How much do you need to spend to collect 95k points?

[Arjon]

I've been keeping track ever since I started paying attention to working the Optimum program, and I reached 95k this week. So in case anyone is interested in knowing how much value it can provide, my total spend was $430 plus tax. This includes $28 for items that qualified for in mail-in rebates, so my net spend was $402 plus tax. I suspect some people who know and use the program better have spent even less.

Fwiw, I actually collected 103k, but am not counting the 8k that I got from the wheel of fortune promo.

[johnb56789]

For me at least at the simplest level of earning, I could get to 95,000 points in about $360, not counting any couponing, mail in rebates, etc.

95,000 / 8,000 (For spend $30, Get 8,000 offer) = 11.875 (12 Times) = $360.00

Could probably, if the coupons, MIR, etc. were good, get that down to $300 easily enough. But I never spend that much at Shoppers, heck, I struggle to spend $10!, but if I had to get 95,000 points, that's probably how I'd do it

[Arjon]

For me at least at the simplest level of earning, I could get to 95,000 points in about $360, not counting any couponing, mail in rebates, etc.

95,000 / 8,000 (For spend $30, Get 8,000 offer) = 11.875 (12 Times) = $360.00

Could probably, if the coupons, MIR, etc. were good, get that down to $300 easily enough. But I never spend that much at Shoppers, heck, I struggle to spend $10!, but if I had to get 95,000 points, that's probably how I'd do it

I knew all along that it was possible to spend well under $400 if my goal was simply to acquire the points as efficiently as possible. Indeed, I came up with the same 12 x 8000 points for $360 example that you did, and I also knew I could get under that via MIRs etc.

The thing is... my goal wasn't simply to collect points efficiently; I wanted to see how much I'd spend in practice while buying things I normally would. I did some stock-ups that I probably wouldn't have in the past. However, I didn't try to squeeze every last point. For instance, I spent $34 on one of the 8000 wus $30 offers because that's how much the things I wanted that day came to; I didn't look to get my spend down to exactly $30. I also didn't buy anything we don't use just because I could get my spend up and then do an MIR, effectively getting free points.

So I understand what you said and it's correct. I just thought some people might find a practical example to be more helpful and/or interesting than a theoretical one.

[johnb56789]

So I understand what you said and it's correct. I just thought some people might find a practical example to be more helpful and/or interesting than a theoretical one.

Yeah, it was just my quick math on it, not meant to be what can be done reasonably per say, almost impossible to always get right on $30 every time, but just my idea as to get the lowest cost theoretically, sorry about that

[Arjon]

Yeah, it was just my quick math on it, not meant to be what can be done reasonably per say, almost impossible to always get right on $30 every time, but just my idea as to get the lowest cost theoretically, sorry about that

NP. I wasn't clear that my aim was to offer a practical example in order to show what's possible even by someone who only started learning about the program a couple of months ago.

[nalaric]

Here are my calculations since I've started. I'm an anal tracker Total spend includes tax and deposit and coupons taken off. So I guess I average $283 spent to get 95 000 pts. However, I take advantage of the gift card promo in November, and I always buy a gift card before I make my purchases for the rest of the year, plus I do use lots of coupons. I've also had 4 years of diapers and wipes, which racked up bonus points as well

	total spent	points earned	points redeemed	redemptions	other rewards
2012	744.2	219180	95000	210	$20 tims, $20 SDM
2013	2145.52	564299	650000	1485	$30 SDM, $10 Tims
2014	3909.82	1209240	1045000	2325	$22.50 Petro can, $20 petro can, 2-$10 promo cards (so $62.50 other rewards)
2015	5960.64	2240928	2164000	4200	$10 vib, $10 chapters, $20 superstore
2016	5797.2	1974761	1875000	3600	2 movie tickets
total	18557.38	6208408	5829000	11820
				39.305142	39.3% overall savings

[lilo0003]

