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Coles Rewards | 50,000 Flybuys bonus points (worth $250 Flybuys dollars) Apply by 30 June 2024 and spend $3,000 on eligible purchases within 3 months from approval. | Read More |
Just how much value can you get from supermarket rewards programs? How do they stack up against frequent flyer programs? Taking a deep dive into Coles’ Flybuys and Woolworths’ Everyday Rewards, we’ll investigate exactly how each program works, whether it offers value, and what tradeoffs you may have to make as a member. We’ll also compare them side by side with some of the best traditional rewards credit cards.
Want to maximise your earn? We’ll cover that too, as we dip into the various ways you can boost your points earning potential within the world of supermarket rewards.
Owned and operated by Coles, Flybuys is one of Australia’s biggest and best-known loyalty programs.
Free to join, the Flybuys program allows members to earn points on their spending at Flybuys partner retailers and service providers, such as Coles and Kmart. From there, members can choose to convert their accumulated points into cashback at the checkout, shop the Flybuys Store for gift cards and merchandise, or redeem their points for travel through Flybuys travel or via a Velocity Points conversion.
To become a member of Flybuys, you must be aged 16 years or over and have a current Australian residential address. Membership is free – all you need to do to apply is register your details online. Alternatively, you can complete the Flybuys application form or contact the Flybuys Service Centre.
After you have successfully registered your info, you will receive a Flybuys membership number and a Flybuys card. While you can just use the card to earn and redeem points, it’s recommended you download the app as well, as this is where you can access bonus points offers to boost your points earn.
To earn points within the Flybuys program, simply scan your Flybuys card or enter your Flybuys info when spending at partner retailers and service providers. Each partner has its own earn rate, with bonus offers that pop up from time to time. To stay up-to-date with partner earn rates and offers, keep a close eye on the Flybuys site or your Flybuys app.
Here are the current Flybuys partners, their earn rates and offers.
Annual premium | Total points | Flybuys dollars |
$6,000+ | 130,000 points | $650 |
$5,000 – $5,999 | 100,000 points | $500 |
$4,000 – $4,999 | 80,000 points | $400 |
$3,000 – $3,999 | 60,000 points | $300 |
$2,000 – $2,999 | 48,000 points | $240 |
$1,000 – $1,999 | 24,000 points | $120 |
Less than $999 | 14,000 points | $70 |
NAB Rewards Platinum cardholders | 1 NAB Rewards Points | 1 Flybuys points |
NAB Rewards Signature cardholders | 1 NAB Rewards Points | 1 Flybuys points |
NAB Rewards Business Signature cardholders | 1 NAB Rewards Points | 1 Flybuys points |
Note: All partners, earn rates and bonuses correct at time of writing.
Right, time to get into those Coles credit cards. Coles currently offers three credits, each of which allows cardholders to boost their Flybuys points earn. Here’s how they work and what they have to offer.
Coles No Annual Fee Mastercard
With the Coles No Annual Fee Mastercard, you can earn 1 Flybuys point per $2 on all eligible spending, while paying no annual fee.
When it comes to rewards cards, getting value from the points you earn is all-important. Paying no annual fee on your card makes value much easier to come by, as you don’t have to worry about spending a certain amount to break even on the rewards you earn.
As a new cardholder, you can also take advantage of this card’s welcome bonus offer of 30,000 Flybuys bonus points which is equivalent to $150 Flybuys Dollars. All you need to do is spend $3,000 within 90 days of card approval.
Example Sophie spends $12,000 on her card each year. Half of that is spent in Coles. Her card spend on its own would give her 6,000 Flybuys points. Plus she would earn 6,000 points on her Coles shop as she double dips as a Flybuys member. Overall, she would earn 12,000 Flybuys points, which she could redeem at the checkout for $60. While this doesn’t sound like a huge win, Sophie isn’t paying an annual fee on her card, so she still gets to enjoy something back on her card spending – plus she gets $150 to spend at the checkout from her intro bonus. |
Coles Rewards Credit Card
The Coles Rewards Mastercard can make your everyday more exciting. The first $3,000 in eligible purchases made with the Coles Rewards Mastercard earns you 2 flybuys points for every $1 spent. Plus, enjoy 50,000 Flybuys bonus points (worth $250 Flybuys Dollars) if you apply by 30 June 2024
Coles Low Rate Mastercard
Coles Low Rate Mastercard focuses more on low rates than points. As such, it only offers an earn rate of 1 point for every $2 spent at Coles Supermarkets.
Currently, it has 0% p.a. on balance transfers for 15 months, a low variable rate of 12.99% p.a. on purchases, plus an annual fee of $58.
While this card could help you save on interest if you occasionally carry a balance, it’s not going to provide a huge boost to your Flybuys earn.
Extras
Coles Rewards Mastercard holders pay no foreign currency conversion fees on purchases when travelling overseas or shopping online with international retailers.
Platinum cardholders can benefit from complimentary insurances and a concierge service.
Redeeming Points
In terms of points redemptions, Flybuys keeps it pretty simple. You have four options when redeeming your points.
Example Briana has accumulated 44,000 Flybuys points and is trying to decide how to spend them.
As an alternative option, Briana could convert her 44,000 Flybuys points to 22,000 Velocity Points. However, this would significantly reduce the value of her points.
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☝ Need to Know Info
Anything else you need to know about Flybuys?
