I collect Tesco points feverishly to convert to their "deals". Have been to Butlins and AI to Spain and Turkey twice with Cosmos. Very happy with our deals, paid internet price - less online discounts which tbh aren't always that much anyway.

There's a forum for point-collecting hints and tips here http://www.paidtoshop.co.uk - often there are (legal!) glitches and ways to get many more points than you'd ever think!

Well I've spent ages on the net and on the phone trying to find availability (Tesco voucher rate) for one of the Feb half term weekends. I tried 4 central London hotels in the Best Western Chain and another 4 Thistle with no luck. I did get availability in one of the Hilton's but it was too expensive. I was about to give up and tried a Novotel out of desperation and struck lucky with novotel St Pancras. It was £360 for 2 nights so I had to put £120 towards it but I don't reckon that's much to fork out for a weekend in London. Not as central as I would have wished but I don't think it's in too bad a location.

These hotel deals aren't all they're cracked out to be- If you want to go during school hols you have to take what you can get, rather than what you want. I have been on two other breaks with their vouchers. The first time I found what I wanted immediately as it was in a remote location and not school hols (for a family birthday) but the following time I had to ditch my plans for a stay in an 'Old English Inn' after trying 7 different hotels - school hols.

We've always done OK with the Tesco deals but now that they've dropped the "exchange rate" from 4 times coupon value to 3 times coupon value, our stash of £300 worth of coupons has dropped from £1200 of deals to £900 of deals. So we're a bit miffed. Mind you, we seem to jinx the thing - every deal we've taken up has disappeared the minute we used it. There's currently not a lot in the way of travel or holidays we'd consider.

eviljock - you've still got until December to redeem the vouchers for x4 and they are then valid for 6 months.

We have had some great discounts in the past. £1000 towards a Villa in Tuscany and another £1000 off a week in Chicago. Howver we are looking to use our latest batch of vouchers. Not only will their value be cut by 25% soon many of the companies that accept them are also getting wise. They can only be redeemed against the full price for a holiday bu there are often so many discounts and deals that the holiday can be obtained at the same price or even cheaper without using the vouchers. Then the companies limot how many vouchers. last year it was £700 per person in vouchers, this year it has dropped to £450 per person! It may well be cheaper now to just pay for the holiday and use the vouchers at face value for your shopping!

Hi Helen.

Yes, we knew we could use them up to end of December but alas there's currently nothing in their deals that we fancy. And as Hi-De-Hi has pointed out, a lot of the "deals" are now so restricted, you'd be better off paying cash, getting a discount and using the clubcard vouchers to buy some shopping. It's all a bit disappointing because once upon a time it was a genuinely good deal. Sign of these recessive times I suppose.

I've just swapped £75 worth of vouchers for airmiles. Going to get 2 return flights MAN-LGW in March for our Cuba holiday.

I have my Tesco vouchers automatically change to airmiles. I also have a Tesco credit card and make sure I pay it off each month. It does increase the amount of airmiles I receive. In the last year we have had around 6 return flights to Zurich.

JMK wrote:

I have my Tesco vouchers automatically change to airmiles. I also have a Tesco credit card and make sure I pay it off each month. It does increase the amount of airmiles I receive. In the last year we have had around 6 return flights to Zurich.

I've been to Zurich, I can understand why you would want return tickets! LOL

ROFL well each to his own. I love Switzerland and have family living there.

Ekk Hi de Hi ! I have to go to Switzerland next year and was really looking forward to it !!!

Hadn't thought of using my Tesco Vouchers for it though.

You have to change your vouchers for airmiles and obviously whether it's worth it depends on how much shopping you do. I also have a Tesco credit card to maximise the points and it suits me to do most of my grocery shopping and buy petrol at Tesco. I have elected to have my points automatically changed to airmiles. I think it's every 3 months. I have collected airmiles for many years and before Tesco took it on I collected them at Sainsbury's. We've had many flights over the years to Munich for skiing holidays, Istanbul, Geneva, Paris and more recently Zurich. I don't know whether I'd be better off just using the points against my shopping but I like the fun of feeling that I've got a 'free' flight. I know it's not really free but I know loads who don't bother to collect these loyalty points so at least I do get something I like back.

If the double points at Tesco continues I don't think we will be any worse off than before that started but I have a feeling they will first reduce from 4 to 3 x then come the spring they will stop the double points.

I've just used a batch by converting to airmiles and booking the eurostar to paris 2nd January for a few days . The deal wasnt fabulous although it would of been a better deal had we gone a couple of days later but still cheaper in monetary value than booking direct with Eurostar and I didnt have to shell out any cash . There were some great deals for flights to Paris over christmas /new year with airmiles . If they are still available 750 airmiles return (BA) which works out about £40 in tesco vouchers each but the only way I was going to get Dave out of the country over christmas was by a relaxing jaunt on the eurostar and not a hectic airport .

Ill use another batch for restaurant tokens and we can go into london christmas Eve .Have something to eat , stroll around leicester sqaure , trafalgar , down the mall to buckingham palace etc . Did that last year and it's lovely christmas Eve night .

I've just booked a weekend at the Mercure Cardiff central hotel at the beginning of May - Just £130 in vouchers total, for 2 nights B & B . Can't be bad

Any excuse for a trip to cardiff Helen . Did you have to hand over £130 in vouchers though or the equivilent of £130 worth because the first option seems a lot when they are supposidly worth 3x the value.

Lyn £130 after exchange, so cheap as chips

Sounds like a bargain Helen, hope you have a good time.

Tescos are really getting mean with the points. Now you only get a point for every £2 you spend on fuel unless you use a tesco credit card then you get a point for every £1.

Tesco rewards are now featuring directline holidays. You can exchange £20 in vouchers for £100 voucher off a directline holiday. A P&O cruise is also featured as are Thomson Al fresco. More details on the Tesco rewards section of their website.