QUICK! Which is the better deal?

[paciad]

I'm usually good with converting points/price/deals but today I'm just having a brain fart.

SO My RBC VISA has reward points. Those points can be converted to giftcards, knick knacks, and/or other reward points to other loyalty programs. (Such being Shoppers Optimum.)

Now I have 4,100 RBC points. Those points can be converted into one of two options:

A. For every 500 RBC points, I can convert it to 2,500 Shoppers points. With 4,000 RBC points I will have 20,000 Shoppers points on top of the 28,000 Shoppers points I have now. So not enough to redeem $85 but very close to it.

OR

B. For 3,000 RBC points, I can get a $25 dollar giftcard to Shoppers. I can use the remaining 1,000 to convert it into Shoppers points, equaling 5,000 Shoppers points. I can also get the bonus points for using the giftcard in the long run, but I don't know how much that is exactly...



So... which is the better deal?

[luckbealady]

If using the 22,000 point redemption level (since it's closest)

22,000/30 = 733 points per $1
20,000/733 = 27.29 ~$27

At the same level 5,000/733 = 6.82 ~$6 + $25 = $31

If your goal is $85 redemption
50,000/85 = 588 points per $1
20,000/588 = 34.01 ~$34

5,000/588 = $8.50 ~$8 + $25 = $33

Of course points are worth more during bonus redemption (example of June when 25,000 points was worth $50)

But maybe someone could verify my math.

[Cathy_D]

your math looks good to me...

at the $200 for 95000 bonus redemption level
1000 points is worth a little more than $2.10
20000 points would be about $42 (20000 x $2.10)

at the $100 for 50000 bonus redemption level
1000 points is worth about $2.00
20000 points would be about $40 (20000 x $2)

you only get points for the SDM gift card if you bought it at SDM - no points if you order it as a reward from RBC.

[paciad]

Thank you ladies!!!

[HeatherWake]

See, THIS is why I dont really get excited about my optimum points..TOO MUCH FREAKING MATH!!! Im just gonna collect and prob give them away to someone, RAOK them. Who knows.

[saim45]

there is also coupon from brandsaver which can be used for 2 different brands and venus is included on them.

[luckbealady]

For future reference you could look at it this way (this is subtracting your 5,000 points if you went with the gift card from the 20,000 points):

You would need to spend $75 on a 20x the points day to get 15,000 points

You would need to spend $75 during a 18,500BP WUS $75 day to get in the 15,000 points area.

Now of course there are ways to rack up more points without having to spend that much, but to get 15,000 - 20,000 points you will very likely have to spend more than $25.

[renegado]

The math is easiest if you use 50,000 = $100 (regular bonus redemption level).
Then 1000 points = $2. 5000 points = $10. So your 20,000 points would be worth $40, while the $25 gift card plus 5,000 points would be worth $35.

This math also helps when shopping for bonus points. If you spend, for example, $50 to earn 10,000 points, and the points are worth $20, then once you redeem the points, you will have bought $70 worth of merch (the original $50 plus $20 worth on points) at a $20/$70, or 28.57% discount.