Here are my calculations since I've started. I'm an anal tracker Total spend includes tax and deposit and coupons taken off. So I guess I average $283 spent to get 95 000 pts. However, I take advantage of the gift card promo in November, and I always buy a gift card before I make my purchases for the rest of the year, plus I do use lots of coupons. I've also had 4 years of diapers and wipes, which racked up bonus points as well

	total spent	points earned	points redeemed	redemptions	other rewards
2012	744.2	219180	95000	210	$20 tims, $20 SDM
2013	2145.52	564299	650000	1485	$30 SDM, $10 Tims
2014	3909.82	1209240	1045000	2325	$22.50 Petro can, $20 petro can, 2-$10 promo cards (so $62.50 other rewards)
2015	5960.64	2240928	2164000	4200	$10 vib, $10 chapters, $20 superstore
2016	5797.2	1974761	1875000	3600	2 movie tickets
total	18557.38	6208408	5829000	11820
				39.305142	39.3% overall savings

Omg. U are amazing at this. I really need to get back in the SDM game.

[Arjon]

Here are my calculations since I've started. I'm an anal tracker Total spend includes tax and deposit and coupons taken off. So I guess I average $283 spent to get 95 000 pts. However, I take advantage of the gift card promo in November, and I always buy a gift card before I make my purchases for the rest of the year, plus I do use lots of coupons. I've also had 4 years of diapers and wipes, which racked up bonus points as well

	total spent	points earned	points redeemed	redemptions	other rewards
2012	744.2	219180	95000	210	$20 tims, $20 SDM
2013	2145.52	564299	650000	1485	$30 SDM, $10 Tims
2014	3909.82	1209240	1045000	2325	$22.50 Petro can, $20 petro can, 2-$10 promo cards (so $62.50 other rewards)
2015	5960.64	2240928	2164000	4200	$10 vib, $10 chapters, $20 superstore
2016	5797.2	1974761	1875000	3600	2 movie tickets
total	18557.38	6208408	5829000	11820
				39.305142	39.3% overall savings

Good for you, both for your record-keeping and for wringing a truly impressive amount of value out of the program. Although I don't think I'm willing to keep track as exactingly as you apparently do, it's interesting to learn how much more it's possible to benefit if I decide I'm willing to put in enough effort.

[Anna Michele]

$475 on a 20x day will.give you 95000

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[Arjon]

$475 on a 20x day will.give you 95000

I realized that, just like I had come up with the 12 time 8000 wus $30 example on my own. The thing is... I usually have to buy something we don't need immediately in order to reach even $30, and we're not currently in the market for any of the larger-ticket items SDM sells like electronics. So, in practice, at least in the near term, spending $475 isn't very likely.

[Anna Michele]

I realized that, just like I had come up with the 12 time 8000 wus $30 example on my own. The thing is... I usually have to buy something we don't need immediately in order to reach even $30, and we're not currently in the market for any of the larger-ticket items SDM sells like electronics. So, in practice, at least in the near term, spending $475 isn't very likely.

Do you need 95000 then? Just keep doing what yu th are doing it will add up.
I buy 4 bags a milk sometimes 2x a week and I do it on a spend day. So tomorrow I have 5000 wus 35 along with my 20x milk. I much prefer 4000 wus 20 but I don't have a choice so I get what your saying it will be hard for me to spend the extra 15 but i will see my other offers 400 cottage cheese ditaliano bread or buns and water to help me reach my threshold.
I won't but 2.49 herbal because I don't need shampoo

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[Arjon]

I don't need any specific number of points atm. I was just saying that for me, what you said - continue as usual and let the points pile up "naturally" - is far more practical than getting large amounts of points all at once by spending hundreds of dollars at a time. For those who can and do... great. It's just not likely for me.

The only scenario where I can imagine wanting points (almost) immediately is if SDM has a sale on some big-ticket item. For instance, I was glad I had 95k when the tablet I redeemed for showed up on sale for $180 last weekend. If I'd been a little short of 95k, I might well have looked at get them, probably by stocking up (even more) on some stuff. But even so, since we're pretty well stocked and don't need or really want any electronics, cosmetics, etc. atm, I don't know if I would have been able to put together a shop of much more than $50, if that.

And right now, I'm back to where I was. Even if we had another 95k points, nothing SDM sells comes to mind that would cost >$170 and that I'm even thinking of buying,