Retail Voucher Purchases Points Eligibility

[Nezgar]

I normally pay with the usual credit-card autopay, but got to thinking about getting the most out of using payment vouchers. Maybe buying vouchers through local retailers would have some small additional value if they are eligible for various retailers points programs?

Can anyone confirm if voucher payments are eligible for rewards/points at various retailers, such as these?

• IGA – Airmiles ($20 = 1 reward mile)
• Loblaws/NoFrills/SuperStore/Shoppers – PC Optimum
• London Drugs – LDExtras
• Petro Canada – Petro-Points
• Rexall – Airmiles (althoughthey are leaving Airmiles soon)
• Shell – Airmiles
• Sobeys – Airmiles
• Stapes – Airmiles

[CalgaryBen]

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@Nezgar wrote:

I normally pay with the usual credit-card autopay, but got to thinking about getting the most out of using payment vouchers. Maybe buying vouchers through local retailers would have some small additional value if they are eligible for various retailers points programs?

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While this is quite after-the-fact, another option worth considering, for some people, is KOHO prepaid Visa.  You can get at least 2.5% cash back when this card is registered for auto-pay on PM.  Not quite the same as leveraging retail merchant rewards, but cash back does have the advantage of being applicable regardless of amount (e.g. no need to spend in ~$20 increments for Air Miles), and provides the reward without having to leave your home!

I probably wouldn't advise running out and signing up for this card just to get the PM cash back, since it's 0.5% cash back with most other merchants.  But, for frugal consumers, this might have a place in your wallet.  There are ways to get more than just the 2.5% cashback (referrals, payroll deposit to this account, etc.), all of which are beyond my personal experience.

It beats many of the cashback or other rewards on credit cards out there, including some of the "Platinum" or "World Elite" class credit cards on the market.  I used to use an AmEx Simply Cash for PM (1.25% cash back), then switched to a Rogers WE MC (for 1.75% cash back), and will now use KOHO Visa (for at least 2.5% cash back).

[darlicious]

@Nezgar  PC optimum definetly does not the only exception might be the mobile shop with a special offer and a pc MasterCard. They do give pc optimum points on pm SIM cards.

[Korth]

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@popping wrote:

IIRC, Rexall started selling Canadian Tire GC at 20% off, then 10%.  Then, Safeway and Shoppers Drug Mart are selling CT GC at discount too.  Nowadays, the best you can do is 8% in points/miles.

If you have family or friends living in AB, ask them to buy the voucher for you to save 7 to 10% provincial sale tax 

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You can avoid the sales taxes entirely if you know someone who can show native status to a PM vendor on native (reservation) land.

Many credit cards also award points/airmiles on every purchase.

[Nezgar]

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@darlicious wrote:

@Nezgar  The best way to earn extra by purchasing vouchers hands down is London drugs LD extras program. This one of the only rewards programs that allows you to earn on the purchase of vouchers. [snip]

Thanks @darlicious, I like your answer so much I'll mark it as the solution! My wife had signed up for LDExtras but we never really thought much of it, as LD is at opposite ends of town for us, but I'm totally going to make a point to use the LDExtras when we are in the area going forward!

Still curious to know if any other retailers actually give points for vouchers, ie Shoppers Drug Mart / PC Optimum. I might just buy a $10 voucher just to find out, unless someone here already knows.

[darlicious]

@will13am  I clued in on the possible tax savings by purchasing vouchers in alberta and/or credit card payments processed with an alberta phone number from a post by @CalgaryBen during the Shell/MC rebate debacle. In this day and age where your area code makes little difference im surprised more people just dont select an alberta phone numbers if they are not porting in their own number. 7%-10% savings per month is significant.

    Very occasionally SDM will offer a $25 SDM bonus gift card on the purchase of a $300 cdn tire gift card which can be used to purchase pm vouchers but no cdn tire money is given on the vouchers.

    But if you have someone who can purchase a voucher at London drugs in alberta using the LDX  program (like an employee) and give you the voucher pin # and you're from an hst province your potential savings are 12.5% on a $50 account + a credit cards rebate percentage of up to 4%.

[Rockdaddy22]

I loved using those gift cards for gas and our families PM bills. I haven't seen 10% off or more in a long time. 

[will13am]

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@popping wrote:

IIRC, Rexall started selling Canadian Tire GC at 20% off, then 10%.  Then, Safeway and Shoppers Drug Mart are selling CT GC at discount too.  Nowadays, the best you can do is 8% of points/miles.

If you have family or friends living in AB, ask them to buy the voucher for you to save 7 to 10% provincial sale tax 

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Good idea on the tax savings.  I have a couple of AB phone numbers in my accounts.  Same outcome when paying via credit card.

[popping]

IIRC, Rexall started selling Canadian Tire GC at 20% off, then 10%.  Then, Safeway and Shoppers Drug Mart are selling CT GC at discount too.  Nowadays, the best you can do is 8% in points/miles.

