So, That Was a Bonus

I only shop in Sainsbury's on a seasonal basis, ie when the Thursday car boot sales are on.  I have nothing against Sainsbury's per se (a tad expensive sometimes but with some excellent offers on at the moment), but I do object to having to pay £3.30 in bus fare to get to my local store.  During the car-boot-less season I make do with the Aldi and Somerfield that my little town can offer, and sometimes wander into Waitrose when I've visiting Billericay - because, after all, there is a limit to what is available in Aldi, and Somerfield can be HIDEOUSLY expensive at times (and they don't sell organic meat.)

Even though I'm hardly a regular Sainsbury's shopper, I do have a Nectar card (a store loyalty card).  I don't know what made me ask the checkout lady in Sainsbury's yesterday if I had any points that I could redeem against the bill.  It was probably the idea that this could be the last time I get to go there this 'season', or just the idea of saving a bit of money.  Whatever the reason, I nearly fell over when she happily announced that I had enough points to get £7.50 off my bill.  What the !!, how did I manage to accrue those many points when I hardly ever shop there??   Anyway, that was a nice bonus.

I happily accepted the £7.50 off and she then explained that she shouldn't really tell customers how much value they had on the points they'd collected????  Which seems a tad odd.  I can only assume that Sainsbury's like to keep these things secret in the hope that people don't ever 'cash in' their points, even though you get a running total of your Nectar points at the end of the till receipt.  I knew they'd changed the rules at some point but didn't realise that 500 points = £2.50 off your bill.  The checkout lady then told me that last Christmas she had a couple who happened to ask about their Nectar points and then found they had £300.00 worth of points.  She said she saw them leaving the store later with a flat-screen TV!

I had another small shopping bonus this morning too.  Long story short, I'd perused the shelves in Superdrug looking for baby talcum powder and could only find a titchy, teeny, tiny one by Johnsons which cost 90p.  I don't think so.  So, in high dudgeon, I take myself across the precinct and go into Boots.  Ah, that was better, a humungous size baby powder - Boots own - for £1.26.  When I got to the till I was asked if I knew it was a buy-one-get-one-free on those.  Nope, I didn't but I certainly went back and got the second one for free.  So, that was a bonus too.

Comments

[Jennifer]

Isn't it great when you get an extra discount or deal like that? Superb.

[Ponytail]

Boots and Waterstones are my favourite loyalty cards, though neither of them give me a lift like a fully stamped Cafe Nero card. As I don't buy coffee outside very often, it takes a while to fill it up. And if you show the card before you order, some very nice barristas will give you the super size with extra whipped cream and flavourings. It probably costs them mere pennies, but why don't more shops give their customers just a little extra ?
P.S. Waterstones also give you points for not taking a carrier bag from them. AND you get the magazine for free.
P.P.S. Yup, I love Waterstones...