In this age of information, loads of different companies are jumping on the loyalty card bandwagon, offering points, discounts or money back for their customers in exchange for details of our shopping habits. But which are the best ones to use?

For today's post, I'll summarize my five favourite loyalty cards for British mums, complete with details of the rewards and value earned from using them.

1. Boots Advantage Card

This is by far my favourite all-time loyalty scheme, the one which earns more rewards than any other scheme I have yet tried.

Each point earned on your card equals a penny to spend in store; for each pound you spend, you'll earn a minimum of 4 points on your card, though double/triple points days and promotions for extra points on selected items means it's easily possible to earn far more than this.

For mothers with young babies, I highly recommend you also join the Mother and Baby club, which entitles you to triple points when buying Huggies nappies, plus you'll receive many other great offers to help you and your growing baby.

Once you've earned enough points, you can spend this in-store or online on anything you want (except for gift vouchers). You will need to have earned enough points to buy your purchase outright, as points cannot be used in part-purchase.

Personally I save up my points for expensive treats and luxuries (perfume and Chanel lipsticks are wonderful when no money needs to be exchanged) though you could just as easily redeem against your usual shopping to save money on your everyday needs.

How to apply

You can apply for a Boots Advantage card in store and begin earning your points right away, or visit the website to make your application on-line.

2. Nectar

Nectar helps you earn points from spending at a huge variety of high street stores, online retailers, petrol (via BP) and even on your holidays (through Expedia and others).

These points may then be exchanged for a variety of rewards including cinema tickets, days out, travel and beauty treats.

You can earn roughly two points for every pound spent with Nectar sponsors. These points roughly equate a penny each, though rewards start from around 500 points which could get you:

• £2.50 off at Argos
• A free DVD rental from BlockBuster
• £2.50 off your shopping at Sainsburys
• A £2.50 voucher for Gala Bingo

There are many many more rewards you could get depending on the number of points you have saved. Take a look at the Nectar card calculator to see how many points you could earn towards your dream reward.

How to apply

Many of Nectar's sponsors offer application forms in-store (such as Sainsburys and Debenhams), though you can also make your application online. This way you can make a note of your Nectar card number and begin collecting points straight away.

3. Tesco Clubcard

Here's another card which I use regularly, not just for shopping but for my fuel and mobile top-ups too (which earns three times as many points).

You can earn 1 point per £1 spend in Tesco stores, online and at Powergen, Marriott, Johnsons Cleaners plus a few other retailers. Each point earned represents a 1p discount to spend in store, and is redeemed in the form of vouchers which are sent out by post.

However, by redeeming points on Tesco's specially selected offers, each point is worth around 4p instead. These special offers include magazine subscriptions, family outings and even RAC membership.

How to apply

You should be able to pick up a temporary Clubcard from any Tesco store and begin earning points right away. Alternatively, visit the Clubcard website to apply online; you'll be able to collect points right away on online purchases, but would need to ask for a special receipt to credit your points by telephone after shopping in-store until your permanant card arrives.

You may also be interested to apply for the Tesco Clubcard Plus account by calling 08457104010 for an application form. This works like a prepaid card (no credit facility) which can be used only in Tesco stores and offers double points on your spending. I'm yet to receive my own card to explain more, but since I shop at Tesco so often I'm sure it will be worth the effort.

4. Toys R Us Gold Card

If you regularly shop at Toys R Us, have a young baby or are expecting one, then it's well worth joining the Gold Card scheme. Don't worry, this is not a credit card (though admittedly I was put off applying for a while since this was the impression I'd been given!).

The Tous R Us Gold Card offers a point for each pound spent when you spend over £10 in store or online. When you have accumulated enough points, you will be sent vouchers to the minimum value of £75 against selected future purchases.

It does take ages to collect enough points, and admittedly the vouchers may not always be for goods you would normally purchase. But if you have a baby or very young child, it is advantageous to join the related Mother and Baby scheme, where further discounts are offered and a regular newsletter is sent out.

