Whether I’m shopping for groceries, booking a luxury holiday, or enjoying a meal out with friends, I never pay full price for anything – and you don’t need to either! I absolutely love to deal-stack and use a variety of methods to make and save money on my everyday purchases. 

Chloe’s Deal Club aims to find you secret deals and freebies which will save you thousands of pounds over the years. 

There are a number of ways to save money at Tesco and I’ve put together my absolute favourites in this guide to help you make the most of every pound of your grocery budget. All while enjoying your favourite brands, snacks, and delicious dinners. 

As shopping for groceries has rapidly become one of the largest household expenses, behind rent or mortgage payments, it’s a great area to save yourself some money, and in this weeks blog, we’re looking at how we can save money at Tesco.

Knowing how to save money at Tesco is going to help you make small but significant savings on a regular basis. You could even save up the money you save to put towards a big food shop at Christmas or help towards buying gifts for your family. 

Before I share my top tips and tricks I want to talk a little about loyalty points and cards, such as the Tesco Clubcard. Personally I don’t like loyalty cards or schemes much, as I feel that everyone should just be given the best price when shopping with a brand. However, with more and more companies offering loyalty schemes and cards they’re becoming something of a necessity if you want to save money at Tesco and other supermarkets too.

Some of the prices are pretty absurd if you were to purchase items without a Clubcard, versus if you buy with one and for that reason I highly recommend you sign up for one. You’re providing Tesco with some purchasing data on your shopping habits and in exchange you’ll be able to access online coupons, in-store freebies, special deals and money-off discounts. So the more often you use your Clubcard, the more you’ll save money at Tesco in the long run.

How to save money at Tesco 

Sign up for a Clubcard

For every £1 that you spend with Tesco you’ll typically receive 1 Clubcard point, worth 1p. While this won’t immediately help you save money at Tesco, these points quickly add up, if you’re shopping there regularly, so I’d recommend signing up for a Clubcard.

There are a fair few items that won’t earn you Clubcard points when you purchase them and this includes tobacco products, airtime top-ups, gift vouchers and gift cards, plastic bags, postage stamps, prescribed medicines, formula, Delivery Saver and pick and pack charges. You can find the full list here. 

These points can be redeemed in-store, for discounts on groceries and other items. Alternatively you can exchange your Clubcard points for 2x the value with selected retailers known as Reward Partners. You’ll find a selection of offers including discounts to use against Disney+ membership, days out, RAC membership, meals in restaurants such as Chef & Brewer and Pizza Express plus discounts with travel, hotels and holiday companies too.  Therefore your Clubcard not only saves you money at Tesco, it also gives you the chance to save on days out, gifts and meals.

Download the Tesco app 

This free app will provide you with access to shop online for groceries, for both home delivery and Click & Collect from participating stores. You can also access the Clubcard section within the Tesco app. 

In the Clubcard section you can access a QR code, as well as the Clubcard number itself to scan in-store either at the till or to use Scan & Go. You can see available Clubcard vouchers to spend, coupons and any rewards that you’ve redeemed your Tesco Clubcard points for which will make it easier to save money at Tesco without having to remember a physical card.

Sign up for Clubcard Plus 

If you like to shop in-store with Tesco, and visit frequently, you may be able to save money at Tesco with a Clubcard Plus membership. 

For £7.99 per month, with a 1-month free trial, you can join this membership scheme. You’ll receive 10% off two shops of your choice in-store each month. You’re able to choose which shops to redeem this against by scanning one of the two discount coupons within your Tesco app. 

You’ll also receive a 10% discount on F&F and selected Tesco brands every time you shop in-store. This includes brands such as F&F clothing, Paperchase, Tesco Pet, Fred & Flo, Go Play, Go Create, Go Cook and Fox & Ivy. If you find yourself purchasing baby essentials, pet items or even toys or stationery regularly this could help you save money at Tesco. 

If you’re a Tesco Mobile customer then you can also receive double data every month on any pay monthly contract. 

Check out Clubcard Prices

Look out for blue and yellow tickets in-store and online, which show you items that are eligible for Clubcard Prices. You’ll see two different prices. The higher price is the price you’ll pay if you don’t use a Tesco Clubcard, while the lower price is available to those using a Clubcard.

