Small Business Saturday – a possible Foursquare-style date for your diary

This year, on Saturday 7th December, we will see the first ‘Small Business Saturday’ in the UK. This has been a successful US event for a number of years, encouraging shoppers to visit local retailers instead of larger chains.

Why have I written about this, you may ask? Because American Express is the main sponsor of ‘Small Business Saturday’ in the US, and will also be sponsoring the UK version. And, in the US, Amex runs very attractive promotions on the day.

Last year, American Express offered a $25 statement credit for any purchase of $25 or more made at a qualifying ‘small business’. If something similar happens here, we may see a similar statement credit offered on 7th December – essentially ‘free money’, available on each and every American Express card that you have!

We need to wait and see what turns up, of course. It is potentially a very interesting development, though. There isn’t much detail on the UK scheme available yet, although there is a Facebook page.

Want to earn more points from credit cards? – December 2021 update

If you are looking to apply for a new credit or charge card, here are our November 2021 recommendations based on the current sign-up bonus. 

You can see our full directory of all UK cards which earn airline or hotel points here. Here are the top current deals:

British Airways American Express

5,000 Avios for signing up, no annual fee and an Economy 2-4-1 voucher for spending ….. Read our full review

British Airways American Express Premium Plus

25,000 Avios and the UK’s most valuable credit card perk – the 2-4-1 companion voucher Read our full review

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

Your best beginner’s card – 20,000 points, FREE for a year & two airport lounge passes Read our full review

The Platinum Card from American Express

30,000 points and an unbeatable set of travel benefits – for a fee Read our full review

Earning miles and points from small business cards

If you are a sole trader or run a small company, you may also want to check out these offers.

American Express Business Gold

20,000 points sign-up bonus and free for a year Read our full review

American Express Business Platinum

40,000 points sign-up bonus and a long list of travel benefits Read our full review

British Airways Accelerating Business American Express

30,000 Avios sign-up bonus – plus annual bonuses of up to 30,000 Avios Read our full review

Capital On Tap Business Rewards Visa

The most generous Avios Visa or Mastercard for a limited company Read our full review

For a non-American Express option, we also recommend the Barclaycard Select Cashback card for sole traders and small businesses. It is FREE and you receive 1% cashback on your spending:

Barclaycard Select Cashback Credit Card

1% cashback and no annual fee Read our full review