How to apply

You should be able to apply in any Toys R Us store by filling out a quick application form. Alternatively visit the Gold Card page of the Toys R Us website to fill in a form online.

5. Air Miles

Although the Air Miles scheme seems to have been around for years, I've only recently discovered how useful this can be in collecting points for free family days out (travels too, though this aspect would rarely benefit us personally).

Air Miles points can be collected through loads of different retailers (more than 200 in total, both online and off) such as Currys, Evans, Shell petrol stations and even by transferring points from your Tesco Clubcard.

The number of Airmiles earned for your spend varies between retailers, from 1 mile for every £10 spent on eBay to a whopping 750 points when you take out a subscription to The Times.

For best value, redeem Airmiles against "experiences" rather than flights. This seems to offer more monetary value for your saving and enables you to visit some great attractions for free such as Legoland or the London Eye.

How to apply

You can register to collect Airmiles by filling in the application form on the Airmiles website. I'm unsure if there are ways to apply in any stores, though you could also call the customer contact centre on 0844 49 333 94.

What are your favourite schemes?

Have I missed out your favourite loyalty scheme from this list, or do you use any of my favourite 5 schemes regularly? Please feel free to leave your comments below.

Being money-savvy parents, we often have to cut back on luxurious treats for ourselves. That beautiful new shade of lipstick you saw in your favorite magazine or the fabulous new fragrance advertised on TV could certainly take a chunk out of your weekly housekeeping allowance and perhaps your birthday some months away.

Instead, why not take advice from the Glamumous notebook and source out free alternatives: samples, giveaways and other methods of satisfying your hunger for beauty products which have absolutely no impact on your wallet.

This, my fellow frugal mums, is having your cake and devouring it!

There are many ways of acquiring free beauty products (cosmetics, skin care, fragrance, etc.) such as:

• Internet promotions and giveaways
• Becoming a "club member" of your favorite brand
• Vouchers from magazines (often for full-sized premium products)
• In store promotions
  

Here are my tried and tested methods of getting free make-up, skincare and perfume samples, you can enjoy your luxuries without having to worry about the costs.

Internet promotions and giveaways

This is the first method I ever tried and has still proved the most reliable, cost-free method of finding free beauty samples and giveaways ever used.

Basically, you scour the internet for free samples, paying particular attention to "deal sites" and message boards where other frugal aficionados post their latest finds.

It's time consuming, especially when you have to fill in your details for each and every single offer you encounter, but it's well worth it. Last night, for example, in the space of an hour I ordered about 10 different fragrance samples (for myself, DH and as well-wishing gifts for friends and family), 2 full-sized lipsticks, a full-sized mascara, nail varnish and other body care products.

Use a different email address

To do this, you will need a "ghost" email address (sign up at Hotmail or Google Mail for a free account) as many offers require you to sign up for newsletters in order to receive your gifts. Don't be tempted to use your main email address or within a day you will end up with an inbox full of stuff you don't really want to read (or which could potentially tempt you into spending - after all, we're trying to be frugal).

Every now and again (I usually check once a month or so), check your "ghost" email account for details of any new offers and vouchers. Also, keep emails which detail your username/login details for any sites you have registered with to ensure you can access future offers.

Finding free samples and giveaways

While you could search for free samples through Google, I prefer to take the shortcut and scour through sites and bulletin boards where members post their latest frugal finds.

My favorite place for finding free beauty samples is HotUKDeals.com. This is truly a treasure trove for all things free (or at least, very cheap!). You will need to scour through many posts to find products suitable for you, or search the site instead. Luckily you don't need to register in order to link through to the listed sites, though if you find something wonderful it's a great feeling to share your find :)

Another highly useful site is MoneySavingExpert.com, in particular, the Freebies section. Here you can find a hoard of free stuff, giveaways and the like. It's not quite as comprehensive and up to date as HotUKDeals, but is well worth a look (or sign up for the newsletter to save time).

