Loblaws Prime Membership $99 yr or $9.99/month

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Originally Posted by bhlombardy

I have the same card... while I pay $99/year (something I thought I would NEVER do for a credit card) the 4% on gas alone is enough for me (I travel a lot for work).
It pays me back several hundred $ a year on gas alone. The rebate amount goes right back onto the visa statement annually -- It literally pays for itself.


ALSO... Barbis9 (and others) go through Amazon.ca and apply and get the first $99 annual fee waived, AND get a $75 Amazon store credit. (link below)

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B005WXN5R0


This is how I got roped into the card, and I've had it for a few years now.

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As a caveat for anyone who might want to consider getting a card that has an annual fee, remember that it's much more important to look at the incremental savings than at the total cashback amount. As a simplified example, if I pay $100 and get $150 cashback, I realise a $50 gain. But if I can get $75 back on the exact same mix of purchases by using a no-fee card even though it has a lower cashback %, I come out $75 ahead.

Of course, we can substitute different numbers so that the fee card produces the greater net gain. The key point is that each person should consider which type of (fee or no-fee) and which specific card will provide the most net savings based on his or her particular spending amounts / pattern.

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Originally Posted by lilo0003

It made me laugh and hit delete on the email. If you had babies and used organic food maybe.
my son works at RCSS so no need to order my groceries since I am there at least 3 times a week to drop off or pick up. I spend zero on make up and have yet to find PC travel to be the best deal.
If they start screwing with the points we can earn I am confident one of you Smart Canucks will help us find a better credit card option.

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Got the e-mail yesterday. Responded and told them- No. But also make some suggestions on how to promote the PC points program that might work for them. For example, back in the day, they had 2X, 3X or even 10X PC points on President’s Choice products. The points turned out to be a good thing at the time. I remember then offering bonus points for buying their recycled bags or bins. Hope they rethink this pilot. Not too impressed.

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Originally Posted by Shwa Girl

Got the e-mail yesterday. Responded and told them- No. But also make some suggestions on how to promote the PC points program that might work for them. For example, back in the day, they had 2X, 3X or even 10X PC points on President’s Choice products. The points turned out to be a good thing at the time. I remember then offering bonus points for buying their recycled bags or bins. Hope they rethink this pilot. Not too impressed.

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You might want to keep in mind the virtual certainty that serious savers are not the primary target segment for this program. So it's not a high priority to make it more appealing to you or me.

paying for loyalty??? call me selfish, but no thanks

Too expensive for a loyalty program

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Originally Posted by emma008

paying for loyalty??? call me selfish, but no thanks

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If your decision is only for this particular program and is based on having considered the amount you'd save vs. the cost, that's selfish - and not in a bad way. If you're arbitrarily saying you won't pay for any similar program regardless of the costs and benefits, that's potentially being counter-productive.

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Originally Posted by emma008

paying for loyalty??? call me selfish, but no thanks

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I agree with you. No thanks - not paying for grocery store loyalty. There are so many to choose. We go to the stores in the locations that give us the best deals.

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Originally Posted by Arjon

As a caveat for anyone who might want to consider getting a card that has an annual fee, remember that it's much more important to look at the incremental savings than at the total cashback amount. As a simplified example, if I pay $100 and get $150 cashback, I realise a $50 gain. But if I can get $75 back on the exact same mix of purchases by using a no-fee card even though it has a lower cashback %, I come out $75 ahead.

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True that. I certainly buy enough gas to make the $100/yr card worth while. but if you're the type who is only JUST eking by getting that 4% card to pay for itself, it's worth re-considering. While on paper it SEEMS worth it (a break-even is better than losing, to be sure)...

$2500 purchases/yr @ 4% = $100 reward - $100 fee = $0 (break even)
$2500 purchases/yr @ 1% = $ 25 reward - $0 fee = $25 (gain) **

Arjon is right that the no-fee 1% card versus the $100 4% card is still better in that case because you're at least putting SOME cash in your pocket than nothing.


However, if you (like myself) purchase a LARGE amount of the high-reward purchases (and you'd need to do your own math) the 4% CAN quickly work out to be more beneficial.
A 4% card (at $100) versus a 1% card ($0) compare out that you need to spend about 34% more than the break-even point of the 4% for the two cards to equate their reward.

$3350 purchases/yr @ 4% = $134 reward - $100 fee = $34 (gain)*
$3350 purchases/yr @ 1% = $33.50 reward - $0 fee = $33.50 (gain)

At that point, any purchase over $3350 (in the same year/cycle) that gains a 4% reward is gravy because you've now surpassed the reward of your no-fee card on the same purchases.

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Of course, we can substitute different numbers so that the fee card produces the greater net gain. The key point is that each person should consider which type of (fee or no-fee) and which specific card will provide the most net savings based on his or her particular spending amounts / pattern.

