Collect and Spend Nectar points in the best way - Money Saving Girl (2024)

Are you maximizing your Nectar card benefits? If you shop at Sainsbury’s, you can earn points not only there but also at a variety of other retailers, such as Argos and eBay, unlike other loyalty programs like Clubcard.

Once you have accumulated Nectar points, you will want to spend them. While exchanging them for face value is the norm, you can now also swap them for Avios points.

Although the options for boosting their value are limited, particularly since Nectar terminated the Double Up promotion, this article delves into how Nectar operates, how to sign up, and offers additional advice on how to earn and redeem Nectar points.

How does Nectar work?

Nectar is a loyalty program primarily affiliated with Sainsbury’s and Argos, as well as a few other retailers, owned by Sainsbury’s but available for use with other brands.

How to collect Nectar points?

To accumulate Nectar points, simply shop at participating retailers. I’ve listed some of the best places to earn Nectar points below. When shopping in-store, present your Nectar card, which can be a physical plastic card or a digital one accessed through the Nectar app.

When shopping in-store, present your Nectar card, which can be a physical plastic card or a digital one accessed through the Nectar app. When shopping online, link your Nectar card to the appropriate account or use the Nectar website.

You can also earn Nectar points through the use of Nectar credit cards for all purchases, or by exchanging Avios points. Do not forget to link your eBay account with your Nectar card!

How much 1 Nectar point is worth?

A single Nectar point holds a value of 0.5p, equating to a 0.5% cashback return for every point earned on a purchase.

Therefore, 100 points would amount to 50p, while 200 points would be equivalent to £1, and so forth.

Compared to Tesco Clubcard points, Nectar points hold only half their value. In Sainsbury’s stores, points can generally be doubled once per year, but this promotion is limited to a select few items for which the boosted points can be redeemed. Moreover, there’s no guarantee that this offer will be available every year.

How to spend Nectar points

When it comes to using Nectar points, your choices are fairly restricted. Typically, you can use them at Sainsbury’s stores and a few partner establishments.

To redeem your points in-store, swipe your card or opt to use them online. For certain partners, you may need to convert your points into vouchers. You also have the option of exchanging your points for Avios points.

In the following section, I’ve outlined all of these options in greater detail, along with my recommendations for the best ways to utilize your Nectar points.

How to register for a Nectar card?

To register for Nectar, you can apply for a card online, through the app, or by completing a form at a Sainsbury’s store.

After completing the registration process, a physical card will be mailed to you, and you’ll receive a digital card through the app immediately.

How to check Nectar point balance?

If you’re unsure of how many Nectar points you currently have, you can easily check your balance by accessing the Nectar app or website. Both platforms display your current points balance and provide a record of when and where you earned your points.

The best places to collect Nectar points

Sainsbury’s

Earn points as you spend

When shopping at Sainsbury’s, you’ll earn one Nectar point for every £1 spent. Each 500 points have a value of £2.50, meaning that you’ll earn 0.5% back on your purchases.

To earn your Nectar points, simply swipe your card at the till when making your purchase, and check the Nectar app or your digital account for any special offers that could increase the number of points you earn.

You may also receive vouchers for extra points at the till, such as double or triple points on your next transaction. Consider purchasing a low-cost item at the beginning of your shopping trip to receive any vouchers printed out and ready to use for the remainder of your purchases.

Earn additional Nectar points by taking advantage of weekly offers. Check the Nectar app or website regularly for special promotions and discounts that can boost your Nectar points balance.

The “new” Nectar was launched in 2019 with a focus on providing personalized point offers based on your shopping habits, in addition to generic point offers. These personalized offers are updated every Friday.

Upon logging in, I received six offers tailored to my purchases at Sainsbury’s. These offers included product-specific deals as well as a bonus 200 points if I spend £40 in-store. A few days later, I received another six offers that covered other products.

To access the tailored offers, you must save them to your account by clicking the “save all offers” button. However, you still need to scan your card at the till to redeem them.

From my experience, the offers seem pretty average. Getting 10p back on organic peppers won’t make me rush to buy them. But if it’s something I already plan to buy, those 20 extra points could be worthwhile.

The deals are personalized based on your shopping habits, so regular Sainsbury’s shoppers may get better options. Nonetheless, it’s still a welcome addition to the loyalty scheme.

Remember, though, that these schemes should not be the sole reason for choosing a supermarket. Other factors such as price and convenience of location should also be taken into account.

MyNectar Prices discounts

Sainsbury’s has recently launched new discounts for Nectar members, which will be customized based on their purchase history. This means that customers will receive discounts on items they are more likely to buy, making it a more personalized and effective way to save money.

Argos

Earning points at Argos is now possible by linking your accounts. For every £1 spent, one point can be earned, and occasionally, the points can be doubled.

Avios

If you have excess Avios points that you won’t use, you can convert them to 400 Nectar points by using 300 Avios points. You can also swap them back to Avios points, although you will only receive 250 points. This is a useful way to increase the value of your Amex Reward points.

eBay

By linking your Nectar account to eBay, you can earn one point for every £1 spent, which is the same rate as Sainsbury’s. In addition, there are occasional bonus offers available throughout the year that can be found on the Nectar app. To register your Nectar card on eBay, simply follow the instructions provided on the Nectar website.