Here's a handful of the best promotions running at the time of writing this post to give you an idea of what to expect:

• "Lipstick Jungle" themed lipgloss (1000 to be given away) 
• Aveeno SKin Relief Lotion sample 
• Loreal Dermagenesis sample 
• Ghost Sweetheart sample size perfume
• Dior SkinNude foundation sample 
• £100 of Perfectil Platinum for trial participants

These particular offers may well expire soon, but there will undoubtedly be more for you to try on the HotUKDeals and MoneySavingExpert sites!

Become a member of your favorite brand sites/Join mailing lists

While most of the best deals can be found on bulletin boards and other freebie sites, there will undoubtedly be some which slip through the cracks.

So to make sure I get freebies and samples from the products I like (or would love to use if I could afford them!), I sign up to receive newsletters by email/post and enjoy "member status" of sites where this is possible.

Here are some of my favorites (be sure to visit the websites of your own favorite brands if they aren't listed here!):

• Club Olay: an excellent membership with regular freebies and discount vouchers by mail, plus invitations to special events.
• Loreal Paris - Beauty Confidential: Joining allows you to create your personal profile so any freebies are tailored to your needs. Skincare samples are sent frequently; make-up can be acquired through regular limited giveaways, and you may also receive vouchers/samples of haircare products. This is one of the best and most valuable beauty memberships I use.
  
• Elizabeth Arden Newsletter: I've received vouchers for sample perfumes and Eight Hour Cream, plus notifications of seasonal offers and in-store promotions from signing up here.
• Rimmel London: I personally haven't received any postal freebies from Rimmel. Instead, registration is useful for participating in the "Win one of 10,000" product giveaways which happen regularly. The odds of winning 1 od 10,000 products is pretty good and certainly worth a few moments' registration.
• Maybelline New York newsletter: Few samples available, but you may be sent vouchers and do receive automatic registration in prize deaws.
• Chanel Newsletter: When new products are launched, you may well receive a free sample in the post (I received a sample sized lipstick and several mini perfumes). Also, receive notice of in-store promotions which are also useful for freebies.
• Dior Newsletter (and free samples?): I wasn't aware that Dior had a newsletter until today (though I had searched as this is another of my favorite premium brands). If you're reading this soon after posting, you may still be able to claim a sample of their new foundation range by signing up. If this offer has expired, sign up anyway as future offers may be available.
• Lancome Newsletter: Infrequent (though always welcomed) freebies, and notification of offers, in store events and such.
  

Magazine Vouchers and Freebies

A favored method of persuading consumers to purchase magazines (especially the premium, £2.50+ types) is to offer a free gift, either with the magazine itself or as a voucher which can be redeemed in store.


In recent months, I've seen magazines offering free Elizabeth Arden eye shadows, Clinique perfume and even full sized mascaras!

For the cost of the magazine, you could well receive something far more valuable in return and have a magazine of inspiration and reading material to boot. Don't forget to look through the small print of ads in case a different (non-advertised) sample is offered too. You may find a URL to claim yet another discount voucher, or discover a newsletter you haven;t signed up for before.

Also, be sure to check out the websites of popular magazines from time to time as other freebies may be available exclusive to the site. Glamour and Marie Claire are sites I visit regularly, and I often see ads and offers available which have not been featured in the actual magazine (especially when you sign up to the sites' weekly newsletters too!).

In-Store Promotions

One final method I have found of discovering free cosmetics is using in-store promotions. Now these vary in type, so I'll explain a few of the tactics I have personally used:

Buy something, get something free offers

For offers such as these, you will initially need to spend something in order to receive a valued free gift.

Premium brands such as Clinique ("Bonus Time" offers), Dior and Elizabeth Arden seem to do these on a regular basis, whereby if you purchase two or more products, you can receive a set containing a selection of seasonal items. Boots No.7 and 17 ranges also offer similar deals and generally offer exceptional value for money.

Store magazines and loyalty schemes

Many stores offer free magazines for customers in which vouchers and the occasional freebie voucher are often found. Superdrug, Boots and many leading supermarkets offer such magazines which you can pick up free in-store.

