The Great "Mybungleplus" Mystery

[Dorset Plodder]

After the latest arrival of a Mybundleplus postcard from the obviously hardpressed HR Services (who you'd think would have enough on their hands) it got me thinking ...... WTF is it all about?

We all know RM is not exactly a benevolent & kind hearted employer. I could understand if Mybundleplus was a left over from the more halcyon days of Government ownership, but since we've moved into the money-grubbing world of commercialism I wonder what they're about.

If I was being cynical I'd suspect they were Data Harvesting. I could be wrong and perhaps RM are just concerned that their hard working employees get some money off their shopping, and can buy cheaper cars?

[RobertT]

It's all about RM saving on employer National Insurance contributions.

[Dorset Plodder]

It's all about RM saving on employer National Insurance contributions.

I can see that buying large ticket items like cars, and paying them back through your wages, could make NIC savings for them (although I don't understand it fully) but the latest offer is the EasySaver card for shopping?

I don't do "Apps" so I've got no idea about them, but I did search a lot of the supposed savings that RMs "Deals" were offering a while back and TBH you could better them simply by using any comparision website. So it's going to be a NO from me.

[2yearpostie]

i send them back with a refused sticker to h.r, much like the propergander mag i dont get anymore.

[yellowbelly]

It's not all bad - I have been using the money off grocery shoppping cards/vouchers for some time. Sainsbury's had 6% off this past week,
Tesco is normally 4%, ALDI have been 3.5%, Morrisons 5% and you pay for the voucher up front with your debit/credit card so there's no aggravation
with your pay/tax. Try getting a savings account with those rates! You just have to be disciplined and just buy what essentials you
need and not think 'Well I'm getting 4% off so I'll buy those Ferrero Rocher'.

[RobertT]

From RM's point of view it's a simply way of making savings on NIC's. Because they are effectively buying the products for you, in the same way as they are also paying our pension contributions.
Therefore our wages are lower and so they pay less NIC's.

For example your gross pay is £500 per week and £25 goes into your pension and £30 towards a new TV. So your pay for National Insurance purposes is only £445.

As for the money off deals, I would have thought RM will have some kind of arrangement with the retailers. It creates more business for them and so they're prepared to offer a discount.

[Cucumber]

The loading money onto a card to use is a scam.
It then forces you to go to one specific supermarket to spend it, rather than shop around. No doubt there is thousands of £ sitting on cards unused.
If it was a true benefit it would be a card that doesn't need you to pre load payment onto, you just scan it at till for your 5-10% off.

[noggin1969]

I w

[Woody Guthrie]

These companies that provide these goods and services pay Royal Mail for providing them with customers in the same way they pay comparison sites for directing customers to their websites.

It's not rocket science.

[ArthurPewty]

Fellas, get a grip!
Just cos your line manager is a t**t, and the company try and shaft us every pay round, it doesn't mean that there's some massive conspiracy around a few perks that we actually do get.
For what its worth I use the supermarket discount cards (Sainsburys, Tesco, JL/Waitrose, Morrisons) and use them for all our grocery shopping, so plenty of scope to still shop around for the best prices. Also used instant vouchers for computer and clothes stuff buying online - saved literally £100's, on top of any sale prices as well as you apply them at final checkout.
Sometimes a freebie is just that. If you're not interested fine, but try and be a bit objective about it.
Personally, I'd recommend anyone to use the re-loadable cards and instant vouchers as and when they'll get them money off stuff they are going to buy anyway.

[Woody Guthrie]

Personally, I'd recommend anyone to use the re-loadable cards and instant vouchers as and when they'll get them money off stuff they are going to buy anyway.

Sales, discounts and vouchers work on the basis that many people will buy stuff they don't really need with them.

That's not a conspiracy theory, it's just basic retail practice.

If it only attracted people who were going to buy the stuff anyway they wouldn't do it. You could obviously blame the consumer for that but it is very pervasive and persuasive.

[ted_e_bear]

I really can't understand some of the negativity regarding the reloadable cards, I've had a Sainsbury's one for a while now as that's my local "big shop" store, all you have to do is use it instead of your usual credit/debit card when you pay, no it doesn't encourage me to buy more,it's simply an alternative method of payment, you can top them up by credit card plus as someone else has mentioned, this week the rate was 6% so loading £100 on to my card obviously only cost me £94.

Personally I think they're a great perk.

[Dorset Plodder]

From RM's point of view it's a simply way of making savings on NIC's.

Thanks for the simple, as ever, explanation Robert T.

[Dorset Plodder]

It's not all bad - I have been using the money off grocery shoppping cards/vouchers for some time.

Looking at the info it "looks" like you've got to apply for a particular retailer. Once you've pre-loaded it are you restricted to that particular retailer, or is it usable in the full range advertised?

[ted_e_bear]

It's not all bad - I have been using the money off grocery shoppping cards/vouchers for some time.

Looking at the info it "looks" like you've got to apply for a particular retailer. Once you've pre-loaded it are you restricted to that particular retailer, or is it usable in the full range advertised?

It's a gift card that you're buying, when you register for one they send you a reloadable card, you can then top it up at a discounted rate, as mentioned previously, this week they offered 6% on the Sainsbury's card, (top up £100 on the card but obviously only pay £94) so yes it's restricted to whichever retailer you get it for but if you're going to regularly spend money at the same supermarket then it's certainly worthwhile getting, but only if you want to save money.