Gladys Elskens
I’ve been at Reward Gateway now for four months, and as part of my role as a Product Content Specialist, I spend a LOT of time with … you guessed it, our products.
One of my favourite products to dive into has been our SmartSpending employee discounts programme, where we can get sizable discounts and Cashback that really add up. As a single homeowner in London who loves to travel but also has two cats to support, every quid and pence counts for my take-home pay!
On top of that, the cost of living has increased in almost every aspect of our lives, with the average Brit being up to £1,000 worse off annually, according to 'HR Magazine.' This means that it has become even more essential to save where we can. Luckily, our employee engagement platform has incredible discount and cashback options so I truly never have to pay full price again.
Apart from the more obvious retailers I buy from on a daily or weekly basis (Hello Waterstones!), I’ve also discovered new ways to save that likely my peers aren’t even aware of! So with that, it’s time to unveil my not-so-secret list of savings I’ve discovered:
1. Home improvement
Building materials have recently become a lot more expensive, which might make people feel like putting off their home improvement projects. For me, personally, I’ve been thinking about my bedroom, which could use a fresh lick of paint. For my other colleagues, home renovation talk runs deep, and there’s a constant worry of the price tag. To help, I suggest looking at our details on B&Q, Plumbworld, UK Flooring Direct and Lights.co.uk, which all have impressive savings!
2. Food delivery
Ordering food a couple of times a week can add up really quickly, but what I have quickly realised is that apart from grocery deals, our platform also has a handful of ways you can save on food delivery and takeout! Uber Eats, Just Eat and Deliveroo all offer discounts. If you want to do the cooking yourself you will also find Green Chef, Hello Fresh, Gousto and Mindful Chef offers.
3. Travel and activities
When we start paying more attention to our budgets, one of the first things we usually try to cut back on is travel and activities, which if I’m being honest, has sucked a lot of joy out of my life in the past couple of years!. But the good news is that getaways don’t have to be super expensive. I’ve had a look at our discounts for travel agencies, airlines and hotel websites and realised that I could be saving up to 10% at Booking.com, Premier Inn, Travelodge, Hotels.com, Secret Escapes, Expedia and many more. Plus, if I’m not ready to commit to a week (or two) away, I’ve also found options for days out, like Virgin Experience Days, London Zoo, London Theatre Direct or even movie and concert tickets! Ringing up my best mate now to plan an outing…
4. Insurance providers
Insurance is one of those things that can feel like wasting money, but is so important to have. Nowadays, you can get insured for basically anything. Whether it’s your home, your car, your electronics or your pets, getting insurance will pay off in the long run. It might not be the first thing you think of when you think of our discounts, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that we definitely have insurance options! Tesco Pet Bank Insurance, MoneySuperMarket, AA, GoCompare and many others have cashback deals you don’t want to miss out on!
5. Car rental and maintenance
We all know cars are expensive. You need gas, maintenance, insurance and somewhere to park. Well, when I took a closer look at our platform, I can quickly see that we have saving and discount options for all of those things! With retailers like Rentalcars.com, Avis, Halfords and YourParkingSpace, I’m confident that my colleagues will definitely find what they need. If you’re carless, like many in London might be, you can even save money on car rentals or every time you book an Uber. Oh, and check out PassMeFast for driving lessons!
6. Home removal and storage
Now, I’m not quite ready to move house yet, but I know plenty of my colleagues are taking advantage of moving to a quieter place outside of the city, or even downsizing as life changes day to day. If you’re thinking about moving, you’ll want to get rid of a lot of stuff, OR if you’re quite keen on keeping your things, you’ll go the other direction in looking for extra storage space. No surprises here: We’ve got you! Check out AnyVan, Skoup and easyStorage to save money.
7. Eye care
If you peep my blog photo, you can tell that I’m a big fan of my retro glasses! Good eye care is important, but it doesn’t have to be boring, and every once in a while I like to switch it up. Whether you prefer lenses or glasses, you can get great deals at Specsavers, Lenstore or even Ray-Ban for some sunnies!
8. Home appliances
I know. Things break, or your flatmate may have moved out and now you’re stuck without a toaster for your morning jam on toast. My response: Have you had a look at our appliances category yet? It has retailers for everything you could possibly need in your home. Pick the products you want from AEG, Hoover, Swift Direct Blinds Airconcentre.co.uk or Dunelm and enjoy the plentiful saving and cashback options!
So there you have it, eight new ways to put more pounds in your pocket and really help with the cost of living crisis we’re all facing. I can’t wait to see what more I discover in the coming months!
Interested in your own employee discounts programme for your people? Pop a message over to our team, and they’ll help you put one in place in a matter of weeks!
