Or maybe they should allow Household Accounts....any purchases using points could be proportionally deducted from each individual account.

I like the meal deals - for those who are really heavy meal-dealers perhaps they should have a GUF2 (Gourmet Upgrade for 2) benefit after you reach 20 meal deals in a calendar month .

Back to the topic at hand, I would be quite happy if there was a way to convert Boots Advantage points into BD miles.

Me too In all seriousness I think there should be a way to link an account to a credit card so whenever it's used you get the points. Tesco do something similar as you can use your Tesco credit card as a clubcard without actually purchasing the goods using the credit card - saves having to carry around your clubcard - like others here I've always forgotten the card it seems.

Interesting thread

I have one but can no longer find it. Somewhere in a drawer. I should dig it out or reapply, which I am sure I can do. Have just looked in my wallet. It has 24 different cards. It really is too many!

I have a grumble...

I have been collecting Boots points for a while and they do stack up quickly with various bonus points bonuses.

So when it was time for a new toothbrush I splashed out on the top Braun Oral-B model. It was something like �69.97 so 6997 points. I had 6000 on the card. When it swiped I joked how I was �7 short and would have to put it back.

Turned out that was the case as the till was unable to do a points plus cash transaction so you can only pay in full with cash or with points. Not a mix! How bleedin stupid is that!

I ended up having to baby some baby feeding bottles as they had 1500 bonus points. Then after buying the toothbrush asked for a refund on the bottles.

What a farce. Not used it since and buying my toiletries in Tesco now with the shopping.

Have you still got the points? Oral-B are half price at the moment IIRC.

That was half price! It is a marketing gimmick. Implying it was worth �135!!!

Yes I bought it after buying flippin baby bottles!

Well, you never know when you might need some baby bottles

Best thing about the Boots scheme is if you have a pay-as-you-go mobile phone.

With a double points voucher (from mailing) and one of the bonus weekends (spend £50 and get 1000 points) that means on a £50 topup, 200 normal points, doubled to 400 plus 1000 extra = £14 value. That's a £28 discount on my phonecalls and 75 BA miles, with spend counting towards the next 2for1 amex voucher.

The scheme works OK for me, but I don't often use my points. When they had a wider range of services - dentist, more opticians etc I earned a lot more.

I find that only a few stores have the machines where you can insert your card and get vouchers on the spot for bonus points. I'd more of those in more stores.

I too would like a way to convert the cash to something useful - like airline miles, or hotel stays or some form of non-boots discount vouchers.

Usually use the points when we need some expensive electrical device that Boots stock.

The cards seem to be a bit flaky as I think I have had 6 new ones in the past few years.

My main grumble with the Boots scheme is the time it takes (on regular occassions) for the boots card to get chip updated when you are paying for something.

Thanks guys..

Any comments on the promotions - emails, vouchers, direct mail/magazines, clubs?

Seems a bit opaque - I think I've had the occasional thing through the post, but amn't 100% sure. Instore offers are nice. Rarely use the vouchers they hand out at the tills, but I'm a make-up snob. Not in any clubs.

We obviously need to get Boots to tie up with BA so it becomes worth our while for the collective resources of FT to investigate every aspect of Boots Advantage, and report on every single opportunity - otherwise I'm lost

The snailmailed coupons can be useful. I currently have:
- double points - can be used twice;
- 150 points off min �20 spend - can be used with double points coupon;
as well as several product-specific coupons.

The offers were very good in November/December. Double points and min spend coupons and product-specific offers which could be used when the stores were offering 1,000 points for min �50 spend, all of which could be combined.

Mrs Roger was very happy to use my coupons and has now registered her card online, so presumably will also receive the mailings.

Kids club magazine is quite useful - like Tesco, the mag is targetted to age of your child. Double points on Pampers and some other brands is effective 8% discount.

Never get emails or general mailings, although it must have been registered with them as they posted us our card.