Benefits

Events, learning opportunities and more available to all u3a members nationally As you may know, various events, learning opportunities and other benefits are available to all u3a members nationally. Some are available on an ongoing basis whereas others are one-off events.

Other than the ‘Click and Save’ initiative, which is discussed below, the events and opportunities are available at no additional cost. 

Going forward, each month we will draw your attention to one or more of the things that are available to you. We cannot possibly cover everything but we hope that by flagging a selection of what is going you, you will be encouraged to explore the national u3a website for yourself. To remind you, the national u3a website can be found at www.u3a.org.uk. 

This month we will look at ‘Click and Save’ as it may be new to many of you. 

Click and Save 

The discounts available depend on the retailer in question but range between 2% and 11%. As with anything, you need to read the small print but if you have the time and inclination to explore what’s on offer and make relevant purchases, you could realise significant savings over time. By way of an example, the below looks at the purchase of a Sainsbury’s eGift card. Physical Gift Cards are also available but are less cost effective so this article focuses on eGift cards. The first thing to note is that you can purchase an eGift card and use it yourself; it doesn’t have to be a gift although any eGift card you purchase can be redeemed by someone else. The next thing to note is that you will be charged a £0.25p admin fee for each purchase, which means that the savings you make will be greater if you spend more. The discount available at Sainsbury’s is 3% so if you purchase an eGift card that has a value of £100 you will receive a discount of £3. However, as noted above you will be charged a £0.25 admin fee for your purchase so the cost to you of buying £100 worth of Sainsbury’s eGift cards is £97.25, a saving of £2.75. Sainsbury’s eGift cards cannot be used to purchase petrol at a Sainsbury’s petrol station. As noted above, as well as eGift cards, you can purchase physical Gift Cards but these will take a few days to reach you and you will be charged postage of £1.60. As such, eGift cards are better value. Did you find this article helpful?

Please send any feedback to Rosemary Martin at secretary@tonbridgeu3a.uk.

‘Click and Save’ allows u3a members to buy a range of Gift Cards and eGift cards at a reduced cost. To benefit, members need to register via the u3a Click and Save website, which can be accessed via the Tonbridge u3a website - www.tonbridgeu3a.uk/ membership/benefits. Once registered, members can sign in using their e-mail address and the password they used to register, whenever they wish. Following your purchase, you will receive an e-mail that includes two links, each one being a link to an eGift card worth £50. You then need to print them off and remember to take them with you when you want to spend them in Sainsbury’s. At the check-out you simply present your eGift card and the value of your shopping will be deducted from the available balance on your eGift card. If the value of your shopping is less than the available balance on your card, you will receive a slip of paper to show you what your new available balance is. If the value of your shopping is more than the available balance on your card, you will need to pay the remaining amount. 

The National u3a offer many online learning events find out about the upcoming events here