If you have family or friends living in AB, ask them to buy the voucher for you to save 7 to 10% provincial sale tax 

[will13am]

Buying gift cards are always subject to fine print that makes it different than other purchases.  A lot of stores like the Loblaws chain will have bonus offers from time to time for making a total purchase exceeding a certain value.  Things like gift cards, tobacco products and Rx are excluded.  Out in the six, Canadian Tire used to do gift card promos through Rexall where you pay 90¢ to the dollar for the gift cards.  This would yield a 10% savings on this service.  Many Canadian Tire gas bars would allow use of gift cards to purchase RTR vouchers.  @Rockdaddy22 was the pioneer of this savings technique.  Alas this 10% off promo is no longer being offered.  

[darlicious]

@gblackma  While London drugs online shopping will ship across Canada free with a $75 purchase to major centres I don't believe they would ship vouchers and they do not have a top up service like recharge.com or muskbird.com. You can earn the LD extras online but the higher purchase amounts negate the savings per visit. I am unaware of an equivalent program back east that involves a retailer that also sells pm vouchers.

[gblackma]

@darlicious I'm in Toronto. I checked their site, can't seem to find them online. Is this in store purchase only? Thanks.

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@darlicious wrote:

@Nezgar  The best way to earn extra by purchasing vouchers hands down is London drugs LD extras program. This one of the only rewards programs that allows you to earn on the purchase of vouchers. The basic program works as follows...for every minimum $10 Spend per day per location earns you one "visit". Every ten visits earns you a $5 gift voucher. London drugs sell $10 public mobile vouchers. If for example you have the $40 plan and the only thing you purchase is one $10 voucher per week. Every two and a half months you will earn a $5 gift voucher that you can use to purchase another voucher to earn another visit. You also receive a $5 gift voucher on your birthday. There are bonus visit days, prescription visits where applicable (not in bc thanks Gordon Campbell), and other perks involved. You can use a credit card that gives you maximum reward value for drug store spends to also get more value. I don't know of any other retailer reward program that allows rewards to be earned on prepaid mobile vouchers or top up cards. It works for public mobile vouchers...prepaid cards for other providers I am unsure of but because it's a purchase through the electronics counter it works just have them scan your code or give them your phone number associated with your LDX account.

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[darlicious · Accepted solution]

@Nezgar  The best way to earn extra by purchasing vouchers hands down is London drugs LD extras program. This one of the only rewards programs that allows you to earn on the purchase of vouchers. The basic program works as follows...for every minimum $10 Spend per day per location earns you one "visit". Every ten visits earns you a $5 gift voucher. London drugs sell $10 public mobile vouchers. If for example you have the $40 plan and the only thing you purchase is one $10 voucher per week. Every two and a half months you will earn a $5 gift voucher that you can use to purchase another voucher to earn another visit. You also receive a $5 gift voucher on your birthday. There are bonus visit days, prescription visits where applicable (not in bc thanks Gordon Campbell), and other perks involved. You can use a credit card that gives you maximum reward value for drug store spends to also get more value. I don't know of any other retailer reward program that allows rewards to be earned on prepaid mobile vouchers or top up cards. It works for public mobile vouchers...prepaid cards for other providers I am unsure of but because it's a purchase through the electronics counter it works just have them scan your code or give them your phone number associated with your LDX account.

[gblackma]

It also possible To use a credit card such as a PC MasterCard that already gives you rewards. In this case, optimum points to spend at the Loblaws line of stores.

[Nezgar]

@ShawnC13 wrote:

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Great question not sure about this but I am interested in finding out.  Just remember you can keep a credit card registered to keep the $2 autopay reward and you can still add the vouchers to your account prior to your renewal

Definitely keeping the Credit card still linked for the $2 autopay reward... As well as keeping in mind the other clever tip to buy some vouchers next time I pass through Alberta to save on sales tax too. At least until the day I have enough rewards to cover everything!

[ShawnC13]

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@Nezgar wrote:

I normally pay with the usual credit-card autopay, but got to thinking about getting the most out of using payment vouchers. Maybe buying vouchers through local retailers would have some small additional value if they are eligible for various retailers points programs?

Can anyone confirm if voucher payments are eligible for rewards/points at various retailers, such as these?

• IGA – Airmiles ($20 = 1 reward mile)
• Loblaws/NoFrills/SuperStore/Shoppers – PC Optimum
• London Drugs – LDExtras
• Petro Canada – Petro-Points
• Rexall – Airmiles (althoughthey are leaving Airmiles soon)
• Shell – Airmiles
• Sobeys – Airmiles
• Stapes – Airmiles

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Great question not sure about this but I am interested in finding out.  Just remember you can keep a credit card registered to keep the $2 autopay reward and you can still add the vouchers to your account prior to your renewal