What are DofE Cards and DofE discounts? The complete guide to saving money with DofE
There are a range of ways you can save money through DofE, so it’s important not to miss out when you have the opportunity to save some cash! From popular outdoor and camping retailers, to reduced prices for car insurance, this article will cover the ins and outs of maximising your savings through DofE.
You can use your DofE Card to save up to 15% at GO Outdoors, Blacks, Millets, Ultimate Outdoors and Tiso, while the DofE discount scheme can help you save in a variety of sectors, from insurance to travel to days out.
The 3 ways to save money with DofE
There are 3 ways that being a DofE participant (or alumnus) can save you money: using the DofE Card in selected retailers, taking advantage of the available DofE discounts, and participating in the regular DofE prize draws.
Difference between the DofE Card and DofE discounts
The DofE Card and DofE discounts are fundamentally different. With the DofE Card, you are able to save money in five selected outdoor retailers, online and in-store, as discussed in detail below. The DofE discounts, however, are a range of frequently updated discount offers for people involved in DofE, and vary from travel offers to clothing to days out.
DofE prize draws
DofE regularly hold free-to-enter prize draws, with prizes ranging from water bottles to hiking boots to iPads. Check out DofE’s webpage on prize draws to see what the latest offer is.
The DofE Card
What is the DofE Card and where can you save with it?
The DofE Card is a discount card available for DofE participants (and DofE Leaders — more information here) which can be used to save money online and in-store in the five participating retailers. These retailers are GO Outdoors (10% discount), Blacks, Millets, Ultimate Outdoors, and Tiso (all 15% discount).
To claim your discount in-store, simply show your DofE Card or Digital DofE Card at the till and the discount will be applied using your personalised barcode. To use your card online, input the ‘online discount code’ found on your DofE Card or Digital DofE Card (usually in the format JDO-DOFE-XXX) at checkout.
How do you get the DofE Card?
When you start your DofE award you will have to input a number of personal details into your eDofE account. As soon as you’ve added a home address, DofE will send you your welcome pack (delivery can take up to a month), which will include your personalised DofE Card.
If you’re in Northern Ireland, the secure estate, or live overseas, your Leader will give you your welcome pack. If you haven’t received a welcome pack in the post that you were expecting, firstly check your address details on eDofE are correct, and then contact ASL@DofE.org.
If you’ve lost your DofE Card, DofE encourages you to simply use the Digital DofE Card instead and receive the same discounts you would with the physical card — details of this are below.
How do you get the Digital DofE Card?
You can also use the Digital DofE Card to receive exactly the same discounts as with the physical card. There are two ways to get your digital card: via eDofE, or through the DofE app.
Get your digital card through eDofE:
Login to eDofE (link opens in new tab)
Click the Digital DofE Card banner on the right-hand side of you eDofE homepage (see image below)
Click “Yes please” on the pop-up box that appears, and your Digital DofE Card will be sent to the email linked to your eDofE account
Get your digital card through the DofE app:
Download the DofE app (available on the App Store and Google Play) and login with your eDofE details
Download your digital card from the ‘DofE Card’ section of the app
Does the discount apply to items on sale?
The DofE discount sometimes can be used in conjunction with reduced price items — it varies between retailers.
GO Outdoors: the DofE Card can be used alongside the in-house GO Outdoors discount card. This means an item costing £100, which is reduced by 10% to £90 by the in-house discount card, will be reduced by a further 10% to £81 with your DofE Card. Unfortunately sales, ‘WOW’ offers, and other special deals are exempt from the DofE Card’s discount.
Blacks, Millets and Ultimate Outdoors: the 15% discount that DofE participants receive at Blacks, Millets and Ultimate Outdoors is available on reduced price items.
Tiso: the 15% discount that DofE participants receive at Tiso is not available on reduced price items. If you purchase a mixture of reduced price and standard price items, the discount will apply to all eligible items.
Can you lend your DofE Card to family and friends?
An added bonus of the DofE Card is that you can lend it to anyone in your family or involved with your DofE award, allowing them to use the card in qualifying retailers even when you aren’t there. However, DofE does specify that the card “should not be passed onto friends”.
Can you still use your DofE Card after finishing the award?
Yes, you can — in fact I still occasionally use mine! As stated by DofE, “alumni can still use the DofE Card and Digital DofE Card”.
DofE discounts
How do you use DofE discounts?
You can check the full list of currently available DofE discounts at any time here. Each offer is slightly different in the way you redeem it — some use a discount code, others require you to fill in an online form.
I’ve gone through the all the current discounts and summarised how to make the most out of the best ones available at the time of writing.
YHA accommodation offers
YHA have over 150 hostels and 45 campsites in some of the most stunning urban and rural areas of England and Wales, from the Lake District to London to Cornwall. So what discounts can you get through DofE?
10% off accommodation and camping bookings
YHA membership for just £1 (usually £20), which gives you an extra 5% of bookings if someone in your group is under 26 years old
For full details on how to claim these offers, visit the DofE page on YHA accommodation offers here.
DofE Drive
Through DofE Drive, DofE themselves are offering car insurance to current and past DofE participants. As DofE states, “DofE Drive is a new car insurance service which provides participants with a discounted insurance quote because they are doing or have done their DofE”.
It is important to note that you will only ever receive a quote through the DofE website — you will not find them on any comparison website or search engine. To get a quote go head over to the official page for DofE Drive.
GO Ape discount
GO Ape are known for their treetop adventure challenges involving zipwires and freefall Tarzan swings, with many locations around the UK. With this DofE discount, you can save 15% on all Go Ape activities. To claim your GO Ape discount head over to this page.