slagg

Not really a self sufficiency post but it's helpful in today financial climate.

Clubcards are irritating and intrusive, BUT they do serve one good purpose, they give you something back (in addition to your shopping naturally).
Take the Tesco clubcard for example, discreet enough on a keychain or in your bag (they come with a normal credit card sized one and a couple of smaller ones), if used regularily enough can also accumulate a fair value that you are sent every quarter in the form of vouchers off products.

This is good fractionally reclaiming money to put toward subsidising future shopping trips. Some people dislike the idea that their purchasing choices are being stored, however its my experience that the voucher you are sent are for the products you buy most commonly.

Its worth getting just to save a bit of cash, in Urban Survival just like Tesco every little helps.

They can also be used to offset the costs of purchases at Christmas too. My parents have a Sainsbury's Nectar Card, and a Boots Card. The Nectar Card gets points on when shopping and filling up, and then the points on it can be used for going towards christmas food, drink and presents. The standard purchases from Boots put points on the card, that at the end of the year can be used for a wide range of presents.

I myself use my Waterstones card for book purchases, and then usually get a nice amount of money on there to get a book for myself or some money off a larger purchase at another time.

It may be annoying having all those cards in your wallet, but you can sacrifice some space for them if the end result pays off nicely, go to a place you spend a fair amount of money in and get a nice amount back on the card.

Another clubcard tip.

Your (or at least "my") Teco clubcard is linked to your Tesco on-line grocery shopping account. Whenever you buy something in-store it's added to your on-line favourites.

This makes it handy for keeping track of what you've bought. If it turns out to taste like poo, delete it from your favourites and try not to buy it again

Tesco Online is also a good source of product nutritional information and prices when you come to stock your preparedness pantry.

I used my clubcard points to purchase RAC breakdown cover, which I guess could put it under disaster preparations!

I gave up using my clubcard out of sheer frustration as Tescos wiped all my points and were a nightmare to deal with, but I'll go back to it eventually. Good call!

I use a Morrison's fuel card. Because of work I tend to fill up at their pumps, after so many points they give me £5 vouchers to spend in the store. they more than pay for my Christmas food / drink bill, Bah humbug.

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