If your favorite shop or outlet offers a loyalty card with which you can earn points from purchases, sigh up for it! Besides the obvious "points=cash-to-spend-in-store", you will likely receive other useful offers and vouchers to assist your frugal quest for luxury.

Make friends with shop assistants

Each time you visit your favorite stores, make a point of being polite and friendly to the people working there. Saying "hello" and "thank you", asking questions and showing an interest helps you develop a friendly relationship with beauty counter assistants, and in turn you may find yourself in receipt of beauty tips, demonstrations and the occasional freebie (especially when you make a purchase).

Boots Advantage Card

For me personally, Boots Advantage Card has been the best loyalty scheme ever. I tend not to purchase all of my toiletries and such from Boots: instead I look out for promotions, extra points days and such when buying from Boots would be advantageous to my budget.

This means that over the course of time, I can save enough points for my absolute favorite luxuries: Chanel lipsticks and YSL Mascara which I covet like no other products :) Yes I know it seems outrageous for a frugal mummy who shops at Aldi (with vouchers!) to indulge in such expensive products. But I can assure you, for all the expensive cosmetics garnishing my dressing table, I haven't actually paid a single penny!

Here's the way I see it: I only purchase from Boots the things I would need to buy anyway for the family. I could spend the same aount elsewhere without earning points. Effectively this means the Advantage card points are a bonus, just for me.

Furthermore, using your Advantage card offers access to even more ways to save: in-store, you will find Advantage card machines where you can use your card to print vouchers for more points, money off your total spend, and even the occasional free sample.

To make your Advantage card work even better for you, why not share with a friend or family member? My mum and sister share a card so their points add up more quickly. Don't forget, you can also use your Advantage card online!

Conclusions

In this article I have shared my tried and tested methods to help you find free make-up, skincare and fragrance to help you feel luxurious without having to feel guilty about spending your weekly housekeeping finds.

Getting things for free means that you will have to compromise on your expectations. Many of the free beauty treats you can find are sample sized, limited to the first X customers, or accessible only by spending (wisely of course) on other products first. You probably won't get that Chanel lipstick in the exact shade you want (though it can happen...).

But who cares when you can have luxuries landing on your doorstep or finding their way into your shopping bags every week without any feelings of guilt?

If you know of any other recommended methods, please feel free to share these with Glamumous readers and leave your comments below.

Image credits: Cosmetics counter by Eliazar, Boots shop sign by Redvers,  Magazine cover by Fotographix.ca, Rouge by Kanko. All via Flickr Creative Commons.

With the new year fast approaching, I've been on the lookout for a new diary/organizer to help me keep track for the family. While most diaries and personal organizers are created to help women schedule for themselves, only a few seem to offer organization for a busy family. And any mum knows just how difficult it can be to keep track of all the family's appointments! So here are three of my favorites, any one of which would be a welcome Christmas gift for a busy parent!

The "Mom Agenda Kitchen Folio"

This particular organizer is aimed as mommies in the US though it's really so useful for any mum, no matter where in the world she may live!

With this nifty organizer, you can store class lists, school schedules, sports schedules, menus and more in heavy-duty, clear plastic page protector. There are 24 interchangeable tabs so you can organize for each child or family member with ease, and there are forms for Birthdays/Anniversaries, Babysitter's Info, Medical Info, Important Phone Numbers, and more. This could easy become the organization hub for your whole family and beyond. What's more, it's delightful to look at with the pink faux lizard skin jacket!

Cost $32.95 plus postage (approx £20)

You can order the Mom Agenda from www.momagenda.com, and can download free sample pages and day planners for print from the site too.

The Dodo Household Stuff Book

This is a gem of a household book, with it's unique design and especially the usefulness of the pages contained within. The Dodo Household Stuff book has sections and pockets for every conceivable household scenario, from birthdays and anniversaries to motor maintenance and home insurance.

