tesco and change them back to cash?

Why not just bung your pound coins in a jar at home?

I've bought them before! It's just handy while you have your purse in your hand to pop a pound or two in the machine and get your stamps and you don't even notice you're saving up.

Bakerofcakes · 27/12/2020 19:15

@andawaywego

Wow, not seen those for years. Our local store, which is a bit of a rundown, crappy Tesco, still has the machine covered in tape!

I remember my grandma used to get £2 a week in stamps after doing her weekly shop, then by Xmas she'd have enough for her big shop. I suppose back then it was a good way to save towards Xmas food expenses if you were frugal and organised. I'm surprised they haven't got a digital version now, where you can load a few quid onto a card or something.

Asda does a digital version. You have a card , hand it to the cashier and can put whatever amount you like on. My mum does this throughout the year. It pays for her big shop at Christmas.

bossyrossy · 27/12/2020 19:15

Elderly relative probably can’t afford to buy a voucher out right but each time she shops she thinks of you and buys a stamp. How sweet of her. Be thankful you have someone who cares about you. I hope you bought her something nice.

mam0918 · 27/12/2020 19:30

did the co-op use to do these in the 90s... I seem to remember my mam collecting stamps and exchanging them for a doll.

HollowTalk · 27/12/2020 19:40

The co-op stamps were given to the customer according to how much they spent - like the Green Shield stamps! You collected them and then exchanged them for gifts, not cash.

Callipygion · 27/12/2020 20:13

Iceland and coop do them too. I think you save only, say, £48 in stamps and they make it up to £50. If you’re not sure about yours go to the customer service desk first.

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