I went to M&S for my grocery shopping and didn't pay a cent with a little-known hack
A MARKS & Spencer shopper was thrilled when she got her grocery shopping for free thanks to a money-saving hack.
The posh supermarket's loyalty card scheme rewards members with free food – and the woman managed to bag £20 worth of groceries without paying a penny.
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Take to Facebookshe wrote: “I only got my groceries for free today with my Sparks card.
“I was ecstatic.”
The woman told how she managed to pick up an array of fresh fruit and vegetables, including grapes, apples and cabbage.
The M&S 'Sparks' program was first launched in 2015, where shoppers could 'unlock' rewards, such as early access to sales and new food launches, by collecting points.
However, the retailer will arrive in July 2020 scrapped its traditional points card model and now offers a rewards program for its customers instead.
You can now receive a reward every time you shop with M&S in store or online.
Rewards include discounts on entire product ranges, such as household items, or cash on individual items.
Many shoppers were impressed with the woman's Spark freebies.
One person commented: “Absolutely brilliant.”
Another added: “That happened to me before Christmas, £87 worth of free shopping, I was devastated, you need a Marks and Spencer Sparks card.”
And a third wrote: “This happened to me a few weeks ago, the bill was approximately £47 – Chosen for the winning customer that week.”
The Sparks card rewards program is tailored to what each customer purchases.
For example, a customer can get a €2 discount if he spends €15 on flowers plants in the shop.
We've also seen members get 30p off iced tea and coffee in all M&S Cafés.
Sparks members are rewarded with small thank you gifts, which amount to free treats and food.
Additionally, one Sparks card customer will be randomly selected each week to receive free grocery shopping.
You can sign up for M&S Sparks for free, via the M&S website or via the App Store or Google Play.
You must register with your name and email address before you can redeem rewards.
Once signed up, a member receives a digital card in the app that can be scanned while shopping in-store.
Unlike other grocery loyalty programs, you can't use your points to get cashback or vouchers.
But under the new system you don't physically save points, but you see free offers and discounts in your account.
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What are the best grocery store loyalty programs?
Cash-strapped families can cut grocery costs by hundreds of pounds a year by joining loyalty programs and shopping after 6 p.m., when clearance items are reduced by as much as 75 percent.
Here are the best loyalty programs available from your favorite retail chains…
Sainsbury's: Shoppers can sign up for a Nectar card which unlocks exclusive deals and earns points that can be converted into vouchers. £1 of spend is worth one point. With a Nectar card you can get up to 50 percent discount. You can convert points into experiences such as discounts on BA flights and cinema tickets.
Tesco: Tesco's famous Clubcard is free to sign up for. You get access to exclusive offers and earn points towards vouchers for every euro you spend. Clubcard users can get up to 50 percent discount. Spend Tesco vouchers on experiences or days out to make more of your money. £12 worth of vouchers means you can save £24 on Disney+.
Asda: Customers can download the Asda rewards app, which gives cashback on items and allows them to save for Christmas, using their Christmas cash pot where customers can save their cashback. Get ten percent cashback on selected items in store with Asda Rewards.
Cooperative: A Co-op loyalty card costs £1, but members can access in-store offers. For every £1 spent you earn 2p for yourself and 2p for local charities. Co-op members can get five frozen favorites for £5.
Aldi: Aldi special buys line the center aisle full of bargains, including an Ambiano air fryer for £29.99.
Lidl: Shoppers can access a Plus card via the Lidl app. Users unlock shopping coupons and earn treats. If you spend £50 and get a treat in the shop such as a free bakery item.
Morrisons: Shoppers can sign up for a Morrisons More card which will unlock exclusive in-store offers. Earn points by purchasing certain items in the store. 5,000 points equals a £5 voucher. More card users can receive a basket bonus. It could be anything from money from your next store to free treats.