Nov 20, 2013, 1:03 pm
Last edit by: Steve Oh
*** NS&I & HMRC NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR 3V USE ***
Introduction 3V cards and Avios
Tesco gives 150 Clubcard point (convertible to 360 Avios/375 Virgin Miles) for every £50 spent on gift cards. These include the 3V 'Internet Shopping' Visa gift cards (which carry no fee) and have the ability to be recycled back into cash or to pay off bills where an Avios earning card is not accepted. To earn the points just purchase in multiples of £50; you combine with other gift cards (e.g. iTunes, Prepay Visa cards (with fee), Nandos etc).
Spending 3V cards
The original loophole of recycling 3V cards via NS&I direct saver accounts appears to have been closed as of 12/12/13. Other potential routes to dispose of cards can be found here, although this list is now out of date and some disposal methods listed are no longer available.
Current Disposal Options
Following the discontinuation of the NS&I loophole the following websites are still accepting payment by 3V and may be an ongoing useful source of 3V spend to collect points:-
Sky (but there are reports of Sky reversing the transactions); Orange/EE; BT; Virgin Media;Talk Talk, topcashback.co.uk (gift cards); PayPal; Highstreet Vouchers; ParentPay, United Utilities, EDF Energy, Scottish Power, Npower, Amazon (via giftcard), VoucherExpress
Purchasing cards at Tesco
It is strongly recommended when purchasing 3V cards at Tesco that a maximum of 4 cards is purchased in any one transaction (and ensure you have all four activation slips before leaving the store) due to the system limitations of Tesco's checkouts giving rise to potentially being charged for cards which haven't activated. Official Tesco advice to stores is for a maximum of 5 cards (although in this scenario no Clubcard points would be earned on the fifth card). Store policy on how many cards you can take away in one visit is variable although in an unknown store it is wise not to immediately draw too much attention to your activity - if staff are happy to proceed then you can always build to larger quantities before they decline to sell you more.
Non-Tesco 3V outlets
3V cards can also be found in Morrisons, Boots & Homebase. With Morrisons usually having large quantities, sometimes in excess of 100 cards per store and the offer of 1p off of every litre of fuel for every £10 spent makes this is a very good alternative if you're having problems locating stock at Tesco.
Introduction 3V cards and Avios
Tesco gives 150 Clubcard point (convertible to 360 Avios/375 Virgin Miles) for every £50 spent on gift cards. These include the 3V 'Internet Shopping' Visa gift cards (which carry no fee) and have the ability to be recycled back into cash or to pay off bills where an Avios earning card is not accepted. To earn the points just purchase in multiples of £50; you combine with other gift cards (e.g. iTunes, Prepay Visa cards (with fee), Nandos etc).
Spending 3V cards
The original loophole of recycling 3V cards via NS&I direct saver accounts appears to have been closed as of 12/12/13. Other potential routes to dispose of cards can be found here, although this list is now out of date and some disposal methods listed are no longer available.
Current Disposal Options
Following the discontinuation of the NS&I loophole the following websites are still accepting payment by 3V and may be an ongoing useful source of 3V spend to collect points:-
Sky (but there are reports of Sky reversing the transactions); Orange/EE; BT; Virgin Media;Talk Talk, topcashback.co.uk (gift cards); PayPal; Highstreet Vouchers; ParentPay, United Utilities, EDF Energy, Scottish Power, Npower, Amazon (via giftcard), VoucherExpress
Purchasing cards at Tesco
It is strongly recommended when purchasing 3V cards at Tesco that a maximum of 4 cards is purchased in any one transaction (and ensure you have all four activation slips before leaving the store) due to the system limitations of Tesco's checkouts giving rise to potentially being charged for cards which haven't activated. Official Tesco advice to stores is for a maximum of 5 cards (although in this scenario no Clubcard points would be earned on the fifth card). Store policy on how many cards you can take away in one visit is variable although in an unknown store it is wise not to immediately draw too much attention to your activity - if staff are happy to proceed then you can always build to larger quantities before they decline to sell you more.
Non-Tesco 3V outlets
3V cards can also be found in Morrisons, Boots & Homebase. With Morrisons usually having large quantities, sometimes in excess of 100 cards per store and the offer of 1p off of every litre of fuel for every £10 spent makes this is a very good alternative if you're having problems locating stock at Tesco.
3V cards | master thread
Dec 10, 2013, 8:01 am
#376
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Heathrow
Programs: A variety of Platinums, Golds, Silvers and other fancy metals.
Posts: 1,985
I use one of these
Can beep in 100 cards in about 200 seconds
Well today was very successful - give or take, I've earnt about 37,000 miles from Tesco 3V cards, and I didn't even take half of the stock!!
Massive shout out to my local informant too!
Can beep in 100 cards in about 200 seconds
Well today was very successful - give or take, I've earnt about 37,000 miles from Tesco 3V cards, and I didn't even take half of the stock!!
Massive shout out to my local informant too!
Last edited by Prospero; Dec 11, 2013 at 1:34 pm Reason: Combine consecutive posts
Nice. Obviously this is a hobby I need to get into.
Dec 10, 2013, 8:10 am
#379
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Dorset
Programs: BAEC Blue, VS Red, IHG Platinum
Posts: 597
Now, where is that conversion bonus.... I will obviously be able to find 2 F redemptions to SYD!
Dec 10, 2013, 8:10 am
#380
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Edinburgh
Programs: BA Executive Club Silver
Posts: 186
Dec 10, 2013, 8:11 am
#381
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Wiltshire/London
Programs: BA Bronze
Posts: 157
Steve Oh, feel free to PM me where you left the half stock as I see your location is Heathrow? ;-)
Dec 10, 2013, 8:18 am
#382
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 267
B1 has a formula trimming the scanned digits to the required ones
Then activate them all at once, numbering them as I go into the blank lines when each one is done. This works as a double check for number of cards as well allowing me to return to the exact one if I am interrupted.
