How do you collect?

[Glendon Preece]

I redeemed 134k today since I fear if I don't use them occasionally and get to a million I'll never use them! I'd probably have a breakdown if I did!

[momo28]

I usually redeem when there is bonus redemption. But since lacking those lately, I think I may save mine till Christmas and hope for a mega redemption.

[beachdown]

Not many people admit this publicly. This is the first step in the process...admittance

I am a hoarder. I have just under 600,000 points. I redeem here and there but mostly just collect. I will buy things for family and friends as their needs arise.

[peachies]

I hoard and spend. Right now I have enough for 4 big redemptions that I will save for xmas. I have also done a few big and small redemptions through out the year so far. Including a big one a couple weeks ago treating mostly myself. I always like to save some to cover xmas gifts and even when I redeem through out the year I try to pick up at least 1 thing to put away for xmas.

[therfman]

I've got just over 200k points as of now, accumulated mostly doing parts of my groceries there every week (generally $40-60 week), as well as a video game now and then. The large 24h stores have really good selection, and sale prices are usually better than Loblaws / Independent Grocer.

I will probably redeem lots of points soon; there is no sense in my view keeping more than I can spend in a single mega redemption event. I really wish they would allow more than one redemption per transaction though; I would use all my points on a game console or SLR for my wife if given the opportunity to do so.

The last time there was a $200 for 95k points day, I picked up a 12-bottle wine fridge and a Sony iPhone dock/alarm clock. I'm running out of things that I could get in that price range though.

[barbis9]

I generally earn enough for $200 redemption (sometimes $170). Redeem generally once a month. I never hoard points as the program seems to be going down hill as things keep tightening up.

I agree - they are tightening up the program and in some ways it has gone downhill. When I had a CIBC Optimum visa card, I was redeeming monthly, the points needed to redeem were much lower than now. Now I am lucky if I redeem once every six months. Once they switched over to RBC I refused to open a bank account. They have increased the amounts for redemption at least twice since the program began.

It's odd that you need to log into Optimum's website to load the coupons yet with the PC Plus, you just click the email link and all of your offers are loaded. Loblaws owns Shoppers so I hope they will fix that.

I redeem once I have 50,000 points. While collecting points I keep a list of things I need so that when bonus redemption comes along I get things that I actually need versus impulse shopping.

I still buy my Clinique at department stores as I have never seen a gift with purchase at Shoppers. Does Shoppers offer a Clinique bonus? Or Clinique samples?

[ancarett]

I hoard points until they have really good redemptions like the one near the holidays. Then I redeem two to three of the maximum redemption amounts.

[sotypical]

I am a hoarder I guess.

When I had the Visa I used to earn enough to redeem every Christmas. But now I don't earn as many, I haven't redeemed in years. I always redeem max. It's a waste to me to do small redemptions.

At the moment I am waiting to hit my second redemption and then I think my husband and I will each take one and treat ourselves. I dunno what we will buy though.

I can't believe how many points some of you have! Obviously I need to get better at shopping at Shoppers.

[GracieAnne]

I don't accumulate points very fast, but I recently did my first large points redemption.
I had been thinking of buying a tablet and realized that shoppers sells them, and I could get a better quality one for the same price as some of the cheap crappy ones I'd looked at if I redeemed all my points. So I did!

[jsmile]

I only hoard points up to a big redemption weekend like 95k = $205/$210 at Murale or SDM. I try not to hoard too much because the points conversion could change any time. Murale used to have 143k = $330 in June, but last June, they have changed it to 134k = $300. Also in Feb, Murale and SDM used to both do 80k=$200 on beauty only, but this past Feburary, it was 134k = $300 for Murale and 80k = $200 on beauty. So SDM/Murale/Loblaws have changed slightly over the last year. Who knows what will happen next year.

[dahliagrower]

Not many people admit this publicly. This is the first step in the process...admittance

This is like the "intervention thread" ... lol

Ok - I am a hoarder of points .... and in many cases of products also. When I buy skin care and make up sometimes it sits in the bags until I figure out what I'm going to do with it ..... I have a years supply of toothpaste, shampoo, hair products, soap, skin cleanser, razors, lip gloss, moisturizers and sunscreen in the house.

