Optimum points!

[jaded]

Hello,

I did a quick scan and it looks like no one has done this. I would like to have a thread that shows people's optimum points earnings, and where people can look up tips for maximizing their points etc.

Jaded.

[Flowery]

here you go
http://forum.smartcanucks.ca/113369-...mizing-canada/

[jaded]

Just wanted to start this off:

In the past year and a half, my wife and I have earned approximately 1,250,000 optimum points. We have already cashed in $3000 worth, and it is getting addictive. We are always going shopping and spending the $75 or $50 even when we don't need things.

We have started to collect items and donate them to the local food banks and shelters. I would ask that whenever possible you do the same. I am sure people are aware the economic conditions out there and the families with little or no food/gifts for Christmas. Every little girl and boy deserves a gift and dinner at Christmas. Please help your local food kitchens, etc.

Thanks,

Jaded.

[curt81]

I wonder if there's a Shoppers Optimum Addictions Support Group.

[sarajk]

We are always going shopping and spending the $75 or $50 even when we don't need things.

I'm just stuck at the "don't need things"

I pass by lots of points events because I don't need to buy anything at the time!!! The points aren't "free" when I'm wasting my money on items I don't need!

[lekate]

I'm just stuck at the "don't need things"

I pass by lots of points events because I don't need to buy anything at the time!!! The points aren't "free" when I'm wasting my money on items I don't need!

Same here.

[kris10]

totally agree. i buy what i need when on sale or have coupons especially.not to mention shoppers can be pricey at times,so it usually ends up being money u could have saved anyways.

[bdidol]

Just wanted to start this off:

In the past year and a half, my wife and I have earned approximately 1,250,000 optimum points. We have already cashed in $3000 worth, and it is getting addictive. We are always going shopping and spending the $75 or $50 even when we don't need things.

We have started to collect items and donate them to the local food banks and shelters. I would ask that whenever possible you do the same. I am sure people are aware the economic conditions out there and the families with little or no food/gifts for Christmas. Every little girl and boy deserves a gift and dinner at Christmas. Please help your local food kitchens, etc.

Thanks,

Jaded.

[mcminsen]

Perhaps a better way to measure SDM points savvy would be to also show your disposable income next to the points collected. Probably not going to happen but my point is that anybody with a lot of money can rack up points like crazy. The real challenge is for someone with low or moderate income to make this points program work for them.

For example, I have a friend who is on provincial disability benefits and has very little discretionary cash. However, he has a budget each month (paid for by our healthcare) for incontinence products. So, I told him to get his little butt (pardon the expression) down to SDM on bonus points days to spend his monthly budget for his supplies. He loves it and is doing very well at it now as he also manages to get in a little strategic spending on other bonus points stuff that he can afford.

He recently made a maximum redemption on the bonus redemption day and I can't tell you how elated he was to get a pile of free stuff, including a new camera.

However you can make coupons or a points program work for you is great. Like it or not, our economy is driven by consumption and a lot of the benefits we get in Canadian society come from the taxes raised directly and indirectly from our shopping and consuming. If somebody wants to spend a lot of money on shopping then I think it makes sense to do it in a way that generates even more business and sees some of the excess stuff get passed on to people who could really use it. And hopefully more of the stuff will be greener and less harmful to the environment.

We can't stop shopping and consuming but we can certainly be smarter about it and I think effective use of points programs can help ramp up the benefits for everyone.

[mcminsen]

Okay, I just had some fun punching my calculator around and I figured this...

If, each month, I were to go and buy $400 worth of SDM gift cards with my Shoppers Optimum Mastercard and then spend them exclusively on 20Xpoints events (or other bonus points events that approximated the same rate of points accrual) then I would get 90,000 points per month, or 1,080,000 per year. That's without using coupons of any type to reduce prices or get bonus points and not taking into account any bonus points that are product specific.

That million+ pile of points could be worth up to $2824.55 worth of free stuff to me (as a PLUS member here in BC, where we get $170 of free stuff on a bonus redemption day). So, it's not that unimaginable to get a million points a year and $3000 worth of free stuff, especially if the actual amount you were out of pocket was greatly reduced by savvy coupon use. It's like a turbo charger for the economy!