According to the Flybuys terms and conditions, for the most part, Flybuys points don’t expire. This means you can continue to earn points until you have enough to get the reward that suits you.
However, it’s worth pointing out there are two instances where Flybuys points may expire. Points do not expire unless:
Woolworths’ Everyday Rewards
Going head-to-head with the Flybuys program, Everyday Rewards is offered by Coles’ main competitor, Woolworths. Working in much the same way as Flybuys, Everyday Rewards allows members to earn points on their spending within the Woolworths Group and with certain partners, which they can then redeem at the checkout or convert to Qantas Points.
How to Apply
To become an Everyday Rewards member, you need to be aged 18 or over and have a current Australian residential address. If you are under the age of 18, you will need the consent of your parent or guardian to join.
Joining is free and there are no fees to continue as a member. To join, you can either complete the application process online, download the Everyday Rewards app, call the Everyday Rewards Contact Centre, or consent to become a member as part of an application for a Woolworths branded insurance, telecommunications or financial services product.
Earning Points
Once you’ve joined, you can start earning points. Everyday Rewards offers a standard earn rate of 1 point per $1 spent at Woolworths and all partners within the program. These include:
The program also notes that other stores or businesses may offer points earning and bonuses as part of ongoing promotions, which are advertised accordingly.
Like Flybuys, Everyday Rewards allows members to fast-track their points earning with ‘boosters’. These are offered to each member individually via email and the Everyday Rewards app, and may include offers that allow members to earn up to 10 points per $1.
It’s also worth noting that you cannot earn points on certain types of spending, such as gift cards, tobacco and lottery products. For the full list, check the program’s terms.
Aside from earning points at the above partners, you can also collect points with Bupa on eligible health insurance policies, and with Origin Energy on the Origin Everyday Rewards plan.
Everyday Rewards Credit Cards
According to the Woolworths Money site, it is not accepting applications for new credit cards right now, presumably because of COVID.
“In light of the current situation, we will be temporarily pausing new card applications.”
While there is no indication regarding when applications will resume, we’ll take this opportunity to have a quick look at the range of cards typically offered as Woolies rewards earners in case applications open up sooner rather than later.
Woolworths Everyday Platinum Credit Card
The Woolworths Everyday Platinum Credit Card has a standard annual fee of $49. It offers the following uncapped earn rate:
Like Coles credit cards, this Woolies card allows you to double dip on points, so you can pay with your card to earn your card’s standard earn rate, to then pick up 1 point per $1 on all other eligible spending at program partners.
In terms of points redemptions, for every 4,000 points you earn on your card spending, you will receive a $20 Woolworths Shopping Card. This is an automatic redemption, tallied up and sent out every four months. You can use Shopping Cards in Woolworths Supermarkets and BIG W.
Woolworths Qantas Platinum Credit Card
Alongside the Everyday Rewards earning card, Woolworths offers its Woolworths Qantas Platinum Credit Card. This card has a standard annual fee of $169 and provides the following earn rate:
Points on this card are directed automatically to your Qantas Frequent Flyer account, where you can redeem them as normal within the Qantas Frequent Flyer program.
Extras
With a Woolworths Credit Card in your wallet, you can also take advantage of a range of other benefits and discounts. These include:
Redeeming Points
Time to redeem those Everyday Rewards points? You have three options available to you.
☝ Need to Know Info
Let’s get into some small print. According to the Everyday Rewards terms and conditions, here’s some of the more important need-to-know info.
☝ Tradeoffs to Consider
Before you join a loyalty program, whether that’s Flybuys, Everyday Rewards, or any one of the numerous other programs out there, there are certain factors you may want to consider. While it may seem nice to get something back on spending you need to do anyway, there are tradeoffs you are making as a loyal member.
Kogan
While it may not be a supermarket rewards card, the Kogan Money Black Card could be worth looking into if you spend regularly at Kogan. Let’s take a quick look at what it has to offer.
Example Sara wants to upgrade her lounge room. From Kogan, she buys a TV for $1000, a TV unit for $250, a lounge set for $2,000, a rug for $150 and some decorative items for $200. Coming to a total of $3,600, this gives her 7,200 points. Throughout the rest of the year, Sara spends a further $1,500 at Kogan and $5,000 elsewhere. This gives her 8,000 points. Paying out no annual fees, Sara receives $400 in bonus credit in the first year, plus 15,200 points, which equates to $152 in credit. However, with no big purchases to make the following year, Sara only receives 8,000 points, or $80 in credit on her $6,500 spend. As she has no annual fee to pay – and she enjoys the various perks offered as a Kogan Member – she decides to keep the card anyway, as it’s still giving her something back on her spending. |
☝ Tips! How to Maximise Supermarket RewardsBack to supermarket rewards. Considering the fact that joining both Flybuys and Everyday Rewards is free, anything you get in return is a bonus – and all you need to do to benefit is swipe your card at the checkout. As long as you’re happy with the data your loyalty program collects in return for this transaction, the main thing you will need to consider is how you can maximise your points earn. Here are some tips to help you boost your points earning to get the most value from your program.
Pauline is a personal finance expert at CreditCard.com.au, with 8 years in money, budgeting and property reporting under her belt. Pauline is passionate about seeing Aussies win by making their money – and their credit cards – work smarter, harder and bigger.
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