Looking to boost your Nectar balance with some free points? Well, here are some simple ways to increase your points tally with minimal effort so you can save more on your shopping.
How to get your hands on free Nectar points
Nectar is one of the most popular loyalty schemes in the UK, with over 18 million members. And there are plenty of places where you can collect rewards and spend your hard-earned points. But you can never have too many points.
So, let’s go over the best ways to increase your Nectar balance.
Nectar Offers
This is the simplest way to earn extra Nectar points. Either login to your online account or visit the Nectar app and you will find the ‘Nectar Offers’ section. Here, you will see a list of items which will earn you extra points when you buy specific items. All you need to do is click ‘save’ and the points are automatically added when you make a purchase.
And don’t think these are for random items that you’ll never buy. Most of the offers are for items you usually buy. Plus, new offers are added each week.
The Nectar app
Visit the app after you’ve shopped in-store at Sainsbury’s and they give the chance to win some bonus points. Rub the screen and you’ll be told how much you’ve won. It’s usually only between 10 and 20 points, but it only takes a few seconds.
The app sometimes runs games, where you can spin a wheel and win extra Nectar points. Other times, you may be asked to watch a short video and answer a couple of questions in return for points.
Shop online through the Nectar website
The Nectar website works exactly the same as a cashback site. If, for example, you wanted to buy something from Zavvi, you would visit the Nectar site. Click on the Nectar link to Zavvi and you’ll earn points for every £1 you spend. How much you earn varies between retailers.
However, I find the rewards from Nectar aren’t generally as good as you would get from the best cashback sites.
Don’t forget to link Nectar to your eBay and Argos account
If you shop online with either eBay or Argos, remember to update your account so your Nectar card is linked. This way, you’ll automatically earn points if you shop at either of these stores.
Fuel up at Esso
For as long as I can remember, you could always collect Nectar points when you filled up at BP. However, this all came to an end in May 2019. But never fear, as they have a new partner in Esso. Here, you can earn 2 Nectar points for every 1 litre of fuel or 2 points for every £1 you spend in-store.
Financial accounts
Sainsbury’s Bank offers a number of financial products which sometimes rewards customers with Nectar points when they joined. But remember, don’t take out a product just because you’re given points. Make sure it’s the cheapest option. These financial accounts include:
Credit card
The American Express Nectar card will earn you 20,000 points (worth £100) if you spend £2,000 in the first three months. Plus, you earn 2 points for every £1 you spend or 3 points that shop is with a Nectar partner.
It may sound great but this card does come with an annual fee of £30. Plus, if you you don’t clear the balance each month, you could soon be spending a lot more in interest charges compared to what you make back in Nectar points.
Insurance
Take out an insurance product with Saisnbury’s and you may get some bonus Nectar points. I say may, as it depends on whether there are any offers available. These aren’t always shown when you take out a new product, so you may have to search on the web beforehand.
For example, I’ve just checked and found a code for an extra 4,000 points when taking out home insurance. However, this would only be added if I entered the offer code.
Loans
Like insurance, Sainsbury’s may offer Nectar points if you take out a loan through them. The most I have seen is 6,000 points (£30) if you take out a loan of between £7,500 – £25,000. Again, this offer comes and goes.
Also worth reading
What is the Nectar Big Points Swap, and how does it boost your Nectar points?
Nectar Surveys
There are several survey sites out there that will pay you in Nectar points for you to share your opinions. This might sound great, but in truth, they’re quite disappointing.
Nectar Canvass is the most popular site to start earning extra points. On average, expect to earn only around 40 points for 10 minutes of work. That works out at a rather unimpressive £1.20 per hour. Most decent survey sites pay well over £7 per hour, so I would give Canvass a wide berth.
There are a couple of other survey sites that offer Nectar points too. Lifepoints and MySurvey are sites that I have reviewed in the past. Although they are better than Canvass, they still underpay.
Which is the best way to get free Nectar points?
If you shop at Sainsbury’s then the simplest way is to visit Nectar Offers. Otherwise, you may have to rely on filling up at Esso or shopping through the Nectar website. But please don’t bother filling out surveys at Nectar Canvass, it’s not worth the effort.
FAQs
What happened to the Nectar browser extension?
The extension allowed you to collect Nectar points when shopping online. However, it’s no longer available.
Can you still collect Nectar points from the Daily Mail?
No, Daily Mail Rewards closed their Nectar offer in September 2023.