Re-loadable cards to save money shopping

[lorka]

A few companies seem to be offering pre-paid cards to save money off shopping eg. myfamilyclub are offering re-loadable cards that can save up to 10% off various shops. Has anyone tried this kind of discount shopping? And how much has it saved you?

I have one of these which is offered to NHS staff. The thing to watch is that you have to be able to load on 200 quid at a time to avoid a fee (and be able to support that money being 'lost in transit' for c. 3 days between your account and the card).

That said, provided you can manage that there is a decent amount of saving to be made. The cashback gets loaded on when you next load up the card, I've probably had about 20 quid back in 2 months.

I like the fact it's a pre-pay as well - much prefer it to the juggling routine of using a credit card that then doesn't get paid off until the month after (for those things which I do use a credit card for I now tend to pay off straight away rather than wait for the bill to come in).

Through work (a City Council) they are trying to promote this. It's just like buying a gift card, but, instead of paying £100 for a £100 gift card, you pay £95 (for eg, our Sainsburys offer is 5%), so, if you are spending £100 a week in there anyway, it can make sense to only pay £95 a week for it, and save yourself £260 across the year. What I found though it you've got to remember to top it up in time, and, if you try to do that from your credit card you lose 1/2 the discount in a fee, and if I don't use my credit card then I lose the "cashback" I would usually get on that, etc., etc.

With other shops, it would depend how often you use them - the idea's good, but it's remembering to put the money on the card / buy the vouchers in time before you go out shopping, then, if it's out of stock, or you see a better deal elsewhere, you've already committed your money to that retailer.

Ah yes, BackforGood, what you're describing is closer to what the OP means, I think - the prepaid credit card is more flexible than what myfamilyclub has on offer, but the same principle applies. If it's somewhere you would shop anyway, it's worth remembering to use the card, but it otherwise constrains you to those retailers taking part.