AIBU to hate instant vouchers and reloadable cards

[FriendlessbutFabulous]

I have a work discount scheme and a blue light card which I’d like to use to get discounts on my Xmas shopping but it’s driving me mad that I have to out money on cards or buy vouchers that aren’t refundable if you get it wrong. Why can’t these just be a straightforward discount on a purchase price, it would make life so much easier. I have £100 with one retailer that i couldn’t use because when i got all the way through it turned out I was purchasing from a third party on their site but it wasn’t highlighted anywhere this was the case. It’s frustrating and makes me feel like maybe it’s not worth having these benefits because they’re over complicated and it’s easy to make a mistake. The only thing I find I use regularly is cinema vouchers but they’re a single purchase voucher so different to the reloadable ones

YANBU. I work in the public sector and don’t use a lot of the available offers because of this.

It's a pain! It's considered a 'work perk' but realistically often it's the same as you'd get on Jam Doughnut etc.

Let me guess, are the vouchers for B&Q. My work offers similar and I bought a whole load of vouchers only to find B&Q have 3rd parties which I wasn't aware of. It was in the terms and conditions of the vouchers I bought...but who reads them 😂

@Plump82 OMG yes B&bloodyQ. I was furious when it wouldn’t go through, no bloody clue until the last minute

It's fair enough that they have chose to work this way but they don't make it clear at all. Incredibly frustrating!! Especially when it's not somewhere you'd be shopping regularly and can just use the vouchers as and when. Luckily my sister eventually bought them off me when she was decorating.

I don’t bother with the vouchers I just use the discount codes that get you the money off directly. Recently has £60 off a mini break through lastminute.com and had 12% off on the excursions we did. Also had 10% off at River Island 😊

They don't want you to actually use the discount,just make themselves look good by offering it then making it so complicated you just give up and pay full price as you are already there. Extra full price sales for them from people that only went there for the discount.

My husband's work do these and, with the exception of a couple of purchases, (yes 1 was B&Q again) they've been great. We must have saved a small fortune at Costa and various supermarkets and we saved loads on a recent new laptop.