A Manchester shopper has revealed a straightforward cashback method that she claims can save households up to £400 a year on groceries. Beth Snow, 30, a chartered accountant, says she earns up to 5% cashback on her weekly food shop by purchasing groceries using cashback gift cards.
How the Cashback Method Works
Instead of paying with a debit or credit card, Beth buys a gift card from a cashback platform such as Ever Up, Cheddar, Sprite, or Cashback. She then uses that gift card to pay for her shopping. The cashback she earns is credited to her account on the app. Once she accumulates a certain amount—for example, £10—she can reinvest it to buy another gift card.
“Usually for supermarkets, you get between 2% and 5% cashback, so if I buy a £100 gift card, I'll get £2 to £5 back,” Beth said. Over the course of a year, she amasses about £100 in savings, roughly equivalent to a fortnight's shopping for her household. For a family of four, she estimates the savings could reach up to £400 annually.
Maximising Cashback Opportunities
Beth recommends having multiple cashback apps downloaded to compare rates. She notes that rates often increase around payday, with some supermarkets like Tesco boosting cashback from 2% to 5%. “There's no point in staying loyal when you can get better cashback elsewhere,” she said. Most major supermarkets, including Tesco, Asda, and Morrisons, typically feature cashback offers, while Aldi appears intermittently.
Beyond cashback apps, Beth advises shoppers to never visit the supermarket hungry, to create a precise shopping list, and to meal prep to reduce per-portion costs. She also recommends signing up for loyalty schemes like Clubcard and Nectar.
Expert Guidance on Cashback Sites
According to Martin Lewis's MoneySavingExpert website, cashback sites use affiliate links that allow retailers to track traffic. The site states: “If you want to buy something online or sign up to a finance product, rather than going direct, click to the company via a cashback site and you get paid for it.” Users have reported saving hundreds of pounds on groceries, mobile contracts, and broadband. Signing up is usually free, though some sites charge an annual subscription.
