PC Plus - worth switching stores?

Looking to hear from folks that use PC Plus. I live closest to FreshCo and do my grocery shopping there, but I am wondering if it's worth going a bit further (on the bus, as I don't drive) to No Frills so I can use the PC Plus program.

Can you give me an example of how much money you spend and how much you receive in points? (ie per week, month or year)

If someone could post an example of their personalized offers, that would be great too!

Do you find that the personalized offers are things that you use each week?

Thanks!

I shop at various stores depending on offers. My spending varies a lot by week. I tend to buy only products with offers or cheapest deals at No Frills. Their price matching policy is better than FreshCo too allowing 6 of each item instead of 2.
They are across the street from each other though so so distance doesn't factor into it for me.

If you already take a bus to FreshCo, I would shop at No Frills regardless of PC Plus offers just because of the price matching.

Thanks!
I didn't know that No Frills allowed more items to be price matched, that's helpful!

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Originally Posted by FallenPixels

I shop at various stores depending on offers. My spending varies a lot by week. I tend to buy only products with offers or cheapest deals at No Frills. Their price matching policy is better than FreshCo too allowing 6 of each item instead of 2.
They are across the street from each other though so so distance doesn't factor into it for me.

If you already take a bus to FreshCo, I would shop at No Frills regardless of PC Plus offers just because of the price matching.

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Posting my personal offers and/or the amounts spent on shopping trips is probably not going to be of much help to you.
A single person may spend much less compared to the childless couple. Those shopping for a small family are probably not going to earn as many PC points as a couple with many kids or sometimes their extended family, because they of course buy less.
Someone once told me that if you want to get a personal offer for certain items, just BUY 1 of that item ( but hopefully when it is on sale ) and the following week you should see that item in your offers. Then that week you can maybe stock up on it.

I do like the programme, BUT convenience matters to me and although PCPlus has rewarded us with free groceries throughout the year the difference is we drive. Taking a bus out of your way may lead to disappointment if the items you have on your list are not in stock when you arrive to shop at the NF.

Hope you can get some other helpful feedback about this.

Personally I am averaging 5% or $5 in PC points per $100 spent. Your time/transit costs may eclipse your savings. I don't have the PC Mastercard. I always put the lowest price/best quality before points earned.

I shop at Zehrs (walking distance) and No Frills (elaborate 45 min bus ride). There are other reasons for me to shop at NF over Freshco, namely they have better quality meat and better meat deals, and a broccoli sale is real broccoli and not just "crowns" lol. Freshco has slightly better everyday deals on stuff in a box and can, though. Freshco is better for processed and NF is better for meat/fish/poultry/veg around here, IMO.

These are my offers this week with commentary. We just got a tablet and I am so glad I can install the app and have some more control over my offers!

7,500 pts For every $75 spent in store

I usually spend $30 on a grocery run because I walk or take the bus so this offer is not useful to me, unless there was a tremendous meat sale and I wanted to stock up. I will skip it and highly prefer 3k on $30 but they keep raising my spending threshold. I have to stop shopping at the chain for a few weeks or more for it to go back down again. Anyway, no deal.


200 pts For every $1 spent on Clementines, Mandarins, Tangerines or Tangelos

I used this recently when clementines were under $4 and got $.80. Not sure if they are on sale but we are clementined out anyway. No deal.


200 pts For every $1 spent on Tomatoes

I use this occasionally but it only means $.20 per tomato right now.


1,000 pts For every $5 spent on Seaquest Frozen Fillets

I used this recently and stocked up on cod and haddock, $4-5/400g with $1 points per pkg. Still on sale-ish at Zehrs for $5.49 but my freezer is loaded but they still keep giving me this offer.

200 pts For every $1 spent on Mushrooms

I bought mushrooms like, twice this year and once was last week. No, I don't want this deal. This is $.40 on 1/2 lb loose mushrooms.


600 pts For every $3 spent on D'Italiano Bread, Buns or Bagel

I usually buy my bread at Food Basics because it is cheaper but I will occasionally buy this brand off the 50% off rack. However if I buy two stale loaves at 2/$5 - 50% that is $2.50 and earns no points.

800 pts For every $4 Spent on Maynards Candy

I rarely buy candy and I bought a bag of Maynards three weeks ago for the first time this year for $3.29. So even if I bought the same thing again, I would not earn points with this offer unless I bought multiple bags. A lot of offers are trying to get you to buy even more of what you just bought, I find.


400 pts For every $3 spent on Popsicle Bars Multi-pack

I don't buy this and have got it for the last few weeks, so I think it is promotional.


1,500 pts For every $5 spent on Peek Freans or Dad's Oatmeal Cookies

same, promotional


150 pts For every $1 spent on Degree

same, promotional

Given the price of gas, and both Sobeys and Superstore being an equal distance from my home, I don't go out of my way to earn points at either. I simply buy items that I require that are also on sale.

