Supermarket savings schemes offer a great loophole.
You are supposed to save up all year with your chosen retailer, such as Tesco, Iceland, Wilkinson, Morrisons and more, then it will add up to a five per cent bonus on a specific date.
Yet to ease administering, most shops add this bonus on a set day. For example, Asda adds the bonus - up to four per cent - on 22 November; so simply stash what cash you want to spend the day before and you still get the reward.
Though of course all that money must then be spent at the specific retailer.