Loyalty cards allow brands to build up purchasing habits and customer data, and typically they’ll reward us for signing up and using the loyalty card frequently. Many supermarkets have a loyalty scheme now, and while I would prefer that we all just received the same price, regardless of a card or discount voucher, needs must and I personally make sure I use all supermarket loyalty cards. They’re free of charge and I store them on my phone for convenience. 

When you’re using Clubcard Prices make sure that you stick to your shopping list, only buy what you actually need and check out the price per 100g, 100ml or per unit. This is a great way to check that you’re receiving a genuine discount and not being enticed into purchasing a ‘bargain’ that turns out to be anything but. 

Use Scan As You Shop in-store

When shopping in-store it can be a good idea to use Scan As You Shop. This is where you use a handheld scanner to scan your own shopping as you make your way around the store. Not only can you keep a tally on your total spend, while you’re shopping, but you can check the prices of individual items as you shop too.

Scan As You Shop is only available to Tesco Clubcard users and may be subject to different opening times than your local store itself. 

The main benefit of using the scanner is that you can pack your shopping as you go around the store and then when it’s time to pay you’re able to go to a self-service till which rarely has a queue. This will save you time versus queuing for a manned till which will help you have an easier shopping experience if you’re shopping in-store with children or just in a rush. It may also help you save money at Tesco as you can keep a close eye on your budget.

You may find that the first few times you use the scanner you’re stopped for ‘random checks’ but these quickly taper off and become infrequent checking where they just scan a few items from your bags to make sure you’ve used the scanner correctly. 

Redeem those Clubcard points

While 1p of points per £1 spent may not sound like much it soon adds up. There are also times where you can earn bonus Clubcard points for spends on particular products or in categories such as cleaning products or toiletries. 

Make sure that you’re actually redeeming all your loyalty points. Many shoppers save these up throughout the year and use them at Christmas time to get a discounted shop or pick up some stocking fillers and Christmas gifts. This can be a great way to utilise your Clubcard points but using them against days out, restaurant meals or even for travel can be fantastic too as you’ll receive at least double the value. 

Check out the Tesco’s Value range

The Tesco Everyday Value range, as it used to be known, is now known by a variety of different names. You can search for Tesco Value Range online, and see 100+ items from 48 categories. Alternatively you can look for names in-store such as Growers Harvest, Ms Molly’s, Hearty Food Co, Stockwell & Co, Willow Farm, Nightingale Farms, Woodside Farms, Creamfields and Bay Fishmongers to find the lowest priced items.

If you’re shopping in-store, you’ll typically find the value, or lowest priced ranges, are typically down towards the bottom of the shelves. Look down low for the low prices. 

Shopping from these value ranges can help you save money at Tesco, and some of the items are even made on the very same production lines as products from your favourite brands!

Earn cashback when shopping online 

Online shopping can be very helpful with meal planning and if you need to stick to a specific budget for groceries. If you’re someone who loves an impulse buy in-store then shopping online can help you stay on track financially.

If you’re short on time then online shopping can be great because you can add to your online basket while you’re commuting home from work, or even while relaxing on the sofa at night. 

You can earn yourself a little cashback, on those purchases you would already be making, such as shopping for groceries, with websites such as Quidco and TopCashback. 

Cashback companies work with your favourite brands and retailers, such as Tesco, and will reward you with a little money back when you click through from their website and then complete your shopping online as you usually would.

Sometimes you’ll receive a % of your shop as cashback, and other times you may receive a small fee, such as £1, every time you complete a home delivery or Click & Collect order. 

Clicking through from a cashback website will add a maximum of 30 seconds on to your purchase time. All you need to do is visit your favourite cashback website or app and then search for Tesco, click through and then complete your shop as you normally do. 

You’ll receive a small amount of money and this will take a few months to become payable. If you make this part of your day-to-day shopping routine it soon becomes a small and steady stream of money trickling in. 

Use grocery cashback apps 

By using apps such as Shopmium, Green Jinn and CheckoutSmart you’re able to receive free or discounted products in UK supermarkets. These apps are free to use and pretty straightforward too. 

Each week on these cashback apps there are a variety of products, from a number of different supermarkets, that you can purchase and then receive a partial or full reimbursement for. 

