Cost of living (Nov 2022)

[k1ooo-slr-sales]

I know that the cost of living has risen over the years, but sharply in the latter half of 2022, so I thought we could post helpful tips for easing these costs.

I don’t want this thread to become a blame game about who caused what to increase the cost of living, just hints to help those who may be struggling.

Post your suggestions here, or post your experiences if trying the suggestions.

[*sons_n_daughters*]

You don't need to set your rewards card to "save for Christmas" to bank you points. I think we currently have around $520 in credit. Great saving on the tablet though!

Stawks, if you have a smartphone or a tablet, then definitely download the Woolies Rewards app. The weekly boosters can gain you lots more points that add up really quickly. There might be 20 boosters each week. Some will be of items you buy regularly, like potatoes, or butter. As an example, most weeks, I get a booster for the butter I like, that gets me 200 points, instead of 3. I don't buy butter every week, but I know it's going to be there when I do need it. 

Same goes for different vegetables. A bag of carrots might get me 500 points. As long as your card is linked to your app, then you reap the rewards. It's not uncommon for us to get over 2,000 points for a $100 shop if we need to buy what is on the booster list. 

They also have other promos. For example, get 5x points when you spend over $100 at Big W, or spend $100 a week over the next 4 weeks to get 5,000 points from Woolies. At the moment they have a Christmas promo, where you click on the bauble and it gives you a prize. Our prize today was 5x points for every shop over $50 at Woolies until December 5. I'm guessing on December 5, another bauble will appear which you click to get another prize. They tend to do those things around holiday events that are more than a one off.

Someone mentioned in an earlier post about RACV giving a fuel discount, plus a discount voucher, then another 5c a litre off by spending $5 in store. Please, for the love of everything good, DO NOT fall for the spending $5 in store. On an average full tank of fuel, you'll be saving less than a dollar, for outlaying $5. My mother repeatedly falls for it, but she won't listen. She just sees the discount amount of spend $5 in store to save another 4c a litre. She refuses to sign up for the 7Eleven app. Says she doesn't know where it is near her. It's right next door to the Woolies servo that she wastes the money at! Personally, I'd rather save 20c a litre, than her 8c a litre, but she's happy.

[imastawka]

S_n_D  I have the app. but it refuses to recognise my log-in.  I have been a member of ER for over 14 years with the same log-in, so don't understand why.

They keep sending me verification codes to my email, but they take so long to get to my inbox that they end up being useless.

I have all the boosters sent to me via email.  Currently I have a promotion that gives me 1000 points if I spend $50 in one shop - easy to do.     And 3 times points on every shop.

I have yet to find the 'bauble' or the 'snow globe' to shake.

I don't save for Christmas, just don't use the vouchers and let them add up.

[imastawka]

I finally got to log in and discovered that the snow globe gave me 10 X points, but......

too late for yesterday's shopping.  It will expire before my next shop.

Was that deliberate?

[*sons_n_daughters*]

Scored 2,800 Woolies bonus points today for a $35 purchase thanks to the Woolies Rewards app. I got to click on the Christmas bauble promo last weekend and got 1000 bonus points if I spend more than $1 in store or online. Expires today, the 17th. 

During the week, I had another booster pop up offering a Christmas bonus of 1,800 points if you spend more than 1c (yes, you read that right, 1 cent), in store or online. Expires today. I clicked the T'&C's for both and the second one said you have a current promo, only one will count. I didn't boost the second promo.

So, I went and bought the few items I needed and used the first promo. 1,000 points, plus extra for what I'd spent. I then went and put those items in the car and boosted the second promo. Went back in and bought some milk that I'd deliberately not bought the first time. Bingo, 1,800 points! 

Over $10 just like that. I know for a lot of people, $10 isn't much, but it can mean a tray of snags and some veges for a family doing it tough. It was well worth the short walk out to the car.

Stawks, you mentioned you're having issues with the app. Last year (or the year before, I can't remember, but it doesn't matter), we were at Woolies and got booted out of the app as I was about to scan it. Couldn't log back in. Thankfully I had the physical card, but I lost all the booster points that I would have got. Like you, I'd be given an hour to reset the account, but the email would take several hours to arrive. Eventually, after repeatedly trying, the email eventually arrived before the hour was up and I was let back in. It took over a month. Keep persisting, or try getting a new card. I did that after my original card stopped adding points to my account. Over a year and I hadn't accrued $10! I got a new card and all was well (until we were kicked out that time!)

[imastawka]

s-n-d I have persisted with this stupid verification code and Slr told me not to sign out.

They threw me out anyway, but the next time I had to verify, I didn't sign out again.

Now I'm signed in all the time (happy) but I'm not getting anything that would rock my world. (not happy)

I still get the boosters via email anyway.

The dumb snow globe thingy has only given me a free pkt of pretzels that I have to pick up instore!

So I'm left wondering why I only get offered carp.

[*sons_n_daughters*]

For the Woolies app users, there should be a new Christmas bauble to click on today (Monday). If you open the app, the link will be under the stats, but above the booster items. I clicked mine when I got home from work tonight. If I spend more than $1 in store or online before December 24, 2,000 points! That's basically $25 of free money in a few days from the promos. Of course, I did get some really stupid ones that I'd never use and I felt a bit let down, but these last couple have made up for it. I'm guessing this will be the last one, so definitely click on it and see how you go. 

As for the weekly boosters, I boost everything. Even ones I'd never use, like signing up for Origin energy. You just never know when there will be one that you wouldn't normally use, you find you use. 

[imastawka]

Nope. Nothing. Nada. Nil. Zilch. No bauble. No offers.   😠

[imastawka]

Having said that, my free trial is up tomorrow and they will be hitting my credit card for the year's subscription.

I've decided to keep it as I've almost got the cost back, so I'll be in front over the year.

I'm thinking I may have to uninstall and re-install to give it a kick in the bum to get freebies.

It'll mean another 3 weeks of getting verification codes via email - dammit.

[*sons_n_daughters*]

Free trials and subscriptions? What is that about? I've never subscribed to anything with the woolies app. Maybe that is why you're not getting the promos that I get. They get enough money from me, I'm not paying for a subscription. Is that like ebay Plus, where everyone basically gets ripped off?

[imastawka]

It's the Everyday Extra app.

Free 30-day trial and ½ price subscription for the year.

You save the cost of the subscription and more over the 12 months.

Everyday Extra (woolworthsrewards.com.au)