Esso

In the summer of 2019, Esso replaced BP on Nectar. By filling up with fuel, you can earn one point for every litre purchased, or you can swipe your Nectar card when buying other items in-store to earn two points for every £1 spent, resulting in a return of approximately 1% in points.

Nectar points via Credit Cards

If you frequently shop at Nectar-affiliated stores, you may consider getting a Nectar credit card. Two options are available.

The American Express Nectar credit card offers the most benefits, earning you up to two points for every £1 spent (equivalent to 1% cashback). You’ll still earn one point per £1 spent at Sainsbury’s, Argos, and eBay. Additionally, you’ll receive a £100 bonus after spending £2,000 on the card within the first few months.

The Sainsbury’s Bank Nectar credit card (Mastercard) comes with a £40 bonus when you spend £400 within two months at participating retailers like Sainsbury’s, Argos, or Habitat.

However, it may be better to consider a standard cashback Amex card instead, as the cashback earned can be used anywhere, not just at specific stores like Sainsbury’s.

Nectar Points on Utilities

You have the opportunity to earn bonus points by signing up for other Sainsbury’s Bank products, such as home insurance or Sainsbury’s Energy. However, it’s important to note that choosing these products solely for the bonus points shouldn’t be the deciding factor, as they may end up being more expensive compared to other options you can find through a thorough comparison.

Nectar Connect

Nectar Connect is a new feature that was added to Nectar in 2021. By connecting your bank or credit card account to your Nectar account, you can earn bonus points when you spend at partner retailers. However, you need to activate the offers for it to work. When it was launched in June 2021, the offers were limited, and there were only 10 retailers available, none of which were ones that I regularly use. Some examples of the offers included 20 points per £1 spent at Just Eat, Lakeland, and Costa, and 10 points per £1 spent at Harvey Nichols and Quiz.

The offers of 20 points per £1 spent are essentially a 10% cashback, which is a great deal. Additionally, you may be able to stack these offers with other cashback offers or promotions available through your payment card.

American Express Membership Rewards

You have the option to convert your American Express Membership Rewards points to Nectar points at a 1:1 ratio, which means each Amex point is worth 0.5p. However, you can get more value by first converting your Amex points to Avios points, and then converting the Avios points to Nectar points. This increases the value to 0.67p per Amex point.

Other shops

The Nectar website features a range of other brands, including Expedia and Groupon. To earn points through these retailers, you must access them via the Nectar portal. Typically, you’ll receive two points per £1 spent, equivalent to 1% cashback, although this may vary.

Some of the retailers you can earn points from include ASOS, Just Eat, Booking.com, and Wayfair. While the prospect of earning extra points may seem attractive, it’s generally more profitable to use cashback sites instead. You can usually find better rates by accessing these retailers via a cashback site. Check out my guide to the best cashback sites and welcome bonuses.

Best Places to Spend Nectar Points

Although there aren’t many opportunities to increase the value of your Nectar points, there are still some good options for spending them. Here are some of the best places to use your points:

Argos

To use your Nectar points at Argos, you can redeem them in multiples of 500 points, which is equivalent to £2.50. You can swipe your Nectar card in-store, or online you must have linked your Nectar card to your Argos account.

Avios

In my opinion, using cashback credit cards and air mile reward credit cards is a better option for most people. This gives you the flexibility to use your earnings as you wish, without being restricted to certain flights or rewards.

However, if you’re an Avios enthusiast, you can increase your points by converting 400 Nectar points to 250 Avios.

Cafe Nero

At Caffe Nero, the only redemption that offers slightly better value is where you can get any drink of any size for 350 points (usually worth £1.75). Therefore, if the drink you purchase is priced higher than £1.75, you will get better value than using your points with other partners.

Donate to Charity

With Nectar Donate, you can donate your Nectar points to charities through Crowdfunder. The points retain their regular value, meaning that 1000 points would equal a £5 donation. The minimum donation amount is 200 points, and it must be made in increments of 200.

eBay

In order to use your Nectar points at eBay, you need to first convert them into a voucher. Each voucher is worth £2.50 and requires 500 points to redeem. However, there is a minimum spend of £10 at eBay in order to use these vouchers.

Sainsbury’s

In order to redeem your Nectar points at Sainsbury’s stores, you must have used your Nectar card in that particular store within the last 12 months. Alternatively, you can use your points for online purchases on Sainsbury’s website.

Other Nectar points spending options

Compared to Tesco Clubcard, Nectar has fewer partners and limited opportunities to increase the value of your points. The usual exchange rate is 500 points for £2.50, and you have to spend them in set increments (usually 500 or 1,000 points) instead of choosing how many to use.

You can redeem your points for the same value at the following retailers:

• Vue: 500 points for £2.50
• Eurostar: 500 points for £2.50 (minimum 2,000 points)

However, there are some less desirable options such as exchanging for movie rentals at Sky Store, which can be much cheaper elsewhere. Redemption methods vary, with some partners allowing you to swipe your Nectar card or link it to your account, while others require you to exchange points for a voucher or code through the Nectar website.