Activated Visa numbers go into a different spreadsheet.
Once all of that batch (es) is done, this spreadsheet's column A is cleared, ready for the next round.
With this method, I am able to do them very quickly, with checks for each stage to ensure I do not miss any cards.
Dec 10, 2013, 8:21 am
#383
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: London, Copenhagen
Programs: SK*G, BA Gold, IHG Plat AMB
Posts: 969
Steve, how many CC accounts do you have? 
With a 30k per quarter limit and from what you have gained recently, surely you must have more than 5? How exactly do you go about that?
With a 30k per quarter limit and from what you have gained recently, surely you must have more than 5? How exactly do you go about that?
Dec 10, 2013, 8:24 am
#384
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Edinburgh
Programs: BA Executive Club Silver
Posts: 186
I scan the card number into cell A1, pin into A2, blank line A3
B1 has a formula trimming the scanned digits to the required ones
Then activate them all at once, numbering them as I go into the blank lines when each one is done. This works as a double check for number of cards as well allowing me to return to the exact one if I am interrupted.
Activated Visa numbers go into a different spreadsheet.
Once all of that batch (es) is done, this spreadsheet's column A is cleared, ready for the next round.
With this method, I am able to do them very quickly, with checks for each stage to ensure I do not miss any cards.
B1 has a formula trimming the scanned digits to the required ones
Then activate them all at once, numbering them as I go into the blank lines when each one is done. This works as a double check for number of cards as well allowing me to return to the exact one if I am interrupted.
Activated Visa numbers go into a different spreadsheet.
Once all of that batch (es) is done, this spreadsheet's column A is cleared, ready for the next round.
With this method, I am able to do them very quickly, with checks for each stage to ensure I do not miss any cards.
Dec 10, 2013, 8:26 am
#385
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Heathrow
Programs: A variety of Platinums, Golds, Silvers and other fancy metals.
Posts: 1,985
But Mrs S and I have an account each.
Some of the cards I acquired recently were from Morrisons, in fact I think about 250 were from Morrisons.
That's what I'm waiting for - Virgin or BA, I don't care which.
Last edited by Prospero; Dec 11, 2013 at 1:35 pm Reason: Combine consecutive posts
Dec 10, 2013, 9:13 am
#386
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Edinburgh
Programs: BA Executive Club Silver
Posts: 186
Yup, doing that. Suspect that my short-term "what did that 6 digit number actually say?" memory isn't quite as good as yours
I suppose the real question is, does anyone bother removing the glue from the back of the cards? (Or have a foolproof way of ensuring the glue stays on the packaging when removing the card?)
Dec 10, 2013, 9:19 am
#387
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,709
So you're keeping them in a stack in order of scanning so that they're correct. I might try this as an alternative (assuming Mrs N can be brought in on the act). Working on my own, I've been scratching the panels first, then scanning each card and entering the pin, before scanning the next. Clearly organisation is the name of the game.
Yup, doing that. Suspect that my short-term "what did that 6 digit number actually say?" memory isn't quite as good as yours
I suppose the real question is, does anyone bother removing the glue from the back of the cards? (Or have a foolproof way of ensuring the glue stays on the packaging when removing the card?)
Yup, doing that. Suspect that my short-term "what did that 6 digit number actually say?" memory isn't quite as good as yours
I suppose the real question is, does anyone bother removing the glue from the back of the cards? (Or have a foolproof way of ensuring the glue stays on the packaging when removing the card?)
Dec 10, 2013, 9:28 am
#388
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Heathrow
Programs: A variety of Platinums, Golds, Silvers and other fancy metals.
Posts: 1,985
So you're keeping them in a stack in order of scanning so that they're correct. I might try this as an alternative (assuming Mrs N can be brought in on the act).
I suppose the real question is, does anyone bother removing the glue from the back of the cards? (Or have a foolproof way of ensuring the glue stays on the packaging when removing the card?)
I suppose the real question is, does anyone bother removing the glue from the back of the cards? (Or have a foolproof way of ensuring the glue stays on the packaging when removing the card?)
And yes, I keep them in piles of 10 or 20 so that if they do fall over it's not too difficult to find out which card the 6 digit number belongs too.
I've kept almost all of mine still on the cardboard
The ones from Morrisons all come off easily leaving the glue on the card, which is strange cos Tesco is the opposite
Dec 10, 2013, 9:56 am
#389
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Dorset
Programs: BAEC Blue, VS Red, IHG Platinum
Posts: 597
I bribe my wife with the promise of lots of RFS flights and upgrades to Upper Class
And yes, I keep them in piles of 10 or 20 so that if they do fall over it's not too difficult to find out which card the 6 digit number belongs too.
I've kept almost all of mine still on the cardboard
The ones from Morrisons all come off easily leaving the glue on the card, which is strange cos Tesco is the opposite
And yes, I keep them in piles of 10 or 20 so that if they do fall over it's not too difficult to find out which card the 6 digit number belongs too.
I've kept almost all of mine still on the cardboard
The ones from Morrisons all come off easily leaving the glue on the card, which is strange cos Tesco is the opposite
Found the oldest card I have seen for ages in a Boots in ****** this weekend so hope they remember to restock in the area.
Dec 10, 2013, 10:02 am
#390
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,709
If you have a look at the date in the bottom right of the back of the card you can see when they were made. The older ones have a full length line of yellowing glue that comes off very easily now, the newer ones have the two blobs which are very sticky....
Found the oldest card I have seen for ages in a Boots in ****** this weekend so hope they remember to restock in the area.
Found the oldest card I have seen for ages in a Boots in ****** this weekend so hope they remember to restock in the area.