I use the PC world mastercard and earn about $20 per month by putting all my spending and bills on it. PC Plus has been amazing- when you can price match or get vegetables for $1 and get .25 in points it adds up fast. I've redeemed over $700 since the program started. No Frills and Superstore are The Stores for me now- Walmart gave me too many hassles with pm and coupons.

I think maybe I'll try it out and see what happens. If it's not worth it, I'll just go back to FreshCo!

I love PC Plus! The points offer really do get tailored to you as you shop there more often. Having a 2nd card for your spouse/child helps to get variety to.
To date, I have earned just over $2000 in free groceries since I started with them (about 2 years). So that means I make about $1000/yr. We are a 2-person household.
As much as possible I try to pair my offers with coupons, CO51 etc. I end up with many free items--if I can't use them, I pass them along to a couple of single moms who can.

Personally, I think no points program is worth taking a longer bus ride to do your groceries if you don't have to. The PC personalized offers are very random and so different for every person that you should not base your decision on other peoples' offers. Some weeks you will get $10 in points, some weeks you will get literally zero points on a $200 shop. I go to a PC store maybe once a month because the offers don't sway me

The TTC cash bus fare just increased so:
-if you have a smartphone or tablet that is Apple or Android based, you can download the PC Plus app. Reasons to do so: you have the ablility to move a certain number of offers to the following week. This can be a handy feature if you are able to compare a current flyer say against a preview flyer for following week OR you see that one Loblaws banner store has a more favourable price on an item i.e. PC free detergent (whether small jug or big jug) than the No Frills or other Loblaws store, you can use a personal offer on the PC detergent (however many points per $5 or $15 spent) and save money.
You are also likely to get your next week's offers the night before the start of the new flyer. If you only can access PC Plus on a desktop computer, your offers only show up on the first day of the new flyer and you cannot defer any points offers-sometimes the e-mail to load your points offers does not arrive in theFriday morning but comes much later in the day.

PC Plus is not a savings program, it's more of an incentive program (it seems to suggest new items for you to try and sometimes you may get 5 kinds of lettuce offers and not much else). Sometimes I will buy an item not on special or with no personal offer one week. The next week, PC Plus may give me a points offer based on the item I just bought. If the item is frequently purchased, I may go the second week and buy more just to use the offer. If the item is a purchase that requires time to use, having a points offer in week two may cause me some anger because I missed the opportunity to wait for the offer before buying. *Sometimes* the points offers align with flyer specials or sale prices. Not often, but once in a while, you will feel like a very happy shopper.

I last purchased a PC reusuable shopping bag for 99 cents in August. I had one points offer come sometime later but did not need more bags. I have a current offer of 1000 PC PLus points for every $5 spent on the bags. If I am able to buy the smallest PC black tote with a cardboard bottom (which can hold a tub of ice cream) at $3.99 plus another 99 cents bag, I may be able to get the points offer earned. Will test theory this week.

I like the PC Plus program but I also have the World Elite Mastercard and I find I earn most of my points (by far!) from it vs. the points I load or earn on in-store offers. I do enjoy being able to redeem though and I am close to a No Frills and Real Canadian Superstore. I will say that if I did not have the credit card I would not earn very many points. I do try to capitalize on offers but sometime it just doesn't make sense to go there - price matching policy does help though. I have good weeks with my offers and not so good weeks. Like lecale, I frequently get an offer if I spend above $50 or $75 and I rarely do this, especially in a single trip.

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Originally Posted by katie333

I like the PC Plus program but I also have the World Elite Mastercard and I find I earn most of my points (by far!) from it vs. the points I load or earn on in-store offers. I do enjoy being able to redeem though and I am close to a No Frills and Real Canadian Superstore. I will say that if I did not have the credit card I would not earn very many points. I do try to capitalize on offers but sometime it just doesn't make sense to go there - price matching policy does help though. I have good weeks with my offers and not so good weeks. Like lecale, I frequently get an offer if I spend above $50 or $75 and I rarely do this, especially in a single trip.

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I truly enjoy my PC points program & also have the WE MasterCard. One trick I do is use my PCMC to pay a couple monthly bills to help rack up points, and also I have PCF bank account. All this tied with my PC points program earns me about $100 every 3 months. I am one person with a 17 year old son who eats me out of house & home. I shop about once every 2 weeks in RCSS & price match using flip & CHECKOUT51. I realize that not everyone can wait 2 weeks to do a big shopping extravaganza, carry credit cards or be bothered with online rebates :icon_scratch: but I wanted to share my experience in trying to get the most out of the PC programs. Personally I don't have a FRESHCO locally, so RCSS is my go-to store where I price match & collect points. I find the offers that come after I do a shopping trip match up with things that I do buy, along with a couple extras to introduce new products. Like someone above said, sometimes it's a great trip when you buy on sale, price match AND there's a bonus PC points or CHECKOUT 51 offer, but this is rare.