Typically these items are goods from brands you’ll know and trust, and you’ll often find new products listed on these apps. You’ll find items available from a variety of categories including meat, fish, fruit & vegetables, ready meals, fizzy drinks, toiletries, pet products and more.  I bet you didn’t realise there were so many ways to save money at Tesco and other supermarkets!

All you need to do is shop in-store, or online, as you usually would, but check the cashback shopping apps beforehand. You then purchase a relevant item, upload a photograph of your receipt via the app, then sit back and wait for your reimbursement to be processed for your chosen items. 

You’ll also find a free daily prize draw, to win £10, on CheckoutSmart if you upload your receipt – even if you haven’t purchased any eligible items. 

Earn cashback with Chase

Using a cashback debit card, such as that offered from Chase, allows you to earn a small amount of cashback on your everyday spending. You’ll use Chase as your debit card, instead of your usual bank card, and then automatically receive 1% cashback. This is a great way to save money at Tesco and you can add this to your Apple Pay or other digital wallet for convenience. 

Pay for your in-store shopping with a gift card

If you want to get a great cashback boost when you can purchase a cashback gift card, from JamDoughnut, everup or even TopCashback or Quidco’s gift card sections, and receive instant cashback. You can read more about cashback in the relevant blog posts; TopCashback and JamDoughnut.

Cashback rates vary, sometimes daily, across the different cashback gift card apps, but as a rough estimate you can expect to earn 2% – 4% back when you use a supermarket gift card. This is an extra step on your shopping but if you use Scan As You Shop you can see the total you’ve spent before proceeding to the checkout and then take a moment to step aside and order a gift card. You then proceed to the checkout as normal but use the gift card instead of your credit or debit card to pay for your purchases. 

If you were able to receive 2% cashback every time you shopped in-store, and you shopped in-store weekly, then at least once per year you’d have earned enough cashback for a completely free grocery shop.

If you utilise the cashback rates and stock up a little when the cashback gift card apps have special offers, this could be as high as 4%. Two free weekly food shops per year is a considerable saving! 

Note: Tesco gift cards are only suitable for in-store purchases 

Look out for reductions in-store

In-store you can look out for shelves with reduced items. You’ll typically find the reduced items are grouped together, in sections. These sections are usually found with the produce (fruit & vegetables), meat & fish, fresh ready meals and convenience items, plus bakery goods too.

Visiting after 6pm can be a great time to pick up reductions, as can popping in-store within 1 hour of closing. 

Purchase a Delivery Saver pass if you shop online 

If you prefer to do your food shop online then a Delivery Saver pass can be a great way to save money at Tesco. 

You can purchase 6-monthly and 12-monthly plans with Click + Collect, Anytime Delivery and Off Peak Delivery Saver passes available. 

This allows you to have unlimited deliveries, or pick up unlimited Click + Collect orders, one per day, subject to minimum spend requirements, and if you don’t save money at Tesco using this Delivery Saver pass, versus just booking slots and paying for those with your order, then Tesco will issue you with a coupon for the difference. 

Look out for in-store till coupons

While at the till in Tesco you may be issued with a coupon, or till spit, that allows you to get a free product. Recent freebies have included sanitary towels, laundry products and cleaning products. These are typically valid for 1-3 weeks but you could just pop back into the store after you’ve paid to pick up your freebie if you don’t shop in Tesco frequently. 

Consider using Click & Collect instead of Home Delivery

If you pass a Tesco store on your way home from work, or live close to one, then you can save money at Tesco by using Click & Collect and picking your shopping up at your local store, instead of booking a home delivery.

Click & collect slots are available for as little as 25p with the highest priced slots typically being £1.75. Home Delivery slots can be as cheap as £1.50 and then as high as £7 depending on the time of day and day of the week. 

The minimum spend for using Click & Collect is much lower than with home delivery, which is great if you only need a few items or want to book a top-up shop to collect on your way home from work. 

Fuel your car at Tesco petrol stations 

You can earn 1 Clubcard point for every 2 litres of fuel you purchase from Tesco filling stations. I like to use the “PetrolPrices” website to check local prices before I fill up my car – just to ensure that I’m getting the best price possible without driving out of my way and using more fuel.