4 to 5% yearly off grocery bill with gift cards

[forestry]

Sobeys or Loblaws offers a discount on grocery cards when purchased in bulk. If you buy $5000 worth of sobeys cards you get 5% off. You have to purchase $20,000 to get the 5% at Loblaws. There is a lower percentage for $1000, $5000, etc. Our school does this once a month for a fundraiser and made $6000 last year. An older fellow in town buys $5000 sobeys cards at the start of each year. He said I can't get 5% in the bank and I've got to eat anyways. To bad we coudnt pool our money together somehow on smartcanucks and get the discount. I approached my family members to see if we could each buy $500, $1000 to get the discount. This is a lot better than any credit card promotion.

[mastersaver]

Wow that a really cool thing to know, do you know who you would have to talk to to get this discount.
Lol imagining the look on the cashiers face when you say you want 20k on the GC. hehe

Thanks

[DianneS]

I've done this a number of times for fundraisers for my kids' schools, sports team, church youth group etc. There's usually an application process, you pre-order specific denominations and then pay at customer service when the cards come in 1-2 weeks later. The programs are usually restricted to non-profit community groups. Would be awesome if they would allow 'buying groups' but the intention is to help the local community organizations. I often buy grocery cards from these types of groups because I'm spending the money anyway and I can support the community without spending anything OOP.

Sobey's is the only one I've heard of who will do this for the general public. Too bad we don't have Sobeys out here in BC....I would definitely get a buying group going

[PennySaved]

5% of 5000 is $250, obviously.

But most things cost at least 10% more at Sobeys (or so I've found).

By locking in your grocery money at one or two stores with higher retail costs, I really don't see how you're saving anything - even if you use coupons. I know they have points at Sobey's, but still. Is it really worth it?

[i_forget]

5% of 5000 is $250, obviously.

But most things cost at least 10% more at Sobeys (or so I've found).

By locking in your grocery money at one or two stores with higher retail costs, I really don't see how you're saving anything - even if you use coupons. I know they have points at Sobey's, but still. Is it really worth it?

I know that I could never spend $5000 at Sobey's over the course of a year, however for some people that have no other option but to shop there or that prefer to shop there than it is for sure worth it.

My question is, does it have to be used just at Sobey's, or can the cards be used at Price Choppers or Fresh Co? If they were good for Fresh Co as well.....

[YOU AND ME]

We had this at the beginning of September at my granddaughters school it's called FUNDSCRIP .They had department stores,restaurants, grocery stores,hotels and gas GC,Fundscrip give back anywhere from 1.0% to10% as each business give a certain amount of %

[DianneS]

I think, though, that the OP's idea of splitting it up between several people is interesting. If 10 people each bought $500 worth, the minimum would be met and no one would be locked into one store for a year.

[forestry]

DianneS,

That was exactly what I was thinking. Splitting up the the total purchase. Then you wouldn't have to put up the $5000 all at once. You can use the sobey's card at foodland and Price chopper I believe but not Freshco.

[nadiabreckon]

At Sobey's Atlantic, they will have promotions where if you buy $100 in GC's, you only have to spend $95, so a 5% savings right there...does not state how many you are allowed to buy at a time, but I'm assuming you can just buy as many as you like, then come back for more. It's usually for a weekend (fri, sat, sun) and happens every 3-4 months or so.

[raceraj]

Can't a Sobeys GC be used at FreshCo too?

[abbasgirl]

It's not something I can do right now, but if you guys are considering it, keep in mind that you could then use the grocery store gift card to purchase different store/gas station/etc gift cards that they have on the rack in the store.

[mimi-]

too bad it's sobeys/loblaws. i could save more than 5% shopping elsewhere

[ferdo]

Save 5% but there prices are more than 25% higher than other stores.

[manzervite]

You can use the sobey's card at foodland and Price chopper I believe but not Freshco.

Sobey's gift cards can be used at Frescho.

[scrapbookingoasis]

My kids school does that so we buy gift cards through the school. It's amazing how it does add up.