Christmas Clubs

How they work

At Countdown, Woolworths and Foodtown you can buy Christmas club vouchers throughout the year. If you redeem them between 1 December and 31 January, you receive a 5 percent bonus.

Fresh Choice and Supervalue also run voucher-based Christmas clubs, and Fresh Choice offers a Christmas Saver Plan which gives a 5 percent discount on weekly automatic payments – for example to save $15 each week you pay $14.25 into your plan. The plan has a set target amount and when you reach this at Christmas you're given vouchers to spend in the store.

New World and Pak'nSave issue cards. You set up an account and can pay into it through regular automatic payments or a direct debit, or at the supermarket. Bonuses vary from 2 to 7.6 per cent depending on where you are in the country and when you join – the sooner you join, the higher your bonus. Bonuses apply only to spending at the supermarket during December.

In the upper North Island and the South Island you can spend your savings any time before 1 December – but you’ll lose your bonus on this spending. Any money you have left to spend in December will still be eligible for the bonus.

In the lower North Island you can’t spend your savings before 1 December.

Upside

• The automatic payments or direct debits force you to save, and you can top up whenever you choose.
• You get to choose the goods you want.
• You can spend your saved amount over several shopping trips.
• Some stores have special club events with extra bargains.
• You can earn One Card or Fly Buys points on your shopping.
• The Pak'nSave and New World cards are relatively secure – if lost or stolen, they can be disabled.
   

Downside

• Vouchers can be a hassle – and they're not secure. You could lose them or have them stolen.
• Your bonuses only apply during December (or December and January for some schemes), which means you’ll have to battle the Christmas crowds.
   

Bottom line

Supermarket Christmas clubs offer the best value for money.