I really like the PC Plus program. I don't have any credit card for extra points, nor do I go out of my way to earn points but I find their algorithm is really good at selecting offers for things I am buying anyway like fresh beef, pork, tomatoes, cheese, even ramen noodles that my hubby still eats even though his college days are long over etc. This week I earned a lot of points for buying oranges, which was awesome because they're on sale $0.67/lb which is a good stock-up price.

PC points is great if you remember to load your points each week. Unfortunately I couldn't get a PC elite world MasterCard so I switched to Tangerine MasterCard and get more cash back on groceries - 4% for first three months 2% afterwards. I use PC plus for items I really need and like that you can earn them at a variety of stores - Fortinos, No Frills, Loblaws, etc. I am lucky that I live close to these stores but also shop at Food Basics as they have great deals as well. With Tangerine MasterCard I earn cash at any grocery store - which works best for me.

My point about PC Plus offers coming on the desktop on first day of new flyers is no longer valid. The various Loblaws store banner flyers just started on Thursday while PC Plus points offers via email notices still come on Friday for those with desktops. Some SCers with the PC Plus mobile apps are getting notice of their new offers on Thurs nights-not sure if that has changed with new flyer start date.

Worth mentioning here that PC Financial debit or credit card holders get a different set of PC points if they pay with PCF cards-the points are based on dollars spent. Also if you bring your own bags, you can get a bag refund (credit card holders only?) credit for each bag used.
The PC Plus points is a loyalty program so those points comprise a second set of points for PCF banking customers who also signed up for the PC Plus cards.

This week, No Frills has Palmolive dish detergent (1L original was one of the varieties on special) for $1.88. I had not loaded my 800 PC Plus pts offer for every $2 spent on the item prior to my trip (for some reason I remembered to load my Sobey's AM offers but I did not end up using any offer at that store).

For me I get more out of airmiles and bonus air mile offers from Sobeys than I do out of my PC points and offers.
I find the offers are not great from pc. 200 points for every $1 spent on bananas, that's 20cents. 600 points on every $4 spent on Mars bars. I do have 6,000 points for spending $20 on Pepsi products, but I don't buy Pepsi products ever.
While at Sobeys I get a Buy 2 get 1 free on meat every other week. And 50% off bacon once a month. I find the offers are worth more, and they're more tailored to me spending habits. I am in New Brunswick though and I'm not sure if Sobeys has the same kind of plan in Ontario.

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Originally Posted by nicolthepickle

For me I get more out of airmiles and bonus air mile offers from Sobeys than I do out of my PC points and offers.
I find the offers are not great from pc. 200 points for every $1 spent on bananas, that's 20cents. 600 points on every $4 spent on Mars bars. I do have 6,000 points for spending $20 on Pepsi products, but I don't buy Pepsi products ever.
While at Sobeys I get a Buy 2 get 1 free on meat every other week. And 50% off bacon once a month. I find the offers are worth more, and they're more tailored to me spending habits. I am in New Brunswick though and I'm not sure if Sobeys has the same kind of plan in Ontario.

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The Sobeys deals in Ontario are not as good as what you get in New Brunswick and some weeks my PC points offers make no sense as they list products that my local store doesn't even carry. I too got the Pepsi offer and I don't drink pop.

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Originally Posted by barbis9

The Sobeys deals in Ontario are not as good as what you get in New Brunswick and some weeks my PC points offers make no sense as they list products that my local store doesn't even carry. I too got the Pepsi offer and I don't drink pop.

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Mine are very close to what I buy. It's too bad that yours aren't better because they have good ones here.

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Originally Posted by nicolthepickle

Mine are very close to what I buy. It's too bad that yours aren't better because they have good ones here.

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My card gets wacky offers but his are normally stuff we buy regularly.

Weird bc mine is older and used to get useful offers

No Sobeys here in BC - love to shop there in Ontario when we visit. We've been with PC for a long time - not sure if there is anything better out there. Thought about switching to Thrifty foods - but the Airmiles bonuses seem to be few and far between. Don't like the price at Save on

A few of my weekly Sobeys offers are 10-15% off discounts on items. Don't think I've seen 50% off on any grocery item yet since joining Air Miles last May. I have noticed that if I use the discount offers rather than Air Miles points offers, my subsequent weekly offers skew more to discounts and the one bonus AM offer wub $35 of groceries or more that week. So in order to keep getting different Air Miles offers, I need to buy things with AM points attached to try to get more than one AM offer each week.

PC Plus is a decent program if you find yourself getting groceries at a Loblaws or related banner store often enough. It helps when you can go to different stores to get items and the system notices you get Joe Fresh items now and then-sometimes a points offer emerges on a future JF deal. But at the start of joining PC Plus, expect zaniness to show up in offers for 5 different kinds of lettuce in the initial weeks.