Same here. Trouble is, those aren't "savings", the price with the card is now just the price. If you don't have a card, you have to pay an inflated price. A privacy tax, if you will.

Reward programs can link purchases to you through 2 different means:

• if you give your name and phone number to the smartphone application
• if the supermarket links the purchase to the actual bill sent to the bank account

You cannot technically avoid the second one but I know that most stores don't do that because their systems are separated: one system for the inventory, one system for sending transactions to the banks. I'm telling this because, while they can link your debit/credit card to your purchase, it never happens because it's a major PITA for them and it's a manual process. But it can happen...

I use an old phone number my sister used to have 20 years ago. We have no idea how many people are using that number currently but I get 60 cents off per gallon every month.

In many stores, they will swipe "a store card" for you at the register if you ask them. I believe I've even seen the option on some self-checkout stations. I've only had trouble with this once or twice. But it may be worth risking for the privacy (and monetary) savings.

If you buy groceries with a credit card instead of cash they will track that too, I've received coupons in the mail for specific items I've purchased in the past without any rewards program.

I just make up phone numbers.

I need to take a closer look at this. We don't do it but in these troubled times, young family et cetera... is it worth it?

They can just link purchases to the card I use to pay anyway right?

Having a quick look at my nearest grocery store, it looks like they give me 10% off one shop each month, amongst a plethora of other bullshit perks like points towards fancy cookware or something.

If I shop once a week and spend $200 then that's $20 a month or $240 a year. Essentially one free shop a year.

Not much of a saving really. There's other simpler things I can do to save more money I think.

the secret is, like Netflix, you’re not supposed to use your own card / number / account – someone in your family / apartment / friends has not only already signed up but also doesn’t care how many take advantage of the savings