Are you a savvy rewards shopper?

Do you make the most of your loyalty cards?

In association with American Express

loveMONEY readers are a savvy bunch when it comes to making the most of loyalty and reward schemes, according to the latest insight from our competition survey with the American Express® Nectar Credit Card. Thousands have already had their say, so we’ve taken a sneaky peek at the findings.

Over 89% of readers surveyed have more than one loyalty or reward card in their wallets, with three loyalty cards the most popular number at nearly 20%. However, some loyalty card obsessives have far more – just over 3% have between 11 and 15 loyalty cards!

Readers are making the most of those loyalty cards too, with 95% picking up points at least every few weeks. Almost 10% reckon they manage to earn loyalty points on a daily basis!

What are rewards good for?

A popular use for points is to cut the cost of the day-to-day spending, with more than a third using them on their weekly shop.

However, there are plenty of other fun ways that the loveMONEY readers use them. Many readers use their points to treat themselves (32%), while 30% use their points to treat others.

Travel is also a very popular use for points, with more than a quarter (27%) devoting their points to reducing the cost of flights and holidays.

And 8% of readers devote their points towards experiences that they otherwise wouldn’t have purchased.

Earning rewards faster

Here are three tips we’ve garnered from readers on how to get rewards sooner.

Use more than one method – there are lots of different ways that you can earn loyalty points for your favourite scheme. The Nectar scheme for example allows you to build points at petrol stations, supermarkets and also through credit cards like the American Express Nectar Credit Card.

Shop strategically - this is the top way readers boost their points balance. 41% of readers deliberately shop where they know they will be able to collect loyalty points.

Take advantage of special promotions - 38% of readers say they look out for special incentives and bonuses that can help get them gather rewards faster.

For example, The  American Express Nectar Credit Card  offers 20,000 Nectar bonus points when you spend £2,000 in the first three months of Cardmembership, worth £100 to spend with Nectar partners. Terms apply. (Representative example: Representative 25.0% APR variable. Based on annual fee of £25 and assumed credit limit of £1,200. Interest rate for purchases: 19.9% p.a. variable.)

Don’t miss your chance to have your say!

There’s still time to tell us how you use loyalty cards and enter the competition*.

loveMONEY has teamed up with the American Express Nectar Credit Card to look at how you spend and redeem your loyalty points, and all you have to do is tell us about your experiences by 30^th September. One person could win £500 to spend with easyJet holidays, while two runners up will each get a £250 Virgin Experience Day voucher!

*Competition closing date 30/09/2015; one entry per person; entrants must be aged 18 or over; other terms apply

Click here to read the full terms and conditions www.promoterms.com/amexlovemoney

Competition promoted by American Express. The American Express Nectar Credit Card is offered by American Express Services Europe Limited. Applicants must be 18 years old or over. Approval is subject to status and terms and conditions apply. American Express Services Europe Limited has its registered office at Belgrave House, 76 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 9AX, United Kingdom. It is registered in England and Wales with Company Number 183319 and authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.