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Precisely!

(For those of you who were interested in the math... I just did this for friend of mine who was reading this post and couldnt figure how to compare the two cards to determine the equilibrium -- so I figured I'd share the data -- but your card(s) reward(s) may be different.)

also a Big NO for me on paying Loblaws $99 for a few "perks" to PCOptimum program. I'll stick with the basics, based on the examples given above.

Re Momentum Visa card... very interesting, especially the GROCERY 4% part. Could someone who has this card expand on that a bit. RCSS was mentioned... what about Sobeys, Zehrs, SDM, NoFrills, etc ? for the average family of 4, I would think $10,000 annually on groceries at least?
That's $400 Cashback right there, if I understand it correctly. thanks

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Originally Posted by Pointsman

also a Big NO for me on paying Loblaws $99 for a few "perks" to PCOptimum program. I'll stick with the basics, based on the examples given above.

Re Momentum Visa card... very interesting, especially the GROCERY 4% part. Could someone who has this card expand on that a bit. RCSS was mentioned... what about Sobeys, Zehrs, SDM, NoFrills, etc ? for the average family of 4, I would think $10,000 annually on groceries at least?
That's $400 Cashback right there, if I understand it correctly. thanks

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SDM is no because it isn't a grocery store, it's a drugstore ... sorry I don't know about the others you mentioned. You also get 4% on gas, 2% on recurring bills and 1% on everything else.

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Originally Posted by Pointsman

also a Big NO for me on paying Loblaws $99 for a few "perks" to PCOptimum program. I'll stick with the basics, based on the examples given above.
Re Momentum Visa card... very interesting, especially the GROCERY 4% part. Could someone who has this card expand on that a bit. RCSS was mentioned... what about Sobeys, Zehrs, SDM, NoFrills, etc ? for the average family of 4, I would think $10,000 annually on groceries at least?
That's $400 Cashback right there, if I understand it correctly. thanks

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Basically any store that's primary business classification is groceries... (speaking from my experience, includes the following)

RCSS & ACSS, Sobeys, No Frills, all yes...
IGA, Foodland, Loblaws, Safe-way, all yes...
Zehrs - I think so, but we dont have those here in NB

I would question where Bulk Barn falls here.


The following I can speak from experience are NOT classified as grocery, regardless if they have a grocery dept:

Shoppers - no they're a drugstore
Lawton's - no also a drugstore
Walmart - no, they're a dept/discount store




Additonally: I've also used the card at merchants in the US and both grocery and gas are classified correctly there as well and count toward my 4% reward.

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From the leaglese fine print of the card terms: You will earn 4% cash back on the first $25,000 you spend annually at gas stations and grocery stores. 4% cash back applies at merchants which are classified in the Visa Inc. (Visa) network as Grocery Stores & Supermarkets, Service Stations (with or without ancillary services), and Automated Fuel Dispensers (Merchant Codes: 5411, 5541 & 5542). Some merchants may sell these products/services or are separate merchants who are located on the premises of these merchants, but are classified by Visa in another manner, in which case this added benefit would not apply.

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I still prefer my tangerine MasterCard....2% on three categories and .5% for the rest, no annual fee and the amount earned goes into my bank account each month. Unfortunately I would not qualify for the income requirements for the 4% back and have a deep adversion to paying service fees for anything.

Curious to know how many have signed up for this reward? I think it's another cash cow for the chain, just like the 5cent fee for bags that are thinner and can't be reused because they tear easily.

First I got an email and today I got mail from them about this. I noticed it is $9.99 a month or $99 a year, so if you pay monthly it adds up to can extra $20 for them.....grrrr.

I have a 6 month old baby and order often from beauty boutique.

I honestly like this and will more than likely join. It will pay for itself in points back from diapers and not having a minimum on beauty boutique for shipping + free samples when I order is a bonus :-)

Oh and free click and collect is great since I wont have to go in to the store with the baby during those cold winter months.

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Originally Posted by barbis9

Curious to know how many have signed up for this reward? I think it's another cash cow for the chain, just like the 5cent fee for bags that are thinner and can't be reused because they tear easily.

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I dont know if I commented or not before, but if I'm paying $100 a year for anything, I want something show for it other than points... points that may or may not hold their value in the end... points that may or may not be restricted at the will of Mr Weston.

With my above mentioned credit card, I know what I'm getting... cashback, and it's clearly defined how much I'll get and when I'm going to get it.

With Amazon, I know it's paying for my unlimited 2-day shipping, and their media services (Prime video and now Prime music).

I wouldnt pay to be a member of AirMiles... or Scene... or Aeroplan... I'm paying for those with my CUSTOMER LOYALTY -- not purely with my pocketbook. Loblaws should maybe take another look at it from that angle.