Seven ways to give yourself a Christmas bonus
Here are some tips on how you can reward yourself this Christmas.
Not everyone will be lucky enough to get a Christmas bonus in their pay packet this year.
So here are seven ways to reward yourself with a financial pat on the back, even if no-one else will.
1. Switch current account
Some banks and building societies are offering a cash bonus if you switch your current account.
Right now, the Co-operative Bank, First Direct and Halifax will pay you £100 for moving. The Co-op will also donate £25 to a charity of your choice.
Meanwhile M&S will pay you £100 in M&S vouchers for switching to its fee-free current account.
Under new rules your switch should be completed in seven working days, so you won’t have long to wait for your reward!
2. Get a cashback credit card
Cashback credit cards pay you money back when you spend.
The Santander 123 Credit Card is a good one to go for as unlike other cashback credit cards it pays cashback monthly rather than annually, so you can enjoy your rewards sooner.
You can earn 1% at supermarkets, 2% in department stores and 3% on petrol or train fares.
The card comes with a £24 annual fee, but this is waived for the first year if you have a Santander 123 Current Account.
Read all about the latest deals in The best cashback credit cards.
3. Refer a friend
Many companies have a refer-a-friend scheme which can earn you a pretty decent bonus.
Nationwide for example is offering existing FlexAccount, FlexDirect or FlexPlus account holders a cash bonus when they refer a friend or family member.
If the person switches their main account to Nationwide using the Current Account Switch Service, both parties will receive £50. Nationwide is willing to pay up to £500 a year, so you can earn a tidy sum if you can find ten people happy to switch.
For more ways to earn money from referring someone you know take a look at refermehappy.com/uk.
4. Use cashback websites
Cashback websites, like TopCashback and Quidco can earn you money back on your online purchases.
These sites offer to pay either a percentage or a lump sum on your purchases when you use them to shop at online retailers via tracked links.
TopCashback also offers Snap&Save, which allows you to take a picture of your receipt to earn money back on certain purchases made at selected store. Quidco has its own version called ClickSnap, which gives you cashback on certain supermarket purchases made in-store when you take a picture of your receipt. Plus the site's mobile app (available for iPhone, iPad and Android users), typically pays between 10p and 25p when you 'check in' at participating shops, even if you don't buy anything.
5. Use the Christmas Clubcard Boost
The Tesco Christmas Clubcard Boost is back, offering Clubcard users the chance to double the value of their vouchers in certain departments.
Each £5 in Clubcard vouchers can be exchanged for a Boost token worth £10 until 14th December, which must be used by 24th December.
The easiest way to collect Clubcard points is to shop at Tesco, but you can also boost your Clubcard balance using the Tesco Clubcard Credit Card. For more ideas, read How to boost your Tesco Clubcard points.
6. Recycle your old stuff
You can give yourself a big Christmas bonus by recycling things you no longer use.
If you have an old mobile to shift you can get quick cash from online recycling websites like Envirophone or Mazuma Mobile. You can use Compare My Mobile to see which sites will offer the most.
Alternatively, Music Magpie, Zapper and CEX offer to pay cash for things like DVDs, CDS, games and electronics.
H&M is offering a £5 voucher (which can be used on purchases over £30) for each bag of clothing or textiles you hand in at any of its stores as part of its Long Live Fashion campaign.
And there’s always online marketplaces like eBay and Preloved which can help you get more cash for your old stuff.
Read: Recycle your things for cash for more.
7. Switch providers
A new deal on something like your car insurance, energy, home insurance, life insurance, mortgage or broadband package could save you money as well as bag you a cash bonus for making the move.
You can compare deals using the lovemoney.com store and broadbanchoices.com.
Right now Plusnet is offering £75 cashback on its broadband and phone deals, while TalkTalk is offering a £75 Love2shop gift card and BT is offering Sainsbury’s gift cards worth up to £125.
You should make sure your existing deal won't attract cancellation fees if you switch to ensure you really benefit from making a move.
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