You can purchase this either directly from the Dodopad website, or through Amazon (which is slightly cheaper, especially when accounting for the postage costs). You can also purchase extra pages to be used with the Household Stuff book, or find a range of complementary stationary to match the Dodo design.

Cost £18.95 from Dodopad.com

Life Book Diary

Here is another beauty of a family organizer: the "Life Book" by Organized-mum.co.uk. Of the three books I've looked at here, this is the one I covet the most: aside from being incredibly useful with stickers and sections to help you keep the whole family well organised, this is beautiful to look at, heardwearing and luxurious with the optional tan leather cover!

Price: from £5.99 for the pocket diary to £28.99 with tan leather cover from Organized-Mum.co.uk

Image credit: BitchBuzz

Any service which makes life easier gets the thumbs up from me, so I was thrilled to discover MySupermarket.co.uk:

"Our aim is to help shoppers get the best possible price for their supermarket trolley while enjoying an easier and more consumer-friendly shopping experience"

You can say that again! I tried MySupermarket out yesterday and was more than pleased with this service. This site offers your favorite supermarkets all in one place; you can shop online or print off a shopping list to shop for your items in your own time. But the best thing about this site is that you are shown cheaper alternatives to your selection and can swap items to get better value for your money. Also, you can view equivalent items from other supermarkets and are presented with the total cost so it's easy to see if you could save money by shopping elsewhere.

As a mummy, I do prefer to do my shopping online and have it delivered to my home. This saves me so much trouble (not to mention time) of traveling to the supermarket and putting up with the tantrums of my two year old while we shop. For me there's nothing worse than trying to read the labels on a can of soup while my daughter races around throwing unmentionables in the trolley or strops when she can't have a bucketful of sweeties all to herself! With MySupermarket, I found I can also save a lot of money simply by choosing different (but equivalent quality) items for my basket, like this:

Another feature of MySupermarket is the "Health Checker": this can help you choose healthier items for your basket based on fat content and calories: excellent for those who are watching their tums in the pre-Christmas run up!

It's a really easy service to use: once you have chosen your supermarket, you simply choose your shopping items as normal, and when you're ready to check out you'll be given options to swap items in your trolley for those which are cheaper or healthier. You'll also see how much it would cost to buy the same products from a different supermarket branch instead, so you'll quickly know if you can save money by shopping elsewhere.

I'm really impressed by MySupermarket.co.uk and will definitely be using this for my Christmas grocery shop instead of bracing the aisles! What's more, I can do the shopping whenever I want to, even at 1am when the kids are all snugly tucked up in bed.

I hope you will enjoy this great service as much as I do. Please let me know what you think by leaving your comments and opinions below.

Image credit: Simon Shek

Primark is perhaps most famous for it's cheap clothing and accessory ranges. So it came as some surprise to me that this great clothing store now has a range of ethical, eco-friendly clothes on offer too!

As always, these ranges offer great value for money: the white T-shirt (top left) is priced at only £4, as is this gorgeous boob tube. There's even more available in store, including long-sleeved tops which are perfect for the cooler months ahead.

More eco-friendly products are set to be in store in the new year, including selected styled for kids and babies. I'm really pleased that my favorite clothing store has opted to be more ethical about the sourcing of their clothes. And since these items are so reasonably priced, we can look good, make a difference, and not have to worry about breaking the bank to do so!

Do you drool over the latest designer handbags while knowing you could never afford the real thing? Beautiful though they may be, designer handbags can often cost more than we'd spend on food in a whole year!

But help is at hand: The Little Bag Company have a gorgeous range of designer-inspired handbags at a price we can all afford, such as this Fendi-inspired little number which is priced at only £24.99!

There are loads of designs and colors to choose from, and postage is very reasonable at around £3.00 per bag for first class delivery to the UK mainland.

For the man in your life you can also find a range of leather wallets, credit card holders and funky key-holders which are very reasonably priced.

The Little Bag Company offers real value for money, even competing with high street prices for style and quality. This is a great shopping site to visit for Christmas gifts for family and friends (and also as a hint to your other half...).