Advanced options
Check YOUR scheme's rate: earn rates and point values vary and change. The real value of loyalty cards is mostly the member pricing at the shelf, not the points: the points are the dessert. Points-boost partner deals (2-3x value on days out, restaurants) reward hoarding for a purpose; points inflation rewards spending them.
What The Loyalty Points Calculator Works Out
- Balance is worth: points multiplied by the value of a point. A point-per-pound scheme paying a penny a point is a 1% rebate, so a 5,000-point balance that feels like treasure cashes out at GBP 50.
- Earning per year: the weekly shop multiplied by 52, by the points earned per GBP 1 and by the value of a point. A GBP 100 weekly shop earns about GBP 52 a year at 1p a point.
- Reality check: the effective rebate rate. A 2% price difference between supermarkets, roughly what any given week's offers produce, outweighs the entire points economy. Member pricing at the shelf now carries most of the loyalty value; the points are the dessert.
- Custom value per point (advanced): type your own scheme's redemption value in pence, for example 0.8p, to override the three presets. Earn rates and values change, often downwards.
- Points per GBP 1 (advanced): schemes differ: some pay a point per pound, others per GBP 2, others several points per pound on fuel or own-brand ranges.
- Reward partner boost (advanced): what the balance is worth spent with a partner paying 2x or 3x face value (days out, rail cards, restaurants) rather than at the till. Hoarding for a purpose turns a grocery year into a theme-park day.
- Other spend (advanced): fuel, pharmacy or online spend on the same card each month, added to the annual earning figure.
- Time to earn your reward (advanced): the reward you are saving towards divided by the monthly points value, at face value and at the boosted rate. Points expiry dates quietly delete unspent balances, so check the calendar.
- Extra paid to shop here and net result (advanced): the price premium of this shop over the cheapest rival on your annual spend, set against the points earned. If the premium exceeds the points, loyalty is costing money.