MARTIN Lewis has issued a warning to Tesco shoppers who have just hours to claim £18million worth of discounts.
It comes as the supermarket chain revealed there are millions of points set to expire on February 29.
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It means that three million shoppers have just hours left to use them or lose them.
That’s unless you use the handy trick in this week’s MoneySavingExpert newsletter to extend them.
Around £18million worth of Clubcard vouchers, issued in February 2022, are due to expire next Thursday (February 29).
Shoppers can use them to bring down the cost of their weekly shop, pay for fuel or to pick up a new deal with Tesco Mobile.
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Shoppers can use Clubcard vouchers in-store and online to save money on their Tesco shop.
If you decide to use your vouchers for your Tesco shop, every 150 points can be exchanged to the value of £1.50.
Your vouchers can also be doubled in value to spend at over 100 reward partners including Pizza Express and Zizzi.
Tesco’s warning comes as more than £125million worth of new vouchers landed on doorsteps and into Tesco’s app earlier this month.
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Vouchers are issued every three months in February, May, August and November.
MSE said: “If you’ve got a Tesco Clubcard, check when your vouchers are due to expire as there are just days left to spend or extend £18million worth before they run out on Thursday.”
How to find the best bargains at the supermarket
It went on to explain that if shoppers are unsure when theirs expire, and they still have them in paper format, they can check the date on the voucher itself.
If you’ve lost your paper vouchers, or are unsure if you have any in the first place, you can check on the Tesco Clubcard site or app.
The consumer experts added: “Clubcard vouchers are valid for two years. If yours are due to expire and you don’t want to use them yet, you may be able to extend the expiry date by another two years.
“Technically, under the Clubcard T&Cs, Tesco can refuse a Reward Partner order if it decides you’re trying to game the system by redeeming vouchers just to extend their validity – but we tested the trick at MSE Towers earlier this month and it worked just fine.”
What can I get with Tesco Clubcard?
Tesco’s Clubcard scheme allows shoppers to earn points as they shop.
These points can then be turned into vouchers for money off food at the supermarket, or discounts at other places like restaurants and days out.
Each time you spend £1 in-store and online, you get one point when you scan your Clubcard.
Drivers using the loyalty card get one point for every two litres spent on fuel.
One point equals 1p, so 150 points gets you a £1.50 money-off voucher, for example.
You can double their worth when you swap them for discounts with “reward partners”.
For example £12 worth of vouchers can be swapped for a £24 three month subscription to Disney+.
Or you can swap 50p worth of points for £1 to spend at Hungry Horse pubs.
Where you can spend them changes regularly, and you can check on the Tesco website what’s available now.
Tesco shoppers can also get Clubcard prices when they have the loyalty card.
The discounted items change regularly and without a Clubcard you’ll pay a higher price.
These Clubcard prices are usually labelled on shelves, along with the non-member price.
But it’s worth noting that just because it’s discounted doesn’t necessarily make it the cheapest around, and you should compare prices to find the best deal.
You can sign up to get a Tesco Clubcard in store or online via the Tesco website.
They did add though that you’ll need to extend your vouchers by 11.59pm on February 29.
The experts say you’ll need to do one simple thing that means you won’t lose points.
Just make a small purchase on the Tesco Clubcard Rewards website and you’ll get the remaining points credited back to your account.
For example, you could get a 50p voucher to spend at restaurants like Zizzi or Pizza Express.
It’ll give you £1 to spend at your chosen location, as the rewards are worth double the voucher value.
Tesco Clubcard Rewards is where you can switch your points for rewards like day trips to theme parks or dinner out.
Usually, you get one point for every £1 spent – or one point for every 2L on fuel – and 150 points is equivalent to a £1.50 voucher.
Customers can then use vouchers in-store and online to knock money off their weekly shopping bill or cut the cost of filling up their car with fuel – or swap them for rewards worth more.
After you’ve made the small purchase the points will be re-issued as new vouchers but with an expiry date of two years in the future.
If you’ve only spent 50p of a voucher worth £10 on a reward, then you’ll get the £9.50 of vouchers.
MSE warned: “Note that you’ll need to do this for each individual voucher though, so weigh up if it’s actually worth it for smaller denominations.
“For example, if you’ve a £10 voucher it’s probably worth it – if you’ve got a handful of £1 vouchers, maybe less so.”
You won’t get this if you buy something in store or online using the voucher though – it’s only if you’re using them on rewards.
You can find out how many Clubcard points you have in the app. Just head to your account and select statements.
The app is available for both iPhone and Android users.
You can log in to the Tesco Clubcard website, which shows your voucher history, including points that haven’t been spent yet.
What do I need to do to claim my vouchers?
To claim your vouchers, sign in to the Tesco Grocery and Clubcard app or go to the “My Clubcard account” section of the supermarket’s website.
The app is free to download from the Apple app store for iPhone users or Google Play store for Android.
There will then be an option to turn your Clubcard points into vouchers.
You can then choose your vouchers and they will appear in your Clubcard account.
How to save on your supermarket shop
THERE are plenty of ways to save on your grocery shop.
You can look out for yellow or red stickers on products, which show when they’ve been reduced.
If the food is fresh, you’ll have to eat it quickly or freeze it for another time.
Making a list should also save you money, as you’ll be less likely to make any rash purchases when you get to the supermarket.
Going own brand can be one easy way to save hundreds of pounds a year on your food bills too.
This means ditching “finest” or “luxury” products and instead going for “own” or value” type of lines.
Plenty of supermarkets run wonky veg and fruit schemes where you can get cheap prices if they’re misshapen or imperfect.
For example, Lidl runs its Waste Not scheme, offering boxes of 5kg of fruit and vegetables for just £1.50.
If you’re on a low income and a parent, you may be able to get up to £442 a year in Healthy Start vouchers to use at the supermarket too.
Plus, many councils offer supermarket vouchers as part of the Household Support Fund.
How does the Tesco Clubcard scheme work?
Tesco’s Clubcard scheme sees shoppers earn points as they shop.
The points can then be turned into vouchers for money off their food shop or other reward partner schemes.
Each time you spend £1 in-store and online, you get one point when you scan your card or app.
Drivers using Clubcards now get one point for every two litres spent on fuel.
One point equals 1p, so 150 points gets you £1.50, for example – but you’ll need a minimum of 150 points to request a voucher.
These vouchers can either be worth the face value to spend in-store at Tesco, or you can double their worth to spend at reward partners, including restaurants, and on days out.
Loyalty card holders can also get cheaper prices on over 8,000 items thanks to Clubcard Prices.
These Clubcard prices save the average member £351 on their annual shop, according to Tesco.
What other supermarket loyalty schemes are out there?
Most major supermarkets offer some kind of reward scheme and they all have something different to offer.
Retailers such as Morrisons, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Co-op all have schemes, but there are some lesser-known ones too.
We have a full list of all the supermarket loyalty schemes and reveal which will save you more money – the winner might surprise you.
If you are looking to save on your supermarket shop remember you can cut costs in other ways too.
Yellow stickered items are a great way to pick up bargains.
Usually, items are discounted twice a day, but the times do vary depending on where you shop.
Check with your local supermarket to find out the best time to go to pick up the best bargains.
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Meanwhile, Martin Lewis is warning households to take action now over a big change to Nectar points coming within weeks.
Plus, a Martin Lewis fan has revealed how the expert’s handy tip helped him track down £2,300 in free cash.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
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