[Insane]

Okay, I just had some fun punching my calculator around and I figured this...

If, each month, I were to go and buy $400 worth of SDM gift cards with my Shoppers Optimum Mastercard and then spend them exclusively on 20Xpoints events (or other bonus points events that approximated the same rate of points accrual) then I would get 90,000 points per month, or 1,080,000 per year. That's without using coupons of any type to reduce prices or get bonus points and not taking into account any bonus points that are product specific.

That million+ pile of points could be worth up to $2824.55 worth of free stuff to me (as a PLUS member here in BC, where we get $170 of free stuff on a bonus redemption day). So, it's not that unimaginable to get a million points a year and $3000 worth of free stuff, especially if the actual amount you were out of pocket was greatly reduced by savvy coupon use. It's like a turbo charger for the economy!

At $400/mth, that's $4800 a year spent at SDM (or $100 a week!!!!! ) And if bonus redemption is around 4 times a year, that means, you'd have to spend $1200 every bonus redemption. Finding $1200 of stuff you'd use every 3mths is a lot. To me, in order to spend that much, you'd have to waste some money, which means at some point you are just buying your points.

[rhiannon1891]

The best way to use this program is by being extremely strategic. You may have to buy some things that aren't necessary for you, but if you can buy things to donate at a very small cost (after using coupons for example) then it is definitely worth it.

You can't really rely on only the 20X points days. You need to do a combination of:
-20X points
-Buying GCs to pay for your purchases
-Using coupons
-Be a Plus member so you get points back when you redeem
-Using the bonus coupons sent via email

I've been using this program for 1.5 years, only 1 year the "SC way" . I've redeemed for a total of about $1000 (not all on bonus redemption days), and I'm at 64,000 points right now. You don't have to go crazy and rack up a million points in a year, you just have to make it work for you!

[mcminsen]

At $400/mth, that's $4800 a year spent at SDM (or $100 a week!!!!! ) And if bonus redemption is around 4 times a year, that means, you'd have to spend $1200 every bonus redemption. Finding $1200 of stuff you'd use every 3mths is a lot. To me, in order to spend that much, you'd have to waste some money, which means at some point you are just buying your points.

That's true, but some people can afford it, apparently. I sure can't.

Actually, now that I look again at jaded's second post, he talked about getting the 1,250,000 points and doing $3000 worth of redemptions over a year and a half so I guess I could bring those numbers down a bit. Still out of league for most of us.

But then, imagine a large family, say six kids, in the upper middle class income bracket. They could easily spend $75-$100 a week on stuff at a big SDM. There can be some people who might buy for a group home also, or maybe a fire hall. It would be fascinating to see the details of SDMs top tier points champions.

And if someone has that kind of money and wants to spend it that way then more power to them. They're helping keep some people in jobs.

rhiannon1891 is right about having to be extremely strategic. You can do well if you're an astute opportunist. If a household has 2 Optimum points account holders then it gets even better because they can transfer points around as needed and make that many more redemptions on bonus redemption events.

Personally, I'm getting to the point where I don't need anymore stuff and I've got more points coming in than I can use. I'm not complaining though.

[julie.leeds]

This has probably been answered in another area but since we are here...

on a bonus redemption, do you get points on what you use your redemption for??? I'm guessing not, but have never done a bonus redemption.

[mcminsen]

This has probably been answered in another area but since we are here...

on a bonus redemption, do you get points on what you use your redemption for??? I'm guessing not, but have never done a bonus redemption.

Nope. Would be nice but that would be too good. What happens when you redeem SDM points is that you get a discount on the amount owing (before taxes). So if the amount owing is discounted then it's not spent and you don't get points on money not spent.

BTW, did you know how to get Optimum points on the taxes you pay on your purchases at SDM? The SDM gift card trick! Of course, the SDM gift card can be used to pay for your whole bill (including taxes) and you can get the regular points on the purchase of that SDM gift card. Neat, huh?