I have enough points for 6 big redemptions but I am much more comfortable redeeming at the 50,000 for $85 or more - as I can easily shop in the food/snack area of my local SDM for that amount. I think I've done about 2 $170 redemptions this year (perfume and purse) and 4 $85 ones and a few smaller ones.

It definitely is one of the better loyalty programmes around - I hope they don't change it. I'm not a big fan of RCSS ... I find their pricing strategies are ridiculous and I find their store is not even that clean.

[Frugalbigmama]

I use to shop at SDM all the time (on 20x the pts days when the sales lined up) but have stopped and don't go there to often the past few years. I shop for work and try and line it up for Spend this get pts etc. I usually redeem for the highest amount 1 or 2 times per year but only when the sales match since I still spend my points like my own money lol. Usually on food (eggs/milk. treats for kids, but also a large amount of steak, ground beef etc) and house hold essential. Our freezers are stocked up right now but thinking I will make an effort to watch the point offers and bring my points up to 190,000 ( I'm at 139,724 right now) and then watch for a good sale and redeem closer to the new year. I like to have enough for 2 redemptions before I redeem for one. Then I'm always ready for a redemption.

[Elle Lady Sadie]

I confess, Im a spender. Im no longer a hoarder (which feels really weird). I've been free from hoarding for 9 months. Sure I used to hoard until i got to 3 max redemptions, but this year is different for me. Although i collect the points much quicker by combining the digital points with in-store event points I just have a sense that the point system is going to change. I see all the pc & blue menu items all the pc posters. If they decide to change the points one day I just did not want to have my 300,000 points (thats usually worth around $600.00 at Christmas) decrease in value. So all year I have been doing a $85.00 redemption every month or so. Im happy with how its been working. Everyone has their own spin on redemption versus hoarding. But deep down i'm sooooo jealous of everyone who have the "will-power" to hoard all year long. I am already thinking ahead to what it will be like reading everyones multiple mega redemptions at Christmas, but it will be the pictures, thats gonna be rough. i miss all my points. this has been a very positively therapeutic post.
thanks for listening fellow hoarders & spenders.

[Glendon Preece]

I confess, Im a spender. Im no longer a hoarder (which feels really weird). I've been free from hoarding for 9 months. Sure I used to hoard until i got to 3 max redemptions, but this year is different for me. Although i collect the points much quicker by combining the digital points with in-store event points I just have a sense that the point system is going to change. I see all the pc & blue menu items all the pc posters. If they decide to change the points one day I just did not want to have my 300,000 points (thats usually worth around $600.00 at Christmas) decrease in value. So all year I have been doing a $85.00 redemption every month or so. Im happy with how its been working. Everyone has their own spin on redemption versus hoarding. But deep down i'm sooooo jealous of everyone who have the "will-power" to hoard all year long. I am already thinking ahead to what it will be like reading everyones multiple mega redemptions at Christmas, but it will be the pictures, thats gonna be rough. i miss all my points. this has been a very positively therapeutic post.
thanks for listening fellow hoarders & spenders.

Thank you for sharing!

[lorken]

I confess, Im a spender. Im no longer a hoarder (which feels really weird). I've been free from hoarding for 9 months. Sure I used to hoard until i got to 3 max redemptions, but this year is different for me. Although i collect the points much quicker by combining the digital points with in-store event points I just have a sense that the point system is going to change. I see all the pc & blue menu items all the pc posters. If they decide to change the points one day I just did not want to have my 300,000 points (thats usually worth around $600.00 at Christmas) decrease in value. So all year I have been doing a $85.00 redemption every month or so. Im happy with how its been working. Everyone has their own spin on redemption versus hoarding. But deep down i'm sooooo jealous of everyone who have the "will-power" to hoard all year long. I am already thinking ahead to what it will be like reading everyones multiple mega redemptions at Christmas, but it will be the pictures, thats gonna be rough. i miss all my points. this has been a very positively therapeutic post.
thanks for listening fellow hoarders & spenders.

I've always been a hoarder, saving for the extra super bonus redemptions and making large purchases then (for computers, electronics, cameras, etc.). It's very comforting to know I have 800K+ points available to me to "splurge" with. But as Elle Lady Sadie said, it seems the program is going to be changing and I've been thinking more and more that I should adopt her attitude of "spend 'em while you can still get the most from 'em". So I think I will probably start doing that this fall. (After one last super-mega-bonus redemption blowout, of course!! )