5 tips to save money at AH

Beside the offers that Albert Heijn proposes normally (with the peaks of hamsteren that are really unbeatable) there are few tricks that will help you save some money – and I love finding all them out! Of course there is always the question whether these discounts induce you to buy more, but that’s up to you as careful consumer. Here I just share these secret tips

1. Allerhande

Allerhande is the free magazine of Albert Heijn, as most of the supermarkets have. It contains histories and information about suppliers, new products available, recipes, events, curiosities, nutritional information etc. I am a real fan of these magazines (essentially of any supermarket) and I started very soon getting them because they are a free resource for my Dutch readings, and the topics are absolutely of my interest.
In fact, I sometimes try their recipes and get inspiration from them.
Furthermore, you can find between the pages some discounts to try new products for example. What can you ask more? 😉

2. Persoonlijke bonus

You also have the possibility to do a sort of a deal with the supermarket.
With this I mean, you allow Albert Heijn to use some of your commercial information, and in change you get some discounts on products that you are used to buy, or in line with them. Personally, I find it a good deal and I am not super jealous of keeping my information secret. In change, I get discounts that suit very well my normal grocery list. After activating, you will receive a weekly email with your personal bonus, and you will be able to see them in the bonus page after logging in, like I show here below.

How to get your personal bonus if four simple steps

  1. go to https://www.ah.nl/bonuskaart
  2. click on Activeer je Bonuskaart en maak ‘m persoonlijk or Activeer uw Bonuskaart in the menu at the top
  3. Insert the number of your Bonuskaart
  4. and click on activeer

NB! these discounts are valid only after scanning that specific bonuskaart linked to the account receiving the discount! However, you can couple two cards of your family members

3. Buitenbeentjes

Buitenbeentjes, or else fruit and vegetables that do not match the aesthetic requirements for being of first class. Albert Heijn is selling some of these products in larger bags, and they are actually cheaper than the standard products – in my opinion without reason! So when possible I often choose for the Buitenbeentjes variant. In the supermarket close to where I live there are not many products available (I’ve found only paprikas and carrots I think) but if you go to the Albert Heijn XL, you’ll find more.
NB. Actually, you can even buy a box with various second class products online (I just found out while writing this post!)

4. Zegels

burst

*Ok this is not secret at all. it is advertised everywhere and you have to communicate with the cashier if you want those zegels or not. But if have a read if you want to see what I think about it*

During each phase of the year there is an active promotion. That happens in most supermarkets, but none of them is as active as Albert Heijn I think. And I also think I am in love with their way of marketing: I love the moestuintjes (the seeds they give in a very short period in spring), the collection of product for the house, the free second dinner or the free second ticket for certain activities. For sure they induce me to spend more than what I would have done otherwise, but I am fine with it as I get to do things I would have never tried – for a reasonable price. For example, we took part to a worstenbroodjes workshop, and we found it fun and special Brabants. I promise I will write more about that sooner or later!

5. Spaarzegels

*This is not peculiar of AH – for what I know you can do this collection in most of the supermarkets*
When you get to the end of your food-shopping, the cashier before saying the total amount asks you wilt u spaarzegels? Spaarzegels are a system to make some money- investing in the supermarket.
How does it work? Every time you buy groceries, you can get a number of stamps proportional to the amount spent – namely for each euro spent, you can buy a stamp for 10 cents. After filling a spaarzegelboekje (with 490 stamps) and returning it to the supermarket, you will get 52 euros cash.
This means that you will earn 3 euros per full spaarzegelboekje.

Now I am curious…did you know all these tricks yet? Do you have additional ones?
Have a nice Sunday!
Doei!
Marta

*Cover photo by Fabian Blank on Unsplash

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